Iran escalated its rhetoric toward the United States and its regional allies on Tuesday, signaling it could raise uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels while declaring that its strategic concept of the Strait of Hormuz had fundamentally changed, as negotiations with Washington remained stalled and fears of renewed military confrontation intensified.
Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy commander of the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the geographical concept of the Strait of Hormuz was no longer confined to the traditional area around Hormuz and Hengam islands, but now extended across a broader strategic zone stretching from the coasts of Jask and Sirik to beyond Iran’s major islands.
Speaking to Iranian state television, Akbarzadeh said Tehran was monitoring US military movements in the region “with precision and capability” and would not allow attacks on its waters or interests. He added that Iran had previously “taught the Americans a lesson” during earlier tanker confrontations in the Gulf.
The remarks come amid mounting international concern over security in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil trade passes, as tensions between Iran and the United States persist despite a fragile ceasefire reportedly mediated by Pakistan.
In a separate escalation, Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said uranium enrichment to 90% purity “could be one of Iran’s options” if the country faced another attack, a level considered close to weapons grade.
Writing on X, Rezaei said parliament could discuss the option in the event of renewed attacks, reflecting growing pressure inside Iran for a tougher nuclear stance as diplomatic efforts falter.
On the US side, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the ceasefire with Iran remained in place, adding that Washington was “winning the war against Iran” and that ending it would happen “on our terms.” He also said Operation Freedom, the naval mission escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, could resume if President Donald Trump decides to reactivate it.
Pentagon officials meanwhile said the cost of the conflict with Iran had risen to $29bn, amid growing questions in Washington over the financial and strategic burden of prolonged military involvement in the region.
In Israel, military options against Iran’s nuclear programme returned to the spotlight after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at the possibility of securing Iranian nuclear materials “either through an agreement or through special operations,” reviving comparisons with past Israeli covert operations in the region.
Regionally, Kuwait’s interior ministry announced the arrest of four men accused of belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after they allegedly attempted to infiltrate Bubiyan Island by sea to carry out “hostile acts,” according to an official statement. Authorities said a clash with Kuwaiti forces left one serviceman injured.
Meanwhile, Qatar and Türkiye called for avoiding the use of the Strait of Hormuz as a “political or military weapon” and voiced support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a joint press conference in Doha with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that the region was passing through “extremely sensitive circumstances” requiring closer political and diplomatic coordination.
Pakistan also rejected US media reports claiming Iranian aircraft were present at Noor Khan Airbase, describing the reports as “misleading” and aimed at undermining ongoing mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington.
