On Monday, July 27, 2026, Iran declared it remains in control of the Strait of Hormuz and is not seeking to resume peace negotiations with the United States. This statement followed President Donald Trump's decision to halt a two-week bombing campaign aimed at weakening Iran's hold on the strait.

The bombing campaign, which lasted 13 consecutive nights, provoked retaliatory fire from Tehran on U.S. bases. According to a U.S. official and multiple media reports, Trump's decision to suspend the campaign was influenced by advice from military commanders who indicated they were running out of viable targets. Additionally, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed concerns about the depletion of air defense weapons protecting U.S. bases in the region.

Iran stated it would pause its own attacks for as long as the U.S. bombing pause continues. However, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, clarified in a televised press conference that Iran had not requested to restart peace talks with the U.S.

The renewed U.S. bombing campaign was initiated after Tehran fired on ships navigating a route through the strait promoted by the United States, which advises vessels to sail close to the coast of Oman. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia reportedly held phone discussions with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi regarding the situation in the strait.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, noted that Trump paused the campaign to create space for potential negotiations.

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