KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran and the United States traded fresh attacks in the Gulf on Sunday, with both sides accusing each other of violating an interim agreement signed less than two weeks ago to end their four-month-long war, as tensions rose over control of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of the fragile ceasefire.
Shortly after President Donald Trump warned that Washington might “militarily complete the job,” Iran launched missiles and drones at US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, continuing a cycle of retaliatory strikes, Reuters reported.
The US military said it had carried out new strikes on Iran hours after a Panama-flagged tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important energy shipping route, which Iran had largely cut off for much of the conflict.
The 14-point US-Iran interim agreement was intended to halt the fighting, which the US and Israel began on February 28, reopen the strategic waterway to shipping, and allow negotiations on deeper disputes, including Iran’s nuclear programme.
The deal followed a round of mediated talks in Switzerland led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, after which Washington eased sanctions on Tehran.
However, the ceasefire quickly came under strain as both sides resumed accusations of aggression.
Iran said recent US strikes violated the agreement and threatened to end diplomatic efforts, while Washington said Tehran had failed to honour the truce by continuing attacks on commercial shipping.
The latest escalation began after a cargo ship attack on Thursday, followed by Saturday’s tanker strike in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran is seeking greater control over the waterway, which carried around one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies before the war and had only recently begun reopening after months of disruption.
Hundreds of ships, including oil tankers, remained trapped in the Gulf during the conflict. As vessels began leaving through the strait over the past two weeks, increased supply pushed oil prices close to pre-war levels.
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