Last night, far from the din of this escalation, its parliament quietly introduced a new bill to manage the strait called the Strategic Action for the Security and Sustainable Progress of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.

That news was published in X by Ebrahim Azizi, head of the assembly’s national security commission, who told us in April that controlling the waterway was Iran’s “inalienable right.”

When asked when Iran would relinquish control, his response was short and blunt: “never.”

He described it as an “asset to confront the enemy.”

Iran’s lack of confidence in US promises, fueled by repeated outbreaks of war or threats during negotiations, has cemented its resolve.

Control of the strait is not only seen as a bargaining chip in this impasse, but it also sees it as its new leverage, a new form of deterrence, as well as an economic lifeline, in case sanctions are never lifted and its assets around the world remain frozen.

But Tehran’s determination to rewrite the rules in the region is also causing tensions with its neighbors, including Qatar, one of the main mediators in this crisis, as well as Oman, Iran’s former traditional ally, which has played a behind-the-scenes role for decades.

Countries such as the United Arab Emirates have made it abundantly clear that Iran’s plans to play a monitoring role, including charging some form of “service fees”, are unacceptable and set a dangerous precedent.

An informed source said Oman had objected to Iran’s inclusion of a specific mention in the agreement in the same disputed fifth point: that Iran “will conduct a dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services.”

Muscat is now caught between Washington’s wishes, and Tehran wants above all to maintain its long-standing reputation as the region’s discreet diplomatic broker.

“Oman has been very patient with the Iranians trying to maintain good neighborly relations,” Omani analyst Professor Abdullah Baabood told the BBC’s Newshour programme.

“This particular episode has led Oman to take a fairly substantial stance… but we want this conflict to be resolved through dialogue.”

Some observers still see a slim chance of an eventual compromise.