A U.S. official told journalist Barak Ravid that Iran contacted the administration after two days of skirmishes earlier this week and requested further talks. The official quoted Iran as saying, 'We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let's keep talking.' The claim follows reporting that the U.S. had issued an ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
A U.S. official told journalist Barak Ravid at 01:53 Jerusalem that Iran contacted the administration after two days of skirmishes earlier this week and said: "We screwed up. We made a mistake. Let's keep talking." The quote is the most explicit characterization yet of Iran's outreach, which The Zioneer first reported at 00:11 Jerusalem as a request for further talks. The official's account now includes a direct admission of error, attributing the phrase to Iranian interlocutors.
The story thread began at 00:11 Jerusalem with multiple rapid updates: The Zioneer reported that the U.S. had demanded Iran issue a public statement by Saturday committing to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and cease attacks on vessels. Over the next hour, The Zioneer reported from three senior U.S. officials that Iran claimed the tanker strikes were carried out by "rogue elements," and that Washington had set a 24-hour ultimatum. By 00:11, reports indicated that Iran had requested additional talks. At 01:13 Jerusalem, a senior U.S. official added that an internal power struggle was underway in Tehran over implementing a memorandum of understanding with the Trump administration. The new quote — "we screwed up" — comes from the same channel of U.S. officials who have been providing on-the-record briefings, but remains attributed to a single source.
The developments unfold against a backdrop of heightened U.S.-Iran tensions over the strategic waterway. As The Zioneer reported in recent weeks, the U.S. has issued ultimatums, conducted airstrikes, and signaled openness to a diplomatic off-ramp, with President Trump stating that Iran "wants a deal more than I do." The skirmishes earlier this week near the Strait of Hormuz prompted the latest exchange.
The claim has not been independently corroborated. Iran has not confirmed the outreach or the quoted admission. The internal power struggle in Tehran is reported by the same U.S. official but not verified. The Saturday deadline for Iran's public statement is approaching, and it remains unclear whether Tehran will comply or whether the reported admission will shift the diplomatic trajectory.
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