Iran halts message exchanges with U.S., may block Hormuz, Tasnim news agency says

Iran has ceased communication with the United States via mediators, citing attacks on Lebanon as the reason, Tasnim news agency reported Monday. This development occurs amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the three-month-old conflict.

According to the report, Iran and the "Resistance Front," which includes its Shiite allies in Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq, have outlined a strategy to completely block the Strait of Hormuz. They also intend to activate other strategic maritime routes, such as the Bab El Mandeb Strait, as a means to "punish" Israel and its international supporters.

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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.

The report further claims that the war, which it states was launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, has resulted in thousands of casualties, primarily in Iran and Lebanon. It also attributes global economic distress and rising energy prices to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated on X that "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," referring to Israeli operations in Lebanon. Tasnim added that Iranian officials and negotiators emphasize 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," asserting that no talks will occur until these demands are met.

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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.