By Ginika Igboke
The United States is demanding that Iran publicly guarantee the safety of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions remain high following renewed military exchanges that have placed an already fragile ceasefire under increasing strain.
Senior U.S. officials said Friday that Washington wants Tehran to issue a formal declaration confirming that the strategic waterway is open to international shipping and that vessels traveling through the corridor will no longer be targeted.
The demand comes amid continuing diplomatic efforts to negotiate a broader agreement aimed at ending the conflict permanently, even as military activity and political disagreements continue to complicate those talks.
Trump Says Ceasefire Has Ended but Negotiations Will Continue
President Donald Trump reiterated Friday that he no longer considers the interim ceasefire to be in effect.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump declared that the ceasefire was “OVER!” while also making clear that the United States remains willing to continue negotiations with Iran in hopes of reaching a lasting settlement.
According to senior administration officials, Trump has instructed American negotiators to pursue a diplomatic breakthrough within a limited timeframe but has also made clear that alternative options remain available should negotiations collapse.
Officials emphasized that the administration is balancing diplomatic outreach with continued military preparedness as uncertainty persists across the Middle East.
Washington Blames Hard-Line Iranian Faction for Renewed Fighting
American officials believe the latest round of attacks resulted from a faction of Iranian hard-liners seeking to derail ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials said the renewed military exchanges appeared to have been initiated by elements within Iran opposed to any agreement with the United States.
They also described an ongoing internal power struggle inside Iran following the deaths of several senior leaders during the opening phase of the conflict, including longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death dramatically reshaped the country’s leadership structure.
According to U.S. officials, the competing factions within Tehran have made it increasingly difficult to negotiate and maintain agreements.
Officials also suggested that Iranian representatives privately acknowledged the recent attacks on commercial ships were a mistake and indicated a desire to continue diplomatic discussions despite the renewed violence.
Iran Insists It Alone Controls the Strait of Hormuz
Even as Washington called for public assurances regarding maritime safety, Iran reaffirmed its position that the Strait of Hormuz falls exclusively under its authority.
Addressing reporters outside the United Nations Security Council, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N., Amir Saeid Iravani, declared that all activity involving the strait—including reopening shipping lanes or conducting demining operations—must be directed solely by Tehran.
He warned that outside involvement would violate existing agreements and further destabilize the region.
“Any attempt by external actors to interfere or establish a power arrangement would violate the interim agreement, undermine its implementation, delay the restoration of normal commercial navigation, jeopardize maritime safety and increase regional tensions,” Iravani said.
Iran has also argued that foreign commercial vessels should begin paying transit fees to use the waterway, a proposal that challenges decades of international practice recognizing the Strait of Hormuz as an international shipping route.
Before the conflict began, roughly 20 percent of globally traded oil and natural gas passed through the narrow corridor each day.
Iran’s restrictions on shipping during the fighting contributed to a sharp spike in global energy prices, although oil markets have stabilized in recent weeks after crude prices briefly surged above $120 per barrel.
Nuclear Material Remains a Major Sticking Point
American officials also outlined strict conditions for any future nuclear agreement with Iran.
According to the administration, Tehran would be required to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium before any comprehensive agreement could be finalized.
Officials said much of the enriched nuclear material is believed to remain buried beneath facilities struck during U.S. air operations last year.
Should diplomacy fail, they said, the United States retains military options designed to ensure those nuclear materials remain inaccessible.
No additional details regarding those potential military plans were provided.
Iran continues to insist that its nuclear program is intended exclusively for peaceful civilian purposes and has repeatedly rejected demands to relinquish its enriched uranium stockpile.
U.S. officials also stressed that no nuclear agreement would move forward unless Iran fully complies with ceasefire commitments and permanently halts attacks against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Conflict Continues to Present Political Challenges
The continuing instability illustrates the long-term challenges facing the Trump administration after a conflict that officials initially expected would conclude much sooner.
The current military campaign began after Trump suspended negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program in late February, arguing that Tehran was attempting to rebuild its nuclear capabilities while advancing long-range missile development.
Since then, the conflict has evolved into a broader regional confrontation involving repeated missile strikes, attacks on commercial shipping, and mounting concerns over global energy security.
At home, the administration faces growing political pressure to prevent the crisis from developing into another prolonged Middle East conflict while minimizing its economic consequences.
Fresh Airstrikes Deepen Uncertainty
Questions also remain surrounding a series of unexplained airstrikes that hit southern Iran after the United States announced it had completed its military operations.
No country has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The strikes occurred as Iran prepared funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeted several locations across southern parts of the country.
Iranian officials have not formally blamed any government, although some lawmakers have pointed toward regional rivals.
Iranian parliament member Esmail Kousari accused the United Arab Emirates of secretly assisting recent U.S. military operations and warned that Abu Dhabi would eventually “pay the price” for what he described as behind-the-scenes cooperation.
The UAE has not publicly responded to those accusations.
U.S. Central Command also declined to provide further operational details following Trump’s announcement regarding the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Gulf Arab governments—including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar, all of which have come under Iranian attack during the conflict—did not immediately comment on the latest strikes.
Israel, which participated in earlier military operations against Iran, likewise has not claimed responsibility for the new attacks.
Following Thursday’s airstrikes, Iran launched another barrage of missiles targeting military and strategic locations in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Regional officials reported that air defense systems intercepted many of the incoming projectiles, though at least one person was reportedly injured in Kuwait.
Regional Diplomacy Intensifies
Despite the continued military escalation, diplomatic efforts remain active across the region.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet with his Omani counterpart in Muscat to discuss security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and broader efforts to reduce tensions.
Oman has long played a central role as a mediator between Iran and the United States and continues to facilitate indirect communication between both governments.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also expressed optimism that negotiations between Iran and Oman could produce meaningful progress toward easing regional tensions.
The United States, meanwhile, continues advising commercial shipping companies to route vessels through Oman’s territorial waters whenever possible to reduce the risk of encounters with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces.
Diplomatic activity has also intensified among Gulf nations.
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan traveled to Kuwait following Iran’s latest missile attacks to meet with the country’s leadership, while Gulf foreign ministers held consultations with Qatar, whose government has remained deeply involved in mediation efforts.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also held separate conversations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, urging both leaders to pursue restraint and diplomacy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President Trump following the latest developments, with the White House briefing Israel on American operations and diplomatic initiatives in the Gulf.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also reiterated that Israel remains prepared to respond militarily if hostilities resume.
“If we have to return,” Katz said during a military ceremony, “we will return with even greater force.”
As negotiations continue alongside military preparations, the future of both the ceasefire and broader U.S.-Iran relations remains uncertain, with maritime security, nuclear negotiations, and regional stability all hanging in the balance.
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