US President Donald Trump proclaimed on Wednesday that no individual country should control the Strait of Hormuz. “Nobody’s going to control it. It’s international waters,” Trump said at the White House. “The strait’s going to be open to everybody.” The comments came during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, when Trump was asked if he would accept a short-term deal that allows Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz along with Iran.
As both the US and Iran continue to debate over a possible peace deal, the Strait of Hormuz remains shut. A fifth of the globe’s oil supply runs through the pathway and has been pried away from several countries. Hormuz has operated at a near standstill since February 28, creating a global energy supply shock and sending oil and gas prices skyrocketing. The average price of a gallon of gas in the U.S. has surged 49%, or $1.47, to $4.46 over that period.
While Iran wants to maintain its control over the strait, Trump feels the opposite and wants the U.S. to “watch over it.” “We’ll watch over it, but nobody’s going to control it. That’s part of the negotiation that we have. They would like to control it; nobody’s going to control it. It’s international waters. And Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow ’em up. They understand that. They’ll be fine,” the President added.
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Washington has attempted without much success to reopen the strait, including an effort in which U.S. Navy ships would escort vessels through the waterway. That plan, announced in early May, was abandoned just two days later. Trump is now looking for a quick off-ramp to the war, pushing Iran toward a peace agreement even as he has continued to reject Tehran’s demands. Reports previously emerged that he was willing to submit control of the Strait to Iran completely, but that has since been debunked.