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U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States and Iran held "very good discussions" on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while warning Tehran it would face a military response if negotiations broke down.
Trump told Fox News that the talks were productive and said negotiators spent the day working toward an agreement that could restore shipping through the strategic waterway, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz "is going to be open very soon."
However, Trump warned that the U.S. would respond with major military force if Iran walked away from the negotiations, reiterating that Washington would not allow Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon.
The U.S. president remarked that he had been prepared to launch a major military strike against Iran before Iranian officials requested negotiations.
"We were going to a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II, and they called me and said, very politely, 'Please, can we talk? Can we talk?'... I said, 'Yes, we can talk. Let's get it done. Finally, let's get it done,'" Trump said.
He also argued that reopening the strait and easing tensions would lower fuel prices, saying oil companies should begin reducing gasoline prices if an agreement is reached.
Qatar said Tuesday that mediators were making progress toward ending the conflict, although Tehran denied Trump's assertion that negotiations were under way.
Later, Trump told reporters in California that negotiations were "moving along very nicely" and indicated there could be greater clarity within 48 hours.
Separately, Axios reported that the United States, Iran and Oman were nearing an interim agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, with a possible announcement expected as early as Wednesday.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the southern route through the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all commercial vessels transiting the international waterway.
It added that U.S. forces have assisted more than 1,000 vessels in safely passing through the strait over the past three months despite what it described as "unwarranted Iranian aggression," and said those escort operations are continuing.
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two sides had yet to finalize an agreement on passage through the strategic waterway but expressed hope that one would come "very shortly."
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