Iran has threatened a “timely and precise” military strike to break the US naval blockade if negotiations fail, raising the prospect of further disruption to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
An unnamed senior Iranian official said Tehran was prepared to move to a “fully offensive” military posture and warned of higher tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region.
Iran is seeking implementation of all provisions of an interim memorandum of understanding within the coming weeks. The agreement, signed on 17 June, set a maximum 60-day period for negotiations on a final settlement. It called for the US to begin removing its naval blockade immediately and complete the process within 30 days, while Iran was to arrange safe passage for commercial vessels and negotiate with Oman over the future administration and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz.
The 60-day negotiating period expired on 17 August without a final agreement. Iran and Oman have continued separate talks over shipping through the strait, including a proposed transit route.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had separately signalled a harder military posture. Senior adviser Mohammad Reza Naghdi said on 12 August that Iran’s military doctrine was becoming offensive and that the IRGC should be prepared to conduct operations on enemy territory when ordered.
The IRGC said on 17 August that threats or attacks would be met through “maximum deterrence” and “powerful offensive operations”.
US forces enforcing the blockade had redirected 64 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two by 17 August. Traffic through Hormuz has fallen sharply. Five commodity vessels transited the strait on Saturday and none on Sunday, compared with 31 during the previous weekend and more than 130 ships a day before the current hostilities.