U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Declared Over Amid Escalating Tensions in Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that Iran had requested to continue talks and the U.S. had agreed, but he emphasized that the ceasefire between the two nations is over. “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 Cease Fire is OVER!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The announcement followed a week of kinetic exchanges. Three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire, prompting the U.S. to strike Iranian sites. In response, Iran launched strikes on U.S. military installations in neighboring Gulf states on Thursday. Daily tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz appeared to slow on Friday, as the series of attacks stoked concerns regarding the recovery of global oil supplies and the fragility of the interim truce.
Disputes Over the Strait of Hormuz
The core of the renewed conflict lies in a fundamental disagreement over the administration of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Iran was tasked with de-mining and ensuring safe navigation, with ships permitted to pass free of charge for the first 60 days. However, the agreement also stated that Iran would hold discussions with Oman and Gulf countries to “define the future administration and maritime services” in the waterway “in line with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states.”
Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, noted that Iran interprets the agreement as requiring all maritime security arrangements to be coordinated with Tehran. Conversely, some ships have been hugging the Omani coast, bypassing Iranian coordination. “Iran sees that as a direct violation of the MoU, and that’s why Hormuz has become the first major test of how the agreement will be interpreted and enforced,” Mortazavi told Al Jazeera. Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), added that Iran interprets the deal as having control over transit, while the U.S. has sought to establish a “second transit route.”
The U.S. military’s CENTCOM denied that passage is restricted to routes designated by Iran. In a social media post on Thursday, CENTCOM stated: “TRUTH: Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Since early May, US forces have helped facilitate the successful transit of more than 800 commercial vessels and 380 million barrels of crude oil through the vital international trade corridor.”
Diplomatic Efforts and Strategic Leverage
Qatari negotiators were in Iran on Friday to seek a de-escalation of tensions and to discuss navigation through the strait. According to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency, the Qatari delegation’s visit appears to be an effort by Doha to consolidate its role as a mediator following Qatari accusations against Iran regarding an incident in the strait. The current talks aim to address the implementation of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and the issues that triggered the recent escalation.
Experts suggest that for Iran, oversight of the strait serves as a vital strategic asset. Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first statement as supreme leader following the death of his father in March, underscored the importance of the waterway, stating, “The lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used.” Costello noted that Iran perceives this power as a “strategic advantage” that may hold more significance for their leverage and deterrence than their nuclear program.
Regional Impact and Unclaimed Strikes
The conflict has had immediate economic consequences, with oil prices remaining on track for weekly gains of 5% following the flare-up. The closure of the waterway following initial strikes on February 28 caused global oil prices to soar, with petrol in the U.S. reaching more than $4.5 per gallon, up from less than $3 before the war.
Meanwhile, the situation remains volatile due to unclaimed airstrikes that hit areas across southern Iran on Thursday, just as the country prepared to bury the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While Iran’s theocracy has not directly blamed any party, one lawmaker warned the United Arab Emirates about allegedly providing support to the U.S. campaign. Gulf Arab states did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday, and Israel, which participated in the war, has not claimed any recent attacks on Iran.
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