Florida Congressional candidate George Moraitis discussed the ongoing U.S. naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and the war with Iran during an exclusive interview with The Floridian.
"There's so much you can do with naval power as far as reopening a strait. The President is trying to show restraint and not sort of go on an all-out attack," Moraitis said. "Of course, we could open the street, get rid of all the mines, stop all the attacks, but I think he wants to give peace a chance here, even though that's looking increasingly dim, with the way the Iranians have responded."
Moraitis graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the United States Navy from 1992 to 2000, and later with the U.S. Navy Reserve. His career included serving as a Submarine Warfare officer and Naval Nuclear Propulsion Engineer, while earning the Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Arctic Service Ribbon, Kosovo Campaign Medal, and NATO Medal for his service.
President Donald Trump ordered the United States Navy to fire on any Iranian boats putting mines on the Strait of Hormuz in a Truth Social post on Thursday. The measure follows the U.S. putting a naval blockade on Iranian ports and vessels in the Strait, a key maritime connection between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea.
"At some point, we're gonna run out of patience, probably the next few weeks, and at that point it might become a lot more kinetic. We do need to get the straight open," Moraitis added.
President Trump extended his ceasefire with Iran, which was set to expire on Wednesday, until "such a time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," according to his Truth Social post.
The White House told Fox News the ceasefire is three to five days.
The United States and Iran have been at war since Feb. 28, leaving Moraitis some doubt on the regime's sincerity about coming to the table. Moraitis also hoped a deal would stop further U.S. casualties.
Thirteen U.S service members have been killed since the war began.
"The president, the administration, is giving every opportunity for the Iranians to give up the nuclear weapon, stop the attacks on the ships. But if they won't do that, ultimately, we do have the capability of reopening the Strait and getting the world economy going in that part of the world," Moraitis said.
Moreover, Moraitis echoed Trump's goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. A state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. State Department, Iran has been building up its nuclear capabilities for decades, becoming an existential threat to the U.S. in the process, largely after its Islamic Revolution in 1979.
"This has really been going on for almost 50 years in terms of their hatred of the United States and our allies in the region, not to mention the persecution of their own people and Christian minorities," Moraitis said. "Again, most significantly, a country that wants to export terrorism, it has people willing to die in suicide attacks. If they were given a nuclear weapon, there's no telling what they could do with that."
Moraitis also indicated the U.S.'s war was not about regime change.
"We don't want to see them acquire a nuclear weapon. That's the bottom line," Moraitis said.
Moraitis, a State representative for eight years, also addressed concerns of rising oil and gas prices as a result of the war.
"We have to have an end on terms that make sense long term for us and our children, grandchildren. This is a temporary spike in oil prices and those sorts of things that disrupt the markets," Moraitis said.
"You do have to stand up and confront evil at some point, and we've been doing that with Iran, and yet they still have persisted in trying to acquire a nuclear weapon," Moraitis added.
Moraitis, who recently qualified for the CD 23 ballot, is in a Republican primary against Scott Singer, Darlene Cerezo Swaffer, Raven Harrison, Joe Kaufman, Rafeal Ortiz, and Jared Gurfein for the Republican nomination on Aug. 18.
The District, covering portions of Broward County and southern Palm Beach County, is viewed as a competitive race by the Cook Political Report.
