Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic again on Saturday, hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah had been announced. The closure came over what Iran called violations of a memorandum of understanding signed earlier in the week.
According to CBS News, more than a dozen people were killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes overnight Saturday, even after three diplomats briefed on the matter confirmed that Israel and Hezbollah had reached a ceasefire agreement. Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade attacks and accuse each other of violating the deal.
Iran's military command issued a statement blaming the closure on the "United States' bad faith and its clear breach of its commitment to implement the first clause of the memorandum ending the war" and Israel's "failure to withdraw from the territories of southern Lebanon." Israel has stated it will not withdraw its forces.
The Strait of Hormuz had been reopened just Wednesday. Iran said it was reclosing it under the first clause of a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which called for the war to stop on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Talks between Iran and the U.S. that had been expected to begin in Switzerland on Friday were postponed. The White House blamed logistical issues for the cancellation of Vice President JD Vance's trip to Geneva. Officials told the Associated Press and other outlets that Iran had suspended the talks due to the ongoing fighting in Lebanon.
Then, almost immediately after announcing the closure, Iran reversed course. The Iranian foreign ministry issued a statement saying its delegation would travel to Switzerland after all. "The Iranian delegation will travel to Switzerland to follow up on and demand the implementation of the other side's commitments," the statement read. "If part of the other side's commitments is not implemented, the entire memorandum of understanding will be jeopardized."
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff had already traveled to Switzerland overnight, CBS News confirmed, ahead of negotiations aimed at a potential nuclear agreement. The memorandum stipulates that talks will run for a duration of 60 days but could be extended if both sides agree.
The MOU covers a wide range of conditions. Iran considers Israel's continued presence in Lebanese territory a violation of the agreement's first clause, a position Israel has not accepted.
