Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Article 5 of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding clearly designates Iran as the party determining the mechanism for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. He accused Washington of opening a separate track inconsistent with the MOU terms, and said that after clashes in Hormuz, Iran initiated a direct communication line during the Switzerland talks to prevent misunderstandings — but concluded the US was pushing for escalation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday accused the United States of violating the memorandum of understanding (MOU) by opening a separate track on the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement carried by Iranian state-linked channels.
Araghchi stated that Article 5 of the MOU is clear: Iran determines the mechanism for Hormuz passage. He claimed Washington was forced to consult Tehran before adding or removing any corridor in the strait to fit within the Article 5 framework. After clashes in Hormuz, Araghchi said, Iran decided during the Switzerland talks to open a direct communication line to prevent misunderstandings — but concluded the issue went beyond misunderstandings and that the US was insisting on establishing other routes.
"Washington sought to push matters toward escalation, and it was the side that violated the agreement and brought matters to the current situation," Araghchi said, according to the reports.
The remarks are the latest in a series of Iranian accusations against the US over the MOU. As The Zioneer has reported, Iranian officials have repeatedly claimed the US collapsed the agreement by reimposing a siege and challenging Iran's interpretation of the Hormuz passage clauses. The MOU, signed in June, was meant to de-escalate tensions over the strategic waterway, but has been fraying amid mutual accusations.
The claim is based on a single source and remains unverified by independent outlets.
2 developments
- StrongIRGC attacked vessel in Strait of Hormuz overnight, Channel 14 reports
- DevelopingIRGC sources fume over U.S. 'deception' on Strait of Hormuz deal, weigh re-escalation
- DevelopingIRGC navy claims Tehran boosted vessel traffic but US actions disrupt strait reopening
- DevelopingIRGC claims it struck US military facility in Kuwait, attacked vessel near Hormuz
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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