Iran Condemns Fresh US Strikes, Blames Washington for Rising Tensions

Iran has strongly condemned the latest US strikes on its territory, accusing Washington of damaging months of diplomatic efforts and increasing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the latest US attacks have made several months of talks and diplomacy futile. The ministry stated that the army’s operation has hurt the efforts for regional stability.

Iran further claimed that the U.S. was openly involved in interfering with its vital arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s vital oil shipping lanes. The issue of alleged interference has generated new security concerns in the strategic waterway and hampered international commercial shipping, officials said.

The ministry also said on Saturday that the talks in Muscat, Oman, were mainly centred around the management of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, however, charged the U.S. with putting pressure on Oman to keep the talks from having a successful outcome.

The latest swap has fueled tensions in the region, which sees the Strait of Hormuz as a vital choke point for international shipping and world energy supplies. The developments are likely to attract a keen interest of the international community in the context of the rising security concerns in the region.