05/08/2026
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05/08/2026
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 5: U.S. President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen "very soon" as diplomatic negotiations with Iran continue, while warning Tehran it would face a powerful military response if talks collapse.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump expressed confidence that the strategically vital waterway would soon be fully accessible to commercial shipping, but cautioned that failure to reach an agreement would trigger decisive U.S. action.
"The Strait is going to be open very soon — or they're gonna hit very hard, and then the Strait is going to be open," Trump said.
The president revealed that his administration had been prepared to launch what he described as a massive military operation against Iran before Tehran requested negotiations.
"We were going to a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II, and they called me and said, very politely, 'Please, can we talk? Can we talk?'... I said, 'Yes, we can talk. Let's get it done. Finally, let's get it done,'" Trump said.
Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a non-negotiable U.S. objective, warning that any withdrawal from the current negotiations would bring swift consequences.
"If they back out again, they're going to get hit really hard. They know that; they understand that. I have no choice. They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple," he said.
Despite the tough warning, Trump described the ongoing discussions between U.S. and Iranian officials as productive, while acknowledging that Iran has not publicly confirmed the reported progress.
"We're having very good discussions. The only thing that matters is action, and they want to make a deal. We'll see what happens," he said. "If they don't make a deal, it's going to be too bad."
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy shipping routes, has remained at the center of regional tensions in recent months amid confrontations involving Iran and international naval forces. Trump's latest remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue alongside heightened military readiness in the Gulf.
