WASHINGTON — Iranian officials have privately acknowledged to senior U.S. officials that recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz were a mistake, saying the incidents were carried out by an errant group of hardliners seeking to undermine diplomatic negotiations, according to senior U.S. officials familiar with the exchanges.
The disclosure came ahead of planned talks in Oman aimed at preserving negotiations between Washington and Tehran following a sharp escalation in tensions in the strategic waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil passes. Senior U.S. officials said Tehran also conveyed that it wanted negotiations to continue.
According to the U.S. officials, the Trump administration has insisted that Iran publicly acknowledge responsibility for what Washington views as a violation of an earlier ceasefire understanding and commit to preventing further attacks on commercial shipping. One official said the administration expects Iran to clarify its position after the Oman talks and reaffirm that international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz will remain open.
The White House has directed its negotiating team, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, to continue diplomatic engagement while maintaining pressure on Tehran through the threat of additional military and economic measures if attacks resume, U.S. officials said.
Iran has not publicly confirmed the private message described by U.S. officials. Iranian authorities have previously maintained that they remain committed to diplomacy while arguing that the recent attacks were not directed by the country's central leadership. Reuters has not independently verified the U.S. officials' account of the private communications.
The latest diplomatic effort follows a series of attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week that prompted U.S. military strikes on Iranian targets and renewed fears over the security of one of the world's most important energy transit routes. The International Maritime Organization condemned the attacks, urged all parties to exercise restraint and warned that the deteriorating security situation continued to endanger civilian seafarers.
The United States has also linked progress in the broader negotiations to other outstanding issues, including maritime security and Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile, while warning that further hostile actions could jeopardize any future agreement.
Officials from both countries are expected to meet in Oman, where mediators are seeking to reduce tensions and determine whether negotiations can continue despite the recent violence in the Strait of Hormuz.
