Hormuz Strait will open immediately upon signing deal with Iran: Trump

Washington, June 4: US President Donald Trump has said that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately upon the signing of a proposed agreement with Iran, signalling what he described as progress in negotiations aimed at preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and potentially easing tensions in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
The remarks came as Trump outlined his administration’s efforts to reach a new understanding with Iran following recent military confrontations and diplomatic negotiations.
“Immediately upon signing the memorandum of understanding, the Hormuz Strait will open, and it will open up quickly,” Trump said during remarks at the White House on Wednesday (local time).
He added that US forces had already deployed minesweeping capabilities in the region and that most suspected mines had been cleared. “The Hormuz Strait will open immediately upon signing.”
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to global shipping lanes, is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. A significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes through the narrow waterway, making any disruption a major concern for energy-importing nations, including India.
Trump indicated that negotiations with Iran were advancing and suggested that an agreement could be reached within days.
“I hear the negotiation itself has gone very well, actually. Very well,” he said. Asked about the timeline for a deal, Trump added: “If it happens and it might not happen, you know, who knows? But if it happens, it could happen like over the weekend.”
He repeatedly emphasised that the central objective of the negotiations was to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.
“We will not have a nuclear weapon or bomb. We will not develop one, we will not buy one,” Trump said, describing what he characterised as the core commitment sought from Tehran under the proposed agreement. “Under our deal, they will never, ever have a nuclear weapon.”
In one of his most notable comments, Trump suggested that the United States and Iran could work together to remove and destroy nuclear-related material remaining at Iranian sites.
“As it stands now, we will go in and sometime in the not too distant future,” Trump said.
“As of this moment, it’s agreed that we will go in with them, we will get it, and we will destroy it. It will be destroyed,” he added. (IANS)