Tehran awaits final US response on Strait of Hormuz proposal as clashes escalate

Tehran is awaiting a formal final position from Washington on its proposal to open a seven-day window in the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump's public rejection of the initiative. Iranian officials emphasized that the strategic waterway will remain closed until the United States satisfies key demands, which include lifting oil sanctions, unfreezing Iranian assets, ending port blockades, and halting military operations.

Meanwhile, military hostilities around the crucial shipping lane are worsening. After US forces launched strikes on Iran's Larak Island and began providing nighttime escorts for commercial tankers, Iranian forces deployed rocket-launched sea mines to hamper maritime traffic. Analysts warn that the simultaneous escalation of diplomatic demands and military maneuvers is rapidly reducing the window for a negotiated resolution.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, Jornal Económico, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)