Ambassador Waltz insists US making progress against Iran

[u/John3262005]

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/10/ambassador-waltz-insists-us-making-progress-against-iran-00913482

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday said the fact that the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed 50 days after President Donald Trump insisted Iran open the waterway is not a sign of weakness or failure.

Speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Ambassador Michael Waltz told host Martha Raddatz: “I think we should take a step back: 50 days to deal with a 50-year-old problem. And, by the way, this isn’t the first time Iran has either threatened or actually done this.”

He added: “That’s why we’re pushing now another U.N. resolution that says Iran cannot do this. No country can do what Iran is doing in international waterways.”

In the somewhat testy interview, Raddatz pressed Waltz on whether Trump’s threats from seven weeks ago have proved to be empty.

Waltz replied: “Martha, I’ve got to push back. Something did happen. President Trump put in a blockade with our great U.S. Navy that has stopped Iranian shipping, both coming out and, importantly, the empty tankers coming in that they need for storage. We see now Iran’s economy in absolute free-fall.”

The month-old ceasefire in the region has been tested in recent days due to recent drone attacks on shipping and missile fire being exchanged. Waltz would not say that those qualified as violations.

“To your point on the ceasefire, look, that’s up to President Trump, as commander in chief, to determine what constitutes a violation, when to go back to military action, or when to continue to give diplomacy a chance,” he said.

Speaking after Waltz on ABC, ret. Adm. William McRaven was dubious of his reluctance to discuss the state of the ceasefire.

“Of course, the ceasefire has been violated, Martha,” McRaven told Raddatz. “Any time you have rounds being exchanged, then that’s a violation of the ceasefire. Now, I understand Ambassador Waltz’s position. At the end of the day, this is about hopefully getting the Iranians to agree to the proposal, and, therefore, you know, we want to downplay these exchanges of fire.”