Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, accused the United States of unilaterally establishing a slower and more dangerous alternative route in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to recent military confrontations. He placed the responsibility for these tensions squarely on the U.S.
In an interview with the Iranian daily 'Iran' on July 25, Araghchi claimed that the U.S. violated agreements regarding the reopening of the Strait and sought to undermine Iran's authority over the waterway, which escalated tensions.
He referred to Article 5 of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) concerning the reopening of the Strait, stating, "It specifies that Iran will reopen the Strait within a month after necessary measures, such as mine removal, and will provide related services for free for 60 days. There is no ambiguity in the interpretation."
Araghchi emphasized that Article 5 grants Iran the authority to determine the routes and navigation methods, arguing that the U.S. violated the agreement by opening a separate route without consulting Iran.
He noted that only two weeks had passed since the implementation of the agreement, with about two weeks remaining, yet the U.S. opened a southern alternative route. "The U.S. knew that the route they created was slower and more dangerous than the one designated by Iran, yet they encouraged ships to use the southern route," he said, adding that they have records of relevant maritime communications.
After several clashes over the routes, both sides established a direct communication line during a meeting in Switzerland to prevent misunderstandings. However, Araghchi contended that the U.S. continued to encourage ships to change their routes, asserting that this was not a simple misunderstanding but a deliberate action.
"I have not seen any goodwill in the actions of the U.S.," he stated, suggesting that the U.S. appeared to be escalating tensions or undermining Iran's sovereignty and management authority over the Strait.
He also mentioned that Iran had repeatedly requested the U.S. to wait 15 more days, either directly or through mediators from Qatar and Pakistan, to see if Iran would fulfill its commitments. "Ultimately, it was the U.S. that violated the agreement and led the situation in the current direction," he emphasized.
Regarding the recent escalation of conflicts related to Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Araghchi stated that there is no military solution and called for dialogue. He noted, "The Yemeni side explains that their actions are aimed at breaking the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia," asserting that the roots of the Yemen issue cannot be found in Iran.
He added that if dialogue begins between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Iran could play a positive and constructive role, emphasizing that the Yemen issue should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue, akin to the Persian proverb about untangling knots with hands rather than tools.
Araghchi also claimed that attacks on U.S. military bases and facilities in the region during the war with the U.S. were acts of self-defense. He stated that Iran continuously communicates with regional countries to clarify that it has no hostile intentions toward them.
However, he expressed dissatisfaction that the territories and airspace of some countries have been used for U.S. military operations against Iran. He reiterated the need to rebuild trust with neighboring countries after tensions subside, advocating for a 'strong region' where regional countries can jointly secure security and stability without relying on external powers.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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