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Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the US decision to end the pause on the blockade had “completely dismantled” the Islamabad MoU.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi. (AP file photo)
Iran on Tuesday said the United States had effectively destroyed an understanding reached between the two countries after Washington resumed its naval blockade targeting Iranian ports and coastal areas.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the US decision to end the pause on the blockade had “completely dismantled” the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which was aimed at halting hostilities and allowing space for peace talks.
Speaking in an interview with Iranian state media, Gharibabadi accused Washington of abandoning its commitments under the agreement.
“The United States came and violated all of its commitments under this Memorandum of Understanding,” he said, adding that the word “violation” was not strong enough to describe the move.
‘Iran No Longer Bound By MoU’
Gharibabadi said the US action to resume the naval blockade meant Tehran was no longer bound by the memorandum.
“The US has not merely violated the Memorandum of Understanding. With tonight’s action, the MoU has been completely dismantled. Iran is no longer bound by the MoU,” he said.
The remarks came after the US military confirmed that its naval blockade against Iran had been reimposed. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces resumed operations against vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas, with more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft deployed across the Middle East.
The renewed blockade came after a fresh round of US strikes on Iran, with Washington saying the attacks were aimed at reducing Iranian capabilities used against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran Rules Out Requesting Talks With Washington
Rejecting the possibility of seeking renewed negotiations, Gharibabadi said Iran would not request talks with the US. “Iran will never request negotiations with the United States,” he said.
He also criticised Washington’s references to international law during wartime, saying such discussions were meaningless in the current situation.
“Talking about international law during wartime is a joke. They are the ones who attacked us. They cannot come teach us about international law,” he said.
Gharibabadi also warned that Iran would assert full control over the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing conflict, saying Tehran would exercise “full sovereignty over the Strait, no matter the costs”.
He said that while Oman normally shares control of the strategic waterway, “for national security reasons Iran must control all of the Strait” during wartime.
The dismantling of the MoU implies Iran is no longer bound by its commitments. This follows the US decision to end the pause on its naval blockade against Iran, which Iran views as a violation of the agreement.
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