USA06 May, 20262 min read
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Says It Will Provide Safe Passage Through Strait of Hormuz
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Iran's Revolutionary Guard says safe passage for ships through Hormuz Strait. Safe passage provided after Trump paused U.S. efforts to guide merchant ships.
Hormuz transit paused
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Wednesday that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be provided, after President Trump paused a U.S. military effort to guide merchant vessels through the strategic waterway. The navy command said in an online statement that “safe and sustainable transit through the strait will be facilitated,” but it did not give details about the new terms. The HPPR report said the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since the U.S. and Israel launched their attack on Iran on Feb. 28, disrupting global energy supplies and pushing up fuel prices. In response to the Iranian statement, Trump wrote online that “If they don't agree, the bombing starts,” warning U.S. bombing would resume if Iran did not reach an agreement.
Polls and midterm edge
NPR reported that more than 8 in 10 Americans said pain at the pump is straining their household budgets, and a strong majority blames President Trump, according to an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. The NPR report said Democrats led by 10 points on the congressional ballot test, with the survey conducted April 27-30 among 1,322 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points. NPR also said Trump’s approval is at 37% while 59% disapprove, and that “Just 37% of respondents approve of the job Trump is doing overall.” In the same poll, NPR said the war in Iran—linked to higher gas prices—continues to grow more unpopular, and that “Democrats lead by 10 points on the congressional ballot test.”
Diesel spike raises stakes
Politico reported that diesel price spikes are set to ripple through the U.S. economy and raise prices on groceries and housing, adding new political risk for Republicans ahead of the midterms. It said that on Tuesday the average price for a gallon of diesel was $5.66, just 16 cents away from the record price of $5.82 set in June 2022 under former President Joe Biden, according to AAA. Politico quoted veteran Republican strategist Chuck Coughlin saying, “He’s gonna pay a price at the polls,” as voters blame the party in charge for rising costs. The same Politico report said Trump claimed energy prices would soon go lower than before, quoting Trump at the White House as saying, “Oil is at $102, that’s a very small price to pay for getting rid of a nuclear weapon.”