Hopes of quick Iran peace deal fade as Tehran accuses US of ‘gross violation’ of ceasefire with new strikes
Hopes for an imminent resolution to the conflict in the Middle East faded on Tuesday as Iran accused the US of a “gross violation” of the ceasefire agreement after Washington struck boats it claimed were attempting to lay mines as well as missile launch sites.
Iran’s foreign ministry said US strikes in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, where Iranian media reported sounds of explosions early on Tuesday, undermined the fragile truce agreement, as the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) insisted they retained a right to retaliate.
“The United States committed a gross violation of the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region in the past 48 hours ... Iran holds the US regime responsible for all the consequences resulting from these aggressive and unjustified actions,” the ministry said.
The IRGC said in a separate statement that air defence units had downed a US drone and fired at another drone and a fighter jet which they said had strayed into Iranian airspace over the Gulf region.
Smoke trails are pictured from the Israeli missile strike that targeted the village of Nabatieh on May 26 (AFP/Getty)
US secretary of state Marco Rubio told reporters that the Strait of Hormuz would have to be opened “one way or the other” and cast doubt on a quick end to the war, saying negotiating a deal would still “take a few days”.
Both sides had previously indicated progress on a memorandum of understanding that could halt the war and restart shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, while giving negotiators 60 days to negotiate more complex issues including Iran's nuclear programme.
The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February, has triggered an unprecedented oil supply shock, driving up prices for oil, fuel, fertiliser, and food. Iran responded by launching drones and missiles at Gulf states hosting US bases.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted, with only a few dozen vessels passing through daily, compared to the usual 125 to 140. Approximately a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas typically transits this vital waterway.
Iran has been selectively allowing ships through, prioritising those linked to allied nations or those with whom it has government-to-government agreements.
Despite a ceasefire in place since early April, US Central Command announced on Monday that it had conducted fresh strikes "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces."
Tensions mounted as Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said that Gulf powers would no longer be a shield for US bases and that the US would no longer have a safe haven in the region.
In comments posted on his Telegram channel during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Iran's Supreme Leader stated: "The clock cannot be turned back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer be a shield for American bases."
He added: “From now on, the slogans 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' will be the slogans of the Islamic nation and the oppressed people of the world, especially the youth.”
Donald Trump has previously cited these slogans to justify military action against Iran. On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that talks with Iran were progressing “nicely” but warned of renewed attacks if they failed, stating it "will only be a Great Deal for all, or no Deal at all."
Trump also urged more Arab and Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, to sign the Abraham Accords, which were brokered during his first term to normalise ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia's long-standing position, however, is that it would not sign the accords without an agreement on a roadmap to Palestinian statehood.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio quashed hopes of an imminent end to the war (AFP/Getty)
Separately, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that Israel would intensify strikes against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. The Israeli military subsequently warned residents of the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh to evacuate ahead of potential airstrikes.
While Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in mid-April, Israel has continued airstrikes, asserting they are acts of self-defence against Hezbollah, which was not party to the truce.
Iranian and US officials have confirmed that recent indirect talks have yielded progress on an initial MOU, which would pave the way for further negotiations towards a final agreement. Iran's top negotiator, its foreign minister, and its central bank governor were in Doha on Monday for discussions with Qatar's prime minister regarding a potential deal, according to an official briefed on the visit.
Iran's Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to the negotiation team, reported that parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqr Qalibaf was seeking agreement on the release of approximately $24 billion of Iranian funds frozen overseas as part of the MOU.
Iran's Fars news agency cited a source indicating that the unfreezing of these funds was the last significant sticking point for the MOU to be finalised. Iranian sources suggest an initial deal would focus solely on ending the war on all fronts, establishing a 30-day framework for movement through the Strait of Hormuz, and potentially providing some financial relief, with more complex issues like Iran's nuclear programme to be addressed in a second phase.
