Trump says Iran Strait deal could be finalized soon amid shifting timelines
President Trump asserted that a pact to reopen the Strait of Hormuz may be signed shortly, while Iran’s chief negotiator mocked the U.S. approach and both sides discussed a temporary shipping arrangement with Oman.
President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz had not yet been reached but could be signed soon. He said the United States would continue its blockade of Iranian ports in the meantime.
Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, posted on social media that the president’s repeated threats of large attacks followed by cancellations amounted to "theater diplomacy" and warned that using "bullying + broken promises + fake news" was a failed strategy.
Trump also claimed the United States has an "unlimited supply" of missiles and defended a request to Congress for more than $30 billion in supplemental funding for the conflict with Iran. He said the war would end soon and expressed respect for Iran’s ability to endure the U.S. campaign.
When asked about reports of tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a depleted missile-interceptor stockpile, Trump wrote on his social-media platform that Hegseth is "highly respected within the military and has made tremendous improvements."
Iran announced that it had not held recent talks with the United States but was finalising a separate agreement with Oman that would allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, with the possibility of extension. Officials briefed on the matter said the arrangement could serve as a temporary step toward broader negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program.