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The United States is seeking a public commitment from Iran to stop firing on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and to declare the strategic waterway open ahead of a new round of negotiations scheduled for Saturday in Oman.
According to US media reports citing unnamed officials, Tehran has privately acknowledged to advisers of President Donald Trump that the recent attacks on commercial ships were a mistake. Iranian officials reportedly blamed the incidents on a rogue hardline faction acting without government authorisation.
President Trump said both sides had agreed to continue negotiations despite this week’s clashes in the Strait of Hormuz, which the White House described as a breach of the ceasefire reached in June.
Under the June ceasefire agreement, Iran had pledged, among other commitments, to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the vital shipping lane.
Senior US officials told media that Tehran had informed Washington, through regional mediators, that an “errant” hardline group was responsible for the attacks and had sought to derail ongoing negotiations.
One US official was quoted as saying: “They came back to the table and said, ‘We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let’s keep talking.'”
During a briefing on Friday, US officials said they had conveyed a message to Iran’s leadership demanding a public statement declaring the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping and confirming that attacks on merchant vessels would cease.
“They’re either going to give us that statement or we’re not having a good outcome for them,” one official told media.
The White House is also seeking a public acknowledgement from Tehran that the attacks on commercial ships were a mistake, according to media report.
The US delegation for Saturday’s talks is expected to include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have all played key roles in Middle East diplomacy under the Trump administration.
Separately, a Qatari delegation travelled to Iran on Friday for discussions aimed at easing tensions and restoring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier on Friday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran had requested the continuation of negotiations.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the ceasefire is over!” he wrote.
No new attacks were reported on Friday after heavy exchanges earlier in the week, marking the most serious confrontation between the US and Iran since the interim agreement signed in June.
Three commercial vessels were struck while transiting a US-recommended shipping route through Omani waters. Iran has maintained that the only safe route is through waters under its supervision.
Last month, the two countries agreed on a 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at extending the ceasefire and ending hostilities. The agreement also called for Iran and Oman to work with other Gulf states to determine the future administration and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz.
During the recent tensions, Iran asserted greater control over the strategic waterway by announcing the establishment of the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority”, which it said would oversee safe-passage permits.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that, under the proposed arrangement, the strait would eventually be managed jointly by Iran and Oman, with the possibility of introducing transit service fees for commercial shipping.
