New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Washington would keep the strategically important Strait of Hormuz open and would not enforce a naval
blockade at this stage, while maintaining that American naval assets would remain in the region in case circumstances changed.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision was linked to ongoing negotiations with Iran, which he described as positive.
“I have agreed to allow the Hormuz Strait to remain OPEN, with no further Naval Blockade. However, all ships are remaining in place should it be necessary to reinstitute the Blockade, which seems, at this point, highly unlikely,” the US President wrote.
Trump claims Iran accepted inspections
Trump also claimed that Iran had agreed to the highest level of nuclear inspections for the foreseeable future, calling the arrangement a guarantee of “nuclear honesty.”
“Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!). This will insure “Nuclear Honesty.” If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!” he added.
The US President said Tehran’s acceptance of inspections was a key condition for continuing talks between the two countries.
US outlines sanctions relief mechanism
Trump also described a sanctions relief arrangement under which funds released by the US Treasury would be placed in an escrow account controlled by the United States rather than transferred directly to Iran.
According to Trump, the money would be used exclusively to purchase food and medical supplies from American producers, including corn, wheat and soybeans.
Calling the situation in Iran a humanitarian crisis, Trump said assistance was needed urgently and added that negotiations between Washington and Tehran were progressing well.
He also accused parts of the media of downplaying what he described as a diplomatic success for the United States.
Oman and Iran back open navigation
Meanwhile, Oman and Iran issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for international shipping.
The two countries described the waterway as a “safe and open waterway for international navigation” but stressed that any arrangements concerning the strait must respect their sovereignty and sovereign rights.
New framework proposed
Oman and Iran also announced plans to establish a joint team to negotiate an agreement on the future management of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposed framework is expected to address operational, legal and administrative issues linked to maritime traffic through the strategic route.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It serves as a critical export route for crude oil and liquefied natural gas from Gulf countries. Commercial shipping through the waterway has gradually resumed following the Washington-Tehran peace agreement, although traffic remains below levels recorded before the conflict.
