Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran will reciprocate if Washington returns to its commitments under the June interim agreement.
BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN — WEB DESK: Iran has urged the United States to return to its commitments under a June interim agreement to halt their conflict, as tensions remained high following renewed exchanges of fire and US President Donald Trump’s threat of further strikes.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would immediately reciprocate if Washington honoured its commitments under the agreement. He made the remarks in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
Pezeshkian calls for US to honour deal
Pezeshkian said Iran remained prepared to reciprocate if the United States returned to its obligations under the June Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The agreement had declared an end to fighting but left several difficult issues unresolved and provided for a broader 60-day negotiation period. That period passed without a further agreement.
The Iranian president also said earlier that war was in no one’s interest and that Tehran remained open to a negotiated solution.
Trump threatens further strikes
The diplomatic appeal came after Trump threatened further US military action against Iran.
A Fox News reporter quoted Trump as saying Washington would “hit them hard” and that there would be a response. Trump separately told reporters that the renewed strikes did not mean the conflict had returned to full-scale war.
The latest confrontation followed a US strike on Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Iran subsequently launched missiles at two US air bases in Jordan, according to the Reuters report.
Tehran warns of harsh response
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that the latest exchanges represented a limited and contained confrontation, but warned that Tehran would respond harshly if Iran were attacked again.
The statements from both sides have raised concerns that the conflict could again shift from economic pressure and sanctions toward direct military confrontation.
Neither side has indicated that it wants a return to an all-out war, but the renewed threats have heightened uncertainty across the region.
Strait of Hormuz remains key concern
The confrontation is also affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy shipments.
Iran has repeatedly said it would allow free navigation through the waterway if Washington implements the terms of the June agreement. Meanwhile, reports of attacks involving tankers leaving the strait have added to concerns over the security of commercial shipping.
Oil prices have risen as traders assess the risk of further disruption to supplies from the Gulf.
Brent crude futures rose another 1.3% on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
US increases economic pressure
Alongside military threats, Washington has continued to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States was likely to announce additional bank sanctions against Iran, while warning that countries doing business with Tehran could face secondary sanctions.
Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, meanwhile, said Tehran had sufficient foreign currency reserves and that the central bank was prepared to inject up to $2 billion into the foreign-exchange market to stabilise recent volatility.
Iran’s economy under pressure
Iran’s economy has faced increasing pressure during the conflict.
The Iranian currency fell to a record low in August, crossing the threshold of two million rials per US dollar, while annual inflation reached 66% in July, according to the Reuters report.
The latest developments therefore carry implications beyond military security, with energy markets, trade and Iran’s domestic economy also exposed to the continuing confrontation.
