Iran announced Monday it is ending diplomatic message exchanges with the United States conducted through third-party mediators, according to the Tasnim news agency. The decision comes as Tehran objects to ongoing attacks in Lebanon during the continuing three-month conflict.
According to the news agency, Iran and the Resistance Front—which encompasses its Shiite allies across Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq—have developed plans to fully obstruct the Strait of Hormuz and engage other strategic locations, including the Bab El Mandeb Strait, as a means to “punish” Israel and its supporters.
Should the Houthis, who are Iran’s partners in Yemen, establish a new battlefront, they would likely target the Bab El Mandeb Strait located near Yemen’s coastline. This narrow waterway serves as a crucial shipping corridor that regulates maritime traffic flowing toward the Suez Canal.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on X Monday: “Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The U.S. and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” addressing Israeli military actions in Lebanon.
The conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 has resulted in thousands of casualties, predominantly in Iran and Lebanon. The war has also triggered worldwide economic disruption by elevating energy costs, as Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial international corridor for oil and liquefied natural gas transport.
Tasnim further reported: “The immediate cessation of the Zionist regime’s aggressive and brutal army operations in Gaza and Lebanon and the necessity of the regime’s complete withdrawal from the occupied areas in Lebanon have been emphasized by Iranian officials and negotiators, and there will be no talks until Iran and the resistance’s views on this matter are met.”
