The Iranian negotiating team has decided to suspend any exchange of messages with the United States through international mediators, as a direct response to the intensification of Israeli attacks on the Lebanese proxy group Hezbollah. The announcement, heavily publicized by the Tasnim news agency – a channel closely affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) -, marks a new major deadlock on the Washington-Tehran diplomatic axis.
According to Iranian sources, negotiations will not resume until the conditions imposed by Tehran regarding the complete cessation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip are met. Furthermore, the regime in Tehran considers that the offensive launched against the Lebanese Shiite group represents a blatant violation of the armistice agreed with the USA on April 8.
“There will be no dialogue” until Israel completely withdraws its troops from the occupied areas of Lebanon and ceases all military operations in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, the publication conveyed.
Direct threat to global oil transportation
In the same message, Iran announces that, together with its regional allies, it is ready to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other strategic pressure points, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the main access gates to the Red Sea.
“The resistance front and Iran have decided to completely close the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts to punish the Zionists and their supporters,” the statement reads.
The announcement provoked immediate reactions on international markets. The price of oil increased by over 5% following the publication of the information, investors interpreting Tehran’s statements as a signal that the prospects of a diplomatic solution are receding.
Trump postpones a decision regarding Iran
The developments come just a few days after the American president, Donald Trump, declared that he was about to decide whether to accept a deal with Iran that could lead to a temporary suspension of the conflict.
According to the American press, the meeting held at the White House ended without a final decision.
In the meantime, both the United States and Iran have continued their exchanges of attacks, further fueling tensions in an already fragile truce.
Israel is intensifying its operations in Lebanon
In parallel, Israel has expanded its offensive against Hezbollah. According to Reuters, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered new attacks on Monday on suburbs of Beirut controlled by the Shiite group backed by Iran.
In turn, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, conveyed that the armistice agreed upon between Iran and the United States must be respected on all fronts.
“Violating the armistice in a single area means violating it as a whole. The United States and Israel are responsible for the consequences”, the Iranian official wrote on the X network.
Details, HERE