Temporary agreement reached to open the Strait of Hormuz, Trump: "The war will end soon"
MS NOW reported on a temporary agreement between Oman and Iran to open new shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz without Tehran collecting fees. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump estimated that the fighting is nearing its end, stating he does not believe the Iranians can continue for much longer.
Oman has agreed to the framework of an agreement with Iran for the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This was stated last night, Thursday, by two Middle Eastern diplomats familiar with the details of the negotiations to the MS NOW network. Against the backdrop of Iranian reports about the agreement, the diplomats refused to detail the terms of the temporary arrangement or explain which issues remain in dispute.
However, a source in the Iranian government involved in formulating the agreement told the American network that it would establish new shipping lanes, allowing ships to enter the Persian Gulf through a route controlled by Iran and exit through a route controlled by Oman. According to that source, and contrary to claims in the Iranian media, the agreement does not include the collection of fees from commercial vessels seeking safe passage.
According to the report, this is a "temporary agreement" intended to lay the foundation for Washington and Tehran to announce a new ceasefire and resume negotiations on the nuclear program, which collapsed following the exchange of strikes in the strait. The source also claimed that the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the USA would be involved in the official announcement. Another source in one of the Gulf states, familiar with the details, also told MS NOW that the arrangement had received approval from the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said this evening at the White House:
"The war will end pretty soon. I don't think they (the Iranians) can continue for much longer."
When asked if an agreement had been reached to open the strait, he replied: "I don't want to say that an agreement has been reached, the strait is pretty open now. There is what is called a blockade, led by the US Navy, and we control it, but they can always shoot something or lay a mine. If there is even one mine there, it disrupts everything, because people don't want to take their ships, which are worth a billion dollars, and get hit by mistake."
When asked about the budget for replenishing ammunition stocks, Donald Trump accused former president Joe Biden of giving a "huge amount" of weapons to Ukraine: "Everything was given for free, no payment. Hundreds of billions of dollars. We have certain types of very powerful ammunition, of which we have an unlimited supply, or almost unlimited. We also have advanced ammunition, but we are monitoring the situation very closely."
