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The United States has asked Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping and to commit to ending attacks on commercial vessels before fresh negotiations scheduled for Saturday in Oman.
According to US media reports citing unnamed officials, Iranian representatives privately admitted to advisers of President Donald Trump that the recent attacks on merchant ships were an error.
However, Tehran reportedly attributed the incidents to a breakaway hardline faction acting without the approval of the country’s leadership.
The latest diplomatic efforts follow renewed tensions in the Gulf after several commercial vessels came under fire earlier this week, an incident Washington viewed as a breach of the ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries in June.
Under that accord, Iran had pledged to ensure the safe movement of commercial shipping through the strategically important waterway.
Senior US officials told CBS News that Iran described the attacks as the actions of an “errant” extremist group seeking to derail ongoing negotiations.
One official said Iranian representatives acknowledged the mistake and expressed their willingness to continue diplomatic engagement.
During a briefing on Friday, US officials revealed that a message had been delivered to Tehran through regional intermediaries, insisting that Iran issue a formal declaration guaranteeing unrestricted navigation in the strait and confirming that attacks on commercial shipping would cease.
Officials warned that failure to provide such assurances could jeopardize the outcome of the negotiations.
The White House is also seeking a public admission from Tehran that the recent incidents were unacceptable.
The US delegation expected to participate in Saturday’s talks includes Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner.
At the same time, Qatar dispatched a delegation to Iran for separate discussions aimed at reducing regional tensions and improving maritime security in the Gulf.
President Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Iran had requested the continuation of negotiations, adding that Washington had accepted the proposal while making it clear that the previous ceasefire arrangement had effectively come to an end.
No additional hostilities were reported on Friday after this week’s confrontation, which marked the most serious military exchange between Washington and Tehran since both sides agreed to an interim framework in June.
Three commercial vessels were damaged while travelling along a US-recommended shipping corridor through Omani waters.
Iran has maintained that the safest route for maritime traffic lies within waters under its supervision.
Last month, both countries signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding designed to reinforce the ceasefire and broaden efforts to resolve wider regional disputes.
The agreement also called for Iran and Oman to work with other Gulf nations to determine the future administration of navigation and maritime services within the Strait of Hormuz.
During the recent standoff, Tehran asserted greater authority over the strategic passage by creating the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an agency intended to oversee transit permits and maritime operations.
Iran’s Fars News Agency has announced that the proposed arrangement would eventually place management of the strait under Iranian oversight in partnership with Oman, including the possible introduction of transit service charges for commercial vessels.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong