The Trump administration is urging Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping and commit to ending attacks on civilian vessels, amid growing concerns that recent incidents could derail a fragile ceasefire agreement.
According to U.S. officials, the message has been delivered directly to Tehran as well as through regional mediators.
Washington argues that Iran violated the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States three weeks ago by repeatedly firing on commercial ships transiting the strategic waterway.
Those incidents triggered several military exchanges between the two sides and pushed the interim agreement to the brink, prompting President Donald Trump to declare the ceasefire effectively over earlier this week.
U.S. officials say Iran’s failure to uphold what they describe as a straightforward maritime commitment raises broader concerns about Tehran’s willingness to implement any future agreement on its nuclear program.
Attention is now focused on talks scheduled for Saturday in Muscat, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi to discuss the Strait of Hormuz crisis and regional maritime security.
Even before the memorandum was signed, Oman coordinated with the United States and Gulf partners to establish a southern shipping corridor near its coastline to facilitate commercial navigation through the strait.
According to U.S. officials, Tehran opposed the move, arguing it weakened Iran’s negotiating leverage.
American officials also claim Iranian negotiators suggested that hardline factions within the country were responsible for attacks on commercial vessels in an attempt to regain leverage.
Publicly, however, senior Iranian officials—including leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—have maintained that Iran should retain authority over navigation arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Friday that Araghchi’s discussions in Oman would focus on maritime security and the implementation of agreed shipping arrangements.
Baghaei said Iran had accepted responsibility for helping establish normal maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz and remained committed to coordinating those efforts with Oman under the existing agreement.
U.S. officials also said Iranian representatives contacted Washington after several days of clashes earlier this week in an effort to keep diplomatic channels open.
One U.S. official claimed Iranian officials acknowledged mistakes had been made and expressed a desire to continue negotiations.
Baghaei rejected those assertions, insisting Iran had not requested direct talks with the United States and instead agreed only to discussions facilitated by Qatari mediators.
U.S. officials believe internal divisions within Iran’s leadership continue to complicate implementation of the memorandum of understanding.
“There are elements within their system that want to reach a deal, but they need to get things under control,” one U.S. official said.
Washington now expects Tehran to clarify its position following Saturday’s talks in Oman, with officials viewing any public commitment on commercial shipping as an important test of Iran’s willingness to preserve the broader diplomatic process.
