BERLIN, April 13. /TASS/. Jurgen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesperson for the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) faction in the Bundestag, considers President Donald Trump’s recent statements about a potential US blockade of Iran to be a strategic negotiating maneuver.
"President Trump does not stand to gain from disrupting trade routes," Hardt told the Rheinische Post. "Such actions would likely lead to higher prices, including within the United States itself, and could weaken his domestic political position," he explained. The politician emphasized that both sides are engaging in a game of strategic positioning, viewing Trump’s remarks on a possible blockade more as a bargaining tactic rather than a definitive policy stance.
Hardt also noted that "not every word from the US president should be regarded as a final decision."
On April 11, Iran and the United States conducted several rounds of talks in Islamabad. The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while Vice President JD Vance represented the US. According to reports from Tehran and Washington, the negotiations did not result in an agreement on a long-term resolution to the ongoing conflict, citing multiple differences between the parties. Details regarding the potential for future negotiations remain undisclosed.
Subsequently, US Central Command announced that its forces would initiate a naval blockade of Iran starting April 13. This blockade is set to restrict vessels from all countries entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas.