TEHRAN, Iran: An Iran offensive policy shift could bring wider escalation in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy with the United States fails, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
The official said Tehran had given Washington several weeks to implement provisions of an existing memorandum of understanding. Iran views compliance as a condition for further negotiations, according to the report.
Tehran plans to communicate the timeframe to the United States and regional governments through mediators. The official said Iranian institutions would prepare for escalation if diplomatic efforts failed.
Iranian officials have separately said Washington has not fulfilled commitments under what Tehran calls the Islamabad understanding. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has also said the agreement remains recoverable.
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Talks over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remain another point of contention. Iran has said discussions with Oman are continuing on a mechanism for maritime transit and security.
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The supplied material also shows conflicting accounts over the agreement’s timeline. Some reports describe a 60-day negotiating window, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the memorandum contains no explicit 60-day deadline.
