Iran’s IRGC Challenges Trump To Have US Vessels Escort Tankers In Strait Of Hormuz

Reporting by Dubai Newsroom Reuters March 7, 2026

March 7(Reuters) – A spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards challenged U.S. President Donald Trump to deploy U.S. naval vessels to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported on Friday.

The U.S. Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary, Trump said on Tuesday. The conflict in the Middle East has halted shipping and energy through the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Guards spokesperson Alimohammad Naini said: “Iran strongly welcomes the escort of oil tankers and that U.S. forces will be there for the crossing of the Strait of Hormuz. And we are, by the way, awaiting their presence,” according to state media

“We recommend that, before making any decision, the Americans remember the fire on the American supertanker Bridgeton in 1987 and the oil tankers that were recently targeted,” Naini said

At least nine vessels have been attacked since the U.S. and Israel first began strikes on Iran on Saturday and the Guards ordered ships not to cross the strategic waterway

https://gcaptain.com/irans-irgc-challenges-trump-to-have-us-vessels-escort-tankers-in-strait-of-hormuz/

General Research #29693

Mexico and USA Begin Bilateral Preparations to Dissolve USMCA Without Canada

March 8, 2026 | Sundance |

One of the most curious aspects to the predictable USMCA review, ie. dissolution,has been the incapacity of the Canadian government or trade delegation to accept the United States is going to create two distinctlydifferent bilateral trade agreements and eliminate the trilateral USMCA.

For 16 months the Canadians have refused to fathom the reality of what is going to happen this year.

The Canadians just cannot believe it is possible they will be forced to negotiate a free trade agreement without the cover of a multilateral construct. It has been remarkable to watch their dissonance.

Last week President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum held a phone call.At the conclusion of the call, Sheinbaum publicly asserted the reality the Canadians just refuse to accept.

MEXICO – Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters during her morning news briefing on Wednesday that her U.S. counterpart,Donald Trump, is open to doing away with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) and replace it with individual trade deals with each country.

[…] “There might be revisions that create bilateral deals instead of involving the three countries because some things are more important between Mexico and the United States or between Canada and the United States,” said Sheinbaum. “Not everything has to be trilateral.”

Mexico’s president said the subject was brought up by Trump during a Tuesday phone conversation. […]According to Sheinbaum, her country is ready to consider possible changes. (read more)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney finally started to realize President Trump was likelyto ignore Canada and begin direct discussions with Sheinbaum. So, Carney went to Mexico to try and get assurances from Sheinbaum that Mexico would not proceed without Canadian interests in mind.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/