WASHINGTON: Trump Iran threat warnings escalated tensions Saturday as the US pressed Tehran to publicly guarantee safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said on Truth Social that 1,000 missiles were aimed at Iran, with thousands more ready if Tehran attempted to assassinate him, according to Al Jazeera and AP.
The warning came as Washington pressed Iran to publicly state that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that commercial ships will not face attacks, the Associated Press reported.
US officials said the demand followed renewed attacks on shipping and concern over Iranian hard-liner factions, according to AP. The Strait of Hormuz carries a major share of global oil and gas trade.
Qatari mediators were in Tehran as regional states tried to preserve the interim US-Iran framework, Al Jazeera reported.
Read: US-Iran Sanctions Target Ansari Financial Network
Axios said Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were working to de-escalate the crisis and revive nuclear negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of breaching the memorandum of understanding after new US sanctions. He said on X that future compliance could only be mutual.
Iran’s lead negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Iran would not surrender and remained ready for full-scale defence if Washington abandoned the MoU.
Read: US-Iran Peace Deal Faces Gulf Escalation Test
Ship tracking firm Windward said only six vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz in a 12-hour window between July 9 and 10, compared with 18 to 22 days earlier. It also said dark transits had risen to nearly 40% of traffic.
The International Energy Agency expects global oil demand to fall by about 1 million barrels per day in 2026, largely due to the US-Iran war and Gulf shipping disruptions, according to AP reporting.
