Tehran, Iran, July 13 (ANI): Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday (local time) condemned recent U.S. strikes against the country and accused Washington of disrupting global commercial shipping by interfering with security arrangements in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement posted on X, the ministry said recent U.S. military actions had endangered international maritime trade and reignited conflict in the region.
The ministry condemned what it described as a wave of aggressive U.S. attacks carried out over the past 24 hours.
According to Iranian officials, the strikes constitute a gross violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter and pose a “severe threat” to international peace and security.
“Iran’s MFA strongly condemns U.S. aggressive attacks against Iran over the past 24 hours. These brutal attacks constitute a gross violation of the UN Charter principles, notably Art. 2(4), and pose a severe threat to international peace and security,” the statement said.
The ministry also accused the United States of violating nearly all provisions of the ceasefire agreement “just after 25 days” by striking Iran’s transportation infrastructure, fishing boats, cargo barges, and meteorological facilities, describing the attacks as war crimes.
Iran also issued a warning to countries along the southern Persian Gulf, saying that by assisting the United States they had effectively become parties to the conflict.
“Using territories/facilities of southern Persian Gulf nations for this aggression has effectively dragged them into this illegal, criminal war against Iran,” the ministry said.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the bilateral memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States had entered a “crisis phase,” accusing Washington of undermining the agreement by blocking Tehran’s designated role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Baghaei said the agreement was rapidly unraveling.
“Undoubtedly, the memorandum of understanding has entered a crisis phase,” he said, blaming the United States for violating the agreement.
He added, “The Americans were so impatient in breaching the agreement that they didn’t even allow Iran’s one-month timeframe for commitments regarding the Strait of Hormuz to conclude.”
According to Fars, Baghaei said the memorandum explicitly assigned Iran responsibility for managing the reopening of the strategic waterway.
“It is explicitly stated in the memorandum of understanding that the arrangements for reopening the Strait of Hormuz are to be carried out by Iran,” he said.
Baghaei further alleged that the United States had worked with regional countries to bypass the agreement.
“Instead of allowing Iran to reopen the strait based on the agreement, the Americans cheated from day one and, with incitement and cooperation from regional countries, tried to bypass the path coordinated with Iran,” he said, according to Fars.
The Iranian official also criticized recent remarks by Turkey’s foreign minister that appeared to equate Iran with Israel.
“The Turkish Foreign Minister’s comparison of Iran and the Zionist regime is astonishing!” Baghaei said.
He called on Ankara to clarify its position, adding, “Turkey must explain how it arrived at this bizarre comparison; Turkey must refrain from repeating topics that merely justify the expansionist policies of the Zionist regime.”
The comments came as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for retaliatory attacks targeting Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait, according to Al Jazeera.
In response, Bahrain’s Defence Force said its air defense systems had successfully intercepted and destroyed several Iranian aerial attacks.
In a statement, the General Command said it remained fully prepared to defend the kingdom.
“The General Command affirms that the personnel of the Royal Field Engineering Unit are fully prepared to handle these objects technically and safely, ensuring the public safety of all citizens and residents,” the statement said.
The military also urged residents to avoid approaching suspicious objects or debris and to report them immediately to authorities.
Earlier Monday, the United States released video footage of its latest military operation against Iran, showing fighter aircraft launching from aircraft carriers and conducting precision strikes on Iranian targets.
The footage was released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) after the military announced it had carried out a new wave of strikes on July 12 against dozens of sites across Iran.
According to CENTCOM, the operation was intended to degrade Tehran’s ability to carry out attacks against international commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. (ANI)
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