Iran Signals Potential Full Suspension of Talks Amid Heightened U.S. Air Operations in the Strait of Hormuz

Negotiations aimed at resolving the current conflict between the United States and Iran have faced new pressure after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that U.S. strikes over the past two days breached Clause 1 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, threatening a complete stoppage of all diplomatic efforts.

The IRGC stated that any future violations will be met with an even stronger response, endorsing the need for a decisive counter‑action.

The escalation began with a drone attack attributed to Iran on Saturday against the Panama‑flagged crude oil tanker M/T Kiku, en route to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

In response, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) struck ten Iranian military targets in and around the Strait of Hormuz, targeting surveillance infrastructure, air‑defence sites, drone storage facilities, and minelaying assets.

Tehran retaliated with ballistic missiles and drones aimed at the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters at Salman Port in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported damage to a residential building near the international airport, though no casualties were recorded.

Late‑night U.S. air activity over the Strait of Hormuz suggested preparations for another set of strikes on Iranian military positions, testing the fragile ceasefire and the ongoing negotiations for a comprehensive settlement.

U.S. Air Force Boeing KC‑135R Stratotanker aerial‑refuelling jets departed from Doha on Sunday evening, joining a fleet of other U.S. aircraft that circled the Gulf region. Their movements mirrored those seen during the previous night’s strikes.

U.S. Ambassador Warns Iran Against Continued Aggression

The exchange of fire has raised doubts about the status of the talks, which appeared stalled on Sunday according to a Wall Street Journal source. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Washington would not remain passive if Iran continued to threaten international shipping or U.S. bases.

In a Fox News interview, the ambassador emphasized that the U.S. was prepared to dismantle the infrastructure that Iran used to attempt control of the international waterway.

“The administration will keep every option on the table to ensure that Iran never obtains nuclear capabilities,” Waltz told reporters.

Waltz also noted that diplomatic channels remained open, though he cautioned that the U.S. leader’s patience was not limitless.

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi echoed the sentiment, claiming that every violation of agreements would elicit a response more severe than before, condemning Washington as “deceitful and unreliable.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the Strait would remain under Tehran’s full oversight for the next 30 days and that the country would solely administer the waterway under the framework deal.

State television also outlined designated safe transit routes: inbound vessels were directed south of Hormuz Island, while outbound ships were advised to pass south of Larak Island.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) raised its threat level in the Strait of Hormuz from “moderate” to “substantial” following reports of attacks on merchant vessels and warned mariners of mines and ongoing clearance operations.

Ayatollah Accuses U.S. and Israel of ‘War Crimes’

On Sunday, a statement purported to be issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei called for the prosecution of U.S. and Israeli leaders for alleged war crimes, naming “child killings” and other atrocities in the regions of Minab and Lamerd.

Khamenei, who has remained largely absent from the public eye since the February conflicts, continues to address the nation through written statements read on state‑run television.

The new wave of reciprocal strikes and Tehran’s firm stance over the Strait of Hormuz is exerting considerable pressure on the ceasefire framework, yet both sides appear to exercise restraint in the scale of their military engagements as negotiations persist.

Also on Sunday, Khamenei’s adviser Mohammad Mokhber warned the U.S. that any attempt to exert control over the Strait would be a “mistake,” asserting that the ongoing memory of the memorandum and opposition to aggression strengthen Iran’s resolve.

In a related incident, Qatar’s Interior Ministry reported that a Qatari national was killed at sea following shrapnel injuries sustained in the area’s military operations, while an Arab resident was injured and hospitalized under the ministry’s watchful care.

On Saturday, the U.S. Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center opened a widened shipping corridor near the Omani coast, allowing increased traffic in both directions—a direct challenge to Iran’s claim of sole authority over navigation in the waterway.

Source link