Iran's parliament has prepared a 12-article bill for the strategic management of the Strait of Hormuz, ready for urgent review, with lawmaker Sodif Badri stating that control of the strait is worth far more than nuclear energy and has already increased Iran's bargaining power [36]. The legislative step came as the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that an unidentified projectile struck a tanker off Oman, damaging its engine room, and that a separate explosion was reported near another vessel in the same area [8][9][12][33].
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States and Israel agreed to hold off on planned strikes against Iran after Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries requested a pause, conditional on a rapid deal for the immediate, complete, and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat [1][5][9][14][20]. Trump stated the US was "locked and loaded" at levels of military strength not seen since World War II but agreed to cancel the attack subject to a deal being reached rapidly [6][18][21].
Iranian officials rejected Trump's account. Sources close to Iran's negotiating team called his words "una nueva mentira" (a new lie) and denied any understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz [12][26]. Iran's Mehr news agency dismissed the claim, and military officials stated that armed forces remain on high alert [4][24][25]. Acting Defence Minister Majid Ibn al-Reza stated that Tehran views every threat as real and credible and that Iran "will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive" [5][13][27].
Iranian officials drew a distinction between the negotiations described by Trump and the talks actually underway. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that discussions with Oman concern a new maritime transit route, and that this "has no link to the Strait of Hormuz being opened or closed" [23][29][35]. Iranian MP Hassan Ghashghavi stated that mediators are seeking to revive the June Islamabad agreement, with Hormuz remaining the central sticking point [13][14]. Fars News reported that the strait will remain closed while US hostile actions continue, with transit permitted only through a designated route with IRGC permission [26].
Iran's warnings to regional states accompanied the parliamentary move. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told counterparts in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan that any hostile act by the US or Israel, including participation by regional countries, would receive a decisive and proportionate response [9][14][15][32]. Fars News published a list of energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Israel as potential retaliation targets [42], and hardline lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei stated that if Iran is struck, it would "return the entire region and its facilities to the Stone Age" [40]. Major General Ali Abdollahi warned that any country acting as a defensive shield for the US will "burn in the fire of war" [40].
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump to stress "the necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions" and raised concerns about Iranian retaliation against Gulf energy infrastructure [5][7][8][14][17]. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with Vice President JD Vance and Trump in Washington to convey Riyadh's message that the expansion of the conflict would threaten regional energy security [15][19]. Qatar separately urged implementation of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding [40].
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen stated that Israel would act unilaterally regardless of any US-brokered agreement. "With or without an agreement, and regardless of any external commitments, if Iran attempts to renew its nuclear programme or advance its ballistic missile industries, we will be there. We will take action, and we will strike," Cohen said [14][29].
Secretary of State Marco Rubio credited earlier US strikes with crippling Iran's navy, air force, missile defences, and weapons production facilities, stating that this degradation is the reason Iran now appears willing to reach an agreement [16][17]. Analyst Ross Harrison of the Middle East Institute stated that Iran probably believes Trump blinked because of the risk of escalation, and that without a clear Hormuz agreement the pause will not reflect genuine de-escalation [27]. Der Spiegel and Dawn noted that Trump has claimed breakthroughs before that were later denied, and that the June framework never delivered full reopening of the strait [10][30].
In Washington, members of Congress disputed the legality of the restarted strikes under the War Powers Resolution. Representative Thomas Massie argued the administration cannot pause and restart the 60-day clock at will, and Senator Adam Schiff introduced a resolution rejecting that assertion [48]. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt countered that Iran broke the June truce and "will continue to pay until they come to the table in a meaningful way" [33]. Senator Chris Van Hollen and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, raised concerns about depleting US interceptor stocks [27].
Maritime incidents were reported alongside the diplomatic announcement. Kuwait's army reported destroying Iranian drones targeting vital facilities, including a government structure in the country's north [8][9][13][33]. The Houthi movement stated that eight Saudi oil tankers had been pushed off their normal routes as part of a declared blockade targeting Saudi energy exports [8]. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the US-Israeli strikes a violation of international law and urged all parties to halt military action immediately, citing Hormuz's importance to global energy trade [45].
Maritime insurers and market analysts priced premiums on the assumption that normal transit through Hormuz will not resume soon. War-risk insurance premiums reached 7.5 to 10 percent of hull value, with some owners facing double-digit rates, and the analytics firm Kpler pushed reopening forecasts to 2027 [43][44]. UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh called for diplomatic and defensive means to reopen the strait [39], while Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced plans for a bypass transport corridor connecting the Persian Gulf to Europe within three years [46]. BBC Persian reported that a prolonged Hormuz closure threatens global supply chains, with disproportionate impact on developing countries dependent on fertilizer, medicine, and electronics imports [37].
Talks between the US and Iran are expected to begin on Monday, according to Trump's announcement, though no deadline has been set [23][29]. Pakistani and Qatari mediators expressed cautious optimism about the resumption of stalled talks and expect developments by the end of the week [27].