Araghchi says Iran will not enter talks under threats, urges US to honour MoU

WEBDESK: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday said Iran would not begin negotiations on a final agreement as long as threats continued, citing provisions of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached with the United States.

In a post on X, Araghchi said millions of Iranians had united to honour former Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Khamenei and that neither the public nor Iran’s armed forces would be intimidated by threats. Referring to Paragraph 13 of the MoU, he urged Washington to “honour your signature”, asserting that negotiations on a final deal would not commence while threats persisted.

Earlier on Monday night, Axios reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards allegedly launched at least two missiles at commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The report cites two US officials, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world’s busiest energy shipping routes. The report said two commercial ships sustained significant damage but there were no reported casualties.

In a separate incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile early Tuesday while sailing about eight nautical miles (15 kilometres) east of Limah, Oman. The agency said the projectile hit the vessel’s port side, sparking a fire, but added that no injuries or environmental damage had been reported.

Reuters could not independently verify the Axios report or confirm whether the vessel mentioned by UKMTO was among the ships reportedly targeted. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) did not immediately comment on the allegations.

The incidents have renewed concerns over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that carries roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies. Commercial shipping in the area has remained vulnerable since the conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, despite an interim arrangement that included commitments to protect civilian vessels. The reported attacks come days after indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without a public breakthrough, despite a 60-day ceasefire aimed at creating room for diplomacy.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would either secure an agreement with Iran or “finish the job”, reiterating the possibility of military action as tensions remain high.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had warned ships over maritime radio during the weekend that their missiles and drones were “ready to fire”. The newspaper, citing a recording it obtained, reported that one of the vessels believed to have been struck was the LNG carrier Al Rekayyat, operated by Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat). The report said the vessel suffered damage near its engine room, causing a fire, although all crew members were reported safe.

Nakilat, QatarEnergy and Qatar’s International Media Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.