During an impromptu press interaction on Monday morning, President Donald Trump made some intriguing remarks about the Strait of Hormuz and the leadership in Iran. Speaking on the tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport, Trump was questioned by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins regarding control over this crucial waterway. The President suggested an upcoming agreement with Iran might lead to joint control of the Strait, stating, “It’ll be jointly controlled.” This statement came as he was departing Florida after a weekend at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump’s comments on joint control raised eyebrows, especially when he playfully suggested he might share this control. “Maybe me, maybe me,” he mused, adding, “Me and the ayatollah, whoever the ayatollah is, whoever the next ayatollah is.” He went on to assert that any leadership change in Iran would automatically signify “regime change.” These comments followed reports that Mojtaba Khamenei had been named the new Supreme Leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed amid Israeli and US strikes.

However, Trump clarified that the U.S. is not currently negotiating with Khamenei’s son. “We have not heard from the son,” he mentioned, adding uncertainty about whether he is alive. Instead, Trump hinted at potential progress on an Iranian ceasefire, involving individuals he described as “very respected.” He expressed optimism, saying, “We’re dealing with some people that I find very reasonable, very solid,” and suggested that one of them might fulfill the role the U.S. is seeking. Drawing a parallel, Trump pointed to the situation in Venezuela, implying a positive outcome after the U.S. captured dictator Nicolás Maduro, leaving his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, at the helm.

Axios reported Monday that Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were in touch with the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to an Israeli source. Trump hasn’t identified the Iranian official talking to the US, for fear it would get him killed. ‘We are dealing with a man that I believe is the most respected,’ Trump said. The Israeli source also told Axios that mediating countries were trying to convene a meeting this week in Islamabad, Pakistan, with Ghalibaf and other officials representing the Iranians. Witkoff, Kushner and possibly Vice President JD Vance would represent the American side, the source told Axios.

The President’s comments Monday morning marked a notable change in tone from the threat he made on Truth Social Saturday night, saying he would start striking Iranian power plants if the country didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz. He called that threat off Monday morning due to the progress made with negotiations. The Saturday night threat to blow up Iranian power plants over the Strait of Hormuz also marked a departure from how he said he viewed the issue Friday when departing the White House. Trump shrugged off Iran’s chokehold on the Strait, saying the US didn’t ‘use’ it. ‘We don’t use the Strait,’ he said. ‘The United States, we don’t need it. Europe needs it. Korea, Japan, China, a lot of other people.’ ‘So, they’ll have to get involved a little bit on that one,’ Trump said.