Trump abandons June MoU terms, complicating diplomatic efforts to reopen Strait of Hormuz - WSJ

US President Donald Trump told its mediators and regional partners that it is uninterested in returning to the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding outlined in June, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The report noted that the administration’s stubborn refusal to go back to the terms it reached with Iran earlier this summer has significantly complicated the diplomatic process of restarting negotiations.

After Iran started attacking ships in the strait in an attempt to regain control, Trump began his “Economic D-Day” campaign on Iran, which the White House is calling Operation Economic Outcast.

In his announcement, Trump claimed that the campaign would bring “economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” though he provided few other details.

Trump wants to move past MoU, Iran warns of attacks on Hormuz

Sources familiar with the matter told the WSJ that Trump is no longer interested in the MoU, which has been heavily criticized as a deal that is too soft on Iran.

“As the president said, there are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said, as reported by the WSJ.

“The naval blockade remains in full force and effect, and Operation Economic Outcast is underway to sever every remaining economic lifeline sustaining the regime.”

The report indicated that Iranian hardliners’ positions will make it difficult for Trump to achieve a foreign policy win, which he has repeatedly pushed for.

Regime hardliners have repeatedly derailed talks by insisting that the US recognize Iranian authority over the strait and move its warships out of the area.

Iranian officials have warned the US administration against any departure from the June MoU.

The administration “should know that no proposal outside the framework of understanding will be accepted,” senior legislator Mohammad Rashidi told Iranian state news outlet Icana, as quoted by the WSJ.

Several regional mediators have tried to sway Iran’s demands, but have seen little progress. Sources told the WSJ that the sharpening demands leave mediators without a clear way to restart talks.

Oman, Qatar meet with Iranian officials to negotiate

Representatives from Pakistan and Oman traveled to Iran earlier this week with varying results. Sources told the WSJ that Pakistani army chief Asim Munir left Tehran with little to show for his efforts. Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi also traveled to Tehran this past week, and the two sides reportedly hammered out an agreement that would lead to talks to reopen Hormuz. The administration reportedly has been upset at Oman, believing that Muscat gave away too much to Tehran.

While Iran has claimed the meeting resulted in a deal, Oman has yet to comment on the matter.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also reportedly recently traveled to Iran to meet with the country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.

A joint statement released after the talks said that the pair discussed how to avoid regional escalation and begin the groundwork for talks.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said Hormuz would not reopen until the US returns to the June MoU terms, which included an end to the US blockade.

“If the United States stops obstructing and returns to the memorandum of understanding, we can open the Strait of Hormuz within the framework of the agreement reached,” Revolutionary Guard spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi told state media.

“Our conditions must be accepted by the United States.”

Mohebbi also vowed heavy blows to US vital interests and energy chokepoints if Iran's infrastructure is threatened, Press TV reported.

Last week, Iran announced that it shifted its policy from defensive to "fully offensive" due to the deadlock in efforts to agree on a permanent end to the war. 

"Iranian entities must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region, as Iran will be ready to make decisions and take action on difficult decisions," an Iranian official told Reuters, adding that Tehran would conduct a "timely and precise" military attack to break the US naval blockade if diplomacy failed.