Iran appears ready to change its military stance and shift to a “full-scale offensive,” as diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement that could lead to an end to the war in the Middle East have reached an impasse.
An Iranian official, cited by Reuters, said on Monday that Tehran and its allies are preparing to escalate their actions, while Washington appears to be rejecting the possibility of extending the temporary ceasefire agreement.
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The Houthis attacked airports in Saudi Arabia
The Strait of Hormuz in the Crosshairs
According to the same source, the Iranian armed forces and their allies are considering stepping up their operations “in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region.”
The Iranian official also warned that Tehran may proceed with a “timely and precise” military operation aimed at breaking the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf, should diplomatic efforts fail.
This development is raising new concerns about the course of the conflict, as the Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important maritime routes for the global energy market. Under normal circumstances, approximately one-fifth of the oil and liquefied natural gas transported internationally passes through the region.
Agreement Deadline Expires
The new tension comes as the 60-day deadline stipulated in the so-called Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has expired, which was agreed upon in mid-June by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeskian.
The agreement provided for the possibility of extending the deadline for reaching a final peace agreement and called for “an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts”.
However, the talks reached an impasse in July, mainly due to disagreement over the status and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
When asked whether the U.S. government wishes to extend the deadline, Donald Trump replied in the negative.
Contacts Between Washington and Tehran Continue
Despite the public hardening of the U.S. stance, talks between the two sides appear to be continuing.
Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and envoy, told Fox News from Israel that there are “ongoing” contacts between Washington and Tehran, though he did not provide further details.
At the same time, U.S. media reports have cited unofficial contacts between the Trump administration and the Revolutionary Guards, whose influence has grown since the conflict began.
However, U.S. President Trump has (once again) threatened to “bomb” Oman, a historic U.S. ally, if it intervenes and blocks a U.S. agreement with Iran. In recent months, the sultanate has been negotiating a bilateral agreement with the Islamic Republic regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz, and both sides say the process is essentially complete.
“If Oman gets in our way, we will bomb it mercilessly,” President Trump threatened via Fox News.
Sources: APE-MPE, ERT
