Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks alongside Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana at the Treaty Room of the State Department in Washington on Tuesday. [AP]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks alongside Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana at the Treaty Room of the State Department in Washington on Tuesday. [AP]

The Trump administration signaled Tuesday that a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz with Iran could come soon.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, told reporters that "while we pursue longer-term negotiations on denuclearization, there are ongoing talks and negotiations between Oman and Iran that we are engaged in regarding how more ships can safely transit the Strait of Hormuz in the short term." His remarks indicated that Oman and Iran — both of which border the strait — are in active negotiations over vessel passage, with the United States directly involved.

Rubio said there had been progress in those negotiations but that no final agreement had been reached. "We hope to have an agreement very soon," he added.

He said denuclearization of Iran remained the ultimate goal, but added, "I think the immediate challenge, and the one that has attracted a lot of attention, is the strait." His comments suggested the administration is prioritizing free passage of commercial vessels through the strait — which directly affects global oil prices — while deferring the broader nuclear question to later talks.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington on Thursday, July 30. [Reuters]
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington on Thursday, July 30. [Reuters]

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered an even more optimistic outlook than Rubio.

Speaking on CNBC, Bessent said that last week President Donald Trump had threatened action against Iran that "could have been one of the largest military operations since World War II," and that the threat had brought the two sides to the negotiating table. "I think we could have a deal today or Thursday to open the strait and move this conflict into a more normal phase," he said.

When asked whether Iran would impose tolls on vessels if the strait reopened, or whether passage would be fully open to all, Bessent declined to give a direct answer, saying only that ships would be able to "transit freely."

He added that while conditions in the area had been "somewhat dangerous" over the past few days, a significant number of vessels were still getting through. "So energy prices will stabilize again, and that will be a positive thing for the entire world," he said.


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