U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States is engaged in "very good" talks with Iran, expressing hope to avoid dealing a severe blow to the country.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump noted, "Iran wants to reach an agreement, even though it does not wish to admit the ongoing talks," emphasizing that Washington "has plenty of time to reach an agreement."
He warned that the situation would be "very severe" for Iran if no deal is reached, asserting that Iran would face strong repercussions if it strayed from the negotiation path, and that they are aware of this.
Trump mentioned that the U.S. was prepared to launch "the biggest attack on Iran since World War II" before Tehran requested talks.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. President confirmed its reopening soon, warning that Iran would be hit hard if this doesn't happen.
Additionally, he stressed that Iran "will never obtain a nuclear weapon," stating that the world would be different if they did.
These remarks come as Axios reported on the near conclusion of a temporary agreement between the two countries regarding the strait's reopening.
The memorandum of understanding signed in June initiated a 60-day period aimed at ending the Middle East conflict and resolving a range of issues, foremost being Iran's nuclear file.
The United States and Iran have reached a temporary agreement through Omani mediation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume vital maritime traffic in the Arabian Gulf.
The memorandum allowed the resumption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage for global energy trade, after Iran closed it since late February, while the U.S. imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Nonetheless, the reprieve was short-lived as hostilities resumed in early July, leading to the collapse of the memorandum. Iran tightened restrictions after American strikes resumed, with ships attempting to cross the strait without Tehran's permission being repeatedly attacked.
On Monday night into Tuesday, a cargo ship trying to cross the strait was hit, resulting in a fire. British security firm "Vanguard Tech" reported that one crew member is still missing.