Iran accuses the U.S. of violating the agreement: U.S. strikes on Iranian territory, Iran targets U.S. assets in the Gulf region

Hormuz Strait – Saturday, Iran accused the United States of breaching the Iran-U.S. Memorandum of Understanding; following Washington’s strike on Iranian territory, Tehran retaliated by attacking U.S. targets in the Gulf region.

According to AFP, Washington accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering subsequent clashes between the two sides. This development has raised concerns about whether efforts to maintain the flow through this critical waterway can still be effective amid ongoing negotiations for a final agreement.

The U.S. Central Command stated that the latest U.S. military action targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar installations, in response to “unprovoked aggression by Iranian forces against merchant vessels,” which “clearly violated the ceasefire agreement.”

Iran said these “barbaric attacks… blatantly violated” the agreement meant to end hostilities, which began in late February when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had struck U.S. targets in the Gulf region and warned that “if acts of aggression are repeated, our response will be far broader.”

H.A. Hellyer from London-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) noted: “Iran is likely to continue with calculated, low-intensity coercive actions in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas… aimed at continuously pressuring international shipping while avoiding escalation into larger conflict.”

He analyzed that the November U.S. midterm elections have given Washington “urgent motivation to reach an agreement,” while for Iran, “prolonged negotiations combined with controlled pressure within the strait could prove advantageous.”

Bahrain reported being attacked by several Iranian drones early Saturday and accused Tehran of “undermining peace efforts.”

Also on Saturday, the UK maritime security agency, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), reported that an “unidentified flying object” damaged an oil tanker in the strait.

In response to the U.S. military strikes, Iranian media reported an explosion at a dock in the southern city of Sirik on Friday evening. Citing military sources, reports said the blast was caused by a “projectile impact.” Merre News Agency later stated: “The Port of Sirik is currently operating normally.”

The U.S. Central Command described the operation as a “strong response” to yesterday’s attack on a commercial vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Sources: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1869199948172292/

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