Trump says Strait of Hormuz deal could be announced within 48 hours as Iran-Oman talks advance
President Trump said Tuesday evening that an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come "tomorrow or the next day," citing what he described as "a lot of progress" in ongoing talks between Iran and Oman. The emerging arrangement, confirmed by two regional officials to the Associated Press, would route ships entering the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled channel and ships exiting through an Omani-controlled route, with service fees charged for security and environmental preservation. Axios separately reported the initial arrangement would last 60 days, during which no tolls or fees would be charged.
Two sources · Thin corroboration
Speaking to reporters traveling with him in California on Tuesday evening, Trump said a strait deal could arrive "tomorrow or the next day" and told Fox News that "the strait's going to be open very soon, or they're going to get hit very hard, and then the strait's going to be open." He also told Fox that "we're having very good discussions" with Iran but acknowledged Tehran was not publicly admitting to those talks.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed, has seen traffic reduced to a trickle since the conflict began. The Associated Press reported that its closure has driven up the price of fuel and basic goods well beyond the region. Brent crude was trading around $80 per barrel on Wednesday, still below its peak during the conflict. A prior U.S.-Iran deal to open the strait was reached in June but broke down when attacks resumed.
The proposed arrangement presents a tension with positions the Trump administration had previously stated publicly. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed progress in the Iran-Oman talks while noting no deal was final, but he had previously said giving Iran control over the strait would set a "very dangerous precedent." Trump himself reiterated as recently as Monday that he opposed tolls: "I'm not going to let them charge. Anybody's going to charge, we'll charge." Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said negotiations were focused on "establishing safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes" that "uphold sovereign rights," and said results would be announced once concluded.