'Neither side thinks they've lost': Iran determined to keep Hormuz control, even by force

Iran is determined to secure international recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz and the right to charge ships for passage, even if it has to use force to achieve it, two senior Iranian sources said, as reported by Reuters.Under the interim deal signed with the US this month to end the conflict, Iran agreed to allow free passage through the Strait for 60 days. But Tehran believes the deal's wording lets it decide which ships can pass and what route they take.The sources said Iran wants lasting formal acceptance of this control once the interim period ends. Its negotiators will not discuss other issues in the peace talks until this is settled.If the deal expires without an extension, Iran would start charging ships in mid-August, the sources said. It has not specified what fees it would impose or how they would be collected.

Tehran's position puts it on collision course with US

Any permanent Iranian control over the Strait, with fees and formalities, would add costs, delays and risks to shipping through a waterway that carried a fifth of global energy supplies before the war.Iran's position directly contradicts US interpretations of the June 17 memorandum.

The US insists no country can block shipping or impose tolls on international waterways.US President Donald Trump said last week there would be no tolls unless Washington decided to impose them. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Gulf states that no country has the right to charge for passage through the Strait.The Iranian sources said Tehran interprets the deal as giving it control over all passage, and while it must discuss arrangements with Gulf states, it is not required to reach an agreement with them.

Iran says it has a 'historic opportunity'

Tehran is planning talks with Oman, which controls the southern coast of the Strait, to define transit paths, an Iranian official said Monday.Over the weekend, Iran fired on four ships that tried to cross through Omani waters without Iranian permission, sparking a brief exchange of fire with US forces.One senior official said Iran will not return to pre-war arrangements. It wants new rules giving it authority over entry and exit, the right to deny passage to ships it deems a security threat, and the power to charge fees for services it provides.Iran is prepared to enforce its demands by force if no agreement is reached, the official said. Tehran would not back down even if it leads to renewed conflict with the US.Another official said Iran sees a "historic opportunity" to secure long-term advantage after surviving what it views as its biggest threat — war with the US and Israel.

'Neither side thinks they have lost'

The official argued that shipping nations would eventually accept Iranian control because of the growing cost of the dispute, and Washington would accept it to keep global energy supplies flowing.But Ali Ansari, a professor at St Andrews University, responded to Reuters saying that Iran may be overplaying its hand and miscalculating US willingness to accept such a concession. "The prospect of this conflict reigniting is much higher than people think because neither side thinks they've lost," he said.Neither Iran nor the US has signed the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which designates Hormuz as an international strait requiring free passage. Oman, however, is a signatory.Chris O'Flaherty, a former British navy captain, said Iran is challenging what most consider settled international law. "This is an intensely political matter," he said.