Iran: No paragraph in MoU allows US to create ‘independent parallel’ corridor in Hormuz Strait

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says there is no paragraph in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU) that allows the United States to establish an “independent parallel” route in the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with prominent social media activist Sulaiman Ahmed published on Saturday, Baghaei said the US "cheated" on its commitments under the Islamabad MoU.

"What they [the US] carried out was a violation of their commitments. They forced ships to use an alternative route, effectively bypassing the route coordinated with Iran—which was the safe passage,” he added.

“This is while we had taken all necessary measures to ensure the safe transit of vessels."

He emphasized that no country can be expected to fulfill its commitments unilaterally, and that Iran has not revoked the MoU despite repeated US violations.

"We have never started violating it," he said, adding that the United States had breached its commitments under the Islamabad MoU.

The spokesman of Iran’s negotiating team with the US argued that since Washington failed to uphold its obligations, Tehran will no longer fulfill its commitments either “because this is a reciprocal action".

According to Baghaei, Paragraph 5 of the memorandum, which focuses on the Strait of Hormuz, very clearly states that Iran would develop mechanisms for the future management of the strategic waterway in consultation with Oman and through discussions with other regional countries.

He noted that Tehran had already been engaged in such a process even before the MoU was signed.

Baghaei explained that the MoU envisioned a 30-day period to ensure shipping traffic would return to normal and establish mechanisms for the safe passage of vessels.

However, he said, the United States launched military action against Iran only 21 or 22 days after the signing of the MoU, preventing the process from being completed within the agreed 30 days.

Baghaei pointed out that the Strait of Hormuz has only two coastal states, Iran and Oman.

“During the war initiated by the United States on February 28, it exploited the waterway for military aggression against Iran while simultaneously using its military bases in the Persian Gulf countries to facilitate attacks,” he emphasized.

As a coastal state, he said, Iran is entitled under international law to take necessary measures to ensure that the waterway is not misused by aggressors to attack the country or undermine its national interests.

The spokesperson also condemned US threats to attack Iran's infrastructure, including bridges, power grid, and reactors, which are tantamount to “targeting an entire nation and an admission of genocide”.

Baghaei emphasized that Iran had never attacked anything other than the US military bases and assets in the Persian Gulf countries.

"We will defend ourselves with all our strength. This is what we deserve and are entitled to in accordance with international law. We have no choice but to fight back,” he pointed out.

The United States resumed its military aggression against Iran last week in violation of the MoU, which both sides signed on June 17 in an effort to halt wars on all fronts.

Iran has responded with several rounds of drone and missile strikes against US military assets across the region.

US 'sinister plot' thwarted with collapse of 'southern corridor': Iran’s judiciary chief

The Iranian Judiciary chief says the collapse of the US southern corridor scheme thwarted its sinister plot.

In a message posted on social media on Saturday, Iranian Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Eje'i said the American enemy's "sinister plot" has been "nipped in the bud" with the collapse of the "southern corridor" scheme.

"What is happening in the blue waters of the Persian Gulf is the clearest evidence of the American enemy's strategic failure because with the defeat of the southern corridor plan, its sinister plot was nipped in the bud,” he said, referring to a US plan to establish an illegal shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz to break Iranian control over the strategic waterway.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir