Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz could reopen “very soon” after what he described as an “all-day negotiation” with Iran, as Tehran and Oman finalise a draft agreement to establish new shipping lanes through the strategic waterway.
“They had an all-day negotiation,” the US President told Fox News.
“We are having very good discussions,” he added.
Speaking to reporters travelling with him in California, Mr Trump also said an announcement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz could come within days.
“It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day. A lot of progress has been made,” he said.
While the president said the Strait “is going to be open very soon”, he warned Iran against abandoning the negotiations by issuing a stern threat.
“If they (Iran) back out again, they are going to get hit really hard,” Mr Trump warned.
Iran has denied Mr Trump’s assertion that direct talks are under way, although Qatar said on Tuesday that mediators were making progress in efforts to end the conflict.
Iran and Oman have agreed on the main elements of a draft agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to people familiar with the negotiations.
The proposal would establish an inbound shipping lane near Iran and an outbound lane near Oman, while giving Tehran oversight of ships entering the Persian Gulf.
However, Iran would not be permitted to levy tolls or service fees.
The draft has been shared with the US, regional governments and Iran’s senior leadership, whose final approval is still required before any agreement can take effect.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that Tehran and Oman had reached an agreement to establish a safe route through the Strait, adding that the main framework of the arrangement was being finalised. But significant hurdles remain.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the agreement with Oman would not necessarily result in the reopening of the waterway unless the US met unspecified conditions, according to Iranian state media.
Previous diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait have failed, and mediators remain concerned that any agreement could be derailed by hard lines within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, which controls Iran’s security presence around the shipping route.
Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a main route for energy supplies from the Middle East, after the start of the war.
with Reuters
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