US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has identified the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the securing of highly enriched uranium (HEU), and a ban on Iran's nuclear weapons as the conditions for completing the mission regarding the war and negotiations with Iran.
In a Fox News interview aired on the 31st (local time), Bessent said, "Finishing the job means making sure the Strait of Hormuz is open, that we secure the highly enriched uranium, and that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon." Asked what indicators he would use to verify whether Iran is keeping its commitments, Bessent stressed, "The most definitive indicator is freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz," adding, "It must be restored to its previous state."
Bessent claimed, "This is the first time in 47 years that there has been an attempt to discuss Iran not possessing nuclear weapons," adding, "It was a taboo subject, but thanks to President Trump, it has been brought to the negotiating table for the first time."
After the US Supreme Court ruled in February that reciprocal tariffs were unlawful, the US government has been imposing a 10% tariff worldwide based on Section 122 of the Trade Act. This tariff is valid for a maximum of 150 days and will expire in July. In the meantime, the US government is investigating overproduction and forced labor in various countries based on Section 301 of the Trade Act. Regarding this, Bessent explained, "US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is conducting the Section 301 investigation, and if this investigation is successfully concluded, the Section 301 tariff measures will be readjusted to the level of the trade agreements signed with each country." This is read as meaning that even if there are no clear faults in terms of overproduction or forced labor, the results of the Section 301 investigation could be tailored to impose tariffs at the same level as the reciprocal tariffs previously levied on each country.
