Iran’s leverage over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is coming into focus as U.S. escalation looms, with Beauchamp describing Tehran’s calculations as a contest over which side can withstand pressure for longer.

That assessment sits alongside a regional diplomatic effort. Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye met high-ranking Iranian officials on Monday, promising to continue discussions related to regional peace and security. The three countries signed the Mecca defence pact in August.

Beauchamp characterised Iran’s position in terms of its endurance relative to the United States. “They know they are in an attritional race with the US to see who breaks first,” Beauchamp said.

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On shipping, Beauchamp added: “For now, however, they are happy to keep attacking shipping to push prices higher.” The assessment links attacks on vessels to economic pressure, presenting shipping as a means for Tehran to impose costs while the confrontation continues.

The distinction between that assessment and a declared Iranian policy is important. The supplied account attributes the explanation of Tehran’s intentions to Beauchamp; it does not include an Iranian official’s statement setting out a shipping strategy or conditions for changing it.

Monday’s meeting establishes that regional discussions are continuing alongside the prospect of U.S. escalation. The commitment described concerned further talks on peace and security, rather than a specific agreement governing Hormuz shipping.

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The available information leaves the scale of the shipping pressure unresolved. It provides no vessel counts, traffic comparisons or price figures with which to measure the effects described by Beauchamp. It also gives no timetable or details for the possible U.S. escalation. The stated next step on the diplomatic side is continued discussion.