US demands Iran publicly state that Strait of Hormuz is open and Tehran won’t attack ships anymore
WASHINGTON: The US is demanding that Iran make a public statement saying the Strait of Hormuz is open and that ships crossing the vital corridor won’t be attacked anymore, senior US officials said Friday, adding that internal Tehran power struggles have made it difficult to reach and keep a deal.
The US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe to reporters the state of play with Iran, said the resumption of strikes this week came after what they described as a rogue faction of Iranian hard-liners trying to sabotage the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
It comes as US President Donald Trump reiterated on social media Friday that he views the interim ceasefire deal as “OVER!” But he said the US would continue talks aimed at putting a permanent end to the war.
The officials said Friday that Trump is giving US negotiators limited time to reach a deal with Iran, but, in a sign of the challenges ahead, they underscored that the president had a wide range of options if talks fall apart. They also said a power struggle was playing out in real time in Iran after US and Israeli strikes at the start of the war killed its longtime leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
