Iran’s Supreme Leader has called Donald Trump’s deal with Iran “desperate” while the United States military announced that it had ended its blockade of ports
Iran’s Supreme Leader has mocked Donald Trump’s ‘desperation’ to re-open the Strait of Hormuz as he accepted a peace deal to end the war and lift the ongoing US naval blockade on terms seen as highly favourable to the Islamic Republic.
“As you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and the United States of America,” Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement on Thursday.
“In the course of reaching this stage, the officials in charge, out of sincere concern and goodwill, made extensive efforts—and of course, it was the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about.”
Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the interim deal on Wednesday, bringing an end to the three-month war.
A social media post by US Central Command later confirmed that it would no longer blockade maritime traffic heading in and out of the Strait of Hormuz, while Vice President JD Vance told reporters that 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait on Wednesday.
The US Navy currently has more than a dozen ships, including two aircraft carriers, in the the waters off Iran.
Central Command said that US Navy ships “will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect.”
Elsewhere in his message, Khamenei said that while he “held a different view” to the Iranian president on how to deal with Trump, he was convinced to sign off on the peace deal after getting assurances from Pezeshkian that “if the American side seeks to make excessive demands, they will not submit to them.
“From this moment on, we—that is, you, the proud nation, and this humble servant—will await the realization of the aforementioned conditions,” he added.
The Trump administration has received criticism from leading figures in their own Republican party over the deal. Vance, though, urged them to “have a little bit of faith in the president of the United States.”
“The idea that he is going to strike a deal that’s bad for the American people, it’s preposterous” Vance said. Vance added that the administration has to continue to explain the deal to American people.
“I think that when people get to understand not just the agreement, our negotiating posture as a country, they will realize this is an excellent thing for the American people,” Vance said. “That’s part of our job. We’ve got to tell the story about what this means for Americans.”
Under the agreement Iran are to immediately take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and will be allowed to sell its oil without restrictions. And Iran is expected to receive at least $300 billion to rebuild after the war while steps will also be made to end all American and United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran.
