US Demands Iran Publicly Commit to Halting Attacks in Strait of Hormuz, Officials Say

The United States is demanding that Iran issue a public statement committing to end all attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, senior U.S. officials said Friday. The demand stipulates that all lanes in the critical waterway, through which about a fifth of the world's oil supply passes, must remain open to all vessels without tolls.

Washington's Conditions for De-escalation

In a conference call with reporters, one senior official outlined the non-negotiable terms. "What we’re demanding is that the Iranians issue a public statement that acknowledges all channels of the Strait of Hormuz are open and they’re not shooting at ships anymore," the official stated. "They’re either going to give us that statement or we’re not having a good outcome for them."

According to the officials, Iran has communicated to Washington that recent attacks on shipping were conducted by an "errant part of their system." The U.S. officials also noted their perception of an internal power struggle between hardliners and pragmatists within the Iranian government. The comments follow a week of escalating conflict, including attacks on three Qatari and Saudi tankers, which prompted retaliatory U.S. strikes on Iranian sites and subsequent Iranian strikes on U.S. military facilities in the Gulf.

Ad

Broader Nuclear Stakes

The U.S. demands regarding maritime security are linked to broader, high-stakes negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. A fundamental condition for any deal is that Tehran must turn over its nuclear materials, which U.S. officials said includes more than 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. This issue is being addressed under a 60-day negotiation period established by a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries in June.

"I just want to be clear here that if we don’t get the dust, we do not have a deal with Iran," an official said, referring to the uranium. The official warned that the U.S. has "a lot of options," including military and economic measures, if its demands are not met. Amid the tensions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is scheduled to travel to Oman on Saturday for talks on regional developments, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency.