US seeks Iranian pledge to free up Strait of Hormuz
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Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on July 8.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON/CAIRO – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman on July 11 to discuss arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said, with Washington seeking a public pledge of free, secure transit.
US President Donald Trump said on July 10 that the US and Iran had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week, while also declaring an end to the ceasefire reached between the two sides.
No attacks were reported on July 10 or early on July 11, however, and a senior Iranian source told Reuters a call between Iran, the US, Qatar and Pakistan had been agreed, and mediators were trying to arrange it for July 11 while Araghchi was in Oman.
Oman is helping to mediate an end to a war that has spread insecurity in the Gulf and raised prices around the world since the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on Feb 28.
CBS News and its British partner the BBC both reported that US Vice-President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to lead negotiations on July 11 with Araghchi.
Iran’s Fars news agency later cited a source saying no negotiations would take place until the US retreated from its positions.
Qatari mediators held talks in Tehran on July 10
Three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire earlier in the week, prompting the US to hit Iranian sites, and Iran to respond with strikes on US military sites in Gulf states.
Araghchi accused the US of violating the ceasefire agreement; the US revoked the licence authorising the sale of Iranian crude on July 7 after the vessels were hit.
“There can only be mutual compliance,” he wrote on social media platform X.
While Iran has not claimed responsibility for the ship attacks, analysts say Tehran uses such actions to gain leverage in negotiations.
Senior US officials told reporters on July 10 that Iran had informed US officials that recent attacks on shipping in the strait were from an “errant part of their system”, comments that appeared to be aimed at calming tensions.
The flare-up cast further doubt over the future of an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict and pushed oil prices higher, a politically sensitive issue for Trump ahead of November congressional elections.
“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 posted on his Truth Social platform on July 10.
Qatari negotiators met officials in Iran on July 10 to de-escalate tensions and discuss the Strait of Hormuz, a person with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.
Iran threatens to avenge supreme leader’s killing
A written statement from Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on July 11 threatened vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father, who was killed on Feb 28.
Released to mark the funeral ceremonies for former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which the new leader did not attend, it said the vengeance would take place whatever happened to Iran.
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs,” the message said.
Trump had posted on July 10 that he had ordered the US military to be prepared to launch thousands of missiles against Iran if Tehran attempted to assassinate him.
The Wall Street Journal and other US media reported this week that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently devised a plan to assassinate Trump.
There was no immediate comment from Iran on Trump’s latest remarks.
At the funeral ceremonies on July 9, a huge crowd of mourners packed a courtyard, some bearing banners reading “We Will Kill Trump”.
US officials report constructive conversations with Iran
The June interim deal was meant to pave the way for the end of a conflict now in its fifth month, which has killed thousands, throttled worldwide energy supplies and raised fears of a global economic downturn.
During the war, Tehran has largely taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, forcing a stalemate.
The US is demanding that Iran publicly state it will stop attacks on ships in the strait – and that all lanes will be open with no tolls through the waterway, which carried one-fifth of global oil supplies before the war, the senior US officials told reporters on July 10.
At least 17 people were killed in US strikes on six cities in Iran on July 8 and 9, the head of the public relations and information centre at Iran’s Health Ministry said. He said 115 people were wounded.
Even so, US officials said conversations between the two countries had been productive in recent days. Tehran said any breach of commitments by Washington would be met with “reciprocal action”.
Renewed fighting in the Gulf has increased the pain for US consumers. After weeks of steady declines, crude oil prices posted their biggest weekly rise in eight weeks. REUTERS
