Trump Declares 'End of Truce' with Iran, Yet Both Sides Keep Communication Channels Open

While Middle East tensions have frozen over again following U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of an "end to the truce" with Iran, the involved parties are continuing efforts behind the scenes to keep the spark of dialogue alive.

On the surface, a precarious standoff persists, with both sides appearing willing to risk a return to all-out war.

However, analysts suggest that beneath the surface, the United States and Iran are testing each other's red lines and engaging in a fierce battle of nerves to gain the upper hand in future negotiations.

According to the U.S. online media outlet Axios on July 10 (local time), the United States, Iran, and other involved nations—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Pakistan—are utilizing their respective diplomatic channels to attempt to manage the situation following recent armed clashes.

President Trump held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on that day to exchange views on the situation in the Middle East, Axios reported.

This marks the first direct contact between President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war between the U.S. and Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also discussed the recently heightened regional tensions in a call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, a key mediator.

Prime Minister Sharif urged all parties, including Iran, to exercise restraint and requested adherence to the ceasefire MOU, according to the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office.

Qatar, one of the core mediators, is also moving urgently.

A Qatari mediation team visited Iran on that day to ease tensions between the U.S. and Iran and to mediate the resumption of negotiations, CNN reported.

Qatar has served as a messenger for dialogue between the U.S. and Iran, clearing paths for communication when talks between the two sides have stalled.

The Qatari team's visit was reportedly arranged after prior consultation with the U.S., and Iran has also officially confirmed the visit of the Qatari mediators.

Although the ceasefire MOU is at risk of becoming ineffective, this development suggests that indirect communication channels remain active for the U.S. and Iran to move toward the next stage of dialogue.

These moves are interpreted as a sign that both the U.S. and Iran share a consensus not to completely extinguish the momentum for dialogue, even while they continue to clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Both the U.S. and Iran find a return to full-scale war burdensome.

Therefore, they intend to maintain the framework of the existing MOU and continue the dialogue.

A diplomat familiar with the matter told Axios, "It is clear that both sides want to return to the MOU."

President Trump, while declaring an "end to the truce," has not completely ruled out the possibility of dialogue with Iran.

This is why analysts suggest his rhetoric is typical of his pressure tactics.

With the funeral proceedings for Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, concluding on July 9, expectations are growing that the next round of U.S.-Iran talks will be held soon.

Citing sources, Axios reported that additional negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to take place in Switzerland next week.

Ultimately, analysts suggest that the recent local armed clashes are underpinned by the calculated strategies of the U.S. and Iran to secure a dominant position in future negotiations.

The U.S. is revealing its plan to use these airstrikes as an opportunity to eliminate Iran's chronic provocation risks before moving to the next phase of dialogue.

In fact, the U.S. is reportedly strongly demanding that Iran issue a "public statement" declaring that it will stop attacking merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and open all shipping lanes without tolls.

According to Reuters and Axios, U.S. officials told some reporters in a private briefing on that day, "What we are demanding is that Iran issue a public statement that all waterways in the Strait of Hormuz are open and that they will no longer fire on ships," adding, "If they do not issue such a statement, there will be no good outcome for them."

Conversely, Iran continues to insist on its control over the Strait of Hormuz.

In this regard, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to visit Oman, a coastal nation across from the Strait of Hormuz, on July 11 to discuss the issue.

Both sides are also engaged in a tense war of nerves regarding the other's willingness to talk.

A U.S. official stated that Iran reached out to the U.S. administration shortly after the clashes earlier this week to request further talks to resolve the dispute.

In contrast, Spokesperson Baghaei denied that Iran had requested negotiations with the U.S. first, countering that Iran merely responded to a request for discussion from the Qatari mediation team.

Ultimately, some point out that the root cause of the clashes lies in the ambiguously worded clauses of the ceasefire MOU.

Article 5 of the ceasefire MOU states that "best efforts shall be made for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran shall consult to define maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with the sovereignty of coastal states." This clause has left room for interpretation in favor of each side, becoming a source of conflict.

Minister Araghchi claimed on X (formerly Twitter) on that day, "Unlike the so-called U.S. Treasury Secretary who is violating Article 9 of the MOU, Iran has kept its promises."

He was reacting immediately to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's announcement of sanctions against the financing network of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

Article 9 of the MOU states that the U.S. and Iran agree to maintain the status quo until a final agreement is reached.

Nevertheless, Minister Araghchi also said, "We must face reality. Mutual compliance (with the MOU) is the only solution," signaling that Iran does not intend to completely walk away from dialogue.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.