Iranian Parliament Speaker Accuses US of Major Violations

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday accused the United States of major violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), citing the United States' attacks on Iran, renewed oil sanctions, threats of further attacks, violations of Iran's "adjustment" in the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon.

"The era of intimidation and extortion is over," Ghalibaf said in a post on X, Al Arabiya reported from Reuters (8/7).

"We will not give up," he said.

As previously reported, the US Central Command (US CENTCOM) said the US military had launched a wave of attacks against Iran on Tuesday.

"US Central Command (US CENTCOM) forces have begun launching a series of powerful attacks against Iran to impose a heavy cost for targeting and attacking commercial vessels manned by innocent civilians in international waterways," US CENTCOM said in a statement on social media X, quoted from Al Arabiya,

Iran has attacked three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, including Qatari and Saudi Arabian vessels.

"The aggression shown by Iran is unjustified, dangerous, and clearly a violation of the ceasefire," explained US CENTCOM.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) then claimed to have launched missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) towards 85 US military locations in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to the latest wave of US attacks on Iran.

Through a post on Telegram quoted by CNN, Wednesday, July 8, the IRGC said that its naval and air forces' joint operation targeted US military facilities in the Port of Salman, Bahrain - where the US Fifth Fleet operates - as well as the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait.

Meanwhile, Washington revoked a permit that allowed the country to sell oil, after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, putting pressure on an already fragile ceasefire.

The 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian online on June 18, with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar, reopened the vital Strait of Hormuz and ended hostilities, but major issues still need to be addressed in talks, including Iran's nuclear program.

The signing of the MoU was followed by the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland on June 21, and was followed by technical talks between the two countries.