- Published
The US wants Iran to publicly state that the Strait of Hormuz is open and to pledge to stop firing on commercial ships as part of negotiations due to be held in Oman on Saturday.
US media cited unnamed officials as saying Tehran had privately acknowledged to President Donald Trump's advisers that the shooting at ships was a mistake, though the Iranians reportedly pinned the blame on a rogue internal group.
Trump has said both sides have agreed to continue talks despite this week's fighting over the Strait of Hormuz, which the White House saw as a violation of the ceasefire.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said his country had "kept its word" on the ceasefire, saying on X the US had violated the deal.
In June, the US and Iran signed a ceasefire agreement where Iran would, in part, give safe passage to commercial ships.
Tehran said that an "errant" sect of hardliners was trying to undermine negotiations by firing on the commercial ships, senior US officials told CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
One official told the TV network: "They [the Iranians] came back to the table and said, 'We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let's keep talking.'"
Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and two people who have been heavily involved in Middle East talks - special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner - are expected to lead Saturday's negotiations.
Araqchi is also expected to attend the talks.
In a briefing for reporters on Friday, the US officials said a message to Tehran's leadership had been conveyed through regional mediators demanding Iran release a statement declaring the strait open and that it will stop shooting at commercial ships, according to multiple media reports.
"They're either going to give us that statement or we're not having a good outcome for them," said one official, quoted by Reuters news agency.
The White House also wants Iran to publicly acknowledge that firing on the shipping was a mistake, CBS reports.
Meanwhile, a delegation from Qatar travelled to Iran on Friday for talks aimed at defusing tensions and easing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social earlier on Friday: "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!"
In the early hours of Saturday, Trump also responded to reports that Iran had plans to assassinate him.
Writing on Truth Social, he said that the US army would "completely decimate and destroy all areas" of the country in retaliation to such an attack.
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 the US president.
There were also open calls for Trump's death at the funeral of Iran's late Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei, who was buried this week, was killed in an Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran on 28 February, the first day of Iran's war with the US and Israel.
No fresh attacks were reported on Friday after fighting broke out in the Gulf region earlier this week, marking the worst exchange of fire between the US and Iran since the two nations signed an interim deal in June.
Three ships were struck while using a US-recommended route through Omani waters. Iran has repeatedly said the only "safe" passage is a separate route through its waters.
Overall progress came last month when the US and Iran agreed on a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which was aimed at extending a ceasefire and ending conflict "on all fronts".
As part of the agreement Iran and Oman must hold talks "to define the future administration and maritime services" in the strait with other Gulf states.
During the conflict, Iran sought to assert its sovereignty over the strait, including by establishing the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority", which it said would manage "safe passage permits".
Iran's Fars news agency has reported that under the new deal with the US the strait would ultimately be managed by Iran in co-ordination with Oman, including possible "service fees" for ships to transit the waterway.
Facts Only
* The US seeks Iran to publicly state that the Strait of Hormuz is open and pledge to stop firing on commercial ships in negotiations in Oman on Saturday.
* US media cited unnamed officials stating Tehran privately acknowledged shooting at ships was a mistake, with blame reportedly pinned on an internal group.
* An agreement was signed in June where Iran would provide safe passage for commercial ships.
* Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated Iran kept its word on the ceasefire and claimed the US violated the deal.
* Iran claimed an "errant" sect of hardliners undermined negotiations by firing on commercial ships.
* US officials demanded a statement from Tehran declaring the strait open and cessation of shooting at commercial ships through regional mediators.
* Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are expected to lead Saturday's negotiations.
* Three ships were struck while using a US-recommended route through Omani waters.
* The US army responded to reports of an assassination plot by threatening to destroy areas in retaliation.
* An interim deal was agreed upon last month, involving a 14-point memorandum of understanding.
Executive Summary
The United States is seeking Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and to commit to ceasing fire on commercial ships as part of ongoing negotiations scheduled for Saturday in Oman. This request stems from a recent conflict where fighting occurred in the Strait, which the White House viewed as a violation of a ceasefire agreement signed in June, which included provisions for safe passage for commercial vessels.
Iranian officials have indicated that an internal faction was responsible for firing on ships, and some sources suggest they acknowledged a mistake and sought to continue talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that his country had kept its word regarding the ceasefire, while other statements noted US violations of the deal. Negotiations are expected to be led by high-level figures including Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.
Beyond the immediate Strait issue, tensions remain high, as evidenced by reports of intelligence sharing regarding assassination plots against the US President and open calls for the President's death following events related to the conflict. Furthermore, previous agreements involved Iran managing maritime services through bodies like the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority," which involved defining future administration and service fees for transit.
Full Take
The narrative surrounding the Strait of Hormuz frames a conflict not as a simple military engagement but as a struggle over legitimacy and contractual adherence. The tension arises from a divergence between public commitments (ceasefires, agreements on passage) and internal actions taken by factions within Iran, which are then leveraged in external negotiations. The repeated shift in blame—from an internal group to the other party for violating the deal—suggests a strategic effort to manage accountability while maintaining negotiating leverage.
The pursuit of public acknowledgment regarding the shooting attempts (i.e., admitting error) reveals a tension between sovereign assertion and diplomatic necessity. By demanding Iran publicly state the strait is open, US officials are not merely seeking an operational change but an affirmation that the foundational terms of prior agreements can be reinstated as a basis for future stability. The involvement of multiple high-level figures in the negotiations points to a complex interplay where personal stakes and institutional positions intersect with strategic goals.
The broader context reveals a pattern where military action is intertwined with political signaling, often involving external actors asserting jurisdiction or grievance while internal dynamics are simultaneously being managed. When evaluating claims about responsibility, one must consider whether the assertion of blame serves an end to genuine reconciliation or merely functions as a tool for immediate diplomatic concessions. The implication for agency is that peace and stability are contingent not just on military restraint but on the narrative control and mutual acceptance of past transgressions.
Bridge Questions: What are the long-term consequences for international maritime law if public acknowledgments of error remain contested? How does the dynamic between asserting sovereignty over a strait and establishing shared transit governance affect future regional security architectures? What is the relationship between internal factional disputes within a state and its ability to project unified diplomatic positions?
Sentinel — Human
The text functions as a compilation of reported statements and historical context regarding US-Iran Strait of Hormuz negotiations, exhibiting signs consistent with human geopolitical reporting that synthesizes multiple sources.