WASHINGTON/DOHA/TEHRAN – US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran will be "hit very hard" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened "very soon."
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the United States is "having very good discussions" with Iran. But Tehran denied having any talks with Washington.
Trump also said in the interview that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and insisted that Iran called him and asked for talks, which Iran also denied.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said he decided to call off attacks against Iran, adding that they would have been carried out "at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II."
While denying having talks with the United States, Tehran said on Tuesday the ongoing talks between Iran and Oman are "positive" at both technical and political levels, with a focus on designating safe routes for vessels' passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatari emir, Trump discuss US-Iran talks
The emir stressed the need to adopt diplomatic means to address contentious issues and implement the terms reached under the US-Iran peace memorandum of understanding, according to the statement.
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He also reaffirmed Qatar's support for international initiatives aimed at containing tensions and consolidating regional peace and security, it added.
Earlier in the day, Majed Al Ansari, adviser to Qatar's prime minister and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a weekly press briefing that mediation efforts between the United States and Iran remain underway, saying draft proposals for a possible agreement continue to be exchanged between the two sides.
Al Ansari said there were no direct talks scheduled between the United States and Iran but expressed hope that mediation efforts would soon lead to the resumption of negotiations.
On the possibility of reaching an agreement, Al Ansari said no timeline could be set.
'Deal may be reached by Wednesday'
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that a deal with Iran could be reached on Tuesday or Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict," Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.
When asked whether Iran would be allowed to charge a toll on ships that pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the US treasury secretary said, "It would be freedom of movement."
He added that prices should fall further when hundreds of ships stuck in the Gulf are able to exit, noting that the impact extends beyond energy to include fertilizers, refined petroleum products, and industrial gases.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said while the United States sees the denuclearization of Iran as its "ultimate deal", reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is the "immediate" one.
"So the denuclearization of Iran is the ultimate deal. I think the immediate deal, the one that you see a lot of focus on, is the strait," Rubio told reporters.
There is no final agreement yet on the Strait of Hormuz, but "we're hoping that will happen very shortly," he added.
Iranian officials so far have made no response to the remarks.
Iran says talks with Oman continuing
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state-run IRIB TV that the talks between Iran and Oman are continuing, and that Iran seeks to develop mechanisms with Oman to manage future shipping traffic through the strategic strait.
He said any new routes must safeguard the sovereign rights and national security of both Iran and Oman, adding that the final results will be announced after the talks' conclusion.
Meanwhile, state-run Press TV on Tuesday cited a senior Iranian official as saying that once operational, the new corridor will replace the existing northern and southern routes.
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The official described the measure as defensive and "fully consistent with the rights of any sovereign state to protect its territorial waters from external threats."
Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.
The US military launched multiple waves of strikes against Iranian targets last month, saying they were in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and aimed at "degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping." Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting US military bases and facilities in the region.
