On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the Donald Trump administration of breaching the memorandum of understanding after the U.S. imposed fresh sanctions.
Araghchi Says US Broke Agreement With New Sanctions
Araghchi pushed back against Washington’s latest actions in a post on X, arguing that Iran had upheld its commitments while the U.S. failed to honor its own obligations.
“Iran has so far kept its word, unlike the so-called U.S. Treasury Secretary who is violating Para 9 of the MoU,” Araghchi wrote.
He added that the latest sanctions followed “other violations and missteps by the United States” and stressed, “Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance.”
His remarks came shortly after the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting an Iranian financial facilitator accused of diverting public funds overseas, along with several Iranian exchange houses allegedly used to move billions of dollars annually on behalf of sanctioned Iranian banks.
The Treasury said the measures followed Iran’s alleged resumption of attacks on international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump Administration Issues Strait Of Hormuz Ultimatum
The sanctions coincide with mounting pressure from the Trump administration, which has reportedly given Iran until Saturday to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open and commit to ending attacks on commercial vessels.
According to U.S. officials, Tehran violated a three-week-old memorandum of understanding by repeatedly targeting ships in the strategic waterway, prompting Trump to declare the ceasefire “over.”
One U.S. official reportedly warned that if Iran fails to make the requested commitment, “it is not gonna be a great day for them.”
Despite the heightened tensions, diplomatic efforts remain underway. Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported that Araghchi is scheduled to meet Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi on Saturday as both sides seek to revive the fragile ceasefire.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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