Iran threatens to go on offensive in Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy with US fails

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, Aug 3, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS) 17 Aug 2026 09:58PM DUBAI: Iran has decided to shift its policy from defensive to "fully offensive" due to the deadlock in efforts to agree on a permanent end to its war with the United States, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday (Aug 17). Progress towards peace talks and a resumption of oil tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has ground to a halt, with no sign that the warring parties are moving towards ending the conflict that the US and Israel launched on Feb 28."Iranian entities must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and wider region, as Iran will be ready to make decisions and take action on difficult decisions," the Iranian official said, a