All articles tagged with #us iran relations
President Donald Trump reposted a Truth Social map portraying the Strait of Hormuz as "new American territory," reviving a push to claim control of the vital waterway. Iran’s Mohsen Rezaei countered that the strait will stay closed until Washington changes its behavior and honors commitments, as talks on traffic arrangements continue but no broad agreement has been reached, raising the risk of further escalation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly sought an end to the US-Iran conflict through diplomacy, a stance at odds with hardline factions as Mojtaba Khamenei rises. Diplomatic talks with the United States have been on life support since a 60-day cease-fire expired, with new sanctions expected from Washington and lawmakers debating whether to pursue peace with Iran still in a state of tension and power struggle.
The United States plans a tough new sanctions package aimed at crippling Iran’s economy, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggesting the measures could negate the need for major military action; Iran denounces the move as unlawful extraterritorial aggression while Tehran and its leadership push back. President Trump characterizes the move as the 'most crushing economic operation' against any country. Hormuz traffic remains subdued and oil prices drift as analysts question whether further sanctions will change Tehran’s behavior, noting Iran’s heavy existing penalties and potential geopolitical counterweights.
U.S. officials warn of intensified economic pressure on Iran with new sanctions slated for Aug. 24, while the UAE moves to phase out trade and financial ties. Iran faces currency shortages and import bottlenecks and is pursuing alternative trade routes and partners (including Iraq and BRICS) to blunt sanctions, including shifting oil exports and seeking non-Western financial corridors, in a broader regional security drama with Houthis and Iraqi militias continuing to influence the dynamics.
Iran’s hardline leadership is steering away from a primarily defensive, responding posture toward an offensive strategy aimed at pressuring the US, with plans for operatons on the enemy’s soil, expanded missile and drone capabilities, and greater use of proxies in Yemen and Iraq, all while maintaining leverage over the Strait of Hormuz amid stalled diplomacy and sanctions.
The UAE’s defence ministry said two ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward the UAE; both missiles fell into the sea—one inside UAE territorial waters and the other outside. The ministry said it is on high alert and ready to respond to any threats to safeguard sovereignty, security and stability, amid broader Gulf tensions tied to the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing regional diplomacy.
Iran’s top negotiator says the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the US meets conditions tied to an interim deal (lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions, freeing Iran’s frozen assets) as talks with Washington remain deadlocked, while Trump threatens to attack Oman if it interferes, highlighting heightened tensions and ongoing disruption to shipping and energy markets.
Amid the ongoing Iran war, reports say the Trump administration pursued a secret backchannel with Iran’s IRGC via Iraqi Kurdish President Barzani to test whether IRGC leadership would support diplomacy ahead of an MOU; intermediaries indicated IRGC commander Gen. Ahmad Vahidi backed talks, but security concerns prevented them from materializing. The broader situation features continued sanctions pressure, threats to U.S. troops, and carrier redeployments as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz persist.
Iran reaffirmed that the Strait of Hormuz will remain Iranian and under Tehran’s control, rejecting President Trump’s quip about making it US territory, as US-Iran tensions persist over a June provisional accord and July Iranian attacks on shipping that prompted renewed sanctions and blockades.
Amid rising U.S.-Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran warns it may close the chokepoint until Washington lifts sanctions, while Trump boasts that the U.S. has total control of the strait. U.S. sanctions on Iran’s Strait Authority (PGSA) have left its portal unsecured after OFAC designation, raising data-security concerns and illustrating how sanctions are pressuring Tehran’s shipping regime. The broader backdrop includes ongoing security moves and regional power realignments as Washington maintains its hard line.
President Trump demanded that Iran compensate victims for casualties and damages from decades of conflict, tying the claim to stalled negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; he later broadened the demand to include victims in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Gaza, while Israel's Netanyahu publicly rejected a US-backed Gaza peace plan and talks in the region remain deadlocked ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, welcomed Iran's push for war damages and said he would seek reciprocal compensation from Iran in future talks, citing decades of attacks including the USS Cole bombing and Soleimani-led violence, and proposing damages to families of protesters and thousands of others killed in recent months; Iran, meanwhile, demands the US lift the Hormuz blockade and sanctions relief before any negotiation proceeds, signaling a provocative stance ahead of talks.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain shut until the United States lifts its blockade, sanctions are eased and Iranian assets are released, with Tehran demanding compensation for wartime damage and describing the stance as a strategic 'chess game'; talks with Washington continue via mediators and a potential temporary shipping corridor with Oman is under consideration, even as regional security pacts and leadership dynamics add complexity to the crisis.
Mohsen Rezaei, a former IRGC chief, was appointed secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, a move that elevates military-security considerations as Iran presses its stance in US-Israel tensions and Hormuz talks. Analysts say his leadership could help synchronize security and policy across institutions and bolster domestic cover for any negotiated settlements, though the move also signals a firmer security posture to hardliners.
Iranian Foreign Minister says Tehran is not in direct talks with the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that any agreement would come through intermediaries, with Oman playing a key role; reopening would require Washington to meet Tehran’s conditions such as lifting sanctions and end to the naval blockade, paying reparations, and releasing frozen assets. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthis claimed a drone strike on Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery as markets await any potential deal, prompting oil-price movement as transit-route discussions continue.