Iran says peace talks with the United States have stalled as tanker is hit near Hormuz

Iran's foreign minister has said there is no military solution to the conflict with the United States, as talks on ending the confrontation appear to have stalled. His remarks came on Sunday amid renewed concern over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where a tanker was reported struck by an unknown projectile. The incident adds to pressure around one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, through which large volumes of Gulf oil and gas pass.

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Abbas Araghchi told a gathering of foreign ambassadors that any response to military confrontation would be stronger than before, and said Iran would defend itself with greater force if attacked again. He also rejected the idea that new sanctions could resolve the dispute, saying only negotiations based on justice and fairness could bring it to an end. The comments came as Washington has reduced direct military action in favour of economic pressure, according to the supplied report.

The UK maritime security agency said the tanker reported being hit by an unknown projectile, which caused damage to the engine room. The crew were reported safe, and no environmental impact was recorded. The agency did not identify the vessel, its route, or whether it was carrying oil or liquefied natural gas, leaving key details of the incident unclear.

The latest maritime strike matters because it sits within a wider dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway central to global energy trade. The supplied report says Iran has sought to impose control over the shipping lane since the war began, striking vessels that it says tried to pass without authorisation. It also says the United States has responded with its own counterblockade of Iranian ports and has struck vessels it accuses of violating it.

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The conflict has already seen a cycle of military pressure and attempted diplomacy. According to the report, a memorandum of understanding was agreed in June that set out a framework for a permanent resolution, but attacks on vessels in Hormuz prompted a return to US military operations. That sequence suggests the shipping lane remains both a military flashpoint and a bargaining point in the broader confrontation.

What remains unclear is who carried out the latest tanker strike, how severe the damage was, and whether it will trigger further retaliation. It is also not known whether the vessel was linked to the wider dispute over Hormuz or whether the incident will affect the stalled talks. The next developments to watch are any official identification of the ship, any response from Iran or the United States, and whether maritime risk in the area rises further.

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