🇺🇸 The United States has sanctioned International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese judge, along with senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, per the US Treasury Department.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the designations Tuesday under Executive Order 14203, saying the two "directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction." The sanctions freeze any US assets Akane holds and largely cut her off from the US financial system. Treasury issued a general license authorizing wind-down of transactions involving Akane through September 17.

It is the latest escalation in Washington's campaign against the Hague-based court, which is not recognized by the US. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and previously opened a probe into US military conduct in Afghanistan.

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Trump Says No Talks Scheduled With Iran, Claims Strait Of Hormuz Is Open Despite Ship Attacks

The president also shared an image that labeled the Strait of Hormuz as a 'new US territory'

President Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday that the US was not engaged in talks with Iran and that none were scheduled, a reversal of his earlier claims that there were ongoing negotiations despite Iranian denials.

“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He repeated his claim that the Strait of Hormuz is “open and operating,” but traffic through the waterway remains extremely limited, and at least two ships have come under attack in recent days, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations , which said at least one sailor was killed in the attacks.

In a separate post, Trump shared an image that labeled the Strait of Hormuz as a “new US territory,” after suggesting earlier this week that, after the war ended, he would declare the strait part of the US. The president also threatened to “bomb the shit” out of Oman over its talks with Iran regarding the strait, despite US officials previously backing the negotiations.

Trump and other top administration officials have suggested in recent days that they’re happy to sit back and continue putting economic pressure on Iran through sanctions and the blockade, which has involved attacks on commercial ships, while Iranian officials have made clear the economic campaign won’t lead to Iranian capitulation.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ Antiwar.com

Related: 8/12 — — 🇺🇸/🇮🇷 President Trump on Truth Social: ‘The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, “A WALL OF STEEL,” and there is nothing Iran can do about it.

8/12 — — 🇺🇸/🇮🇷 President Trump: ‘We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. We have total control. We own it.’

8/12 — —❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Major General Mohsen Rezaei: ‘Iran’s message is clear: The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the U.S. ends the war and blockade, releases Iran’s frozen assets, and agrees to a region-wide ceasefire, including in Lebanon and Gaza. Until all conditions are met, the Strait will remain closed.’

8/10 — — 🇮🇷/🇸🇦/🇦🇪/🇶🇦/🇰🇼/🇧🇭/🇴🇲 The Wall Street Journal: ‘Gulf states have accepted a new normal in the Strait of Hormuz; Iran is in control’

8/10 — 🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️ — Reporter: When will the Strait of Hormuz be opened? — Trump: It's open now. The only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz is the U.S. Navy. We have a blockade that's been infallible — it's a steel wall. We let people that we wanna let in.

8/6 — — 🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: The Financial Times reports that tolls in the Strait of Hormuz are ‘totally legit’, and says Iran will be ‘Suezmaxxing’

8/5 — Iran Announces Its Strait Of Hormuz Agreement With Oman Is "Hereby Postponed" Over US Interference And Trump's Threats, Saying Iran "Will Not Conclude Any Agreement Under The Shadow Of Threats," Per Sepah News.

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