Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Berger Ghalibaf on Wednesday accused the United States of violating a two-week ceasefire agreement.
“Our deep historical mistrust of the United States stems from its repeated violations of its commitments in all its forms. Unfortunately, this pattern is repeating itself again,” Ghalibaf said in a statement posted on social media.
Ghalibaf said three parts of Iran’s 10-point ceasefire proposal had been violated. He said the violations include Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, the entry of drones into Iranian airspace, and the denial of the Islamic Republic’s right to enrich uranium.
The National Assembly Speaker said, “Under these circumstances, a bilateral ceasefire and negotiations are irrational.” President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran’s offer was a viable basis for negotiations.
Vice President J.D. Vance addressed Ghalibaf’s allegations Wednesday during a visit to Hungary.
“Ceasefires are always disruptive,” Vance said in response to allegations of drone incursions into Iranian airspace. The vice president said the US position is that Iran cannot enrich uranium. A ceasefire extending to Lebanon was never part of the deal, he said.
“If Iran wants to break down this negotiation in the much-maligned conflict over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with Iran and the United States has never said it is part of the ceasefire, that is ultimately their choice,” Vance said.
Ghalibaf’s statement came less than a day after President Trump announced that Iran had agreed to halt attacks for two weeks in exchange for allowing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Since the deal was announced on Tuesday night, major rifts have emerged between the US and Iran’s interpretation of the ceasefire, particularly over the Strait.
President Trump said Tuesday that the ceasefire is contingent on the full, immediate and safe opening of the Strait. However, the Financial Times reports that Iran plans to require ships to pay tolls to transit the vital sea route.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters Wednesday that President Trump wants to open the strait “without limit, including tolls.”
Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency earlier reported that oil tanker traffic through the strait had been halted as Israel continued its attack on Lebanon.
During the war, Iranian attacks drastically reduced tanker traffic through the strait, causing the largest oil supply disruption in history. Until the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, about 20% of the world’s oil supplies passed through the strait.
Ship traffic through the strait has not recovered beyond the slow trickle observed during most of the war, cargo and oil analysts told CNBC.
