IRAN CLOSES STRAIT OF HORMUZ AGAIN, ACCUSES U.S OF BREACHING AGREEMENT
Read Time:2 Minute, 1 Second
By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz once again, citing the continued presence of United States forces in the region and Israel’s refusal to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon.
According to a report by the New York Post, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) made the announcement in a statement broadcast over maritime radio channels on Friday.
The IRGC claimed that the United States had violated a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“Since Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, the complete lifting of the naval blockade, and the withdrawal of American terrorist forces from the Persian Gulf and the region are among the main conditions of the agreement between Iran and the United States, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until these conditions are met,” the IRGC said.
“All ships are requested, for the sake of their security and safety, not to approach the Strait of Hormuz. Any vessel that defies this directive will be targeted.”
In a separate statement, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency maintained that the strategic waterway should remain closed until Israel ceases its operations and fully withdraws from Lebanon.
“The continuation of Israeli crimes and the occupation of Lebanese land signify the death of the agreement, and this must not be tolerated or overlooked,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Switzerland announced that planned follow-up talks aimed at implementing the agreement to end the Middle East conflict had been postponed.
The accord, signed earlier this week, was intended to end hostilities involving Iran, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and commence a 60-day negotiation period on broader issues, including Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The agreement also sought to halt fighting in Lebanon. However, Israel’s military announced fresh strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Friday.
Under the terms of the deal, Iran is expected to receive a $300 billion reconstruction package from the United States.
In a separate development, President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the conflict had weakened Iran.
He insisted that Washington was not negotiating out of desperation, describing Tehran as “finished” in the ongoing standoff between the two countries.
Trump also said the United States would allow the 60-day negotiation period to run its course and ruled out any financial concessions to Iran, declaring that Washington would not provide “ten cents” in funding.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0