Iran unwilling to talk about Hormuz as regime digs in

IRANIAN officials have become reluctant to even discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz as they focus on surviving the US-Israeli onslaught, according to a person involved in direct, high-level contacts with Tehran.

- Samy ADGHIRNI, Ewa KRUKOWSKA & IRINA VILCU

Energy infrastructure attacks and strikes on high-profile Iranian officials, including the recent killing of security chief Ali Larijani, mark an escalation that is slowing attempts to get commercial ships moving again, the person added, speaking anonymously to discuss private talks.

Oil prices extended gains sharply on the news. Brent crude prices jumped back above $110 a barrel and the most active US crude futures price climbed more than 2.5 percent to trade above $98 a barrel.

Prices jumped even higher after a CBS News report Friday that Pentagon officials have made preparations for a possible deployment of US ground troops into Iran. The report, which cited unnamed sources, noted that it was unclear under what circumstances President Donald Trump would authorize such an operation.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a choke point for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas—has sent global energy prices soaring and Trump’s administration scrambling to lower gas prices.

With Iran refusing to negotiate on Hormuz and Trump unwilling—or unable—to negotiate a diplomatic offramp to the conflict, further escalation of the conflict is possible and elevated energy prices could remain a drag on the global economy.

“Nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore. We're having a hard time. We want to talk to them, and there’s nobody to talk to,” Trump said Friday. “And you know what? We like it that way.”