Trump says US blockade of Iran's ports 'will continue' if there is no deal

President Donald Trump said Friday night that he will maintain the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports if a peace deal with Tehran is not reached.

The Islamic republic reopened the Strait of Hormuz, vital for global oil traffic, following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

However, he threatened to close that sea lane again if the United States continued to obstruct its ports.

"But the blockade will continue," he told reporters

Boarding Air Force One, Trump assured that he would suddenly not "extend" the ceasefire that Washington pact with Iran and which ends Wednesday. "But the blockade will continue," he told reporters.

He insisted, however, that he believes there will be a deal, despite lingering differences between the sides following recent talks in Pakistan that ended without an agreement.

Trump said Iran is "not going to impose tolls" on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a condition raised by the Islamic republic in previous peace plans.

Xi Jinping: "very happy" with reopening of Strait of Hormuz

In a message on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping was "very pleased" with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"Our meeting in China will be special and, potentially, historic," Trump added, referring to a planned summit in Beijing in May.

Trump reiterated that Tehran, in agreement with Washington, will transfer its enriched uranium to the United States as part of an initiative to end the war, which began on Feb. 28.

Previously, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that its uranium stockpile would not be transferred "anywhere."