US asks Iran to guarantee opening of Strait of Hormuz/ Talks continue in Oman

2026-07-11 07:42:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The United States has urged Iran to publicly declare that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to international shipping and to commit to stopping attacks on merchant ships, as part of negotiations taking place this Saturday in Oman.

According to US media, citing unnamed officials, Tehran has privately admitted to President Donald Trump's advisers that the attacks on the merchant ships were a mistake. However, Iranian authorities are said to have attributed responsibility to a radical group within the country, which operated outside the control of the government.

President Donald Trump said the two sides had agreed to continue talks despite the escalation of tensions this week in the Strait of Hormuz, which the White House said was a violation of the ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded via Twitter, saying Iran had "kept its word" on the ceasefire and accusing the United States of violating the agreement.

In June, the US and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement, which included guaranteeing the safe passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to US officials, Iran has acknowledged that a hardline faction within the country attempted to undermine the negotiations by attacking merchant ships. One of the officials was quoted as saying: "They came back to the negotiating table and said, 'We made a mistake. Let's keep talking.'"

The US delegation to the Oman talks is expected to be led by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also expected to attend the meeting. Meanwhile, a Qatari delegation is in Iran for talks aimed at reducing tensions and ensuring safe navigation in the Persian Gulf.

In another reaction, Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform that Iran has requested the continuation of negotiations, but warned that the ceasefire is considered completed by the United States after the recent incidents. The US president also reacted to reports that Iran had drawn up plans for an assassination attempt on him, stating that any such attack would be met with a strong military response from the US.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important sea routes for the transport of oil and gas, while recent developments are being followed with concern by the international community for the potential impact on security and global markets. /CNA