Iran live updates: IRGC says Strait of Hormuz will 'never' revert to pre-war state

President Donald Trump said he believes the Strait of Hormuz will "automatically open" when the U.S. exits, he said in a phone interview with the New York Post on Tuesday.

"We're not going to be there too much longer. We're obliterating the s--- out of them right now, it's a total obliteration," he told the Post.

Asked about the Wall Street Journal report that indicated he was considering ending the war without opening the Strait of Hormuz, Trump sidestepped but argued that the Strait will "automatically open" when the U.S. leaves Iran.

"I don't think about it, to be honest," Trump said, according to the NY Post. "My sole function was to make sure that they don't have a nuclear weapon. They're not going to have a nuclear weapon. When we leave the strait will automatically open."

Trump continued to shrug off responsibility to other countries to open the Strait.

"Well, I think it'll automatically open, but my attitude is, I've obliterated the country. They have no strength left, and let the countries that are using the strait, let them go and open it... because I would imagine whoever's controlling the oil will be very happy to open the strait," he said.

His remarks come despite his threats on Monday to bomb power plants, oil wells, Kharg Island and possibly, all of the country's desalinization plants if the Strait of Hormuz did not "immediately" open.

"If for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately 'Open for Business,' we will conclude our lovely 'stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)" Trump wrote on social media.

Pakistan and China released a five-point peace proposal to end the war with Iran aimed at "restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry released in post on X.

The plan includes a call for an immediate ceasefire, starting peace talks immediately and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The initiative come hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Beijing and met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi Tuesday.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not rule out the possibility of putting American troops on the ground in Iran when asked at a Pentagon press briefing Tuesday.

"We're not going to foreclose any option," Hegseth said.

"You can't fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do, to include boots on the ground. The end. Our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we could come at them with boots on the ground. And guess what? There are," Hegseth said.

Hegseth said this could be one option of many, with others including successful negotiations.

"So if we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department, or maybe we don't have to use them at all," Hegseth said.

The U.S. continues to reduce Iran's capabilities and limit its options in the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating its warning that Iran needs to open up the Strait of Hormuz or the U.S. has options, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said at a Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday.

"I think the president was clear this morning in his (social media post), there are countries around the world who ought to be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well. It's not just the United States Navy," Hegseth said.

"Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well," Hegseth said.

Hegseth said the U.S. uses the waterway less than most other countries.

"President Trump's been willing to do the heavy lifting on behalf of the free world to address this threat of Iran. It's not just our problem set going forward, even though we have done the lion's share of preparation to ensure that that strait will be will be open," Hegseth said.