US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering a joint operation with Iran to secure the Strait of Hormuz following a newly announced ceasefire with Tehran.
"We're thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It's a way of securing it, also securing it from lots of other people," Trump told ABC News after announcing a two-week ceasefire.
Asked whether he would allow Iran to charge tolls in the strait, Trump said, "It's a beautiful thing."
Trump also ruled out any uranium enrichment rights for Iran. "There won't be any enrichment," he said.
He added that US forces would not withdraw from the region, indicating they would remain to enforce any future agreements.
Trump said he expects peace talks to begin as early as Friday and anticipates they will move quickly. He also confirmed that China played a significant role in facilitating communications with Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route through which roughly 20 million barrels pass daily, was effectively disrupted by Iran after the launch of the US-Israeli offensive on Feb. 28.
The disruption drove up global oil prices and rattled financial markets. Iran agreed to reopen the waterway under ceasefire terms announced Tuesday, less than two hours before Trump's deadline expired.
