President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that he expects the Strait of Hormuz to “automatically open” once American forces depart the region. Speaking in a phone interview with the New York Post, the president suggested that the United States is nearing the end of its military involvement in Iran. “We’re not going to be there too much longer. We’re obliterating the sh** out of them right now, it’s a total obliteration,” Trump told the Post. The remarks follow a Wall Street Journal report suggesting the administration might consider concluding the conflict even if the strategic waterway remains obstructed. When asked about that possibility, Trump argued that the responsibility for reopening the shipping lane would shift to those who rely on it most. “I don’t think about it, to be honest,” Trump said regarding the logistical opening of the Strait. “My sole function was to make sure that they don’t have a nuclear weapon. They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. When we leave the strait will automatically open.” The president further suggested that the weakened state of Iran would leave them unable to maintain a blockade. “I’ve obliterated the country. They have no strength left, and let the countries that are using the strait, let them go and open it… because I would imagine whoever’s controlling the oil will be very happy to open the strait,” he added. These comments stand in contrast to a social media post from Monday, in which the president threatened a massive escalation if the waterway was not made “Open for Business” immediately. In that post, he warned that the U.S. would conclude its “lovely ‘stay'” by destroying Iran’s power plants, oil wells, desalination plants, and the critical oil hub of Kharg Island. RELATED: Trump Issues “Obliteration” Ultimatum As U.S. Troops Pour Into Middle East Conflict As the president signaled a potential withdrawal, international diplomatic efforts have intensified. In Beijing, Pakistan and China released a joint five-point peace proposal aimed at “restoring peace and stability in the Gulf.” The plan, announced by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on X, calls for an immediate ceasefire, the start of formal peace talks, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal followed a Tuesday meeting between Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage. Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
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International mediators have proposed a 10-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran, according to a senior Iranian official cited in reports. The measure is described as intended to reduce hostilities and allow renewed talks on a prior interim agreement.
Both sides are assessing next steps in the current regional security situation.
Reports indicate that a US-Iran ceasefire has broken down amid renewed fighting, with the potential impact of mediation efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman remaining unclear. Earlier diplomatic steps included a June memorandum of understanding between the parties for further negotiations and talks hosted in Geneva in February.
The summary also references Europe’s historical role in diplomacy, including the 1814-15 Congress of Vienna.
Donald Trump stated in a Fox News interview that his representatives had spoken with Iranian officials an hour earlier and that those officials wanted to make a deal to end the conflict, though he noted they had broken prior agreements and expressed uncertainty about whether one would be reached.
He added that people do not want to die and that Iran would need to proceed carefully to avoid further losses. The remarks come amid an ongoing US-Iran conflict that has involved casualties and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, with some social media users criticizing the repetition of similar statements.
Why the Iran-US ceasefire is falling apart Iran and the US have resumed fighting because they don’t see each other as ‘reliable negotiating partners’, says analyst Ali Vaez. Neither Iran nor the United States seems able to deliver a “knockout blow at an acceptable price” to the other side, and both know “they have no choice other than engaging in diplomacy”, but they’re not ready to make uncomfortable concessions, argues Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group.
Vaez tells host Steve Clemons that Tehran and Washington are trying to “enforce their own interpretation” of the ceasefire agreement they signed last month. President Trump has become “frustrated” with diplomacy because he’s not seeing “the kind of quick results that he likes to see”, Vaez says.