©picture alliance / Consolidated News Photos | Yuri Gripas - Pool via CNP
Following Friday’s U.S. strikes, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has warned Iran. “Violence will be met with violence,” he wrote on X late on Friday night. According to Vance, Iran signed the ceasefire and Washington has abided by it.
“If they disagree with how the memorandum is being implemented, they can pick up the phone,” Vance wrote. “But violence will be met with violence.” With those words, he set the tone following a new escalation between Washington and Tehran.
On Friday, the U.S. military struck military targets in Iran in retaliation for an Iranian drone attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz the day before. Iran did not explicitly admit to attacking the ship, but did state that ships are only permitted to sail along routes approved by the country. U.S. President Donald Trump called the attack on the cargo ship a “foolish” violation of the ceasefire by Iran. According to U.S. Central Command, targets struck in retaliation included missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar systems.
Washington labeled the Iranian attack on the cargo ship a clear violation of the ceasefire. This referred to an agreement set forth last week in a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran. Among other things, the memorandum stipulated that both countries would observe a ceasefire for sixty days.
It remains unclear how the recent violations will affect negotiations between the two countries. Talks between Washington and Tehran had just begun in Switzerland last weekend.
According to the U.S. military, it remains “present and vigilant” in the region in order to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
©picture alliance / Consolidated News Photos | Yuri Gripas - Pool via CNP