Iran has warned that it could shift from a defensive posture to a fully offensive strategy if diplomatic efforts to end its war with the United States fail, raising fresh concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East.
A senior Iranian official said Tehran was prepared to escalate tensions in the strategic waterway and could launch what the official described as a timely and precise military operation to break the U.S. naval blockade if negotiations fail.
The warning came as a 60 day deadline for Washington and Tehran to reach a broader agreement expired without a permanent deal. The interim memorandum reached in June had called for an immediate halt to military operations and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, U.S. sanctions and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The agreement later broke down amid a dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed before the conflict.
Iran has maintained that it has the authority to manage the waterway, which it shares with Oman, while Washington has rejected that interpretation. Shipping traffic through the strait has since fallen sharply, adding pressure to global energy markets.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran should surrender and warned that the United States could take further action if Tehran does not change course. Trump also threatened Oman over its role in negotiations with Iran concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, meanwhile, has been negotiating separately with Oman over arrangements for shipping through the strait. Tehran said the two countries had reached an understanding on the route for vessels and were working towards finalising the details of an agreement.
The standoff has already had significant consequences for global energy supplies. Brent crude was trading around $89 a barrel on Monday, while the number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz has fallen substantially as security concerns increase.
The conflict has also raised fears of a wider regional escalation. Iran backed Houthi forces in Yemen claimed on Monday that they had attacked a Saudi military vessel and four escort vessels in the Bab el Mandeb Strait, another major international shipping route. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities.
The latest threats come as diplomatic efforts appear increasingly fragile, with both Washington and Tehran maintaining sharply different positions over the conditions required to end the conflict.
Leave a comment