Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Oman on Saturday to discuss arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington sought a public pledge of free, secure transit. The diplomatic push came as U.S. President Donald Trump declared an end to the ceasefire reached between the two sides, even as he said the U.S. and Iran had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week.
No attacks were reported on Friday or early Saturday, but a senior Iranian source told Reuters a call between Iran, the U.S., Qatar and Pakistan had been agreed and mediators were trying to arrange it for Saturday while Araqchi was in Oman. Oman is helping to mediate an end to a war that has spread insecurity in the Gulf and raised prices around the world since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran less than one year ago.
The Security Picture
Three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire earlier in the week, prompting the U.S. to hit Iranian sites, and Iran to respond with strikes on U.S. military sites in Gulf states. At least 17 people were killed in U.S. strikes on six cities in Iran two to three days ago, the head of the public relations and information center at Iran's Health Ministry said. He said 115 people were wounded.
Senior U.S. officials told reporters on Friday that Iran had informed U.S. officials that recent attacks on shipping in the strait were from an "errant part of their system", comments that appeared to be aimed at calming tensions. The United States is demanding that Iran publicly state it will stop attacks on ships in the strait and that all lanes will be open with no tolls through the waterway that carried one-fifth of global oil supplies before the war, the senior U.S. officials told reporters on Friday.
Araqchi accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement; the U.S. revoked the license authorizing the sale of Iranian crude four days ago after the vessels were hit. "There can only be mutual compliance," he wrote on X. Iran's Fars news agency later cited a source saying no negotiations would take place until the U.S. retreated from its positions.
Diplomatic Dead End
CBS News and its UK partner the BBC both reported that U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to lead negotiations on Saturday with Araqchi. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue 'talks.' We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Friday.
The flare-up cast further doubt over the future of an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict and pushed oil prices higher, a politically sensitive issue for Trump ahead of November congressional elections later this year. Qatari negotiators met officials in Iran on Friday to de-escalate tensions and discuss the Strait of Hormuz, a person with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.
Even so, U.S. officials said conversations between the two countries had been productive in recent days. Tehran said any breach of commitments by Washington would be met with "reciprocal action".
The Regional Threat
A written statement from Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on Saturday threatened vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father, who was killed less than one year ago. Released to mark funeral ceremonies for former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei two days ago, which the new leader didn't attend, it said the vengeance would take place whatever happened to Iran. "We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs," the message said.
Trump had posted on Friday that he had ordered the U.S. military to be prepared to launch thousands of missiles against Iran if Tehran attempted to assassinate him. The Wall Street Journal and other U.S. media reported this week that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently devised a plan to assassinate Trump. There was no immediate comment from Iran on Trump's latest remarks. At the funeral ceremonies two days ago, a huge crowd of mourners packed a courtyard, some bearing banners reading, "We Will Kill Trump."
Last month's interim deal was meant to pave the way to the end of a conflict now in its fifth month, which has killed thousands, throttled worldwide energy supplies and raised fears of a global economic downturn. During the war Tehran has largely taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, forcing a stalemate.
What Comes Next
Renewed fighting in the Gulf has increased the pain for U.S. consumers. After weeks of steady declines, crude oil prices posted their biggest weekly rise in eight weeks. The economic consequences of Iran's control of the strait have reverberated globally, with energy markets watching every diplomatic move for signs of resolution or further escalation.
Why This Matters:
Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz represents a direct threat to global energy security and economic stability, with one-fifth of the world's oil supplies dependent on safe passage through the waterway. The regime's refusal to publicly commit to free transit reveals the strategic leverage Tehran has gained through military escalation, while its new supreme leader's vow of vengeance against the United States signals that ideological commitments may override diplomatic pragmatism. Trump's declaration that the ceasefire is over reflects the reality that interim agreements with a regime that sponsors terrorism, threatens American leaders, and uses commercial shipping as leverage have limited value without enforcement mechanisms. The intelligence indicating Iran planned to assassinate a sitting U.S. president underscores the nature of the adversary Washington faces. Rising oil prices ahead of congressional elections later this year create domestic political pressure that could constrain U.S. options, potentially rewarding Iranian brinkmanship with concessions that would only embolden future aggression.