US demands Iran issue public statement proclaiming Strait of Hormuz open — or else

WASHINGTON – The US on Friday issued a stark ultimatum to Tehran as President Trump sent an armada of warships back toward Iran.

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Iran must publicly declare this weekend that the Strait of Hormuz is safe and open – or Trump will start exercising all his options, US officials warned on Friday as the two nations stood, once again, on the brink of war.

Iranian officials will be in Oman on Saturday as mediators try to calm the waters. The US expects Iran to issue a statement on safe passage through the strait after the meeting. 

“What we’re demanding is that the Iranians issue a public statement that acknowledges all channels of the Strait of Hormuz are open and they’re not shooting at ships anymore,” a US official said. “They’re either going to give us that statement, or we’re not going to have a good outcome.”

If Iran leaves the Oman meeting without a statement, there will be consequences, US officials said. 

“If it’s not their position, then it’s not going to be a great day for them,” one official said Friday.

Trump already declared the cease-fire “over” and authorized a two-day military air campaign that hit about 170 Iranian targets this week. Certain US officials dubbed the mission “Operation Bitch Slap” to convey the internal estimation that the onslaught will be painful but brief barring further escalation from Tehran.

Trump authorized more talks but said there will be payback on the level of 20:1 if Iran keeps attacking.

The words of warning came after Trump sent an armada of ships – including two aircraft carriers – toward the coast of Iran as part of the pressure campaign to keep the critical strait open and safe. Trump has threatened to restart the naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Maritime trackers on Friday spotted the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. Bush entering the Gulf of Oman — a move experts in military planning say would be necessary to re-establish the blockade that crippled the Iranian economy.

“More than 20 US Navy warships are patrolling waters across the Middle East as CENTCOM forces continue promoting regional security and stability,” US Central Command posted to X this week.

Asked about restarting the blockade that choked off supplies to Tehran, CENTCOM declined to comment on “operational updates.”

The aircraft carriers were spotted within Iran’s missile range, raising their risk level, according to the trackers.

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“I think forces move in and out, but generally as we get ships ready for blockade and support for strait transits, ships will get closer to Iranian threat,” Foundation for Defending Democracies senior fellow retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery told The Post.

The pressure campaign marks a dire turnaround from a month ago, when Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran that would extend a cease-fire for 60 days, end the blockade, reopen commercial shipping routes and lift oil sanctions on Tehran.

But Trump declared on Wednesday the cease-fire deal “over” following Tehran’s attacks on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump unleashed two nights of airstrikes on Iranian targets, calling the regime “sick,” “scum” and “crazy.”

The US has already reinstated the oil sanctions and is moving into position to restart the blockade should Iran not issue the public statement. 

Commercial shipping in the Strait had slowed to a near standstill by Thursday after Tehran’s attacks on Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers.

US officials expressed frustration that Iran was “reneging” on the deal made in the memorandum of understanding. 

One official gave Tehran an “F” for its adherence to the terms.

Trump, who is Iran’s “number one” kill list target, is losing patience, a third official warned.

“President Trump is giving us the space to see if we can conclude that,” the official said of US-Iran talks. “But not a lot of space and not a lot of time.”

Under the MOU signed in mid-June, negotiators have until mid-August to work out details, particularly on Iran’s nuclear program.

But US officials sounded pessimistic and noted options were being prepared if no final deal was made.

“There’s a lot of people who are planning for if we can’t make a deal, and the myriad of options that are available to the president are quite large and big in range,” the official warned.

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