US Demands Iran Publicly Declare Strait of Hormuz Open, Guarantee Safe Passage for Ships

Washington: The United States is demanding that Iran publicly declare the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping and guarantee that vessels transiting the strategic waterway will no longer be attacked, senior US officials said on Friday, as internal power struggles in Tehran complicate efforts to secure a lasting peace.

Speaking on condition of anonymity to Associated Press, the officials said recent attacks on merchant ships were carried out by a "rogue faction" of Iranian hardliners attempting to sabotage the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. They said President Donald Trump has given US negotiators only limited time to secure a permanent agreement, while keeping military options on the table if diplomacy fails.

Trump reiterated on social media that he considers the interim ceasefire over, though negotiations aimed at ending the war will continue.

The officials told AP that Washington wants Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz is safe for commercial navigation. They also claimed Iranian leaders privately described the ship attacks as a mistake and expressed a desire to continue negotiations.

However, Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani insisted that all matters concerning the Strait of Hormuz, including reopening it or conducting demining operations, rest "exclusively with Iran," warning that any external intervention would violate the interim agreement and increase regional tensions.

The US also maintained that any nuclear agreement would require Iran to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Officials warned that if Tehran refuses, Washington has military options to ensure the material remains inaccessible. They added that no nuclear deal would be possible unless Iran fully complies with the ceasefire and halts attacks on shipping.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to discuss Hormuz with Oman on Saturday, while Pakistan, Qatar and other regional players continue diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider conflict.