Tehran threatens military action against US naval blockade as June agreement reaches its 60-day deadline without permanent settlement

DUBAI: Iran has decided to shift from a defensive posture to a “fully offensive” strategy as diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent end to its war with the United States remain deadlocked, a senior Iranian official said on Monday.

The official told Reuters that Iranian institutions must prepare to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and across the wider region if diplomacy fails. Tehran could launch a “timely and precise” military operation aimed at breaking the US naval blockade, the official added.

Meanwhile, negotiations over restoring oil tanker traffic through Hormuz have stalled, prolonging uncertainty surrounding the strategic waterway and global energy supplies.

June Agreement Reaches Critical Deadline

Monday marked the deadline established under the June 17 memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran. The agreement provided a 60-day, mutually extendable period for reaching a broader settlement covering the war and Iran’s nuclear programme.

However, the arrangement quickly unravelled amid disagreements over Hormuz. Tehran maintains that Point 5 of the memorandum gives Iran authority to manage navigation through the strait, while Washington rejects that interpretation.

Subsequently, hostilities resumed as Iranian forces targeted vessels Tehran accused of attempting to use an unauthorised route. President Donald Trump declared the agreement “over” on July 7.

Tehran Plans New Deadline for Washington

Furthermore, the Iranian official said Tehran would establish a new deadline requiring Washington to implement the agreement’s provisions within several weeks.

Mediators will communicate that deadline to the United States and regional governments, according to the official.

The warning follows increasingly confrontational rhetoric from both governments. Trump has reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains Washington’s principal objective.

Consequently, the dispute over Hormuz remains central to whether diplomacy resumes or the conflict enters another period of intensified military confrontation.