民主党人称特朗普放弃了对伊朗的“筹码”

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Trump Gave Away US 'Leverage' Over Iran, Democrat Says

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Sen. Blumenthal says Iran's attack on ship was a message to Trump, decries US losing leverage amid negotiations.

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Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has said that the Iranian government was sending President Donald Trump a message after an attack on a ship off the coast of Oman took place following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two sides. Iran’s Message To Trump In an appearance on CNN on Thursday, Blumenthal said that Iran was “sending the world a message” that it was in control of the Strait of Hormuz. “Follow the rules we designate, or we’re gonna hit your ships,” Blumenthal said. He also said that the unfreezing of assets and the lifting of the sanctions gave away the U.S.’s “leverage” over Iran. “The administration has to think very hard on suspending the lifting of sanctions,” Blumenthal said. “Clearly, Iran is far from taking us seriously,” he said. He added that Iran’s refusal of the IAEA inspector was also a “real sticking point” following the signing of the MoU between Washington and Tehran. Ship Attacked Off Oman Coast The Connecticut Senator also said that the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) issued a statement on Thursday, which stressed that ships must navigate the Strait of Hormuz through the designated routes, warning that it could not guarantee safe passage of ships not following the route. The statement came after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) reported an incident that took place over 8.6 miles off the coast of Dahit, Oman on Thursday. “A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge,” the UKMTO report said, adding that there were “no casualties and no environmental impact.” Iran had earlier warned ships to traverse through the waterway, which is responsible for a fifth of the global oil supply, only via the designated routes. “Navigation outside these routes is highly dangerous and prohibited, and we warn all vessels to strictly avoid any movement outside the designated corridors," the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement. War Powers Resolution The House and the Senate had passed the Iran War Powers Resolution, with Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) hailing the resolution, which was passed by the Senate 50-48 following cross-voting by some GOP lawmakers. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), after siding with Democrats on similar resolutions, changed his vote to “present” from “no.” Paul’s decision was intended to avoid any potential harm to the negotiations, he said, resulting in a 50-47-1 result. Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock