May 17, 2026 10:03 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Kathak to Garba: Indian diaspora stuns PM Modi with grand welcome in Amsterdam | ‘Geography or history’: Indian Army chief issues blunt warning to Pakistan over terror support | India, UAE ink key energy deals during Modi’s visit amid West Asia tensions | ‘There can be no better Bengal CM’: Mithun Chakraborty praises Suvendu Adhikari | PM Modi adviser Sanjeev Sanyal frontrunner for Bengal Finance Minister: Report | FIR against Abhishek Banerjee over ‘provocative speeches’ during West Bengal poll campaign | Madhya Pradesh High Court holds Bhojshala complex disputed site to be a temple | ‘Even ex-CM can be probed’: Suvendu Adhikari’s big statement on RG Kar case | Big action in RG Kar case: Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari suspends 3 IPS officers, including ex-CP Vineet Goyal | Modi’s UAE visit delivers major defence, energy deals amid Middle East tensions
Trump said Iran allowed 10 oil vessels to cross the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: X/The White House.

'10 big boats of oil': Donald Trump reveals mystery gift from Iran

| @indiablooms | Mar 26, 2026, at 11:13 pm

US President Donald Trump on Thursday revealed that the mysterious “present” from Iran, which he hinted at earlier this week, consisted of 10 large oil shipments.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said Iran allowed the vessels, including some flying Pakistani flags, to cross the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

“They said, to show you we’re real and solid, we’re going to let you have eight boats of oil… eight big boats of oil. I guess they were right—they were real. I think they were Pakistani-flagged… It ended up being 10 boats,” Trump said, adding that the two extra boats were sent “to apologize for something they said.”

Earlier this week, Trump had teased the gift, saying it was “a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money… a very significant prize,” but had not revealed details until now.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes, has been a flashpoint in regional tensions. Iran has previously blocked ships it perceives as linked to US and Israeli interests but has been allowing limited passage to others.

According to Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Iran charges vessels for safe passage through the strait—a practice Trump acknowledged, saying, “They shouldn’t be able to, but they’re doing it a little bit.”

Trump also noted that while he had expected oil prices to spike and markets to react sharply, “It hasn’t been nearly as severe as I thought,” suggesting that the delivery of the oil gift had a stabilizing effect.

This revelation comes amid a tense period in US-Iran relations, with both sides navigating sanctions, energy security, and broader Middle East diplomacy.

The “10 boats of oil” serve as both a symbolic gesture and a strategic lever in ongoing negotiations.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.