Trump: "Strait of Hormuz to Fully Open on the 19th... Iran Will Not Have Nuclear Weapons"

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on June 15 (local time) that both sides have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war with Iran, and that the Strait of Hormuz will be fully opened on the 19th, when the signing ceremony is scheduled to take place.

President Trump made the remarks during his opening statement at a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit, which kicked off in the French resort town of Évian-les-Bains.

Highlighting the achievements of this peace agreement, President Trump stated, "The most important thing is that Iran will not have nuclear weapons." He emphasized, "They have fully agreed to this, subject to strong monitoring, and they will not have nuclear weapons."

President Trump continued, noting that during the Obama administration, "they tried to buy off Iran to get a (nuclear) deal, but it didn't work. That never works." He added, "We have done a great job, and hopefully, we can maintain a good relationship with (Iran) and get along well."

President Trump also stated that the contents of the MOU would "likely be released soon" after the signing ceremony on the 19th. He reiterated, "I hope it is released because it is a very strong document," adding, "It is different from the terrible document from the Obama era."

Furthermore, President Trump remarked that this agreement "will bring a lot of success to the world, because for a while, the oil supply in that region was blocked." He added, "The oil is flowing to us. I am very honored by this."

When asked by a reporter whether he would personally attend the signing ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 19th, President Trump did not give a definitive answer, saying, "I may or may not attend," and added, "JD (Vice President Vance) is coming for that event."

Regarding what kind of support he expects from allies, President Trump said, "I don't think we will need much help because we have reached an agreement that (the strait) will be open, and there will be no tolls," emphasizing that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened "for free."

President Trump continued, "So I don't think we will need much help, but it wouldn't be a bad idea for some countries to deploy a ship or two to the area," while reiterating, "I believe the situation will be open and free navigation will be possible."

President Trump's remarks about the "free" Strait of Hormuz contradict a report earlier that day by Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency, which cited sources claiming that the U.S.-Iran peace MOU recognizes Iran's right to collect "transit fees" in the Strait of Hormuz.

The final draft reportedly includes a clause stating that "the management of future maritime navigation services in the Strait of Hormuz shall be decided by Iran and Oman." The Iranian source argued that the specific use of the term "maritime services" signifies that the U.S. has officially recognized Iran's right to collect fees.

As a result, there appears to be room for disagreement between the two sides regarding the interpretation of transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz during future working-level negotiations.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.