Iran will immediately reciprocate if the United States returns to its commitments under an interim deal signed in June, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday. He made his comments at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Bishkek after the first exchange of direct attacks in the U.S.-Iran conflict since late July, with the U.S. striking Larak Island and Iran then launching attacks on two U.S. air bases in Jordan.
“I am stating clearly that if the U.S. returns to its commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately reciprocate,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by state media. He was referring to an interim deal signed in June between Tehran and Washington in efforts to end the war, which started with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. The deal quickly unraveled amid disagreements over its implementation. Tehran has repeatedly said it will allow free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil supplies, only if Washington implements the terms of the agreement.
