Iran has threatened to adopt a “fully offensive” military posture as efforts to reach a lasting agreement with the United States have stalled, raising fresh fears of an escalation around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait and the wider region if diplomatic efforts failed. The official said Iran could launch a “timely and precise” military operation to break what Tehran describes as a US naval blockade.
The warning comes as negotiations aimed at ending the conflict have reached an impasse. A memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and the US in June established a 60-day framework for reaching a broader agreement, including arrangements concerning Iran’s nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement has since unravelled over disagreements about control of the waterway.
Hormuz becomes central to standoff
Iran has insisted that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington meets conditions linked to the June agreement. These include lifting the blockade on Iranian ports, removing oil sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets and ending military threats and operations, according to Iranian officials.
The dispute has placed the Strait at the centre of the wider confrontation. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy routes, and shipping through it has fallen sharply since the conflict intensified. Reuters reported that only a handful of commodity vessels passed through the strait over the weekend, compared with more than 130 daily ship transits before the war.
The disruption is also being felt in global energy markets. Oil prices rose for a third consecutive session on Tuesday, with Brent crude reaching $91.07 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate hitting $84.99, their highest levels since late July.
Trump rejects extension of agreement
US President Donald Trump has ruled out extending the June agreement and has continued to demand that Iran make concessions, particularly over its nuclear programme. Trump has also threatened further military action as tensions over the Strait remain unresolved.
Iran, meanwhile, says Washington must honour the conditions of the previous agreement before negotiations can resume.
The widening gap between the two sides has raised concerns that the diplomatic deadlock could develop into further military confrontation, particularly if Iran follows through on its warning to move from a defensive to an offensive strategy.