Monday marks the expiration of a 60-day deadline for the United States and Iran to reach a wider deal and re-open the Strait of Hormuz. No deal is currently in sight, despite expectations that both sides would reach a final agreement by this date under a Memorandum of Understanding agreed upon in June aimed at ending the war.
In response to the deadlock, a senior Iranian official stated that Iran has decided to shift its policy from defensive to fully offensive. This change in posture follows comments from Donald Trump that the United States would soon make the Strait of Hormuz its territory.
Iran has warned it will escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, threatening to launch an attack if the U.S. fails to fully implement an interim peace deal within a few weeks. The full implementation of all agreement provisions within this short window is a precondition for any further negotiations with the United States.