The top command center of the Iran Armed Forces announced on Saturday it is again shutting maritime transit in the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of Israel’s actions in Lebanon, Reuters cited the Islamic Republic’s Mehr state news agency as reporting.
“It is hereby announced that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic; It is noted that this first step is a response to the enemy’s breach of promise, and if the aggression continues, further steps will be planned and taken to force the enemy to comply with its obligations,” the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a recorded message, according to AFP.
The U.S. and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 17 that stipulates, in the first clause, that the “the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon” must be ensured.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance spoke with Fox News overnight Friday, saying that the choke point has been opened, facilitating the transportation of 16 million barrels of oil per dy.
Asked if Iranian forces are redirecting vessels from the Strait of Hormuz, Vance said he is “skeptical” of such reports. The vice president noted that mines are still present in the 20-mile stretch of the choke point, and therefore it could be that forces of the Iran’s navy warned ships against crossing in these areas.
He continued that de-mining the strait could take up to 30 days, as stressed in the MoU.
“But no, we’re not seeing any evidence of the Iranians still closing the Strait of Hormuz. It is going to take some time to clear those mines though,” Vance said.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran were scheduled to take place on Friday in Switzerland to discuss a final agreement that would end the Iran conflict and define restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear project.
However, Vance canceled his trip to the Alpine country after a deadly skirmish erupted in Southern Lebanon, leading to a delay of the talks, NBC News reported.
Four Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed in Southern Lebanon overnight Thursday when a Hezbollah drone struck their tank.
According to initial reports, the soldiers were killed in Kfar Tebnit when an explosive drone struck a battalion commander’s tank. Israeli forces struck more than 80 terrorist targets and killed dozens of Hezbollah operatives following the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday.
Israel and Hezbollah renewed the fragile ceasefire later on Friday.
Jerusalem-Beirut talks to resume
Also on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
The two men agreed that Israel and Lebanon would begin the next round of peace talks in Washington on Tuesday.
“Secretary Rubio underscored that Lebanon’s bilateral negotiations with Israel represent the only feasible path to reconstruction, economic recovery and ending recurrent cycles of violence,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated. “They discussed the next round of negotiations, scheduled for June 23-25 in Washington, where the two sovereign governments will make progress toward a lasting peace. Secretary Rubio reiterated the need to disarm Hezbollah and to reestablish control over all Lebanese territory.”
