'No nuclear weapons': Trump lays out terms, says Hormuz will reopen with or without Iran's assistance
“I would say this: We will have that open fairly soon,” he added.
Highlights:
- Trump says Strait of Hormuz will reopen "fairly soon" with or without Iran
- He ties any deal to Iran's nuclear issue, saying "No nuclear weapons, that's 99% of it"
- US rejects any Iranian plan to impose fees or tolls on ships passing through the strait
- Shipping through the strait remains heavily disrupted despite a ceasefire
- US and Iran are set for talks in Islamabad on Saturday amid ongoing tensions and disputed terms
US President Donald Trump has said the Strait of Hormuz will reopen "fairly soon" with or without Iran's assistance as tensions over the waterway continue to disrupt global energy supplies, reports Al Jazeera.
Speaking to reporters on Friday (10 April) before US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan, Trump said the United States will "open up the Gulf" and that other countries are ready to help.
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"It won't be easy," he said.
"I would say this: We will have that open fairly soon," he added.
"No nuclear weapons, that's 99% of it," he added, saying this is the main priority in any agreement.
Trump did not explain how the US would reopen the key maritime chokepoint, but said Washington will not accept Iran imposing a de facto toll system in the strait.
Iran has indicated it may charge vessels fees for safe passage even if a deal is reached with the US to end the conflict.
"If they are doing that, we're not going to let that happen," Trump said before boarding Air Force One in Maryland.
"The strait will open up," Trump said. "If we just left ...otherwise they make no money."
According to the report, despite a two-week ceasefire announced between the US and Iran, shipping through the strait remains heavily disrupted, affecting around one-fifth of global oil and gas flows.
Only two vessels passed through on Friday, down from five the previous day, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Since the ceasefire began, just 22 ships with tracking systems active have exited the strait, compared with about 135 daily transits before the conflict.
More than 600 vessels, including 325 tankers, remain stranded in the Gulf due to the disruption, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence.
US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are set to lead negotiations in Islamabad on Saturday aimed at a possible permanent end to the conflict, the report added.
The two sides have given conflicting accounts of the agreed terms for the talks, including details of a 10-point proposal put forward by Tehran.
