Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday did not set a timetable for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the US blockade there.
During an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Hegseth said the waterway would be opened “immediately” after the signing of a new accord between the United States and Iran. But he clarified the remarks shortly after with an uncertain timeline for Iran’s containment.
“So the barrier will remain as the lane opens,” Hegseth said. “Then the barrier will open and then the road will open. And if that takes 30 days to fully mature, or two weeks to fully mature, but it will start immediately, as the president has said.”
The Strait of Hormuz has been a key point of contention between the US and Iran throughout the negotiations. Iran began blocking ships from entering or leaving the waterway shortly after the war began in February, including using sea mines. In fact, the price of oil went up a lot. After the United States and Tehran failed to agree on a permanent ceasefire that led to the reopening of the conflict, President Donald Trump in April.he commanded the US Navyto “begin the process of INTERCEPTING all ships attempting to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”
Trump has maintained that there will be no peace agreement without Iran reopening the channel, although he has also said soThe United States has control of the waterway.
The President on Saturday announced the pending memorandum of understanding in a post on social media. Although he gave few details on the talks, he said the channel will be reopened “as soon as it is signed.”
But Iranian officials have yet to confirm their position on the deal, and questions began to swirl about the deal’s future after Israel said its military attacked Hezbollah targets in Beirut on Sunday.
However, Hegseth assured CBS that “we are on track” for the signing to take place on Sunday – and Trump himself condemned the strike.
“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, especially on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Agreement with Iran,” Trump said.post to Social Reality. Trump added that Israel has “the right to defend itself against threats,” but stressed that the threat was “very small and insignificant, no one was hurt, injured or killed.”
He urged the parties not to allow the strikes to “disrupt this important process.”
“We are very close to an Agreement that will bring peace to the region, including Lebanon, and all sides should stand,” Trump said. “There should be no more Israeli attacks anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace – Let’s not beat it!”
