A 60-day window to negotiate a comprehensive peace deal between the United States and Iran expired Monday with no accord in place, leaving the 24-week-old war in a stalemate as President Donald Trump issued fresh threats regarding the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The memorandum of understanding signed on June 18 called for both nations to negotiate an end to hostilities and reopen the vital waterway within two months. Instead, fighting has continued following the initial wave of joint U.S. and Israeli strikes launched on February 28. President Trump declared the memorandum “over” on July 8.
Speaking to Fox News’ Trey Yingst on Monday, Trump said he has “no time schedule” to conclude the conflict, stating that Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender.”
“I’m not in a hurry,” Mr. Trump said, adding that “the midterms have nothing to do with my thinking.”
Mr. Trump also confirmed a direct backchannel exists between U.S. officials and members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. While declining to elaborate on ongoing discussions, he remarked that the Iranians are “good poker players, but they’re dying.”
Tensions escalated further Monday over the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Trump told Fox News that the U.S. would take military action against Oman if the nation interferes with American efforts to control and reopen the shipping lane.
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s*** out of them,” Mr. Trump said.
The threat followed an announcement by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei that Tehran had reached an understanding with Oman regarding future commercial shipping routes. Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that “an understanding has been reached regarding the map of the transit route,” noting that both sides are finalizing details ahead of a joint statement.
Prior talks between Iran and Oman suggested commercial ships would enter through waters near Iran and exit near Oman, with potential transit fees. Despite Iranian operations slowing traffic, Mr. Trump has maintained that the U.S. controls the passage and may “keep it.”
Commercial traffic through the strait has fallen sharply. Tracking data from Kpler showed only five commodity vessels transited on Saturday and none on Sunday, down from 31 the previous weekend and far below the pre-war average of 130 daily transits.
In Tehran, Baghaei dismissed the expiration of the 60-day negotiation timeline during his weekly briefing, citing ongoing U.S. military strikes.
“What was included in the memorandum […] is not being implemented,” Baghaei said. “We did not commence negotiations because the United States began violating the memorandum shortly after its June 18 signing. Therefore, the 60-day issue essentially has no relevance.”
Baghaei also addressed the status of three Iranian pilots who went missing during a March 2 operation against the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Despite Qatari denials, Tehran now considers the personnel to be held captive.
“It is imperative to obtain clarification on their situation,” Baghaei said. “Until the pilots’ situation is clarified, we consider them prisoners and will spare no effort to shed light on their fate.”
On Sunday, Iranian Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami announced a bounty of approximately 5 billion tomans—around $30,000—for any Iranian citizen who captures or kills a U.S. service member, stating the reward would be doubled for any Iranian woman who does so. Hatami described the Strait of Hormuz as a “sacred” geopolitical asset and a primary point of leverage to end the war.
Meanwhile, regional diplomatic efforts continued on a parallel track regarding the conflict in Gaza. Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday following talks in Egypt on Sunday with Hamas leaders, including Khalil al-Hayya.
The meetings focused on implementing a U.S.-backed framework to maintain the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, disarm Hamas, withdraw Israeli forces, deploy an international stabilization force, and transfer administrative control to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. Netanyahu rejected the proposal last week, reiterating that Hamas must be “genuinely disarmed.”
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