Iran blames US for Hormuz dispute as both sides confirm ongoing talks

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Iran has accused the United States of raising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz by seeking to establish a new transit route without Iranian approval. In an interview published by Iranian media on Saturday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a June US-Iran memorandum gives Tehran authority over routes and procedures in the strategic waterway, and that Washington should have used a direct communication channel agreed under the interim arrangement.

The report described signs of a possible pause in escalation after weeks of exchanges between the two countries. Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said there were no US attacks on major Iranian cities overnight into Saturday, the first such break in nearly two weeks. Iran’s health ministry spokesperson, Hossein Kermanpour, also said on X that the country had a “peaceful night.” US President Donald Trump said Friday that Iranian officials were communicating with Washington and that he was “willing to listen,” though he suggested a deal was not yet close.

Both sides confirmed messages are being exchanged, but Al Jazeera reported that progress remains limited because of deep mistrust and major differences over Hormuz. Iran says vessels should coordinate with its authorities and follow designated routes; the US rejects Iran’s claim to control the strait. US Central Command told Al Jazeera that US forces had disabled a tanker that allegedly ignored warnings related to a renewed blockade of Iranian ports.

The dispute matters because Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime energy corridors. Al Jazeera also noted wider regional spillover, including Houthi-linked disruption near the Bab al-Mandeb strait and Saudi reports of warning sirens near Red Sea oil infrastructure.