Iran's foreign minister blames US for armed conflict over Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has blamed the United States for the recent armed conflict over the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Washington of forcing ships onto slower and more dangerous routes than those Iran had designated.

In an interview published Sunday by the daily Iran, Araghchi said Washington's bad faith was responsible for the escalating tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

On Article 5 of the end-of-war MOU covering the reopening of the strait, Araghchi drew a line, saying the text "clearly stipulates that Iran will reopen the strait within one month to ensure safety — including mine clearance — and provide related services free of charge for 60 days." He said the agreement left no room for interpretive ambiguity.

"However, the United States unilaterally opened a slower and more dangerous southern alternative route instead of the route Iran designated for safety reasons, and pressured vessels to use it," Araghchi said.

He also claimed that despite both sides establishing a hotline in Switzerland to prevent misunderstandings, the US had deliberately violated the agreement with the intent to undermine Iran's control over the strait and its sovereignty.

Araghchi also said the dispute between Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia must be resolved through diplomacy, and that Iran is prepared to play a mediating role in that process.

"Yemen's (Houthi) military actions are measures to lift the long-standing Saudi-led blockade, so responsibility cannot be shifted to Iran," he said.

He went on to cite the Persian proverb "a knot that can be untied by hand should not be undone with one's teeth," adding that "the Saudi-Yemen dispute can only be resolved through diplomatic means, and Iran is ready to play a constructive mediating role in this process."

The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels recently blamed Saudi Arabia for airstrikes on Sanaa airport in Yemen, declared an end to the truce and announced a maritime blockade against Riyadh. The Houthis subsequently attacked Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.