Iran has warned it will launch a military attack and escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region if the United States fails to fully implement an interim peace deal within a few weeks, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday.
The official stated that if diplomacy fails and the deadline is not met, Tehran would carry out a timely and precise
attack to break the U.S. naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. The official added that Iran is shifting its policy from defence to offence due to a loss of confidence in diplomacy, claiming it is a “proven fact” that the U.S. is not serious about a ceasefire.
Diplomatic Standoff and Military Threats
Efforts to return Tehran and Washington to talks under a June agreement have stalled. Iran’s foreign minister stated the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. returns to the deal, while the U.S. Treasury Secretary has warned Iran of unprecedented economic isolation.
Regional Escalation
The threats follow a period of active conflict. Iran recently struck an oil refinery in Israel and a key electrical and water plant in Kuwait. Additionally, the Dubai Media Office reported that a drone hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters, causing a fire.
In response to U.S. troop deployments in the Middle East, Iran has threatened to mine the Persian Gulf and launch a ground invasion of Gulf Arab countries should U.S. troops enter Iranian territory. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated that Iranian forces are waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to punish their regional partners forever,
according to state media.
