Iran has formally suspended its commitments under the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the United States on 18 June, after Tehran accused Washington of violating the terms of the agreement through a series of military strikes. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the development on 19 July, stating that the US had effectively suspended 'all its commitments' under the deal.

What Gharibabadi Said

Speaking in an interview with state-run IRIB TV, Gharibabadi said Iran is now focused squarely on national defence, adding that there is 'no news of negotiations.' He stated: 'What we are currently faced with is defending the country in a decisive manner. This time too, the Americans have already received their answer that these aggressive actions will lead nowhere. If they are wise, they should choose other solutions.'

Gharibabadi's remarks signal a significant breakdown in the diplomatic framework that had been constructed less than five weeks ago with the explicit aim of ending the regional conflict, including in Lebanon.

US Strikes and Iran's Military Response

According to reports, the United States has launched multiple waves of strikes on military sites and infrastructure across Iran's southern provinces over the past week. Washington claimed the strikes were aimed at 'degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping' through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting US military bases and facilities across several Gulf countries and Jordan. On Saturday, Kuwait and Bahrain confirmed their air defence systems had intercepted fresh rounds of Iranian aerial attacks. A key oil facility and a power generation and water desalination plant in Kuwait were reportedly struck.

Civilian Casualties in Iran

Hossein Kermanpour, head of the Iranian Health Ministry's public relations, said in a Saturday social media post that 50 people have been killed and more than 500 others wounded in US strikes on Iran since 27 June. Among the dead were five women and two minors under the age of 18; the injured included 32 women and 18 minors, with 37 people still hospitalised, according to Kermanpour.

Background: The June MoU and Its Collapse

Iran and the United States signed the MoU on 18 June with the stated goal of ending hostilities across all regional fronts. Under the agreement, both sides were to begin negotiations toward a final deal within 60 days. Those talks have now stalled, with disputes over the Hormuz Strait and the latest military exchanges effectively unravelling the framework before the negotiation window had even opened.

This comes amid growing alarm among Gulf states, several of which are now directly caught in the crossfire between the two powers. With Iran formally declaring its exit from MoU obligations and no negotiations on the horizon, the path back to diplomacy appears increasingly narrow.