Iran Warns of Offensive in Strait of Hormuz as Peace Deal Stalls
Iran says it will shift to a fully offensive posture and attack if the U.S. fails to implement the June peace deal within weeks.
A senior Iranian official has said Tehran is abandoning its defensive stance and preparing for a "fully offensive" posture, citing the collapse of efforts to finalise a permanent truce with the United States. The warning, delivered on Monday, comes as the 60-day window set by a June memorandum of understanding expires without a final agreement.
The interim pact, signed on June 17, was meant to halt hostilities and lead to broader talks on issues including Iran's nuclear programme. It quickly unravelled over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran insists the memorandum grants it authority to manage the waterway, a reading Washington rejects. After Iran began firing on vessels it said used unapproved routes, President Donald Trump declared the pact "over" on July 7.
Iran's official said the U.S. must implement all provisions of the agreement within a short, unspecified period as a precondition for further negotiations. Mediators are expected to relay this deadline to Washington and regional governments.
Rhetoric has intensified on both sides. Trump told Americans last week to expect continued high fuel prices due to the war, and suggested the U.S. might claim the Strait of Hormuz as its territory after defeating Iran. On Monday, he reiterated on Truth Social that Iran must never possess a nuclear weapon.
Iran has repeatedly accused the U.S. of violating its commitments under the memorandum. The official said Tehran is prepared to conduct a "timely and precise" military attack to break the naval blockade if diplomacy fails, raising the prospect of renewed conflict in one of the world's most critical oil shipping lanes.