(FOX NEWS) — The White House offered new details on the long-term future of the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, saying the U.S. will play a secondary role in guarding an policing the strait.

A White House official said the long-term protection of the Strait will be primarily carried out by “the nations who actually use it.”

“As the President stated, the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately be opened up, but longer term the Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by the nations who actually use it. If asked, the U.S. will help these countries in their Hormuz efforts, but once Iran’s threat is eradicated, it will be an easy military operation for them and U.S. support shouldn’t be necessary,” the official said.

“These countries all support preventing the Iranian terrorist regime from having nuclear weapons and thousands of ballistic missiles that can threaten their homelands and hold their energy sources hostages,” the statement continued.