Trump Says U.S. Has Begun ‘Clearing Out’ Strait of Hormuz As Iran Peace Talks Begin
Trump Says U.S. Has Begun ‘Clearing Out’ Strait of Hormuz As Iran Peace Talks Begin
Richard HallSat, April 11, 2026 at 5:33 PM UTC
3
A view of the vessels passing through Strait of Hormuz following the two-week temporary ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran on the condition that the strait be reopened, seen in Oman on April 08, 2026. —Shady Alassar—Anadolu via Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States had started “clearing out” the Strait of Hormuz, just as the first direct peace talks between Iran and the U.S. since the onset of the war began in Pakistan.
“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In the same post, he said that Iran was “losing big” and repeated a phrase that appeared to mock Islam.
“[T]heir longtime ‘Leaders’ are no longer with us, praise be to Allah! The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may ‘bunk’ into one of their sea mines which, by the way, all 28 of their mine dropper boats are also lying at the bottom of the sea,” he wrote.
Read more: What Is the Strait of Hormuz and Why Is It at the Center of the Iran War?
Reopening the Strait, which Iran has effectively blocked to tanker traffic since the beginning of the war, is a key U.S. demand in negotiations.
Maritime tracking data showed at least one U.S. warship, the USS Michael Murphy, transiting through the Strait on Saturday. A senior Iranian military official claimed the vessel turned back after receiving a warning that it would be attacked if it continued through the Strait, according to Iranian state television. A U.S. official denied that claim, according to Axios.
The Pentagon said in a statement that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces “began setting conditions for clearing mines” in the Strait on Saturday. It added two warships, the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and USS Michael Murphy, transited the Strait of Hormuz as part of the operation.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
The development came as the U.S. and Iran began negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, aimed at ending the war that began with a surprise U.S.-Israeli attack involving hundreds of strikes on Feb. 28, and is now in its seventh week.
Iran and the U.S. agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday to allow the talks to proceed.
At least 1,701 civilians have been killed in Iran since the start of the war, including 254 children, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which relies on a network of activists in Iran to ascertain its figures. Lebanon's health ministry said at least 1,953 people have been killed by Israeli bombing of Lebanon, including 357 in a single wave of Israeli strikes on Wednesday. Attacks attributed to Iran have killed at least 32 people in Gulf nations. Israel has recorded at least 20 deaths, and 13 American service members have been killed.
Here’s what you should know about the talks.
Who is taking part in the talks?
Vice President J.D. Vance is leading the U.S. delegation to the talks, which also includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Vance said on Friday ahead of the talks that he thought the discussions were “going to be positive,” but also warned Iran against trying to “play us.”
Witkoff and Kushner were involved in a previous round of discussions with Iranian officials in late February that ended without a breakthrough, as Tehran signaled it was not prepared to make concessions on its nuclear program.
Their continued central role in the negotiations has prompted criticism from veteran diplomats, who say the administration has leaned on trusted allies with business ties instead of experienced foreign policy professionals.
Advertisement
Also in the U.S. delegation is Andrew Baker, deputy national security adviser to the president and national security adviser to the vice president, along with Michael Vance, special advisor to the vice president for asian affairs.
Vance’s involvement make the talks the most high level in-person negotiations between the U.S. and Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.
The Iranian delegation is led by Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The Iranian delegation includes some 70 officials and experts from diplomatic, military, and economic fields.
Why is J.D. Vance leading negotiations?
Vance’s leadership of the U.S. delegation at peace talks in Pakistan, rather than Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has reportedly come about due to his perceived position as one of the most vocal skeptics of the war inside the Trump Administration.
Iranian officials told the Guardian that they were more open to engaging with Vance than with other senior figures tied to earlier, unsuccessful negotiations, including Witkoff and Kushner, and Pakistan is also said to have encouraged the U.S. to allow Vance to take the lead.
Vance has reportedly been involved in discussions with Pakistan’s leaders ahead of the talks. Describing his role behind the scenes so far on Thursday, Vance said he had “sat on the phone a lot. I answered a lot of phone calls. I made a lot of phone calls.”
When asked if Iran had requested that he lead talks in Pakistan, the vice president said he “would be surprised if that was true.”
The outcome of the talks is expected to carry implications for Vance’s political future, including a potential presidential run in 2028; a breakthrough could bolster his standing, while a failed or inconclusive outcome could carry political risks.
Trump has dismissed that notion, however, telling the New York Post on Friday: “He doesn’t have to prove anything because he’s doing a very good job.”
What does Iran want from the talks?
Iran released a 10-point proposal for ending the war on Wednesday that officials say will serve as the basis for any end to the conflict, but many of its demands appear to conflict directly with long-standing U.S. policy and previous positions.
In it, Iran called for the release of Iranian assets frozen by the U.S., the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions on Iran, continued Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, the right to pursue enrichment of uranium for peaceful purposes, and an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Israel killed more than 350 people in Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced. A third of those killed were women and children, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
Trump initially described the Iranian framework as “a workable basis on which to negotiate” an end to the war. But a White House official told the New York Times that the demands in the 10-point plan released by Iran were not the same as those Trump was referencing.
What does the U.S. want, and what has Donald Trump said?
U.S. officials have put forward a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the conflict that includes significantly curbs on Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities, while addressing regional security and maritime concerns.
The plan, delivered to Iranian officials through Pakistani intermediaries, also calls for the reopening of the Strait.
The Strait of Hormuz— through which a fifth of the world’s maritime oil tankers pass— has become a key strategic battleground in the Iran war. Blocking vast amounts of oil from passing through the narrow maritime corridor has allowed Iran to impose a financial cost on the U.S. and its oil-producing Gulf allies, and the global market, giving it leverage in a war in which it has been outgunned militarily.
Trump has referenced the plan publicly, claiming that Iran has already agreed to parts of it, although it remains unclear how extensively the proposal has been reviewed or accepted by Iranian leadership.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
