Iran
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gives a press conference in Tehran in December 2024. AFP file photo
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The foreign minister of Iran said on Friday that whenever a diplomatic solution appears within reach, the United States resorts to “reckless military adventurism,” stressing that the Islamic republic would not bow to pressure.
“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure. Is it a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS into another quagmire?” Abbas Araghchi wrote on X. “Whatever the causes, the outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure.”
The Iranian military on Friday accused the United States of “violating the ceasefire” by targeting two vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and striking “civilian areas” in the southern province of Hormozgan. The statement came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” near Hormuz, while President Donald Trump warned that a stronger response would follow if a deal was not reached “fast!”
Meanwhile, Fox News, citing a “senior US official,” reported that American forces carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas. The official added, however, that the strikes did not signal a resumption of the war or the collapse of the ceasefire announced on April 8.
The escalation came as Iran said it was still reviewing a US proposal aimed at ending the conflict.
The US and Israel launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran on February 28, striking more than 17,000 sites across the country during six weeks of hostilities before the sides agreed to a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire on April 8. The truce halted the fighting and paved the way for negotiations.
While the first round of talks concluded without a final agreement on April 11, a second round has yet to take place, with a comprehensive resolution to the conflict still pending.
Alongside the diplomatic efforts, Iran and the US have engaged in tit-for-tat maritime measures. Tehran has tightened its grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington imposed a maritime blockade on Iranian ports on April 13.
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