Iran accuses US of attacking commercial ships

Iran accused the United States on Tuesday (26) of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and carrying out attacks on Iranian merchant ships, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry said the US had continued what it called "illegal and unjust actions" since announcing the ceasefire and committed "numerous maritime robberies" against Iranian merchant ships.

Tehran also accused Washington of flagrantly violating the ceasefire in Iran's Hormozgan region over the past 28 hours. The Strait of Hormuz is located along the southern coast of the Hormozgan region of Iran.

On Monday (25), the US military carried out "self-defense strikes" against missile launch sites and Iranian vessels around the Strait of Hormuz, amid a ceasefire between the two countries and ongoing negotiations to end the war, according to Centcom (US Central Command).

"American forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces," Centcom spokesman Timothy Hawkins said in a statement to CNN when asked about the explosions near the Strait of Hormuz.

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The Foreign Ministry said the actions occurred while a diplomatic process mediated by Pakistan was underway and described them as further proof of what it called "deception and betrayal" by the US.

"Iran will not leave any act of aggression unanswered and will not hesitate to defend its interests," the statement concluded.

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Source: CNN