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Middle East Tensions Rise as Trump Threatens Iran Over Lebanon, Strait of Hormuz Dispute
Trump warns Iran of tougher military action if Tehran fails to restrain its allies in Lebanon. The threat comes as US-Iran negotiations continue in Switzerland and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran of possible fresh military strikes if Tehran does not stop its allied groups in Lebanon from escalating tensions.
The threat was issued as Vice President JD Vance met Iranian representatives in Switzerland for the first round of talks under a recently signed interim peace agreement.
The discussions, hosted at the Buergenstock resort, were overshadowed by Iran’s decision to once again close the Strait of Hormuz, despite commitments made under a memorandum of understanding reached last week.
The agreement required the reopening of the strategic shipping route and a cessation of hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon, where Israel has been engaged in military operations since March.
Iran argued that the United States had failed to fulfil its pledge to help end the fighting in Lebanon. As a result, Tehran said it had reimposed restrictions on the strait and made clear that key issues such as its nuclear programme would remain off the agenda during the talks.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump declared.
Fox News reported that Trump also said he had warned Iranian officials that closing the Strait of Hormuz would leave them without a country and suggested the U.S. could take control of the crucial waterway.
At the negotiations, Vance sought to reassure observers that progress was being made despite continued instability in Lebanon.
“These things are always a little bit messy,” he remarked.
Vance added that Trump wanted to reset relations with Iran, saying the president had “asked us to turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran.”
Despite a ceasefire announcement on Friday, hostilities in Lebanon showed no signs of ending. Iran cited the continued fighting as justification for its renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a move that previously caused unprecedented disruption to global energy markets during a nearly four-month shutdown.
Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that military authorities had suspended the issuance of new permits for ships seeking passage through the strait until further notice.
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