Foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan convened to engineer a "diplomatic off-ramp" to the war in Iran. While the Wall Street Journal highlighted the President’s praise for "reasonable" Iranian leaders, The New York Times painted a picture of a conflict still very much in flux. These preliminary discussions reportedly included a phone call between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The Wall Street Journal reported that Arab leaders proposed a neutral committee to oversee the waterway, while the IRGC countered with a demand for transit fees. Asked about future control of the strait, Trump told reporters: "Maybe me—me and the ayatollah," referring to the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Source: The Telegraph March 24, 2026 06:57 UTC