Iran Shifts to 'Fully Offensive' Policy Amid Stalled Peace Talks

Iran has adopted a "fully offensive" policy stance due to a deadlock in peace negotiations with the United States, a senior Iranian official informed Reuters on Monday. Progress on peace talks and the resumption of oil tanker traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz has stalled, with no indication that the warring parties are nearing an end to the conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel on February 28.

"Iranian entities must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and wider region, as Iran will be ready to make decisions and take action on difficult decisions," the official stated. The official added that Tehran would execute a "timely and precise" military strike to break the U.S. naval blockade if diplomacy proved unsuccessful, according to Reuters.

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Iranian entities must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and wider region, as Iran will be ready to make decisions and take action on difficult decisions.

Monday marked the deadline for Iran and the United States to reach a final agreement under a memorandum of understanding signed in June. This MoU aimed to end the war and set a 60-day timeframe, extendable by mutual consent, for Washington and Tehran to negotiate a comprehensive deal, including the fate of Iran's nuclear program. However, the MoU quickly unraveled due to a disagreement over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran asserts that point 5 of the MoU grants it the right to manage the waterway, a claim Washington rejects. Hostilities resumed when Tehran began firing on vessels it accused of attempting to transit the strait via an unauthorized route. U.S. President Donald Trump declared the pact "over" on July 7, citing Iran's repeated violations of its commitments. "Within the short period of a few weeks set by Iran, all the agreement's provisions must be implemented by the U.S. This is a precondition for further negotiations with the U.S.," the Iranian official told Reuters, noting that mediators would convey Tehran's deadline to Washington and regional states.

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Within the short period of a few weeks set by Iran, all the agreement's provisions must be implemented by the U.S. This is a precondition for further negotiations with the U.S.