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Iran’s top diplomat warned Sunday that any attempt to circumvent the routes through the Strait of Hormuz, as previously agreed with the U.S., would escalate tensions in the Middle East. The region has seen ongoing exchanges of attacks and accusations, with each side claiming the other violated a fragile ceasefire.
The situation highlights the delicate nature of a Pakistan-mediated agreement designed to end a conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel this past February, which disrupted shipping traffic and unsettled global energy markets.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that any deviation from the current arrangements would complicate efforts to reopen the strait and could cause further delays and conflicts. He urged all involved parties to honor the memorandum of understanding (MoU) and prevent it from veering off course.
Iran has declared that it will maintain full control and oversight of the Strait of Hormuz for the next 30 days, warning that unilateral moves by any other nation might hinder the waterway’s reopening. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced they are implementing measures to regulate maritime traffic through the strait — a vital corridor where about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports pass during peacetime. They also stated that ships violating the rules would face stricter enforcement than previously.
Recently, Oman and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced a new shipping corridor without consulting Tehran, prompting Iran to warn vessels against using it. The only permitted passage under Iranian authority runs along its coastline, with Iran maintaining strict control over maritime movement.
Aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mohammad Mokhber, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that as long as Iran manages the strait, U.S. hegemonic ambitions in the region will be thwarted.
The recent MoU, aimed at ending the hostilities, allows for the safe passage of commercial ships free of charge for 60 days from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, passing through the strait. Despite a ceasefire that began in April, sporadic violence has persisted, with Iran carrying out retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday in response to American attacks.
Bahrain condemned what it called “treacherous Iranian attacks,” claiming its air defenses intercepted missiles and drones. Kuwait also denounced Iran’s “heinous aggression” in this ongoing escalation.
In response, U.S. forces reported striking multiple Iranian targets on Saturday, citing retaliatory actions for attacks on shipping in the strait. Experts believe more incidents involving the Hormuz Strait are likely.
Analysts note that Iran may be choosing a strategy of prolonged negotiations coupled with measured pressure via the waterway to strengthen its position. The US-Iran MoU explicitly states that both nations and their allies agree not to initiate any war or military operations against each other and to refrain from threatening or using force. However, accusations of violations have surfaced from both sides.
President Donald Trump stated Saturday that Iran would cease to exist if the U.S. is forced to resume hostilities, claiming that recent U.S. strikes targeted Iranian missile, drone storage, and radar sites for violating the ceasefire. The Pentagon confirmed that these strikes were in response to Iran’s drone attack on an oil tanker flying the Panama flag.
Meanwhile, Israel launched strikes in Lebanon, with Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem rejecting the peace deal aimed at ending the conflict there — a development that threatens to undermine broader US-Iran diplomacy. Iran criticized Israeli actions as blatant violations of the ceasefire, and Lebanese officials warned of potential internal conflict over the border agreement signed in Washington, which includes disarmament of Hezbollah.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon remains a fundamental condition for regional peace, a stipulation not addressed in the recent U.S.-brokered deal. Reports from Lebanon indicated new Israeli strikes in the south, and the Israeli military confirmed a soldier had been killed in ongoing clashes.
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