Washington DC [US], March 27 : US President Donald Trump said that Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a "present" to the United States amid ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington as the conflict continues in West Asia, calling it a significant goodwill gesture.
Speaking to reporters during a Cabinet meeting in the White House on Thursday, Trump said the US had engaged in "very substantial talks" with Iranian officials amid the conflict and described the tanker movement as proof of seriousness in the discussions.
"They said, 'To show you the fact that we're real and solid and we're there, we're going to let you have eight boats of oil, eight boats, eight big boats of oil," Trump said, adding that "they were right and they were real."
According to him, the vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz flying Pakistani flags. "I think they were Pakistani-flagged," he noted.
"And I said, 'Well, I guess we're dealing with the right people.' And actually, they then apologised for something they said, and they said, 'We're going to send two more boats.' And it would end up being 10 boats," the US President stated.
"I thought it was appropriate to say because I did taunt you the other day by saying they're going to give us a present," he added.
Responding to a question on whether Iran should be allowed to charge tolls for vessels crossing the strait, Trump said, "They shouldn't be able to, but they're doing it a little bit."
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said Iran would give the US a "big present", stating that, "It was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money, and I'm not going to tell you what the present is, but it was a very significant prize" from the Oval Office.
The development comes as diplomatic engagements between Washington and Tehran continue amid the conflict in West Asia, following US-Israel joint military strikes on Iran on February 28, which led to the death of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after which Tehran, in retaliation, targeted Israel and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing disruption in the waterways and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz.