Risks of the Iran deal collapse grew on Friday as disputes over Strait of Hormuz shipping and fighting in Lebanon threatened the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
Rob Geist Pinfold, a defence studies lecturer at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera the deal was in “serious danger of collapsing”.
Geist Pinfold said the MoU aimed to stop violence near the Strait of Hormuz and in Lebanon. It also aimed to reopen the Strait before wider talks on Iran’s nuclear program and regional allies.
“We’re now more or less back to square one,” he said. He cited continued conflict in Lebanon and rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian officials also hardened their position on shipping routes. Tehran said vessels must coordinate directly with Iran before using the strait.
Iran said safe passage could not be guaranteed through vague arrangements or parallel routes. It warned that any route outside Iranian coordination could face suspension.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said ships must use routes announced by Iran. The warning followed disputes over proposed alternative routes for commercial vessels.
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, WAM reported. He urged full commitment to the MoU and protection of maritime routes.
Read: Hormuz Transit Routes Limited to Iran-Approved Paths
Al Nahyan also called for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He said diplomacy and responsible dialogue offered the best path to regional stability.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said 22 Iranian crew members from the Lenore/Davina had arrived in Karachi, Sindh. He said Pakistan was working with Iranian missions for their safe return.
In Lebanon, the Israeli military said it killed seven alleged Hezbollah members in the south. The army said they had moved weapons near soldiers in an area it calls a security zone.
The new violence in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. It reported settler attacks near Ramallah and an Israeli raid at Al-Ras Mosque in Hebron’s Old City.
