Iran on Friday, June 19, announced the renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz and postponed planned nuclear negotiations with the United States, accusing Washington of failing to fulfil key provisions of a recently signed agreement.
The development marks a fresh escalation in tensions across the Middle East and raises concerns over global oil supplies, given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
Naijaonpoint reports that in a statement broadcast through maritime radio channels, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accused the United States of violating a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
According to the IRGC, the agreement contained several conditions, including Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the complete removal of restrictions on Iranian maritime activities, and the withdrawal of American forces from the Persian Gulf and neighbouring regions.
The group insisted that the strategic waterway would remain shut until those conditions were met.
“Since Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, the complete lifting of the naval blockade, and the withdrawal of American terrorist forces from the Persian Gulf and the region are among the main conditions of the agreement between Iran and the United States, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until these conditions are met,” the IRGC stated.
The military body further warned commercial and private vessels to avoid the waterway, saying ships that ignored the directive could face attacks.
Despite the announcement, shipping data from the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning indicated that commercial vessels were still operating in the area.
The US Central Command had earlier announced that it had formally lifted a two-month blockade on Iranian ports.
However, uncertainty remained over Iran’s claim that the restrictions had not been “completely” removed, a position that appears to be at the heart of the current dispute.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy exports, with a significant percentage of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through the narrow channel connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters.
Shortly after Iran’s announcement, a US official claimed that Israel and Hezbollah had reached a ceasefire agreement.
The claim contrasted sharply with remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who maintained that Israeli military operations would continue.
“We will restore security and prosperity to northern towns,” Netanyahu said.
“That requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon.”
Adding to the uncertainty, the Israel Defence Forces released an updated operational map showing an expanded military presence more than six miles inside Lebanese territory, including areas north of the Litani River.
The memorandum signed earlier in the week reportedly committed both the United States and Iran, along with their respective allies, to uphold Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while working towards ending hostilities.
President of open-source intelligence organisation OSINT613, Simcha Brodsky, said the latest dispute appeared to stem from ambiguities in the wording of the agreement.
According to him, the arrangement provided for the phased removal of the US blockade over a 30-day period, meaning the process was not expected to be completed immediately.
“What we’re seeing is a direct result of the wording in the US-Iran MoU. The deal lifts the US blockade in phases, fully within 30 days, so the US is still in the middle of that process by design,” Brodsky said.
He argued that Tehran was taking advantage of that provision to justify the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran has now linked the Israel-Lebanon conflict to that justification, effectively halting the agreement and drawing Israel into a deal it neither approved nor negotiated,” he added.
The IRGC announcement came only hours after …ponement of the first round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations, which had been scheduled to take place on Friday under the framework of the memorandum.
The United States has yet to officially explain the reason for the delay.
However, a regional source familiar with the discussions claimed that hardline elements within Iran opposed participation in the talks, insisting that Israeli forces must first withdraw from southern Lebanon before any further diplomatic engagement could proceed.
