Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, has been forced to deny claims that he has repeatedly threatened to resign as he battles hardline factions opposed to reaching a settlement with the US over the strait of Hormuz. Ships would enter the strait in a route close to Iran, but leave on a route that passes through Iranian and Omani waters. Pezeshkian accused some of wishing to create a rift inside Iran and said: “If I want to resign, I will officially announce that I have resigned. However, the row has highlighted the deep strategic and tactical differences inside Iran over the wisdom of talks with the US. Khamenei himself had said in April he was opposed to talks with the US in principle, but in deference to Pezeshkian had allowed them to go ahead.