US demands Iran halt Hormuz attacks, allow toll-free passage

The United States on Friday formally demanded that Iran publicly commit to halting attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and guarantee toll-free passage through the vital waterway, a senior US official told media outlets.

Diplomatic push in Muscat

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will lead a delegation to Oman on Saturday for talks focusing on regional developments and the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Iranian media reported. Washington expects Tehran to use the Muscat negotiations to formally renounce attacks on commercial shipping, with one senior official stating: "We want them to publicly say that they will stop shooting at ships and explicitly, or at least implicitly, acknowledge that they screwed up. We are working on that now."

Warnings of consequences

The United States also demands explicit guarantees regarding navigation rights through the waterway, the official added. "We expect the Iranians to say ... that every channel in the strait will be open and that it will be toll-free," the official said. A second US official warned Tehran against rejecting these terms, stating: "If it is not their position (on Saturday), it is not gonna be a great day for them."

Earlier Friday, US President Donald Trump told reporters that Iran had sought to resume negotiations, and that Washington had agreed to the overture. Trump added that the June ceasefire between the parties was "over," according to press reports.