Senior diplomat warns Iran will take ‘firm measures’ to safeguard national interests in face of US violations

A senior diplomat has warned that Iran will take “firm measures” to safeguard its national interests and national security in the face of the United States’ successive violations of a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi made the remarks in a post on X on Tuesday following reports of the US’s decision to revoke the sanctions waiver permitting the sale of Iranian oil and subsequent fresh American attacks against the country’s territory.

The decision constitutes a “flagrant violation” of Clause 10 of the understanding, while the renewed aggression amounts to “serious violation” of the memorandum’s first and second provisions.

The understanding was signed last month with the aim of ending the cycle arising out of the most recent bout of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.

It envisions removal of restrictions on the sales of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals for a 60-day period, while its first clause clearly necessitates cessation of aggression on all fronts.

Gharibabadi’s remarks came after US CENTCOM, which overseas the American troops deployed to the West Asia region, confirmed taking place of the fresh aggression.

Damage, injuries reported

Iranian media outlets reporting on the violations, cited several explosions heard near the Sirik County and Qeshm Island in the southern Iranian Hormozgan Province.

A correspondent for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), meanwhile, reported that enemy projectiles had “injured several people” in Sirik’s fishing and commercial port.

A ports and maritime administration official in the province also reported “black smoke” billowing behind the fish market in the port city of Bandar Abbas, identifying it as “the result of enemy projectiles striking the Bandar Abbas fishing pier, causing a number of local civilian fishing boats to catch fire.”

This is, by far, not the first time, when the United States targets the Iranian soil following the April 7 announcement of a unilateral ceasefire by US President Donald Trump that preceded talks leading to the MoU.

Iran’s Armed Forces have responded to each instance with decisive retaliatory strikes against strategic and sensitive American targets across the region.

Gharibabadi also reminded Washington’s failure to duly pressure the Israeli regime to end its aggression against Lebanon in line with the understanding’s demand for cessation of war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

“Over the past three weeks, the United States has also repeatedly violated Clauses 1 and 2 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding in light of the actions of the Zionist regime in Lebanon and its own threatening statements directed at Iran.”

The Islamic Republic “issues a serious warning regarding the consequences of the United States' breach of its commitments,” the official concluded, reiterating the caution.

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