Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) (AFP) - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Tehran will “immediately” return to its obligations under the memorandum of understanding it signed last June with the United States if Washington adheres to the agreement aimed at ending the war.
Published on: 01/09/2026 - 08:59 Last updated: 01/09/2026 - 09:52
The presidential website quoted Pezeshkyan as saying during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit hosted by Kyrgyzstan, “It is explicitly announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran, if the United States returns to its obligations under the memorandum of understanding (...), will immediately take similar measures.”
The war broke out in the Middle East with a US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, which caused a war during which Tehran responded by targeting Israel and countries in the region, and closing the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global energy supplies and maritime trade. In connection with this, Washington imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Diplomatic efforts led to a ceasefire in April, followed in mid-June by the signing of a memorandum of understanding that was supposed to pave the way for discussions with the aim of reaching a final agreement, but it collapsed as the two sides resumed hostilities for a short period in early July, while Washington finally declared an “unprecedented economic war” against Tehran.
Pezeshkian's statements came at a time when the strategic Strait of Hormuz still constitutes the main point of conflict in the ongoing war between Iran and the United States, while the two sides resumed exchanging fire on Monday after more than a month of relative calm.
Tehran continues to close the waterway, while confirming its readiness to return to its obligations under the memorandum of understanding, if the United States takes the same step.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday that the solution to the conflict is “clear and simple: the United States must respect its obligations and abide by” what was signed in the memorandum of understanding, “and then things will return to normal.”
© 2026 AFP
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