President Donald Trump held an emergency meeting in the White House Situation Room on Saturday to discuss the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and the status of negotiations with Iran. The session concentrated on recent changes in Iran’s stance regarding the waterway and efforts to further diplomatic talks, especially considering that a fragile ceasefire is set to expire in the coming days.
Those in attendance included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, according to a report from Axios.
A senior U.S. official noted that there has been a reduction in differences regarding key issues, such as Iran’s uranium enrichment levels and its stockpile of enriched uranium. However, the official cautioned that a breakthrough is necessary soon to prevent the resumption of conflict.
During a press briefing in the Oval Office on Saturday, Trump characterized the ongoing discussions as productive, despite the hardline responses from the Iranian regime. “Very good conversations going on. We’re talking to them,” he said.
Regarding Iran’s actions, Trump stated the regime “got a little cute … they wanted to close up the Strait again,” and added, “Iran can’t blackmail us.”
Later Saturday, however, the Iranian regime reversed its position and announced the Strait was closed again, though in reality, it is being closed by a U.S. naval blockade. Early Sunday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to issue what could be a final warning to Iran to make a deal, even as special envoys Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, head back to Pakistan for one final round of talks:
Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations. Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be “the tough guy!” We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!
The developments followed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s Friday announcement that all commercial vessels would have unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for the duration of the ceasefire. This statement also referenced a separate 10-day ceasefire that had commenced between Israel and Lebanon.
Trump publicly confirmed the opening of the strait, indicating that Iran had agreed not to close it again. This news led to a market rally on Friday and raised hopes that a lasting peace agreement might be on the horizon.
However, Iranian officials quickly clarified that the reopening was conditional. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that the strait would not remain open if the US continued its naval blockade of Iranian ports.