Iran and U.S. clash over Strait of Hormuz as Article 5 of their MoU is disputed
Renewed attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have revived accusations that both Iran and the United States are violating Article 5 of their June 2024 memorandum of understanding, which calls for safe passage of ships.
The latest exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz began on Friday when a vessel was struck by a projectile, prompting a U.S. retaliatory strike. Iran denied responsibility for the initial hit, while the United States said its response targeted Iranian forces. Both sides have since accused each other of breaching Article 5 of the interim memorandum of understanding signed on June 17, which obliges Iran to ensure safe, charge-free passage for commercial ships for 60 days and to remove technical and military obstacles within 30 days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran remains solely responsible for overseeing the strait during the 30-day period and warned that any unilateral action would delay its reopening. An associate professor at the University of Tehran, Hassan Ahmadian, argued that the United States is seeking to alter the agreement’s terms, while Tehran-based analyst Abas Aslani described the strait as a strategic deterrent against future attacks.
Defence analyst Wolfgang Pusztai noted that Iran’s recent attacks on ships and the U.S. retaliations suggest both parties are not pursuing full escalation, leaving room for a diplomatic settlement. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that only the northern corridor within Iranian waters is authorized, forcing several tankers to change course.
Traffic through the strait fell from 70 transits on Wednesday to 40 on Saturday, according to maritime monitoring data. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the U.S. strikes as a violation of the United Nations Charter and the MoU, while the U.S. Central Command said its operations were a direct response to continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping. U.S. Vice President JD Vance reiterated that the United States has honored the cease-fire agreement but will meet violence with violence.
