Iran and U.S. play a slow-motion game of attrition over Hormuz

The United States and Iran are engaged in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, with the US claiming control but shipping levels remaining far below pre-war levels. According to Haaretz, both sides believe time is on their side, which could prolong the standoff and lead to further escalation.

The situation has led to a diplomatic effort, with US President Donald Trump saying his negotiators will engage with their Iranian counterparts this week, as reported by Dawn. This comes after Iran proposed a peace plan, which included a cessation of hostilities in the Middle East and a return to the conditions of a ceasefire deal that fell apart a few months ago. In exchange, Iran sought the release of frozen assets and the lifting of sanctions on its oil.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran is ready to open the Strait of Hormuz if the ceasefire deal is revived and its frozen assets are released. The Pentagon has also denied claims by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps that they captured a US submarine drone in the Strait of Hormuz.

Brief written by urgent.news from Haaretz, Dawn — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.