Iran has rejected reports that it reached an agreement with the United States on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, even as US President Donald Trump claimed he had cancelled a planned military strike after Tehran and regional countries requested more time for diplomacy.
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Iran Rejects Reports Of Hormuz Agreement
According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, a member of the country’s negotiating team dismissed Israeli media reports claiming Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had accepted a US-Qatar proposal to divide control of the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
Calling the report “false”, the official denied that any such agreement had been reached.
Fars also quoted an Iranian military source as saying the strategic waterway remains closed to vessels that do not coordinate with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Times of Israel reported.
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Trump Says Planned Strike Put On Hold
This came after US President Donald Trump said he had decided to cancel a planned attack on Iran after receiving a request from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.
“We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
He said the proposed agreement would include the “immediate, complete, and total opening” of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.
Trump added that he had agreed to suspend military action “for the future benefit of the world” and said Israel had joined the commitment. However, he warned that the US military remained “locked and loaded” and ready to strike if negotiations failed.
Iran Responds With Caution
Iran responded cautiously to Trump’s remarks, saying it viewed every threat from Washington as credible.
Acting Defence Minister Seyyed Majid Ibn Al-Reza said recent US statements were part of a psychological warfare campaign but stressed that Tehran was treating all military threats seriously.
Meanwhile, Fars International described Trump’s conditions as nothing more than a “wish list”.
Diplomatic Push Continues
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a phone conversation with Trump, called for prioritising dialogue and making every effort to reduce regional tensions, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The latest developments come after reports that Trump had been preparing a fresh round of military strikes against Iran as negotiations stalled and energy prices climbed.
US Embassies Issue Security Alerts
Several US embassies across the Middle East, including those in Iraq, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, have advised American citizens to remain vigilant, prepare for possible flight disruptions and consider leaving the region if tensions escalate further.
The warnings followed reports that a tanker near Oman was struck and another witnessed an explosion nearby, fuelling concerns about maritime security.
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Ceasefire Under Strain
A temporary ceasefire that followed the June 17 memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran has effectively broken down, with both sides remaining divided over Iran’s nuclear programme and control of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that previously carried around one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies.
