EU Powers Rebuke Iran’s Aggression, Warn US‑Iran Ceasefire Collapse Looms

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have jointly condemned Iran’s attacks on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and on regional states, warning that the recent exchange of strikes with the United States jeopardizes the fragile interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict.

In a joint statement, the E‑3 — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — strongly condemned what they described as Iran’s ‘heinous attacks’ on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and on neighboring nations, including Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.

The statement referenced an incident on Sunday in which a commercial vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, igniting a fire that forced the crew to abandon ship.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards subsequently declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until further notice and until the cessation of American interventions in the region,” underscoring the strategic importance of the waterway.

Strategic Implications of Strait of Hormuz Tensions

On Monday, Iran announced that it had targeted U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, destroyed radar equipment in Oman, and struck fuel depots and ammunition stores at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, retaliating against recent U.S. actions.

IRNA, Iran’s official news agency, reported that the United States had launched strikes against military sites in southern Iran.

The U.S. military reported that on Sunday it had attacked Iranian air‑defense systems, coastal radar installations, missile and drone assets, as well as small naval vessels, employing aircraft, warships, and unmanned systems.

The E‑3 indicated that the ceasefire negotiated in early April could be revived, and that talks aimed at concluding the conflict were expected to resume.

The prospects for the interim agreement between Iran and the United States now appear increasingly uncertain.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump characterized the ceasefire as effectively over, while emphasizing that diplomatic engagement remains possible.

“We had a deal — fully agreed upon — and then they broke it. They always do,” Trump said in a Fox News ‘Fox & Friends’ interview. “Consequently, we will respond with decisive force.”

Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf adopted a similarly firm stance.

“The era of unilateral agreements has ended,” Qalibaf wrote on social media Sunday. “We warned that honoring commitments is essential; failure to do so will have consequences. Reality is now confronting us.”

Trump further asserted that the United States would assume control over the Strait of Hormuz and sought reimbursement for associated costs.

Iran’s military responded on Monday, stating that it would not tolerate any U.S. interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a video message, a Khatam Al‑Anbiya command spokesperson cautioned Gulf states that any collaboration with the United States would be regarded as an act of war.

(with newswires)

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