IRAN reasserted control over the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, warning foreign commercial and military vessels that they would be targeted if they fail to comply with regulations governing passage through the waterway.

This comes as a ceasefire deal to end the illegal and unprovoked war unleashed by the United States and Israel on Iran remained in limbo as a decision over the truce was awaited from US President Donald Trump.

In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday that “the management of the Strait of Hormuz is exercised with full authority by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“All ships, commercial vessels and tankers are only required to travel through the designated routes and obtain permission from the IRGC Navy.”

It added: “Any violation of these regulations will seriously jeopardise the security of their traffic.”

Iran also issued a warning to foreign military forces operating in the area, saying any attempt to interfere with maritime management or shipping movements would trigger a response.

Mr Trump met his advisers on Friday and said a “final determination” over a possible deal with Iran would soon be announced. But no statement followed the meeting.

While attending a defence summit in Singapore on Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Washington was “more than capable” of restarting the war if a satisfactory deal is not reached.

US Central Command took to social media on Saturday to insist that US forces “remain present and vigilant across the region.”

The efforts to reach a deal were thrown into question this week by US strikes on the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, countered by retaliatory Iranian fire.

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said in a social media post that Mr Trump was “betraying diplomacy for the third time” by continuing the US naval blockade in the strait, and making what he described as “excessive demands in negotiations.”

Mr Trump took to social media on Friday to say the deal, which Tehran claims does not exist, involves the Iranians removing mines from the strait and ending its closure of the waterway with “no tolls.”

He said that in return the US would lift its own blockade of Iranian ports and would co-ordinate on removing and destroying Iran’s enriched uranium.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported that Tehran is demanding “the immediate release of $12 billion [around £9bn] in frozen assets before moving into further, more detailed negotiations.”