A fragile Middle East truce came under pressure on Tuesday as the United States and Iran exchanged fire in the Gulf while vying for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said in a social media post that violations of the four-week-old ceasefire by the U.S. and its allies had put shipping and energy flows through the crucial waterway at risk.
Attacks In The Gulf
The U.S. military said on Monday it destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, after President Donald Trump sent the navy to escort stranded tankers through the strait in a campaign he called “Project Freedom”.
Several merchant ships in the Gulf reported explosions or fires on Monday, and an oil port in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts a large U.S. military base, was set ablaze by Iranian missiles.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has effectively closed the strait with threats of mines, drones, missiles and fast attack craft, while the United States has responded by blockading Iranian ports.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Monday’s events showed there was no military solution to the crisis. He said peace talks were progressing with Pakistan’s mediation, and warned the U.S. and the UAE against being drawn into a “quagmire.”
UAE Oil Port Ablaze
Iranian authorities released a map of what they said was an expanded maritime area now under Iranian control, stretching beyond the strait to include lengthy sections of the UAE coastline.
After a day of reported drone and missile attacks inside the UAE, including one that caused a fire at Fujairah, an important oil port, the UAE said Iranian attacks marked a serious escalation and it reserved the right to respond.
Peace Efforts Stalled
The Middle East war has killed thousands and disrupted the global economy. The U.S. and Iran have held one round of direct talks, but further meetings have stalled.
Donald Trump says U.S.-Israeli strikes targeted what he called imminent threats from Iran, including its nuclear and missile programmes and regional activities. Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, is reviewing a U.S. response to its proposal, though details remain unclear.
U.S. intelligence suggests only limited damage to Iran’s nuclear programme so far, even as Trump pushes to eliminate its enriched uranium stockpiles.
(With inputs from Reuters)
