Iran has insisted it has "kept its word" on a ceasefire with the United States, after President Donald Trump claimed the truce was over but agreed to further negotiations with the Islamic republic. This marks a new low in relations between the foes, following an exchange of fire this week that threatened a return to full-scale regional war.
Trump's Rhetoric Escalates Tensions
Trump heightened the rhetoric on Saturday, threatening in a Truth Social post to "completely decimate" Iran if it attempted or succeeded in assassinating him. This came a day after the president agreed to further negotiations with Iran, despite repeating his assertion that the ceasefire was over.
Iran's Response and Continued Diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hit back, insisting that Tehran "has so far kept its word, unlike the so-called US Treasury Secretary who is violating Para 9 of the MoU". The MoU stipulates that Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program and the US will not impose new sanctions or deploy additional forces in the region, pending a final deal.
Strait of Hormuz and Regional Stability
The hostile words come as Washington has given Tehran until Saturday to stop firing on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and acknowledge that the waterway is open. The strait, a vital shipping route for the world's oil, is a major source of contention between the US and Iran. Tehran effectively closed the strategic waterway in response to the war triggered by US-Israeli strikes in late February.
International Mediation Efforts
Doha has backed continued diplomacy, with a Qatari delegation in Tehran to reinforce Qatar's role as a mediator. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also been mediating the conflict, urging Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian to safeguard the "hard-earned peace". However, Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, struck a defiant tone, stating that "this confrontation will never end with Iran's surrender".
