Diplomats Scramble as US and Iran Battle on 10th Day, Oil Surges Past $90

Diplomatic efforts to salvage a collapsed truce between the United States and Iran intensified on July 21, even as both sides marked the tenth day of renewed hostilities with continued airstrikes and naval attacks. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, meeting with army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a bid to restart negotiations.

Despite the diplomatic push, fighting raged on. The U.S. military’s Central Command reported strikes on Iranian command centers, naval facilities, and missile sites. Iran retaliated by attacking a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing its crew to abandon ship. The waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, has been effectively closed, sending Brent crude above $90 per barrel and pushing U.S. gasoline prices to $4 per gallon.

Pakistan, which helped broker a temporary agreement in June that later collapsed, urged restraint. Sharif expressed deep concern over escalating tensions, calling on all sides to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region. The June deal unraveled after Iran resumed attacks on ships in the strait, violating terms that required reopening the waterway.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remains open to genuine talks with Iran but stressed that any negotiations must be serious. It remains unclear whether Iran will offer terms acceptable to President Donald Trump, given deep mistrust following surprise attacks on Iran in 2025 and earlier this year. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a naval blockade in the Red Sea, threatening additional global trade routes and oil supplies.

Article and image source: iranherald.com