Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has accused the United States of choosing what he described as a “reckless military adventure” whenever diplomacy appears possible.
In a post on X, Araghchi insisted that Iranians would “never bow to pressure” and questioned Washington’s motives following renewed military confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz. He suggested the latest escalation could either be a pressure tactic or the result of outside influence pushing US President Donald Trump into another conflict.
The tensions come amid continued clashes between US and Iranian forces in the Gulf region. Despite the exchanges, President Trump maintained that a ceasefire agreement remains in effect and said it is intended to create room for negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that began after US and Israeli military operations launched in February.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is expected to respond to a US proposal on Friday, expressing hope that Tehran’s response would be serious.
Iran has continued to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz and has reportedly targeted US allies in the Gulf in retaliation for attacks carried out by the US and Israel. The strategic waterway handles nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, with ongoing disruptions causing global energy prices to rise sharply.
Earlier this week, President Trump temporarily launched a military operation aimed at freeing nearly 2,000 vessels stranded in the region since February before pausing the mission. The US has also intensified pressure on Tehran by maintaining a naval blockade around Iranian ports, a move strongly condemned by Iranian authorities.
On Friday, US Central Command (Centcom) announced that American forces had disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman after the vessels allegedly attempted to enter an Iranian port in violation of the blockade. According to Centcom, precision strikes targeted the ships’ smokestacks to stop them from docking.
The US military also claimed it is currently preventing more than 70 tankers from accessing Iranian ports.
The latest developments follow Thursday’s confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz, with both Washington and Tehran accusing each other of initiating the attacks. Centcom alleged that Iran launched missiles, drones, and small boats at three US warships in what it described as an “unprovoked attack.”
Iran’s military leadership, however, accused the US of targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel near the Strait of Hormuz while also carrying out airstrikes on several coastal locations.
Iranian officials said one cargo vessel near the waters of Minab caught fire during the attacks. Mohammad Radmehr, an official in Hormozgan province, confirmed that ten injured sailors had been taken to hospital while rescue teams continued searching for others believed to be missing.
President Trump later claimed on Truth Social that US forces had destroyed multiple Iranian drones, missiles, and small boats during the confrontation. He warned that the US would respond with even greater force if Iran failed to quickly agree to a deal proposed by Washington.
Source: BBC.com
