The Middle East ceasefire process came under new strain on Thursday as Donald Trump warned Iran to comply fully with what he called a “real agreement,” saying the US would start “shooting” again unless Tehran met the terms. The warning came as efforts to stabilise the region were complicated by Israeli attacks on Lebanon and by disputes over access to the Strait of Hormuz.
British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire arrangement. Speaking in remarks reported by Reuters, she also said that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz should be toll-free. Her comments added to the pressure on negotiators trying to hold together a fragile and widening diplomatic effort.
Tehran has proposed fees or tolls for vessels seeking safe passage through the strait, a key waterway for global energy shipments. Trump, speaking on Wednesday, suggested that the US and Iran could in effect run a joint toll-collecting arrangement. The White House, however, said its priority was to reopen the strait without any restrictions.
The dispute over maritime access has become one of the central flashpoints in the wider crisis. Any move to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz would affect international shipping and could deepen tensions at a moment when diplomacy is already under severe pressure.
At the same time, the situation in Lebanon has made it harder for ceasefire talks to advance. Cooper’s insistence that Lebanon be part of any deal reflected growing concern that agreements focused too narrowly on one front would not be durable. The fighting and cross-border attacks have raised fears that the conflict could spread further.
The latest warnings from Washington and London underline how uncertain the path to a broader settlement remains. While talks continue, the key issues are still unresolved: how to secure the strait, whether Iran will accept the terms demanded by the US, and how any ceasefire can account for events in Lebanon as well as elsewhere in the region.
Trump’s remarks suggested that the US position remains conditional and hard line. His use of the phrase “real agreement” indicated that only a deal seen as fully enforceable would satisfy Washington. The White House’s statement on the strait, by contrast, pointed to a desire to restore normal shipping conditions as quickly as possible and avoid a system that would impose new limits on maritime traffic.
Elsewhere, the broader crisis continues to be shaped by military action on the ground and the diplomatic efforts trying to contain it. With Israel striking targets in Lebanon and Iran resisting pressure over the strait, the ceasefire’s prospects have been pushed into serious doubt.
The coming hours are likely to be critical as governments weigh whether talks can still produce a workable arrangement or whether the violence and competing demands will overwhelm the latest attempt at de-escalation.
