Iran says interim deal with US has 'absolute clarity', no ambiguity

Iranian spokesman calls interim deal with the US clear, but conflict escalates with US airstrikes and Iranian retaliation against Bahrain and Kuwait. The flare-up follows the death of a US service member, pushing the region closer to war.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Monday reiterated Tehran's position on the interim deal signed with the United States, maintaining that the document features absolute clarity. Addressing journalists in the Iranian capital, Tehran, the spokesperson emphasised that "there is no ambiguity" within the framework of the agreement.

Providing details on the structure of the accord, Baghaei stated, "The text of the memorandum of understanding is a short text and has 14 clauses." He further re-established Tehran's geopolitical stance regarding the strategic maritime trade route, adding, "We had said from the very beginning that the responsibility for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz lies with Iran and this issue will be pursued in consultation with Oman and through dialogue with regional countries."

Warning Washington against reneging on its diplomatic commitments, the spokesperson stressed, "The text is completely clear, and there is no excuse for America to break the treaty."

Military Escalation Erupts

These diplomatic assertions come amidst a severe escalation on the ground, as the conflict between the United States and Iran intensified further early Monday. The US military launched a fresh round of airstrikes on Iranian targets, just hours after confirming the death of another American service member in Iraq. In immediate retaliation for the American bombardment, Iran launched targeted attacks against US-allied Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet, and Kuwait, pushing the region significantly closer towards a broader war.

The military flare-up underscores the steady collapse of last month's interim agreement, which was originally designed to permanently halt hostilities. Shipping corridors through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage claimed by Tehran, remain largely blocked, with both factions targeting crucial civilian infrastructure.

Impact on Global Markets

The ongoing hostilities have severely impacted global markets, sending Brent crude prices soaring past USD 90 a barrel on Monday and worsening the international energy crisis.

Details of US-Iran Clashes

According to details provided by the US military, the latest American casualty occurred in Iraq on Saturday, where a service member succumbed to injuries sustained during the "controlled detonation" of a downed Iranian drone. Reacting to the dynamic situation, US President Donald Trump stated, "We hit them very hard again tonight," adding, "And we did that in honor of the" soldiers killed.

The US Central Command confirmed that it has now conducted airstrikes for a ninth consecutive night. In an official briefing, the command stated that the latest operations zeroed in on "Iranian military command centres, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and communications networks."

Concurrently, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the American strikes resulted in at least one fatality near Tabriz in northwestern Iran, a city heavily suspected of hosting subterranean Revolutionary Guard missile facilities. The state media further indicated that the aerial bombardments likely impacted Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan province, Sirik and Jask in Hormozgan province, alongside Konarak and Chabahar in Sistan and Baluchestan province.

Attacks in Strait of Hormuz

Amid the initial wave of aerial strikes, the British military reported that a commercial vessel caught fire early Monday in the Strait of Hormuz near the Omani coastline, though the precise cause of the blaze remains under investigation. While the US military had previously advised commercial shipping lines to utilise the Omani route to bypass Iranian jurisdiction, the Revolutionary Guard subsequently claimed responsibility for targeting tankers within the channel.

The regional fallout from the strikes widened rapidly as Bahrain activated its nationwide missile alert sirens on Monday morning. Simultaneously, Kuwaiti authorities confirmed that their national air defence units were actively engaging and firing at an incoming Iranian barrage.

President Trump had previously threatened to disable Iran's power stations and bridge infrastructure to compel Tehran to loosen its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's traded oil supply passed prior to the outbreak of the war. Recent operational movements indicate that the US military is progressing with that strategy. Over the past week, Washington enforced a strict naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude oil exports, with the military stating on Saturday that it had redirected six vessels and disabled another since the enforcement began.

Diplomatic Outlook Dims

The sudden intensification of fighting occurs past the halfway mark of the 60 days legally mandated under the provisional deal to negotiate a permanent end to the war and address related issues, including Iran's nuclear programme.

Outlining Washington's diplomatic position, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that the administration remained open to dialogue but clarified that "it has to be real." "We're going to continue to respond. If the door opens to diplomacy - if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations - that'll be a very positive development. That's not where we are tonight, unfortunately," Rubio stated.

Human Cost of Conflict

Providing updates on the human cost of the escalation, Iranian authorities announced on Sunday that the latest waves of US strikes had killed at least 50 individuals and left 517 others injured. Since the outbreak of open warfare on February 28, a total of 17 US service members have lost their lives, leaving the outlook for a diplomatic resolution deeply precarious.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)