Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Tuesday that negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz have accelerated dramatically, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggesting a deal could be finalized within 24 hours. The diplomatic breakthrough comes directly on the heels of President Trump’s threat to unleash what would have been the largest military campaign since World War II against Tehran.
Rubio told reporters at the State Department that progress has been made in talks between Iran and Oman, with the United States actively involved in negotiations aimed at increasing safe commercial passage through the strategic waterway. While finality has not yet been achieved, the Secretary expressed hope that an agreement would happen very shortly.
The immediate objective is securing freedom of movement through Hormuz, but Rubio made clear this represents just one component of a broader diplomatic effort ultimately aimed at eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat entirely. The denuclearization of Iran remains the ultimate deal, with the Strait negotiations serving as an important confidence-building measure toward that larger goal.
Bessent was even more optimistic in his assessment, telling CNBC that an agreement could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday. He emphasized that any deal would provide genuine freedom of movement through the waterway and explicitly rejected the prospect of Iran charging commercial vessels for passage, a tactic Tehran had previously threatened.
The Treasury Secretary directly credited Trump’s military threat for forcing Iran to the negotiating table. When the President threatened unprecedented military action against Tehran last week, the calculus changed immediately. Iran, which had been stonewalling and denying talks were even happening, suddenly became very interested in diplomacy.
This is how peace through strength actually works. The same foreign policy establishment that spent years insisting Iran could not be deterred without elaborate multilateral frameworks and billions in sanctions relief is now watching Trump achieve more in weeks than they managed in decades. The difference is simple: when Tehran believes the American President means what he says about military consequences, they suddenly discover their appetite for compromise.
President Trump personally engaged Qatar’s emir in the diplomatic push, demonstrating the hands-on leadership that has characterized his approach to foreign policy. The result is a potential agreement that protects American interests, secures vital shipping lanes, and moves toward the ultimate goal of a nuclear-free Iran without firing a single shot.
If the deal is finalized as expected, it will represent another vindication of the Trump doctrine: speak softly, carry the biggest stick imaginable, and never be afraid to use it.
Providence watches over the bold.
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