Further Middle East unrest dominates tense delay of peace deal signing

By Morgan Sweeney
The Center Square

In a day that was supposed to feature technical negotiations following the signing of a preliminary peace deal, Iran has instead issued multiple warnings and confusion over the Strait of Hormuz after Vice President JD Vance’s diplomatic trip was canceled.

“Following the publication of the strategic message of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution regarding the negotiation process and the signing of the memorandum ending the war, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stressed that any deviation or violation by the US side would be met with reciprocal action in accordance with a pre-determined plan,” reads an article by the Iranian Fars New Agency.

The Supreme Leader is the former Ayatollah’s son, Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, who said in a statement he authorized the signing of the preliminary peace deal based on certain reassurances from the Iranian president, though he himself “held a different view.”

Another article contained a further warning from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, saying that they would not hesitate to “impose an even greater historic defeat” on the U.S. if it “once again resorts to excessive demands.”

After President Donald Trump signed the memorandum Wednesday and Vance gave a lengthy press conference on its contents Thursday, plans appeared to be unraveling as soon as Thursday night.

Vance was supposed to arrive in Switzerland on Friday to begin technical negotiations with Iran, but instead the trip was canceled late Thursday.

Israel and Hezbollah traded blows in Lebanon overnight – a violation of the MOU, which states that any fighting between the U.S. and Iran “and their allies” was ended with its signing.

Then, according to reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forbade vessels from entering the strait because it said the U.S. had violated the MOU.

Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dismissed those claims “made by some media outlets regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that following the MoU, Iran has taken the necessary measures to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait, and shipping in this route is currently underway,” according to Iranian media company Iran’s Today.

Baghaei was quoted as saying that there the parties were planning to meet “in the coming days.”