"Ready to escalate at Hormuz": Reuters reports Iran shift to fully offensive stance

Reuters reported on Monday, August 17, 2026, citing an unnamed senior Iranian official, that Iran has decided to shift its policy from defensive to "fully offensive." According to the official, Iran has set a deadline of "a few weeks" for the United States to fully implement the understanding between the two countries, and Tehran will not wait indefinitely for the US naval blockade to continue.

The report said reliance on mediators to reach a durable peace was seen as unrealistic, and that Iranian institutions would be ready to escalate tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and across the region if diplomacy fails. The Reuters report was picked up by Fars News Agency and published by EcoIran on Monday.