US urges Iran to keep Strait of Hormuz open
US seeks Iran’s public assurance for safe Hormuz passage as ceasefire talks continue despite renewed strikes across the region.
- U.S. demand: Iran publicly declare the Strait of Hormuz open and safe for shipping.
- Internal Iranian divisions: U.S. officials blame hard-line factions for undermining the ceasefire.
- Trump’s stance: Declared the interim deal “OVER!” but supports continued negotiations; limited time given to negotiators.
- Iranian response: UN envoy says control of the strait “rests exclusively with Iran”; warns against external interference.
- Economic stakes: About 20% of traded oil and gas flowed through the strait pre-war; earlier disruptions spiked prices.
- Unclear attribution: Recent strikes in southern Iran unclaimed; USCENTCOM reports no operational updates.
- Regional fallout: Iran launched wider attacks across the Gulf; one reported injury in Kuwait.
- Diplomacy: Talks planned with Oman; Turkey optimistic about progress; US advises ships to take Omani route.
The U.S. is pushing Iran to publicly declare that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that ships passing through it will not be attacked, senior U.S. officials told reporters Friday. Washington says internal power struggles in Tehran have complicated efforts to reach — and sustain — any agreement after fighting resumed this week.
Officials, speaking anonymously to outline the current state of talks, said the recent strikes came after what they described as a rogue faction of hard-liners in Iran tried to sabotage an interim ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. The flare-up has thrown U.S.-Iran diplomacy into uncertainty even as the Biden administration presses for a clearer commitment from Iran on maritime safety.
President Donald Trump, posting on social media Friday, declared the interim ceasefire “OVER!” while also saying U.S. negotiators would continue working toward a permanent end to the conflict. U.S. officials added that Mr. Trump has given negotiators limited time to reach a lasting deal, and underscored that a wide range of military and non-military options remain on the table if talks collapse.
A central U.S. demand is a public Iranian statement that the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow, strategic waterway through which about a fifth of global traded oil and gas passed before the war — is open and safe for transit. Washington argues such a declaration would restore confidence in energy markets and reduce the risk of further escalation from maritime incidents.
Tehran, however, has signaled a very different view. Iran’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, told reporters moments before the U.S. officials spoke that the opening or demining of the strait “rests exclusively with Iran.” He warned that any external attempt to interfere would violate the interim deal, harm implementation, delay normal commercial navigation, jeopardize maritime safety, and increase regional tensions.
Since the conflict began on February 28, Iranian leaders have asserted tighter control over the strait and even proposed that vessels pay fees to Tehran — a move that challenges decades of international norms treating the waterway as open to all. Iran’s control during the fighting helped trigger a global energy shock, though oil prices have come down sharply from wartime peaks near USD 120 a barrel.
There remains uncertainty about who has carried out recent strikes in Iran. U.S. Central Command said Friday there were “no operational updates” after the president’s comments about the ceasefire. No one immediately claimed responsibility for airstrikes that struck parts of southern Iran this week as the country prepared to bury its late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel and Gulf Arab states did not comment publicly on the strikes.
Iran responded to the earlier strikes by launching a broader volley across the Middle East, with incoming fire intercepted over Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar; one person was reportedly injured in Kuwait amid air-defense activity. Tehran’s rhetoric has stayed hawkish: an Iranian lawmaker warned the United Arab Emirates that it would “pay the price” for any cooperation with the U.S. campaign.
Diplomats are working to steady the situation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi plans to meet his Omani counterpart Saturday to discuss the strait, and Turkey’s foreign minister expressed hope that a solution could be found with Oman, which shares the waterway’s southern flank. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to advise mariners to use a safer southern route through Omani waters.