Former Pentagon official David Des Roches said Iran must formally declare an end to attacks on neutral civilian vessels before normal maritime trade can resume through the Strait of Hormuz. In remarks published on August 5, 2026, the former Pentagon director for Arabian Peninsula affairs said such a commitment should be part of any credible agreement involving Iran.

Des Roches said Iran has the capability to disrupt sea traffic because of its geographic position and could use that capability if it chooses. He argued that the immediate priority is restoring neutral civilian ships’ right to safe passage. Any agreement, he said, should ensure vessels can travel through other countries’ sovereign waters without fear of Iranian attack.

He said Iran should formally state that it will not attack neutral civilian ships either in Omani waters or in international waters. Des Roches described the issue as one of commercial insurance rather than a military problem. Insurers need assurance that Iran will no longer attack civilian ships, he said, before normal trade can restart, benefiting Iran, Gulf coastal states and their commercial partners.