Hegseth: US Blockade on Iran 'Going Global'; Trump Extends Jones Act Waiver for 90 Days to Ease Energy Crunch

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on April 24 that a U.S. blockade on Iran is going global, adding that Tehran had a chance to make a "good deal" with Washington. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. Central Command continues to maintain a strict blockade on all ports in Iran. Caine said 34 ships had been turned around as of Friday morning. He added that the U.S. military would continue to interdict Iranian vessels in the Pacific and Indian oceans.President Donald Trump has extended a waiver of the century-old Jones Act for 90 days, allowing foreign-flagged vessels to transport fuel and other goods between U.S. ports to ease price increases triggered by the Iran war and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The waiver applies to a range of goods, including crude oil, natural gas, coal, fertilizer, and refined petroleum products.