US Sets Saturday Deadline for Iran to Guarantee Strait of Hormuz Safety as Ceasefire Falters
The Trump administration has given Iran until Saturday to publicly commit to ending attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and declare that the vital waterway will remain open to international shipping, according to Axios, which cited senior US officials. The ultimatum comes as President Donald Trump declared the US-Iran ceasefire 'over' following a fresh round of attacks on commercial vessels that Washington says violated last month’s memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Strait of Hormuz carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies, making any disruption a major concern for oil-importing countries such as India, which relies heavily on crude shipments from the Gulf. Renewed attacks on commercial shipping have already pushed oil prices higher and raised fears of another escalation in West Asia. Reuters reported that crude prices recorded their biggest weekly gain in eight weeks after the latest flare-up.
Saturday’s deadline coincides with a key meeting in Muscat, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi to discuss maritime security and the Strait of Hormuz. US officials say the outcome of those talks could determine whether diplomacy survives or the region slides back toward military confrontation. Washington expects Tehran to make a public statement immediately after the meeting, Axios reported.
According to Axios, the Trump administration is demanding that Iran publicly acknowledge that all shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz are open and pledge to stop firing on commercial vessels. 'We want them to publicly say that they will stop shooting at ships and explicitly, or at least implicitly, acknowledge that they screwed up. We are working on that now,' one US official told reporters. Another senior official warned that Tehran would face consequences if it refused. 'If it is not their position [tomorrow], it is not gonna be a great day for them,' the official said.
US officials argue that Iran violated the memorandum of understanding signed less than three weeks ago by repeatedly targeting commercial vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz. They say Tehran’s failure to uphold that agreement raises serious questions about whether it can be trusted to implement a broader nuclear deal.
Even as Washington hardened its public stance, Trump said the United States had agreed to continue diplomatic contacts with Tehran despite declaring that last month’s ceasefire was effectively over. 'The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue “talks.” We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!' Trump wrote on Truth Social, according to Reuters. Trump’s comments followed several days of military exchanges in which commercial tankers linked to Qatar and Saudi Arabia came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting US strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks on American military sites in Gulf states. Although no fresh attacks were reported on Friday, regional mediators have continued efforts to rescue negotiations.
Iran rejected Trump’s claim that it had requested renewed negotiations with Washington. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Araghchi’s visit to Oman would focus on the Strait of Hormuz and maritime security.
