U.S. President Donald Trump has raised fresh doubts about the durability of the ceasefire that halted the recent war with Iran, accusing Tehran of failing to uphold key elements of the agreement related to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
In a post on his social media platform Thursday evening, Trump criticized Iran for allegedly interfering with tanker traffic through the strategic waterway.<\/p>\n
\u201cIran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz,\u201d Trump wrote. \u201cThat is not the agreement we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, the president warned that Iran must stop reports suggesting it is charging tolls on tankers traveling through the strait.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait. They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>\n
The White House has said reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a central element of the ceasefire deal. While Washington supports free navigation through the waterway, it opposes Iran\u2019s military controlling the route in a way that generates revenue from ships passing through it.<\/p>\n
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world\u2019s most critical energy corridors, carrying roughly 20 percent of global oil and natural gas shipments. Disruptions in the channel have already caused oil prices to surge worldwide.<\/p>\n
Israel Signals Direct Negotiations With Lebanon<\/p>\n
Amid the fragile ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he has authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon aimed at disarming Hezbollah and potentially normalizing relations between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Israel and Lebanon have technically remained at war since Israel\u2019s founding in 1948.<\/p>\n
Despite opening the door to negotiations, Netanyahu emphasized that Israeli forces would continue striking Hezbollah positions until security is restored along Israel\u2019s northern border.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no ceasefire with Hezbollah,\u201d Netanyahu said in a video statement.<\/p>\n
According to officials familiar with the plan, preliminary talks between Israeli and Lebanese representatives could begin next week at the U.S. State Department in Washington.<\/p>\n
The discussions are expected to involve the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, and Israel\u2019s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter. It remains unclear who will represent Lebanon in the negotiations.<\/p>\n
Deadly Israeli Strikes Raise Pressure on Ceasefire<\/p>\n
The announcement of possible talks came after Israel carried out heavy airstrikes across Lebanon, including attacks in Beirut that Lebanese health authorities say killed more than 300 people and injured over 1,000 others.<\/p>\n
Israel says the strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and leadership figures. The Israeli military also reported killing Ali Yusuf Harshi, an aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem.<\/p>\n
Hezbollah has not immediately commented on the claim.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned that continued Israeli attacks on Hezbollah would bring \u201cstrong responses\u201d from Tehran.<\/p>\n
Iranian officials argue that Israel\u2019s operations in Lebanon violate the broader ceasefire agreement, a claim rejected by both Washington and Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n
Hormuz Shipping Crisis Continues<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, uncertainty remains over whether normal shipping will resume through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Iranian state-linked media released a map suggesting that the country\u2019s Revolutionary Guard deployed sea mines in parts of the strait during the conflict. The graphic marked a large \u201cdanger zone\u201d along the primary shipping route.<\/p>\n
Although the ceasefire has halted missile and drone attacks across the region, shipping traffic through the strait remains extremely limited.<\/p>\n
Energy officials estimate that about 230 oil tankers are currently waiting to pass through the narrow waterway.<\/p>\n
The disruption has kept global energy markets on edge. Brent crude prices were trading around $98 per barrel Thursday, roughly 35 percent higher than before the war began.<\/p>\n
Nuclear Program Remains Unresolved<\/p>\n
Major questions also remain about the future of Iran\u2019s nuclear and missile programs, which were central to the conflict.<\/p>\n
The United States insists that Iran must never be able to develop nuclear weapons and wants Tehran\u2019s stockpile of highly enriched uranium removed or neutralized.<\/p>\n
Trump said the U.S. would work with Iran to recover uranium buried in underground facilities damaged by American and Israeli strikes.<\/p>\n
Iran, however, has maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and insists it must retain the right to enrich uranium.<\/p>\n
Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran\u2019s atomic energy organization, said protecting Iran\u2019s enrichment capabilities is \u201cnecessary\u201d in any future negotiations.<\/p>\n
Trump warned that U.S. naval forces and troops would remain positioned around Iran until what he described as the \u201creal agreement\u201d is fully implemented.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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