On Friday, US President Donald Trump said that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened “very shortly,” regardless of Iran’s cooperation, as both countries prepare for direct negotiations on Sunday and Monday in Pakistan. The strait is a critical shipping route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, and Iran has been blocking it due to tensions with Israel and the United States related to the recent conflict in Northern Iraq.
Trump told reporters that the United States will be able to “open up the Gulf,” and second, additional nations would provide assistance to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and third, the United States would not support any type of Iranian “de facto toll booth” for shipping through the strait.
Trump went on to say that the United States will “open it automatically” and was hopeful for a fast resolution to that issue as a result of positive talks taking place during the upcoming US-Iran negotiations designed to establish an extended ceasefire implementing the agreement reached in Iraq two weeks ago.
The negotiations are happening prior to US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan taking place on Sunday and Monday, and will be focused on finding permanent resolutions to what Iran has now referred to as a temporary cessation of hostilities related to the Strait of Hormuz. The primary condition required to close the Strait for an indefinite period was the unimpeded, unrestricted reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as outlined in the ceasefire negotiations, and the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. However, Iran has yet to agree to remove its Revolutionary Guards or continue to limit movement across the Strait due to reports of Israeli violations of Iranian airspace.
Because there has been nearly no movement of tankers around the world, prices for oil have been swinging wildly as shipping companies hold off on shipping until they receive assurance of safe passage. At the same time, Trump has said that the two highest priorities are preventing Iran from creating its own nuclear weapon and making sure there is free movement of shipping vessels through the straits.
In light of this, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that military options were discussed with Trump to get the Strait open again if necessary.
According to analysts, the successful reopening of the strait may relieve some of the tensions in the energy market; however, even if the straits are cleared, there will likely be delays (likely weeks) in returning both oil and gas to their normal flow rates.