RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The U.S. Navy has cleared all mines from the main shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz , President Trump said on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The clearing, part of a low-key operation the last several months, will allow significantly more oil tankers to transit the strait.
The removal of mines reduces Iran's leverage over global energy markets as well as in any future negotiations with the Trump administration.
It also makes the draft agreement that Iran and Oman have been negotiating for months far less relevant.
What he's saying: "I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump added that Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be "immediately and systematically destroyed."
He said the U.S. Space Force is closely monitoring the strait. "There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect," Trump wrote.
Behind the scenes: Two U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Trump's announcement and said the U.S. Navy has cleared the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) — the median lane of the strait that is right between Oman and Iran.
Iran deployed dozens of mines in the median lane during the war, creating a huge danger for ships. It committed to remove the mines as part of the memorandum of understanding reached over the summer with the U.S. But the MOU unraveled and the mines were never removed.
Over the last several months, U.S. Navy underwater drones systematically scanned the area and located more than 100 objects that were suspected to be mines.
The U.S. military contracted with private companies to remove or detonate the mines.
State of play: The clearing of the median lane in the Strait of Hormuz comes as the U.S. military has been using the southern lane close to the coast of Oman to move oil tankers in and out of the Gulf.
U.S. officials say that in the last 30 days, more than 500 ships went in and out of the strait through the southern channel, with only around 2% of those hit by Iranian drones or missiles.
Now that the mines have been cleared, ships will be able to move simultaneously in both directions through the strait with protection from the U.S. Air Force, allowing the export of more oil to global energy markets.
The big picture: Trump's announcement came as the foreign ministers of Iran and Oman were meeting in Tehran to negotiate an agreement for navigating the strait. They did not reach a deal.
In a joint statement, Iran and Oman said they're discussing a framework to create a temporary joint corridor through the strait and clear mines, while holding technical talks on a permanent navigation route and the future administration of the Strait.
The two countries are also discussing a "mechanism for information exchange, traffic management, and the provision of relevant maritime and security services."
Yes, but: It's unclear whether an Omani-Iranian agreement would be relevant.
The U.S. blockade is stopping Iranian ships from moving through the strait. And Trump's announcement today on mine removal — coupled with the fact that more and more tankers have been moving through the southern lane of the strait in recent weeks — means the U.S. is already getting much of what it wants in the strait.
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