US could have deal with Iran to open Strait of Hormuz within 'two days' with 'freedom of movement' for commercial ships
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a deal could be reached today or tomorrow
A deal with Iran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz could be reached by Tuesday or Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
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In an interview on Tuesday, he said: "We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict."
The Treasury Secretary said the deal would allow freedom of movement in the strait when asked whether Iran would be allowed to charge a toll.
“It would be freedom of movement,” Mr Bessent said. “Even though things are still a little dicey there over the past few days, we saw quite a few ships coming out even now.”
Iran has continued to try to maintain its stranglehold on the Gulf channel, which had been open before the US and Israel began the conflict, including demanding ships seek permission to transit, attacking vessels and threatening to impose charges.
The disruption to trade through the waterway has driven up fuel and food prices around the world.
An interim ceasefire deal collapsed in recent weeks after renewed fighting in the strait, which has been a flashpoint in the war.
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Mr Bessent's comments come the day after US president Donald Trump warned that Iran has one "last chance" to sign a deal.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Mr Trump said negotiations were happening “right now” and would move “quickly, one way or another”.
He also claimed the US had been prepared to strike Iran “harder than any attack since World War Two” before he called off planned attacks overnight.
Mr Trump had earlier accused Iran of being “unbelievably duplicitous” in denying talks aimed at ending the conflict were being held.
He said Tehran had “begged” for negotiations and whether they admitted it or not, discussions were taking place to reach “a solution” to the current stand-off.
He also dismissed Iran’s claims to control the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway as “their usual blather”.
The president made the comments on his Truth Social platform after he said on Sunday he had halted US forces from carrying out “the biggest attack since World War II” to allow for further diplomatic efforts.
He had said talks would be held with Iran on Monday, but this was later denied by Tehran.
In response, Mr Trump posted: “Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous!
“They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg’, talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman’.
“They then go on to give their usual blather in saying, the Strait of Hormuz will be operated powerfully by them, when it is already completely controlled by the United States Navy and our ‘Blockade’ or, as some say, ‘The United States Wall of Steel!’
“Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished.
“Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades.”