U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that this will occur regardless of Iran’s cooperation. Central to ongoing discussions between the two nations is the issue of nuclear weapons.
During a press briefing, Trump stated that Iran has suffered military setbacks, and the United States intends to facilitate access to the strait. He remarked, “They have suffered a military defeat, and now we will open the strait with or without them, but it will be opened. We plan to open the strait, as it is called, and I believe this will happen quite quickly. If not, we can see it through one way or another. Everything is going well,” he said.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. would not permit Iran to charge fees for passage through the strait, should Tehran attempt to do so. He reiterated that his primary objective in negotiations with Iran is to restrict the country’s nuclear capabilities.
“No nuclear weapons. That is number one. You know, I think the regime change has already occurred, although we never had such a criterion. No nuclear weapons. That is 99% of the essence,” he responded when asked what constitutes a successful agreement for him.
In response to another inquiry, Trump asserted that Washington does not require a backup plan regarding Iran, claiming that the Iranian military has been nearly destroyed. “A backup plan is not needed. Their army is shattered; they have no army left. We have virtually destroyed everything. They have very few missiles, and their production capacity is very low. We struck them hard. Our military is simply amazing; they did an incredible job,” he concluded.
Recently, Trump had threatened to annihilate “an entire civilization,” but ultimately agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran subsequently effectively closed the strait again following Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
This weekend, negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are scheduled, with Trump indicating that both parties aim to finalize an agreement within the two-week timeframe.
On April 10, Trump held a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during which they discussed potential steps to reopen the strait. Meanwhile, Politico reports that representatives from 41 countries will convene in the U.K. next week to discuss strategies for unblocking the strait. Sources indicate that Trump, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, expressed a desire for allies to provide concrete plans to ensure freedom of navigation through the strait.
President Trump has outlined plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing military victories over Iran and the importance of nuclear disarmament. Ongoing negotiations are set to address these issues amid heightened tensions and recent military actions.