The United States has presented Iran with an ultimatum: issue a public statement by Saturday declaring the Strait of Hormuz open and pledging to stop firing on commercial ships, or face consequences. The demand comes as negotiations are set to resume in Oman on Saturday, with Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner expected to lead the US delegation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is also expected to attend.
According to US officials, Tehran has privately acknowledged to President Donald Trump’s advisers that the shooting at ships was a mistake, but blamed a rogue internal group. “They came back to the table and said, ‘We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let’s keep talking,’” one official told CBS News. However, the White House is now demanding a public admission. “They’re either going to give us that statement or we’re not having a good outcome for them,” a senior US official told Reuters.
“US gives Iran until Saturday to declare Strait of Hormuz open and stop firing on ships, or face consequences.”
The ultimatum comes after this week’s fighting over the Strait of Hormuz, which the White House viewed as a violation of a ceasefire signed in June. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the “Cease Fire is OVER!” despite both sides agreeing to continue talks. Meanwhile, a delegation from Qatar travelled to Iran on Friday for separate talks aimed at defusing tensions and easing navigation through the strait.
Trump also responded to reports that Iran had plans to assassinate him, threatening that the US army would “completely decimate and destroy all areas” of the country in retaliation. The crisis has escalated rapidly, with the US seeking both a public statement from Tehran and a recommitment to safe passage for commercial shipping.
As Saturday’s deadline looms, the question remains: will Iran comply, or will the fragile ceasefire collapse entirely?
