Iran's latest demands for opening the Strait of Hormuz show the country's rulers feel emboldened by their position in the continuing war against the US, a former US defence secretary said.
“Clearly, the Iranians have figured this out,” Mark Esper, defence secretary from 2019 to 2020 during US President Donald Trump's first term, told the ABC.
Mr Esper was referring to Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, which has been heavily disrupted as a vital shipping lane since shortly after US and Israeli strikes began against Iran at the end of February.
“They are not reacting to these threats and they are taking very strategic positions with regard to this, and you saw them over the last week put forward this Omani plan they're going to unveil at some point," he said.
"But these demands raised last night show they're emboldened and they feel confident about their position in the world."
Mr Esper said that recent incidents show Iran's rulers are flexing their muscles by using Houthi proxies.
“Just this morning, they attacked a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea, and yesterday Iran attacked a UAE ship,” he added.
Mr Esper also said Iran recently took a “long shot” at an Egyptian port on the Mediterranean Sea to show the range of the country's weapons, and even made a threat against Bulgaria about supporting US operations from its territory.
“They're expanding the conflict in many ways,” he said. He suggested that the US should start to put more emphasis on a stronger economic boycott of Iran.
Mr Esper was sacked by Mr Trump shortly after Joe Biden defeated him in the 2020 election. Reports at the time suggested that Mr Esper openly disagreed with Mr Trump's decision to use active-duty US troops to quell domestic protests.
Mr Trump now seems to be stuck in endless negotiations with Iran after attacks on the country led to Tehran taking control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Reports of a new understanding to allow safe transit in the Strait of Hormuz have increased over the past few days, as Iran seeks to exert control and influence amid peace talks with the US.
Hassan Ghashghavi, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said a general framework had been agreed to with Oman, although Muscat has not commented. The final text and details still needed approval at higher levels, Mr Ghashghavi added – in further evidence of Iran's attempt to project an image of authority over the waterway.
The proposed system would split traffic management, with Iran co-ordinating vessels entering the Arabian Gulf and Oman overseeing those leaving. A major unresolved issue is fees, with Iran reportedly seeking charges equal to about 5 per cent of cargo value, which the US has rejected.
Meanwhile, maritime experts have warned that any agreement allowing Iran to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz would “totally shatter” the principle of freedom of navigation that has underpinned global trade for decades.
Mr Trump's decision to attack Iran on February 28 has continued to lose support among most registered US voters. A CNN survey taken last month showed that only 28 per cent of voters approve of Mr Trump's handling of the conflict, while about 74 per cent think his actions have hurt the US.
On Sunday, Mr Trump told Axios that the US was "only semi-negotiating with Iran", adding that he felt inflation in the Islamic Republic along with sanctions were starting to force the hands of the country's leaders.
"We are low-keying it," he said, seeming to be indifferent about where things stood between the US and Iran.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump didn't mince words.
"Iran has no money," read text above a line graph he posted.
"51 years of bad behaviour," he added, referring to US sanctions.
