Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran “could be soon”, but Vice-President JD Vance appeared to be more sceptical on Saturday, telling Fox News that work remained to be done even if progress was being made.
“We’re really in the middle of the game here,” he said. “This thing is not over.”
Vance added that “we’re applying a whole host of tools – diplomatic, economic [and] military tools – to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people”.
Additionally, he claimed that the “same amount of oil” will emerge from the Gulf as did before the US military operation began on 28 February, although he offered no details.
“What we’re really working through now is how you can actually set up a traffic scheme so that the ships can pass through safely,” he added.
One of the main points of disagreement between Tehran and Washington has been Iran’s reported threat to impose a fee on vessels wishing to cross the strait.
Reuters – citing an Iranian official – previously reported that Tehran was seeking fees of between 5% and 7% of the price of cargoes from vessels who travel through it.
Vance downplayed those reports, saying: “The Iranians have told us they have no plans to toll the Strait of Hormuz.”
Oman’s warning against attacks on ships in the strait came as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Saturday that Iran had targeted a tanker affiliated with Adnoc, its state-owned oil company, as it passed through.
The UAE’s foreign ministry said in a statement that a “hostile Iranian attack” had hit an Adnoc tanker “with a missile”. It added that there were no casualties.
Later on Saturday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency also reported a ship being struck by “an unknown projectile” off the coast of Oman, causing “a fire that has been extinguished” but no casualties.
It is unclear whether UKMTO was referring to the same ship as the UAE.