Iran tells Trump advisers its ship attacks were a mistake, negotiations to resume in Oman

Iranian officials conveyed to senior members of the Trump administration that the recent attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz were a mistake caused by an "errant" hard-line faction seeking to disrupt negotiations. The United States has asked Tehran to publicly admit the error, which Washington regards as a breach of the cease-fire agreement.

President Donald Trump has tasked Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with overseeing the talks, which are scheduled to take place in Oman on Saturday. U.S. officials said they will employ military and economic pressure if Iran resumes hostile actions.

"They came back to the table and said, 'We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let's keep talking,'" one official said.

After the Oman meeting, the administration expects Iran to affirm that the Strait will remain open and be managed as before the incident. A senior official warned that any refusal could lead to a difficult outcome for Tehran.

"We're definitely in a wait-and-see moment," another official added.

U.S. officials also noted that Iran claims the attacks were launched by a rogue element within its system, while the United States maintains the incidents were linked to Iran's reaction to rapid traffic through the southern lane of the Strait. The administration indicated that if Iran cannot uphold the relatively straightforward commitment to keep the waterway open, more complex issues, such as its nuclear program, may remain unresolved.

The officials declined to comment on reports of Israeli intelligence plots against President Trump, stating that the president does not base decisions on fear or threats.