Trump says Strait of Hormuz deal could come as soon as Wednesday

Donald Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come as early as Wednesday, putting fresh attention on a waterway that sits at the center of global oil and shipping flows. A senior Trump administration official separately said an agreement could be reached as soon as “today or tomorrow.”

The comments came as Iran and Oman moved closer to a route arrangement through the strait, while Iranian officials rejected the idea that Tehran was in current direct negotiations with Washington. Esmaeil Baqaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said on Aug. 5 that Iran had reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said on Iranian state media that the U.S. claim of negotiations with Iran was false and that there had been no negotiations.

The shape of any deal remained unsettled. Reuters reported that a proposed arrangement would give Iran control over ships entering the Gulf through the strait, with Iran overseeing outbound traffic or a related route setup. That would amount to a major concession to Tehran over one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints. Earlier in the week, Gulf-backed proposals had included voluntary fees or other management ideas for transit, but Iran had ruled out regional management of the strait on July 29.

The talks matter because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil and trade routes, and the waterway’s status can ripple through tanker insurance, freight costs and gasoline prices far beyond the Gulf. A durable agreement that restores steady shipping would not just lower the chance of a fresh disruption; it would also signal to insurers and energy traders that vessels can pass with less risk, easing pressure on the global economy. PBS NewsHour and AP said such a deal could help bring an end to the war.

Verification still hinges on whether the diplomacy produces a real operating change, not just another headline. On Aug. 2, Iran said negotiations with Oman over the strait were in their final stages after Trump spoke of progress. Reuters also showed vessels in the Strait of Hormuz from Musandam, Oman, on Aug. 3, a reminder that traffic through the narrow passage continues even as the political fight over who controls it remains unresolved.