UNITED STATES CONSOLIDATES PERFORMANCE-BASED DOCTRINE AND DEMANDS ABSOLUTE END TO MARITIME ATTACKS TO UNBLOCK HORMUZ

UNITED STATES CONSOLIDATES PERFORMANCE-BASED DOCTRINE AND DEMANDS ABSOLUTE END TO MARITIME ATTACKS TO UNBLOCK HORMUZ

Washington and CENTCOM reiterate that any easing of the naval siege on Iranian ports and the issuance of operational waivers will be strictly contingent on practical verification of zero attacks on civilian vessels in the channel.

The United States Government and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) have redefined the parameters of indirect negotiations in Muscat by consolidating the "performance-based" compliance doctrine. Under official guidelines, any easing of the naval blockade on Iranian ports or military drawdown in the region will explicitly depend on verified proof of an uninterrupted, auditable window free of new attacks, boardings, or hostile interference against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The directive marks a watershed moment in the Omani-mediated process, eliminating the possibility of diplomatic concessions based solely on statements of intent or verbal truce agreements.

Operational Pillars of the Performance-Based Doctrine

Chronological Inversion of Concessions: The release of operational waivers for Iranian oil terminals—such as Kharg Island—and the gradual drawdown of CENTCOM's blockade will begin only after practical, continuous proof of the cessation of maritime hostilities.

Restrictive Scope of the Nautical Truce: The U.S. demand mandates an unrestricted end to all forms of coercion and Sea Denial, including missile strikes, drone attacks (UAVs/USVs), channel mining, interceptions by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast attack craft, and electronic warfare (GPS spoofing).

Guaranteed Passage Free of Arbitrary Fees: Washington and CENTCOM have conditioned naval drawdown on formal guarantees that Tehran will not impose toll collections, coercive fees, or discretionary authorization demands for transit through the international channel.

Rigorous Snapback Mechanism: Should any new attack, civilian boarding, or incident involving neutral vessels occur during the 60-day trial window, the count will immediately reset to zero, fully restoring the maximum level of naval blockade and aggressive surveillance.

Signaling to Global Markets and Maritime Insurers

The demand for proven cessation of attacks directly satisfies the prerequisites established by major maritime Protection and Indemnity Clubs (P&I Clubs) and international cargo operators. Establishing a measurable security metric in the channel is viewed as the sole mechanism capable of lowering war-risk premiums and enabling the organic return of merchant traffic, which currently sits at less than 10% of its historical volume.

By conditioning the progress of talks on the unrestricted immunity of the merchant fleet, U.S. diplomacy shifts the burden of stabilization onto the Iranian military command, establishing "nautical silence" as an indispensable prerequisite for any economic relief or de-escalation in the Persian Gulf.