Iranian officials have privately communicated to advisers of President Trump that the recent firing on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz was an error. According to senior U.S. officials, the Iranian side attributed these attacks to an “errant” faction of hardliners attempting to derail ongoing negotiations, emphasizing that Tehran remains committed to continuing dialogue.
President Trump has instructed his negotiating team—which includes Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio—to proceed with scheduled talks. These discussions are set to take place in Oman this Saturday. While one official noted that the Iranians admitted, “We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let’s keep talking,” the White House is pushing for a formal, public acknowledgment of this error, viewing the initial aggression as a breach of the ceasefire.
The administration’s assessment suggests that the ships were targeted due to Iranian frustration over the volume of oil and gas traffic moving through the southern lane of the Strait, which runs along the Omani coast. U.S. officials stated that Iran was caught off guard by the speed of this traffic. Following Saturday’s meeting, the U.S. expects Iran to maintain that the waterway should remain open and managed as it was prior to the conflict. Officials warned that should this not be the case, the outcome would not be favorable for the Iranian regime, adding that the U.S. is prepared to utilize both military and economic leverage if hostile acts persist.
Regarding the remnants of Iran’s nuclear program, referred to by the president as “nuclear dust,” the U.S. prefers to proceed with excavation. However, officials noted that if Iran fails to act like a “normal country,” other options remain on the table, including keeping the material buried. Additionally, while officials declined to discuss reports concerning Israeli intelligence and plots against Mr. Trump, they affirmed that the president does not base his decision-making on threats or fear.
Updated on: July 10, 2026 / 8:07 PM EDT / CBS News
"We're definitely in a wait-and-see moment," another official said.
