Agencies | Tehran:
Iran on Monday accused the United States of “openly violating” the ceasefire agreement between the two countries and announced that it would suspend implementation of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signalling a fresh deterioration in bilateral relations.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the agreement had entered a “crisis” due to what he described as repeated violations by Washington.
“There is no doubt that the agreement with the United States is in a state of crisis until the other party fulfils its responsibilities,” Baghaei said, adding that Iran would refrain from implementing its obligations as long as the US failed to honour its commitments.
Baghaei defended Iran’s recent military actions against American facilities, describing them as measures taken in self-defence.
The memorandum, signed last month following negotiations between Iranian and American delegations in Switzerland, was intended to de-escalate hostilities and restore stability, including arrangements related to the Strait of Hormuz. However, tensions escalated after three commercial vessels were attacked near the strategic waterway on July 6, with both sides accusing each other of responsibility. Since then, military exchanges and increasingly hostile rhetoric have raised concerns over regional stability and the security of global energy supplies.
Iran Rejects US Actions in Strait of Hormuz
Baghaei strongly criticised the United States’ role in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Washington of undermining regional security rather than safeguarding it.
“The United States has openly violated the ceasefire agreement. Intervention in Iranian arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz has created a renewed situation of insecurity,” he said.
Reiterating Tehran’s longstanding position, he said Iran would not permit the strategic waterway to be used in a manner that threatened its national security.
“We have emphasised that we will not allow the Strait of Hormuz to become a place for threatening Iran’s national security,” Baghaei said.
At the same time, he maintained that Iran remained committed to ensuring the safe passage of commercial shipping through the vital maritime corridor.
“We have sincerely and responsibly worked to ensure the security and safety of shipping along this route,” he added.
US Blamed for Escalating Regional Tensions
Baghaei accused Washington of being the principal source of instability in the region and criticised US claims of providing naval escorts to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
“The party that has constantly obstructed this route is America,” he said.
According to the Iranian spokesperson, US assertions about escorting commercial shipping demonstrated its determination to sustain, rather than ease, regional tensions.
“The claim that they are escorting commercial ships itself confirms America’s insistence on perpetuating insecurity in the region,” Baghaei said, warning that such actions would undermine confidence in international maritime trade and further aggravate the security situation.
Baghaei also dismissed reports of a second round of talks in Islamabad, indicating that no fresh diplomatic engagement with Washington was currently planned.
The latest developments come amid growing concerns over the future of the ceasefire agreement and rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes, making it one of the most strategically important shipping lanes for global energy markets.
