Iran warns of trouble in Hormuz if US stalls on interim peace deal

Iran will escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, and launch an attack if the US fails to implement an interim peace deal fully in a matter of weeks, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday.

If the US does not meet that deadline and diplomacy fails, Tehran would conduct a "timely and precise" military attack to break the US naval blockade on the Islamic Republic, the official added.

Diplomatic efforts to bring Tehran and Washington back to talks under a June agreement have stalled in recent weeks.

Iran's foreign minister has said the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the US first returns to the deal, while the US Treasury Secretary has warned of unprecedented economic isolation for Iran.

"Within the short period of a few weeks set by Iran, all the agreement's provisions must be implemented by the US. This is a precondition for further negotiations with the US," the official told Reuters.