DUBAI, July 27 (Reuters) - Iran announced on Monday that it remains in control of the Strait of Hormuz and has no plans to restart peace talks with the United States. This comes after President Donald Trump decided to stop a two-week bombing campaign that his military leaders indicated had run its course.
After 13 nights of escalating bombings, which led Tehran to retaliate by targeting U.S. bases, Trump ended the campaign over the weekend. Iran stated it would cease its attacks as long as the U.S. refrained from bombing.
Trump's choice to pause the campaign came after military advisors suggested that the bombings, intended to weaken Iran's control over the strait, had reached their limits, according to a U.S. official and various media reports.
The U.S. official told Reuters that military commanders had informed the president they were running out of viable targets. Additionally, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reportedly expressed concern over the depleting air defense resources used to protect U.S. bases in the region.
Similar claims regarding the advice given to Trump to stop the bombings were reported by major news outlets like the New York Times, CNN, and Axios over the weekend.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, indicated on Sunday that Trump's suspension of the campaign was meant to create room for negotiations.
However, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated in a press conference that Iran had not requested a resumption of talks with the U.S.
The end of the U.S. bombing campaign caused oil prices to drop, as there are hopes that previously disrupted global supplies might resume. Brent crude, which had briefly exceeded $100 a barrel last week for the first time since May, fell around 7.8% by mid-morning on Monday, settling just below $90.
Tehran also aimed to demonstrate that the U.S. bombing had not succeeded in its objectives by emphasizing its ongoing control over this critical energy route.
IRAN STATE MEDIA REPORTS SIX SHIPS TURNED AWAY IN STRAIT
Several Iranian state media outlets reported that an "informed source" claimed Iran had turned back six "offending ships" on Monday morning that attempted to cross the strait without permission. According to the source, one of the vessels had experienced "an accident."
The Iranian media reports quoted the source saying, "As previously stated, the traffic route in the Strait of Hormuz is defined by Iran, and other routes are unsafe and have no way out."
Trump initiated the renewed bombing campaign to retaliate against Iran for firing on vessels using a route through the strait promoted by the United States which advised ships to stay near the coast of Oman.
Iran, on the other hand, claims that ships can only pass through a channel that runs closer to its own coastline, an area it controls and intends to impose transit fees.
The past two weeks of U.S. bombings resulted in numerous casualties in Iran, destruction of infrastructure, and military targets. Four U.S. service members lost their lives due to Iran's counterattacks on U.S. bases located in nearby Arab nations. Iran also targeted civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries, claiming it was retaliation for U.S. strikes on civilian sites.
Last week, Iran's Houthi allies threatened to extend disruption to global oil supplies by announcing a blockade of Saudi Arabia's oil industry in the Red Sea, causing oil prices to rise even further.
The cessation of the U.S. bombing campaign leaves uncertainty about what leverage Washington can use to achieve Trump's goal of weakening Iran's hold on the strait.
Washington and Tehran had agreed in June on a framework for discussing major issues, including Iran's nuclear program, with talks expected by the end of August.
However, the two sides have disagreed on the wording pertaining to the Strait of Hormuz. Washington insists it requires Tehran to allow free passage, while Iran argues that it gives them authority to supervise transit through the strait.
Iran aims to formalize its control over the strait by negotiating with Oman, which controls the opposite shore. A senior Omani delegation was in Tehran over the weekend discussing the future of the strait.
Foreign ministers from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia all held phone calls with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi to discuss the strait, according to reports from Qatari, UAE, and Saudi state media on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who launched a military campaign in February with Trump but has not been involved in the U.S.-Iran negotiations to conclude it, is expected to meet Trump in Washington early this week.