By Anietie anii-bassey
Iran sharply condemned fresh U.S. military strikes on Tuesday, accusing Washington of acting in “bad faith” and undermining delicate negotiations aimed at ending months of conflict that have destabilized the Middle East and rattled global energy and food markets.
The latest confrontation came as Tehran also began restoring internet access across the country following a sweeping national shutdown that had been in place since January, a measure authorities defended as necessary during wartime conditions.
The United States said Monday’s strikes targeted missile launch facilities and minelaying boats in southern Iran, describing the operation as defensive and measured. American military officials insisted the action was carried out with restraint despite the fragile ceasefire that has largely held since early April.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry swiftly denounced the strikes as a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement and warned that the United States would face responsibility for the fallout.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will leave no act of aggression unanswered,” the ministry said in a strongly worded statement, though officials stopped short of outlining what form retaliation might take.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later claimed it had intercepted and destroyed drones and forced away a fighter jet that entered Iranian airspace. Iranian state-linked media reported the incidents but did not provide details about the aircraft involved or when exactly the encounters occurred.
The escalating rhetoric added new uncertainty to negotiations that have been taking place in Qatar, where diplomats have been trying to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a broader regional war.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had traveled to Doha for discussions with regional mediators. Iranian state television reported Tuesday that both men had departed Qatar, though no information was given about the status of talks or plans for further negotiations.
Despite the renewed military tension, U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that negotiations were “proceeding nicely,” suggesting the White House still believes a broader agreement remains possible.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, also weighed in Tuesday, using a message tied to the annual Hajj pilgrimage to frame Iran’s confrontation with the United States and Israel as part of a broader regional struggle.
He declared that Middle Eastern nations would no longer act as “a shield” for American military installations in the region, renewing Tehran’s longstanding criticism of U.S. bases across neighboring countries.
The comments raised fears that Iran could once again target American facilities or allied infrastructure if tensions continue to rise.
The ceasefire itself remains fragile after months of fighting that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year. Iran responded at the time by effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies had previously flowed.
The closure stranded hundreds of commercial vessels and triggered major disruptions in global shipping and energy markets. Although some traffic has resumed, uncertainty surrounding the waterway continues to pressure international trade and commodity prices.
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported an explosion aboard a tanker in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities said no injuries were reported, and the cause of the blast remains under investigation.
The economic impact of the conflict is extending far beyond oil markets. Experts warn that continued disruption in Gulf shipping lanes is now threatening fertilizer supplies worldwide, raising concerns about future agricultural production and food security.
Speaking at an event in Rome, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General Qu Dongyu warned that the crisis could evolve into a much broader global emergency if instability continues.
“What we are witnessing today is not only a geopolitical crisis. It is a systemic shock to the global agriculture and food system,” Qu said.
He cautioned that decisions made in the coming weeks could determine whether the world faces a manageable economic disruption or a deeper food security crisis stretching into 2026 and beyond.
Iran has attempted to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in negotiations, alongside disputes surrounding its nuclear program and stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Tehran is also demanding an end to the U.S. military blockade imposed on Iranian ports in April.
At the same time, Trump has expanded the scope of negotiations by linking any potential agreement to broader diplomatic changes in the region. The U.S. president has pushed for additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, to join the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered agreements aimed at normalizing relations with Israel.
The accords, first signed in 2020, led Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to establish formal ties with Israel. Sudan, Morocco and Kazakhstan later followed, while Egypt and Jordan had already maintained long-standing peace agreements with Israel for decades.
However, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the broader conflict involving Palestinians have complicated Washington’s efforts to expand the accords. Anger across the Arab and Muslim world has made normalization politically difficult for several regional governments.
Even so, Trump has continued pressing for a wider diplomatic realignment in the Middle East and has suggested that Iran itself could eventually become part of the framework if a broader settlement is reached.
For now, however, the renewed military exchanges and sharp rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran have cast fresh doubt over whether the fragile ceasefire can survive long enough for diplomacy to succeed.