US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran had requested to continue negotiations with Washington and that the United States had agreed, but insisted the ceasefire between the two countries was “over” following renewed hostilities in the Gulf.
“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 ceasefire is OVER!” Trump wrote on social media.
His remarks came after commercial tankers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia came under fire earlier this week, prompting US strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks on American military installations in neighbouring Gulf states, Reuters reported.
Despite Trump’s declaration, regional mediators continued efforts to bring both sides back to the negotiating table and prevent the conflict from widening.
A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that Qatari negotiators were in Iran on Friday to seek ways to de-escalate tensions and discuss navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
The talks are aimed at addressing the implementation of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) as well as the disputes that triggered the latest escalation, particularly disagreements over shipping through the strategic waterway, the source said.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency also reported that a Qatari delegation had visited Tehran in what analysts described as another attempt by Doha to reinforce its role as a regional mediator.
Meanwhile, Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was buried in his hometown of Mashhad on Friday. His successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not make a public appearance during the funeral, fuelling speculation after remaining out of public view since assuming the country’s top leadership.
According to CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter, Israeli intelligence has shared information with US officials alleging that Tehran had developed a new plan to assassinate President Donald Trump. Neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly commented on the report.
Dispute over Hormuz remains unresolved
Although the intensity of the fighting has eased, major disagreements remain over the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran considers control over the strategic waterway one of its key wartime gains and insists that commercial vessels comply with routes designated by Tehran. The latest round of fighting erupted after the United States responded to Iranian attacks on vessels that refused to follow those directives.
At the centre of the dispute is the fifth provision of the memorandum of understanding, which states that Iran will ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels and work with Oman to determine the future administration of the strait. However, the agreement does not explicitly grant Iran exclusive authority over the waterway, leaving room for competing interpretations.
The International Crisis Group said the ambiguity in the agreement may initially have helped secure a ceasefire but has since become a source of renewed tension, with both sides advancing conflicting interpretations.
The think tank said preserving the diplomatic process would require Iran to halt attacks on commercial shipping while the United States refrains from promoting alternative navigation arrangements until negotiations resume.
For now, mediators continue efforts to revive dialogue, but there has been no indication of a breakthrough, leaving the underlying dispute unresolved despite signs of a temporary lull in fighting.
The renewed tensions have also unsettled global energy markets. Oil prices eased on Friday but remained on course for a weekly gain of about 5%, while US gasoline prices have risen amid concerns that instability around the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global oil supplies.
