Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the United States had violated an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz and that Tehran had responded.
Speaking at a news conference at the Interior Ministry building in Tehran on Saturday, Pezeshkian said ships passing through the strait under the agreement were supposed to operate in line with instructions from Iran and Oman. Pezeshkian said the United States had failed to fulfill this obligation and that Iran had subsequently taken a countermeasure.
Terms of the Hormuz agreement
Pezeshkian argued that the agreement reached with the United States in June included gains for Iran. The Iranian president claimed that diplomatic contacts and negotiations between experts had pushed Washington toward cooperation, while describing the United States as a “colonialist and arrogant state.”
The first phase of the agreement reached through Pakistan’s mediation on June 14 envisioned reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the release of Iran’s frozen assets. Iran had also pledged not to charge vessels passing through the strait for 60 days.
Dispute over the ships’ route
After the agreement, the United States did not release Iran’s assets and planned to direct the ships to an alternative route through Omani territorial waters. Tehran viewed these steps as contrary to the terms of the agreement.
Iran subsequently restricted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Some ships that Iranian authorities said were attempting to pass without authorization were also targeted.
Pezeshkian emphasizes economic consequences
Pezeshkian said that following US and Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28, his greatest concern was not another US attack but the economic consequences.
The Iranian president said his priority, in war or peace, was the livelihood of the people and the country’s economic situation. Pezeshkian said tensions between Iran and the United States had turned into a military conflict despite the agreement, adding that the clashes began on July 8 and lasted about two weeks.
Iran later resumed talks with Oman to establish safe corridors for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
