US President Donald Trump has stated that an agreement to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could be reached “tomorrow or the day after tomorrow”, adding that progress had been made in the negotiations.
Trump’s statement came after Axios reported, citing sources, that the United States, Iran and Oman were close to reaching a temporary agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which, prior to the US and Israeli war against Iran, approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas transit passed. The publication also reported that an announcement on the matter was planned for 5 August.
“They rang me and said: ‘Please, let’s talk.’ They want to talk,” said Trump, referring to the Iranian side.
“They want to strike a deal. They don’t want to be beaten up,” the US president added to journalists before departing from Los Angeles for Las Vegas aboard Air Force One.
He also spoke positively about the latest round of talks, saying: “They had a very good day. The talks went well.”
At the end of last week, US President Donald Trump stated that he had called off a “massive” attack on Iran, as agreements to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and to break the deadlock over Tehran’s nuclear programme are being drawn up, although he did not provide any details.
The conflict, which began with US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in late February, has led to a sharp rise in oil prices – rising as the attacks intensified and falling as hopes for a negotiated settlement re-emerged.
Iran had previously threatened to impose charges or duties on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States and other countries insist that the strait is an international waterway and is not under the control of any single country.
Washington has resumed its naval blockade of Iran in the Strait following the breakdown of the truce between the US and Iran signed in June.
Iran has also, at times, effectively blocked the waterway, in particular by attacking ships which, it claims, did not have the proper authorisation from Tehran.