President Trump Says U.S. and Iran Had 'Very Good Discussions'
JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump said his administration had had "very good discussions" with Iran in a full day of talks on Tuesday, raising hopes for an imminent end to the five-month-old conflict.
Oil prices fell and stock markets soared in Asian trading on Wednesday, after Wall Street hit record highs, driven by hopes of a deal to restore shipping traffic through the blocked Strait of Hormuz.
"They had a full day of negotiations," President Trump said on the "@Night" show on Fox News, as reported by Al Arabiya and Reuters (5/8).
The Strait of Hormuz "will soon be reopened," he continued, adding "If they back down again, they will receive a very hard blow."
President Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch a massive attack if Tehran does not reach an agreement, while highlighting progress in talks that have so far failed to end hostilities.
Meanwhile, Axios, citing two regional sources and a US official, reported that Washington and Tehran were nearing a temporary deal to reopen the strait with the approval of Oman, the country that controls part of the waterway. The report said Washington was targeting an announcement of the deal on Wednesday.
However, Iranian government media - citing sources familiar with the matter - said a deal with Oman on the strait (which is usually a route for about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments) would be delayed "as long as the United States continues to threaten Iran."
President Trump has not achieved the goals he set at the beginning of the conflict: dismantling Iran's nuclear program, limiting Iran's ability to attack its regional rivals, and creating conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow their clerical rulers.
Meanwhile, Iran has halted most shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington maintains a blockade on ports and vessels linked to Iran.
Previously, Qatar said mediators had made progress in efforts to end the conflict, although Tehran had denied ongoing negotiations.
President Trump and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, discussed efforts to narrow differences between Washington and Tehran and increase the chances of reaching a long-term settlement in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, according to the Qatari Emir's Office.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said talks with Oman on shipping traffic in the strait were positive and continued, with a focus on establishing safe shipping lanes, according to government media reports.
He added that the route being negotiated is aimed at guaranteeing the sovereign rights and national security of both Iran and Oman.
Iran has long demanded control over the Strait of Hormuz, which it says should be jointly managed with Oman across the coast.
However, last week Tehran rejected Oman's proposal to offer joint surveillance and voluntary fees from passing ships.