Shafaqna Pakistan: Iran on Tuesday vowed to defend “every inch” of its territory as a fresh wave of attacks hit the country, while announcing its withdrawal from the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and accusing the United States of undermining the agreement.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made the remarks in response to recent comments by US President Donald Trump, who claimed that Washington had destroyed much of Iran’s military capability.
In televised remarks, Pezeshkian questioned whether the United States had achieved its objectives on the battlefield, despite its rhetoric.
He also criticised efforts to destabilise Iran, insisting that the country would defend every inch of its homeland.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that Iran is under no obligation to adhere to the MoU with the US as it no longer stands.
“America not only violated the memorandum of understanding but also dismantled it,” State broadcaster IRIB quoted Gharibabadi as saying.
“The failure to implement one of the clauses was enough to collapse the entire memorandum of understanding, and now America has violated all of its obligations.”
No country ‘should be able to’ charge fee for Strait of Hormuz: Trump
Earlier, United States President Donald Trump said that no country should be allowed to charge fees to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
“We would like to invest tremendously in the United States as opposed to charging a fee. And I like that actually because I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the strait or for any other strait relationship in terms of other sections of the world,” Trump said at a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House.
Trump said Gulf countries indicated a willingness to increase investments in the US instead of relying on transit fees.
“The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into the US, and that was very satisfactory to me,” he said. “I think it’s actually much better.”
The president said he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
“I spoke to all of them, and they would love to invest more money in the United States at record amounts, and that would be very acceptable,” he said. “This way, there’s no fee. I don’t like the concept of a fee.”
Trump argued that it was unfair for the United States to bear the burden of protecting a strategic maritime passage used by countries around the world without receiving broader economic benefits in return.
“It’s not fair that we’re protecting this strait for the entire world,” he said.
Asked whether he regretted lifting a naval blockade or granting sanctions waivers, Trump said he had sought to provide an opportunity for diplomacy but blamed Iran for escalating the conflict.
“No. I gave them a chance. I wanted to give them a chance at making a deal … and they shot first, and that was a big mistake that they shot first because we have been knocking the hell out of them,” he added.
Source: Express Tribune
