TEHRAN – Iran carried out fresh attacks against U.S. military installations in the region on Friday night in response to earlier American strikes on Iran’s southern territories, attacks that have further raised doubts about Washington’s genuine commitment to peace and whether a final agreement with the Trump administration remains feasible.

In a statement, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced it had "targeted the deployment sites of the U.S. terrorist military in the region." Since the war began on February 28, Iranian forces have struck and significantly damaged numerous American military sites across the Persian Gulf. In its most recent statement, however, the IRGC did not specify which sites were hit. Analysts believe the targeted bases were likely those used by the U.S. hours earlier to attack Iran’s port city of Sirik.

The attack on Sirik came after Iran fired warning shots at vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz via a route not approved by Tehran. Iran has imposed heavy restrictions on passage through the strait since the U.S. and Israel began their aggression, less than a year after the 12-day war they initiated in June 2025. Under Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which allowed Iran and the U.S. to halt hostilities and begin talks toward a conclusive peace deal, ships were permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without tolls for 60 days, provided that Iran arranged their passage. The vessels warned by Iran were trying to cross through an unconfirmed route near Omani waters, apparently following instructions from the United States.

Iran and the U.S. have exchanged several such attacks since they reduced the intensity of fire in March, but the recent strikes were the first since the Islamabad MoU was signed on June 17.

The Trump administration’s repeated attempts to open a new route through the Strait of Hormuz appear aimed at depriving Iran of what is seen as one of its most important leverage points. Tehran has warned for years that it would restrict passage through the strait if the U.S. continued or escalated pressure against it. Iran is now in talks with Oman, the only other coastal state of Hormuz, to develop a framework that would allow it to receive compensation for the environmental and security services it has provided to the world free of charge for years, while also ensuring that Americans cannot rebuild military equipment in the region to repeat acts of aggression.

Violations since day one 

In a statement published on Saturday, Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the new U.S. airstrikes, calling them a “flagrant violation” of the Pakistan-mediated MoU. The second article of the agreement states: "The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The statement also noted that the strikes breached the first article, which declares: "The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war are signing this MOU to declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts." This article has been violated by the U.S. and Israel since the day it was signed—particularly as it explicitly includes Lebanon, yet the Zionist regime has refused to cease its attacks on Lebanese soil or withdraw its forces from the country’s southern territories. Washington has yet to apply meaningful pressure on Israel to force its exit.

The Friday attacks were also followed by new Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, further dimming hopes that the current peace talks will bear fruit. Iran and the U.S. convened in Switzerland last week alongside Qatari and Pakistani mediators for the first round of talks toward a final deal, after the two previous sets of negotiations were effectively bombed out by surprise American and Israeli attacks on Iran in the midst of those talks—a track record that, along with continued violations of the Islamabad Memorandum, piles further pressure on Iran's negotiating team, which is already under heavy strain from conservative factions at home for engaging with a regime that has repeatedly betrayed diplomatic efforts.