US urges Iran to publicly guarantee safe shipping through Strait of Hormuz

The United States has called on Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping and commit to halting attacks on commercial vessels, according to U.S. officials cited by Axios.

Three U.S. officials told reporters on July 10 that the Trump administration had conveyed the demand directly to Tehran and through regional mediators, requesting a public commitment by July 11.

The officials did not specify what consequences Iran could face if it fails to comply. In recent days, the United States has carried out strikes on targets in Iran, saying the attacks were a response to assaults on commercial shipping.

Washington argues that Tehran violated the memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries three weeks ago by repeatedly targeting commercial vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The incidents have led to renewed exchanges of fire and placed the agreement under increasing strain.

Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire "over" while also indicating that diplomacy remained possible. He said Tehran had requested the continuation of "talks" and that Washington had agreed, placing the word "talks" in quotation marks in a social media post.

Iran has rejected the U.S. account. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied that Tehran had sought negotiations with Washington, saying instead that Iran had responded to a request from a regional mediator to discuss the current situation, according to Iranian broadcaster Press TV.

Against this backdrop, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat on July 11 for discussions focused on the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

The United States has also reinstated sanctions on Iranian oil exports, citing attacks on commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

By Sabina Mammadli