Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is seeking the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States, amid heightened tensions over security in the Gulf.
Posting on social media on Tuesday, the U.S. president also said Iran had described itself as being in a “state of collapse”, without providing supporting evidence or identifying the source of the claim.
It was not immediately clear whether the alleged communication was received through formal diplomatic channels.
Meanwhile, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said full removal of mines allegedly laid in the Strait of Hormuz would not be required for safe maritime passage.
He said a secured shipping route alone would be sufficient to allow vessels to transit the waterway.
“You just need a pathway for ships to be moved in and out, I think that can happen quickly,” Wright said, according to Bloomberg.
Separately, U.S. media reported that Trump was not satisfied with Iran’s latest peace proposal, which is said to include reopening the strait and ending a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The proposal reportedly suggests postponing negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme to a later stage, according to White House officials.
Trump has previously stated that any peace agreement with Tehran would be dictated by U.S. terms, adding that there is “no time pressure” on ceasefire discussions or stalled diplomatic efforts.
