Iran's top diplomat has issued a stark warning to international shipping. He said any attempt to bypass Iran's preferred route through the Strait of Hormuz will increase tensions in the Middle East.
This comes as the United States and Iran continue to trade military strikes across the vital waterway. Early Sunday, US Central Command said it attacked 10 Iranian military targets over continued aggression against commercial shipping. Iran then launched retaliatory strikes against US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April. However, Iran insists all transiting vessels use a corridor close to its own shores. Dozens of ships have recently traveled along the Omani coast instead.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged all parties to adhere to a memorandum of understanding. He stated that deviating from the current arrangements will only delay the reopening of the strait.
The strait handles about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would "no longer exist" if the US is forced to resume the war.
Separately, Israel launched strikes in Lebanon as Hezbollah's leader rejected a deal to end that conflict. This move threatens to derail the wider US-Iran peace effort. Iran called the Israeli strikes a blatant violation of the truce.