Iran Accuses US of Plunging Islamabad MoU into Crisis

Teheran (ANTARA) - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has stated that the United States, not Iran, was the first to violate the commitments of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two countries last month. During a weekly press conference on Monday, Baqaei discussed recent regional developments, particularly what he described as new American aggression against Iran, which he said violates the recent agreement and contradicts international law. Responding to a question regarding the future of the MoU following the past week’s developments and US military actions, Baqaei said there is no doubt that the understanding has entered a crisis phase. He added that Iran has never been the first party to violate its obligations. Baqaei explained that the Islamic Republic of Iran always approaches every negotiation seriously and prioritises the interests of the Iranian people. Therefore, he said, Tehran acted in good faith by signing the memorandum in Islamabad. Baqaei accused the United States of not adhering to its promises. According to him, Washington was so impatient in violating the agreement that it did not wait for the one-month period stipulated in Article 5 of the MoU regarding Iran’s obligations in the Strait of Hormuz, and began violating the agreement from the very first days. Referring to the 14-point memorandum, he said Iran has affirmed that it will remain committed to the agreement as long as the other party also fulfils its obligations. No one can accuse the Islamic Republic of breaking its promise, he stated. Regarding a statement by US President Donald Trump, Baqaei rejected claims that the recent talks between Iran and Oman covered issues beyond the Strait of Hormuz. He asserted that no other subject besides the Strait of Hormuz was discussed during the Muscat talks, within the framework of Paragraph 5 of the MoU. He said lying has become part of the behavioural pattern of the US government, and unfortunately, they have become addicted to it. The statement was made in response to Trump’s claim that the Iranian delegation in Muscat had agreed to everything, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, but then attacked ships two hours later. Baqaei stressed that Iran’s effort was to achieve a joint mechanism with Oman to guarantee safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. However, he said this effort could not be achieved due to overt and covert pressure exerted by the United States on Oman.