Iran is stopping indirect message exchanges with the United States through mediators and may move to block the Strait of Hormuz, amid escalating regional tensions linked to the war involving Israel and Lebanon, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. The report said Tehran’s negotiating team had suspended communications with Washington via intermediaries following recent attacks in Lebanon, as diplomatic efforts continue to contain a three-month-old conflict. Tasnim said Iran and the so-called “Resistance Front,” comprising allied groups in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, had outlined an agenda that could include blocking the Strait of Hormuz and activating additional fronts such as the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, aimed at “punishing” Israel and its supporters. The Bab el-Mandeb, off Yemen’s coast, is a key maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and onward to the Suez Canal, making it one of the world’s most critical shipping routes. “If violations occur on one front, it is considered a violation on all fronts. The United States and Israel will be responsible for the consequences of any breach,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in a post on X, referring to Israeli operations in Lebanon. The war, which began on February 28 according to Tasnim, has killed thousands of people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and has contributed to rising global energy prices amid concerns over disruptions to oil and liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Tasnim further quoted Iranian officials as saying there would be no talks unless Israel halts what Tehran called “aggressive operations” in Gaza and Lebanon and withdraws from occupied areas in Lebanon. Iran has previously signalled that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies, could be used as leverage in regional conflicts, raising concerns among shipping and energy markets.
‘Tehran halts exchange of messages with US over Israeli strikes in Lebanon’
