US urges Iran to keep Strait of Hormuz open to all nations
According to senior US officials, Washington wants Tehran to reassure the international community that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will remain safe. The officials said internal political divisions within Iran have made it difficult to reach and maintain a lasting agreement.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials claimed that this week’s renewed military strikes were carried out by a hard-line faction within Iran that was attempting to undermine the temporary ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
US President Donald Trump also wrote on social media that he considers the interim ceasefire “OVER!” However, officials said the United States remains willing to continue negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent peace agreement.
US officials said Trump has given negotiators a limited time to secure a deal with Iran. They added that Washington is prepared to consider other options if diplomatic efforts fail. The officials also claimed that Iran’s leadership privately told US representatives that the recent attacks on commercial ships were a mistake and expressed a willingness to continue negotiations.
However, Iran rejected any outside role in managing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said all decisions regarding the waterway, including reopening shipping routes or conducting mine-clearing operations, fall exclusively under Iran’s authority.
He warned that any foreign attempt to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz would violate the existing interim agreement, delay the restoration of normal commercial shipping, threaten maritime safety and increase regional tensions.
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Iran has also said it wants exclusive control over the Strait of Hormuz and has proposed charging fees to vessels passing through the waterway. The strait carries around one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas, making it one of the most strategically important shipping routes.
US officials also said any future nuclear agreement would require Iran to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. They warned that if diplomacy fails, the United States has military options to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear programme. Iran has repeatedly insisted that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high across the region following fresh airstrikes inside Iran. No country has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, while Iranian officials have accused some regional states of supporting the US military campaign.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to discuss the Strait of Hormuz with Oman’s foreign minister during talks in Muscat. Regional leaders, including those from Pakistan and Qatar, continue diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. The latest developments highlight the growing importance of the Strait of Hormuz, where any disruption could affect global energy supplies, increase oil prices, and further destabilise the region.
