Energy Secretary Chris Wright bullish on Iran deal, as Strait of Hormuz shipping fears persist

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that the United States was close to a deal that would permanently end Iran’s nuclear program, dismissing Tehran’s threats over the Strait of Hormuz as the final agony of a weakened government.

“These are the last cries of the regime,” Mr. Wright said on “Fox News Sunday.” “For decades we have been pursuing nuclear weapons and they see that this effort is going to end.”

Mr. Wright gave his assessment as President Trump stepped up his rhetoric over the weekend by threatening to destroy all power plants and bridges in Iran if Tehran refused to reopen the strait and sign a deal.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued to assert control over the waterway, and major maritime security groups — including BIMCO, the world’s largest international shipping association — have advised commercial vessels to avoid the area despite Mr. Trump’s declaration that the strait is open.

Mr. Wright defended this approach as deliberate leverage, calling Mr. Trump a “creative negotiator” who “uses pressure in different ways, uses uncertainty in different ways” to produce results.

Mr. Wright, who also appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” acknowledged that the IRGC still has missiles capable of threatening transit through the strait, but said he expects the situation to be resolved quickly.

“I think everyone understands that this situation will be resolved for good,” he said. “Why risk a meeting a few days earlier?

When asked to define what a positive outcome would look like, Mr. Wright was blunt: Iran’s nuclear program must be permanently dismantled.

“The finish line is confidence in the end of Iran’s nuclear program,” he said. “A positive outcome is that the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is removed. The Strait of Hormuz is open, trade and peace are returning to the region.”

Mr. Wright said negotiations were ongoing and expressed confidence they would result in an agreement, defining a successful deal as a historic realignment of the Middle East.

“I believe we will have a good end to this conflict and the Middle East will no longer face constant terror and constant risk regarding the region’s regimes, the region’s economies and ultimately the flow of goods through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.