A senior Iranian official told Refinitiv on Aug. 17 that Iran has set a deadline
of several weeks for the US to fully implement a US-Iran memorandum of
understanding and will not allow an indefinite US maritime blockade. The
official said efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire have stalled and Iran has
decided to shift its posture "from defensive to full offensive" — if diplomacy
fails Tehran is prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the
wider Middle East. Iran said its timeline will be conveyed to the US via
mediators.
