Ceasefire Shatters as US and Iran Trade Fresh Blows in Gulf.
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Renewed military action between the United States and Iran has dealt another serious blow to their fragile ceasefire. Both sides are now trading strong accusations of major violations.
Ceasefire Violations Trigger Mutual Accusations
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of repeated breaches of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. He listed five specific violations on social media. These include violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait of Hormuz, persistent threats of further strikes, and the reinstatement of oil sanctions.
Attacks on southern Iran and continued Israeli military action in Lebanon were also cited. “The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don’t fold,” Ghalibaf wrote.
Iran’s army stated that blatant US violations would make all American bases in the region legitimate targets for Iranian drones. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the latest US strikes as absolutely necessary. He said forceful American action was crucial when a ceasefire partner violates the agreement.
Iran maintains its responses were provoked by US aggression against southern Iranian areas. Tehran also points to breaches of the 14 articles of the ceasefire deal.
NATO Summit in Ankara Overshadowed by Gulf Tensions
The latest escalation unfolded as US President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara for a NATO leaders’ summit. The gathering is the first since the earlier phase of the Iran conflict.
Trump criticised several European allies for providing inadequate support during the US campaign against Iran. He singled out Britain, France, Germany and Italy. Trump announced the United States would lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey. These sanctions were imposed after Ankara bought Russian S-400 systems.
He also indicated Washington could decide on selling F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey. Legal and congressional hurdles remain on that issue.
Trump renewed his call for US control over Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s foreign minister immediately rejected the idea. Despite the tensions, Trump said he had spoken with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy. He expressed optimism about efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
NATO allies announced new defence deals worth tens of billions of dollars. Secretary General Rutte called for a revolution in the alliance’s defence industrial base to meet threats from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
