White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday disputed reports that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz hours into a fragile ceasefire with the U.S., but said any effort by Iran to stop maritime traffic would be “completely unacceptable.” Leavitt addressed reporters soon after Iranian state media had reported that the Strait had been closed in response to attacks by Israel against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
Using triumphant phrases, Leavitt praised the ceasefire as “a victory for the United States of America” and talked as if the U.S. military’s operation in Iran was now completed. Iran has not yet agreed to stop building ballistic missiles or arming proxy forces, and it has not abandoned its plans to develop nuclear weapons, all of which Trump previously laid out as goals of his military operation.
A team of U.S. negotiators led by Vice President JD Vance, and including Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, will meet with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan on Saturday, Leavitt said. Iran publicly released a 10-point ceasefire proposal that it claimed was the framework for talks with the U.S.
Whether both sides are going off that framework was unclear Wednesday, as Leavitt said the U.S. had rejected Iran’s initial 10-point proposal. She said Iran then delivered another set of proposals closer to the deadline that were “more reasonable and entirely different.” President Trump determined that the modified proposal was a “workable basis on which to negotiate,” she said. Leavitt stressed that comments Iran makes publicly are different from what is said to American negotiators behind closed doors, suggesting that the true state of negotiations were far different from the details known publicly.
The ceasefire announcement came Tuesday evening, shortly before the deadline for Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s “civilization” if its leaders didn’t strike a deal. Leavitt credited the U.S. bombardments and Trump’s threats to end their “civilization” for Iran agreeing to a ceasefire.
Trump has demanded Iran reopen the strait to traffic and suggested on his social media account that the U.S. and Iran should jointly charge tolls for passage through the Strait. During Wednesday’s briefing, Leavitt said that was an idea the president has “floated,” but said Trump ultimately wants the sea route open ”without any limitations, like tolls or otherwise.”
The U.S. has severely weakened Iran’s military, Leavitt said, running down a list of damage U.S. bombardments did to Iranian stockpiles. Iran’s ability to build and store ballistic missiles has been “set back years,” she said. The U.S. launched 450 strikes against ballistic missile facilities and 800 strikes against Iran’s drone launching facilities. Iranians submarine fleet and 150 navy vessels were destroyed, as well as stores of 5,000 naval mines.
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