U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he is lifting the U.S. naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and that he is meeting in the White House Situation Room to “make a final determination” on a deal with Iran.
“No money will be exchanged, until further notice,” the president said. “Other items, of far less importance, have been agreed to.”
The president and his administration have said repeatedly in recent weeks that progress was to come on a deal, which was nearing the finish line. Trump has posted often, at times more than daily, about the deal on social media.
“Iran must agree that they will never have a nuclear weapon or Bomb,” the president stated on Friday. “The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions.”
The Islamic Republic must remove all of the mines in the strait beyond the “numerous” ones that the United States hasn’t already removed “with our great underwater mine sweepers,” Trump said.
“Iran will complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left, which will not be many,” the president stated. “Ships caught in the strait due to our amazing and unprecedented naval blockade, which will now be lifted, may start the process of heading home.”
“Say ‘hello’ to your wives, husbands, parents and families from me, your favorite president,” Trump stated.
He added that the “enriched material, sometimes referred to as ‘nuclear dust,’ which is buried deep underground with virtually collapsed mountains, caused by our powerful B2 bomber attack 11 months ago, sitting on top of it, will be unearthed by the United States,” which, he said, “it is agreed, is the only country, along with China, with the mechanical capability of doing so, in close coordination and conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency, and destroyed.”
“The president’s Truth Social post today is another attempt to put the ball in Tehran’s court,” said Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran.
