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US President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran are discussing the resumption of normal shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said could be fully reopened 'by tomorrow.' Speaking to reporters, Trump said: "We're talking about the strait, the opening of the strait, having it open literally by tomorrow, completely open, and that's phase on." The remarks, reported by TASS, came amid heightened tensions over the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of global oil trade passes.
Coverage comparison
Two news organisations covered the story from different angles. The Jerusalem Post, in an article by Idan Kweller, focused on Trump's accusations against Iran, including his claim that Tehran had been seeking talks while publicly denying their existence. The report also highlighted Trump's revelation that the US had been prepared to launch a massive military operation before deciding to pursue diplomacy. TASS, for its part, reported Trump's statements on the timing of the reopening and his assessment that discussions with Iran were going well, without the confrontational framing seen in the Jerusalem Post's account.
The two outlets also presented different timelines and details. TASS reported that Trump mentioned a 48-hour window for progress, saying "We'll know in 48 hours, but [it] could happen tomorrow or the next one." The Jerusalem Post quoted Trump warning Iran of consequences if it withdrew from talks, and detailed his criticism of the Obama-era nuclear deal.
Key claims
Trump, speaking to Fox News in an interview reported by TASS, said: "The Strait is going to be open very soon, or they're going to get hit very hard, and then the Strait is going to be open." He added that the US was having "very good discussions" with Iran, but lamented that Tehran "don't like to admit that," calling Iran's approach to negotiations "a little bit disconcerting."
According to the Jerusalem Post, Trump accused Iranian officials of publicly denying contacts with Washington despite having all-day talks on Tuesday. "They don't like to admit that. You tell people we're having wonderful discussions, and then some guy will come out of Iran and say, 'We have not met.' They'll say, 'We didn't talk about nuclear.' Well, what did we talk about? We're sitting there twiddling our thumbs, right?" Trump said.
The US president also claimed that Washington had been prepared to launch what he described as a massive military operation before Iran requested talks. "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?' They didn't want [the attack], and I said, 'Yes. We can talk. Let's get it done. Finally, let's get it done,'" he said.
Trump reiterated his position that Iran would never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, adding that "one way or another" the Strait of Hormuz would open soon. "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. They already can't, but it's going to be formal," he said.
Asked what would happen if Iran withdrew from the current talks, Trump warned: "If they back out again, they're going to get hit really hard. They know that. They understand that. I have no choice. They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple."
The Jerusalem Post also reported that Trump criticized the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, though the specifics of his remarks were not detailed in the provided material.