US President Donald Trump's announcement that the ceasefire was over drew a sharp reaction from Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakçi stated that Tehran kept its word and accused Washington of violating the memorandum of understanding.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump threatened to 'completely destroy' the country if Iran attempted to assassinate him. The statement came at a time when the fragile ceasefire between the two countries is on the verge of collapse.
Alleged breach of the memorandum
Arakçi claimed that the US Treasury Department violated Article 9 of the memorandum, which stipulates that Iran will maintain the current state of its nuclear program and that the US will not impose new sanctions. 'This violation follows other U.S. violations and mistakes. The reality is that there can only be mutual compliance,' he said.
US and Iranian delegations held direct talks in Switzerland after the signing of the memorandum, and indirect negotiations in Qatar. However, no diplomatic progress has been made since then.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz
According to reports by Axios and Politico, Washington gave Tehran until Saturday to stop firing on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and to acknowledge that the waterway is open. The strait, vital for global oil trade, is one of the biggest points of contention between the US and Iran.
Iran effectively closed the strategic waterway in late February in response to US-Israeli attacks. Tehran argues that it must control Hormuz and has expressed its desire to charge fees from passing ships.
The US launched extensive strikes on Iran this week following attacks on vessels in the strait, triggering a wave of retaliation against American bases in the Gulf. The US Treasury Department also revoked a temporary sanctions waiver on Iranian oil, canceling a license announced in June that allowed Tehran to produce, sell, and deliver crude oil until August 21.
Regional mediation efforts
According to Iran's official news agency IRNA, Foreign Minister Arakçi will travel to Oman on Saturday to discuss the strait. Qatar is also supporting diplomatic efforts; Iran's Tasnim agency announced that a Qatari delegation is in Tehran and is 'trying to strengthen its mediation role'.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is also mediating in the conflict. According to a statement from Sharif's office, he discussed the latest escalation with the Emir of Qatar on Friday. Sharif also held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging him to preserve the 'hard-won peace'.
Message of resolve from Iran
Iran's chief negotiator in talks with Washington, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, adopted a defiant tone. According to the ISNA news agency, Ghalibaf said, 'Ending the war is a priority for the world's countries, but everyone should know that this conflict will never end with Iran's surrender.' He added that Iranians are 'fully prepared to defend ourselves'.
