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| Tehran |
Fresh tensions have erupted between the United States and Iran after Tehran accused Washington of pursuing what it described as a “reckless military adventure” despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending months of conflict in the Gulf region.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, criticised the US in a strongly worded post on X on Friday, saying Washington repeatedly chooses military escalation whenever diplomacy appears possible.
According to Araghchi, Iran would “never bow to pressure,” as clashes intensified around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz a key global shipping route through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes.
The latest exchange of accusations came just a day after both countries blamed each other for fresh attacks in the Gulf waters. The US military also confirmed new strikes on Iranian vessels as tensions surrounding maritime security continue to deepen.
Araghchi questioned whether Washington’s recent actions were intended as a pressure tactic or the influence of political actors allegedly misleading US President Donald Trump into another prolonged conflict.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, Trump insisted that an existing ceasefire arrangement remained intact. The ceasefire is reportedly designed to create room for negotiations aimed at ending the war launched earlier this year by the US and Israel against Iran.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran was expected to respond to American diplomatic proposals on Friday.
Speaking during a visit to Italy, Rubio expressed cautious optimism about the negotiations.
“I hope it’s a serious offer,” he said.
The crisis has increasingly centred on the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been asserting control while also targeting US allies in the Gulf as retaliation for earlier American and Israeli attacks.
The waterway has become a major flashpoint in global energy markets. Concerns over potential disruptions have already triggered sharp increases in oil prices and heightened fears of broader economic instability across multiple regions.
Earlier this week, Trump authorised — and later paused — a US military operation aimed at freeing nearly 2,000 commercial vessels stranded in the area since February due to the escalating conflict.
At the same time, Washington has maintained a naval blockade around Iranian ports in an effort to pressure Tehran into accepting American conditions during negotiations.
That blockade has drawn strong condemnation from Iranian officials.
On Friday, the US Central Command, known as Centcom, announced that American forces had intercepted two Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to enter an Iranian port through the Gulf of Oman in alleged violation of the blockade.
According to the US military, American forces used “precision munitions” targeting the ships’ smokestacks to disable the vessels without sinking them.
The latest confrontation followed violent exchanges on Thursday in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Centcom accused Iran of launching missiles, drones and small attack boats against three US warships in what it described as an “unprovoked attack”.
Iran, however, rejected that account. Tehran’s military leadership claimed American forces had targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel approaching the strait while also conducting aerial strikes on coastal locations.
Iranian officials said one cargo vessel near the waters of Minab caught fire during the incident.
Mohammad Radmehr, a provincial official in southern Hormozgan Province, said at least 10 sailors were injured and taken to hospital, while emergency and rescue teams continued searching for other crew members.
Trump later posted on Truth Social that US forces had destroyed several Iranian drones, missiles and small boats during the confrontation.
He warned Tehran that future attacks would be met with even stronger military action if Iran failed to quickly agree to a deal with Washington.
The growing confrontation has raised fears of a wider regional conflict that could further destabilise global oil markets, disrupt international shipping routes and deepen geopolitical divisions across the Middle East and beyond.
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