Iranian state media reported that the commander of Iran’s joint military command warned that Iran would completely block exports and imports across the Persian Gulf region, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the United States does not lift its blockade on Iranian ports.“Iran will act with strength to defend its national sovereignty and its interests,” said Ali Abdollahi. He added that the US blockade was “a prelude to violating the ceasefire”. Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz when Israel and the US launched strikes against it more than a month ago. The US on Monday began blockading ships trying to enter or leave Iranian ports and said it would not impede the freedom of navigation of other vessels in the Persian Gulf.After chastising Pope Leo XIV, Trump turned his ire on Meloni, long one of his closest European allies, for calling his papal broadside “unacceptable” and not backing the US-Israel war on Iran. “I thought she had courage,” Trump said in an interview with leading Italian daily Corriere della Sera. “I was wrong.”Trump doubled down on Wednesday, saying their bond had frayed. “She’s been negative,” Trump told Fox News. “Anybody that turned us down to helping with this Iran situation, we do not have the same relationship.”The only European Union leader invited to Trump’s second inauguration, Meloni was expected to leverage her strong ties with him once he returned to office 15 months ago.