During a late-night press briefing aboard Air Force One on Sunday, President Donald Trump revealed that Iran has agreed to allow 20 additional oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, calling the gesture a “tribute” to the United States. The announcement comes as negotiations with the Iranian regime continue, though the risk of renewed escalation looms if a final agreement isn’t reached.
Trump described the latest move as an expansion of an earlier arrangement, saying, “We also are dealing directly and as you know, they’ve agreed to send eight boats two days ago. And then they added another two. So it was ten boats and now today gave us a tribute,” he told reporters. “I can’t define exactly, but they gave us I think out of sign of respect, 20 boats of oil. Big, big boats going through the Hormuz Strait. And that’s taking place starting tomorrow morning.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel at the southern tip of the Persian Gulf, has historically been a critical artery for global oil shipments, handling roughly one-third of worldwide exports before tensions erupted on February 28. Since that time, vessel traffic in the strait has dropped by more than 90 percent, sending ripples of uncertainty through energy markets worldwide.
U.S. officials have portrayed Tehran’s partial reopening of the strait as a signal of potential de-escalation. However, Iranian leaders and regional analysts argue the tankers’ passage is part of routine trade arrangements with Pakistan and other Asian partners, suggesting the move may not reflect a genuine easing of hostilities.
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