U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States will maintain the naval blockade on Iran until an agreement is reached on its nuclear program, in statements made to Israeli television network Channel 12.

Trump argued that the U.S. will not lift restrictive measures against Tehran, stating that the naval blockade is a more effective means of pressure than military strikes. “It is more effective than bombing,” he said, adding that Iran’s economy is “suffocating.”

He further claimed that Tehran is urgently seeking a deal in order to have the blockade lifted, while warning of serious consequences for the country’s energy sector. According to him, Iran’s energy infrastructure could “collapse soon” if it is unable to export oil.

According to the Israeli network, the U.S. President’s remarks amount to a rejection of an Iranian proposal delivered earlier this week, which reportedly included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the naval blockade first, postponing nuclear talks to a later stage.