Trump says agreement with Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz ‘could be soon’

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump stated that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with Iran has not been finalized but negotiations are ongoing and could conclude soon, while the U.S. Navy continues to enforce a blockade to stabilize the area.
• Trump acknowledged persistent shipping risks due to potential Iranian naval mines or attacks but expressed optimism about the progress of talks, describing negotiations as "moving along good."
• Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a defense pact declaring that an armed attack on any one of them would be considered an attack on all, aiming to strengthen collective deterrence amid regional tensions involving Iran.
• The defense agreement was signed in Mecca during a meeting of the three countries' leaders, with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif playing a key role as a mediator in U.S.-Iran negotiations.
• Middle East expert Nazee Moinian emphasized that Iran’s revolutionary government maintains long-term goals to diminish American influence in the region, viewing the conflict as an ideological struggle rather than a transactional dispute.