Iran has shifted from a defensive to a “fully offensive” posture as efforts to end its war with the United States and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have stalled, officials have said.
Reports indicate that Tehran was prepared to escalate tensions in the strait and the wider region, warning it could launch a “timely and precise” military attack to break a US naval blockade if diplomacy failed.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, told Fox News that Iran “should put up the white flag of surrender”, underscoring the widening gulf between the two sides.
A 60-day memorandum of understanding signed in June had set a Monday deadline for Washington and Tehran to reach a broader agreement covering Iran’s nuclear programme and US sanctions.
The arrangement quickly unravelled over a dispute about control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and LNG shipments.
Tehran has demanded that the United States implement the agreement’s provisions within weeks as a condition for further negotiations.
It is also separately negotiating with Oman over management of the strait.
The standoff has kept oil markets on edge while regional tensions have intensified, with Iran-backed Houthi forces claiming attacks on a Saudi military ship and four escort vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.