Iran condemns new US strikes in southern Iran amid ceasefire dispute

Iran has accused the United States of carrying out new air strikes in southern Iran, saying the attacks were a gross violation of the ceasefire. The strikes were reported in Hormozgan, on Iran's southern coast near Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz. The incident comes as ceasefire talks continue, adding pressure to an already fragile diplomatic process.

Sponsored

According to the supplied material, the US Central Command said its forces conducted what it called self-defence strikes in southern Iran on Monday. It said Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to place mines had been targeted. Iran's foreign ministry said it held the US responsible for the consequences of what it described as aggressive and unjustified actions in the Hormozgan region.

The competing accounts underline how sharply the two sides differ over both the legality and the purpose of the operation. No independent casualty figure was provided in the supplied rows. Iranian state media had earlier reported that local officials in Bandar Abbas were investigating after explosions were heard, but the material does not confirm the extent of any damage.

The reported strikes matter because they involve military activity close to one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints. The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for oil and gas shipments, and the supplied material says disruption there has already caused spikes in world energy prices. Any escalation in the surrounding area can therefore quickly raise regional security concerns and market anxiety.

Sponsored

The dispute also comes while negotiators are still discussing difficult issues, including frozen Iranian funds held abroad. The supplied material says talks aimed at extending the current ceasefire are continuing, with the eventual aim of ending the conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said a deal is still possible, but it will take a few days, while the peace talks have mainly been mediated by Pakistan and Iranian negotiators have also been taking part in talks with Qatari mediators this week.

The wider backdrop is a war that began on 28 February with a wave of attacks by the US and Israel, including one that killed Iran's supreme leader, according to the supplied row. A ceasefire was agreed on 8 April and had been largely observed since then, apart from one notable clash earlier in May. The mention of boats and mines also points to long-running concerns about maritime security in the Gulf, where the Strait of Hormuz has repeatedly been a flashpoint in tensions involving Iran and the United States.

What remains unclear is the scale of the damage, whether there were any casualties, and how the strikes will affect the ceasefire talks in the coming days. It is also not clear whether Iran will respond militarily or through the negotiations. The next developments to watch are further statements from both sides and whether the diplomatic track can continue despite the latest escalation.

#Iran #Condemns #New #Strikes #Southern

Sponsored