On Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, the United States says it began implementing a blockade of all ships entering
and exiting Iranian ports through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump took to social media and warned that any Iranian ships trying to approach the blockade would be,
quote, immediately eliminated.
Eliminated, by the way, in all caps.
This new blockade and the escalating threats follow weeks when it was Iran which was seemingly in control
of this vital shipping lane, barely more than 20 miles wide at its narrowest point.
Over the weekend, the Americans and the Iranians failed to reach a deal after a long day of talks.
We can't let a country blackmail or extort the world, because that's what they're doing.
They're really blackmailing the world.
We're not going to let that happen.
The Trump administration has repeatedly insisted it's winning the war.
The Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone, their radar is gone, and their leaders are gone.
But Iran doesn't look totally defeated.
Tehran, too, thinks it has the upper hand.
To help us understand why and what Iran wants,
we 're joined by our colleague from the BBC Persian service, Parham Gurbadi, a regular on the show.
From the BBC in London, I'm Asma Khalid.
And I'm Tristan Redmond.
And today on The Global Story, does Iran have the upper hand in the Strait of Hormuz?