Why the US-Iran escalation over Hormuz will not be the last

Why the US-Iran escalation over Hormuz will not be the last Submitted by Mohamad Elmasry on Tue, 07/14/2026 - 12:29 Washington cannot accept Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran will not surrender it - a deadlock that points to years of confrontation Ships sail near the Strait of Hormuz off Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, 13 July 2026 (AFP) On There was optimism when the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 17 June, intended to end the US-Israel-Iran war that began on 28 February and to establish a 60-day negotiating period leading to a final agreement on Iran's nuclear programme . But the 14-point document was hastily put together and includes nebulous articles open to interpretation. Disagreements over Article 5 - which concerns shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz - have caused skirmishes and led ultimately to last week's major escalation .