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Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, has accused the United States of violating the ceasefire through military actions near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.
In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the UN Security Council, Iravani said alleged US military action against two Iranian oil tankers near Jask Port and the Strait of Hormuz, along with attacks on Iranian coastal areas, constituted "a clear violation of the ceasefire" and "a gross violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter". He warned that continued US military activity in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz could have "catastrophic consequences" extending beyond the region and threatening international peace and security. "The United States will bear full responsibility for the consequences of these actions," Iravani said in the letter, as cited by IRIB. The Iranian envoy also called on the United Nations and the Security Council to "unequivocally condemn" what he described as "illegal" US actions, including a naval blockade against Iran, and urged Washington to comply with international law and avoid further escalation. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said that US naval forces disabled two more Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as part of the ongoing US blockade measures against the Islamic Republic, while also redirecting 57 commercial vessels in the region. In a statement issued on Friday, CENTCOM said US forces disabled the Iranian unladen tankers M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda before the vessels could enter a port of the Islamic Republic on the Gulf of Oman. According to CENTCOM, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) fired precision munitions into the smokestacks of both unladen oil tankers, preventing them from reaching Iranian territory. "US Central Command (CENTCOM) enforced blockade measures against two Iranian-flagged unladen oil tankers attempting to pull into an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) disabled both tankers after firing precision munitions into their smokestacks, preventing the non-compliant ships from entering Iran," the statement read. This comes after US forces on May 6 disabled another Iranian-flagged tanker, M/T Hasna, as it attempted to sail to an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said that his administration is expecting a response from Iran later in the day regarding Washington's proposal aimed at ending the ongoing West Asia conflict. Speaking to reporters before travelling to a dinner at his golf course in Sterling, Virginia, Trump said, "We'll hear from them supposedly tonight," when asked whether Washington had received any response from Tehran. When pressed on whether he believed Iran was intentionally delaying the process, Trump said he was uncertain, adding, "We'll find out soon enough." (ANI)
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