Agencies | Tehran:
Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi on Saturday warned that the United States would face “retreat and regret” after American forces struck military targets in southern Iran, accusing Washington of violating the ceasefire and undermining ongoing negotiations.
Azizi, who heads the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission and is a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said the US launched the strikes while diplomatic talks were still underway, accusing President Donald Trump of failing to uphold the principles of negotiation.
The remarks came after the United States carried out strikes on Iranian missile and drone storage facilities, along with coastal radar sites, in retaliation for Tehran’s alleged attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies pass.
‘US Attacked Iran During Negotiations’
In a post on X, Azizi sharply criticised Washington’s actions, saying the attack had shattered trust in the ongoing diplomatic process.
“The U.S. attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations once again. The failed U.S. President has shown he does not commit to the principles of negotiation or a ceasefire,” Azizi wrote.
“This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part. The blame game does not work anymore,” he added.
His comments came just hours after the IRGC claimed it had launched retaliatory attacks on US military positions in the region in response to the American strikes.
US Says Strikes Were Retaliation
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday that American aircraft targeted Iranian missile and drone storage sites, along with coastal radar installations, after Iran allegedly attacked the M/V Ever Lovely with a one-way attack drone on June 25.
According to the US military, the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel was sailing along the Omani coast after exiting the Strait of Hormuz when it was struck. While the attack damaged the vessel, no casualties were reported.
Describing the operation as a direct response to Iran’s actions, CENTCOM said the strikes were aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the region.
‘Violence Will Be Met With Violence’: JD Vance
Following the military operation, US Vice President JD Vance defended Washington’s actions and warned Iran against further escalation.
“Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence,” Vance wrote on X.
Diplomatic Window Under Pressure
The latest exchange of strikes has cast fresh uncertainty over diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in West Asia.
Following last week’s ceasefire announcement, Washington and Tehran had opened a 60-day negotiation window to finalise a broader agreement aimed at reducing tensions. However, the latest military confrontation has raised fresh doubts about whether the fragile ceasefire can hold, with both sides trading accusations of violating the agreement even as talks continue.
