Speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday, Trump said the US had engaged in 'very substantial talks' with Iranian officials and described the tanker movement as proof of seriousness in the discussions.
Key Points
- Donald Trump said Iran allowed 10 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as a 'present' during ongoing talks.
- The tankers were reportedly initially eight vessels, later increased to 10, and possibly Pakistani-flagged.
- Trump described the move as a goodwill gesture signalling serious negotiations by Tehran.
- He said taking control of Iran's oil supply remains 'an option' for the United States.
- Trump downplayed energy concerns, asserting strong US oil capacity despite tensions in a key global oil route..
United States President Donald Trump said that Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a 'present' to the US amid ongoing negotiations, describing it as a significant goodwill gesture in the West Asia conflict.
Speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday, Trump said the US had engaged in 'very substantial talks' with Iranian officials and described the tanker movement as proof of seriousness in the discussions.
"They said, 'To show you the fact that we're real and solid and we're there, we're going to let you have eight boats of oil, eight boats, eight big boats of oil'," Trump said, adding that 'they were right and they were real'.
'Present' Through Strait of Hormuz
According to Trump, the vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz flying Pakistani flags.
"I think they were Pakistani-flagged," he noted.
"And I said, 'Well, I guess we're dealing with the right people.' And actually, they then apologised for something they said, and they said, 'We're going to send two more boats.' And it would end up being 10 boats," the US President stated.
"I thought it was appropriate to say because I did taunt you the other day by saying they're going to give us a present," he added.
Responding to a question on whether Iran should be allowed to charge tolls for vessels crossing the strait, Trump said, "They shouldn’t be able to, but they’re doing it a little bit."
Earlier, Trump had hinted at a 'big present' from Iran, describing it as 'worth a tremendous amount of money' without revealing details at the time.
Iran Oil Control 'An Option': Trump
During the same interaction, Trump said that taking control of Iran's oil supply remains 'an option', though he did not elaborate further.
"I mean, I wouldn't talk about it, but it's an option," he said when asked about the possibility.
Trump pointed to developments in Venezuela as a potential model, claiming that the United States had benefited financially after working with the current leadership there.
"Well, in Venezuela, we've done very well working with Venezuela. Certainly, we've taken in billions and billions of dollars… it's sort of like a joint venture, but the United States has made a lot of money," he said.
US Energy Security and Strategic Leverage
The US President also downplayed concerns about energy security despite tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route through which a significant share of the world's oil passes.
"We have so much oil. Our country is not affected by this. We have more, we have twice the amount of oil as Saudi Arabia or Russia, and soon it'll be three times the amount," Trump said.
While he did not commit to any specific military or economic action regarding Iran's oil resources, his remarks add to the ongoing debate over how Washington might balance diplomatic engagement with strategic leverage in the region.
