Senior Iranian Cleric Says US-Iran MoU Has Collapsed After Renewed Conflict

Speaking during Friday prayers in Tehran, senior Iranian cleric Haj Ali Akbari said recent nationwide public mobilization reflected the resilience of the Islamic Republic and broad public support for the country’s leadership. He described calls for retaliation over the killing of Iran’s “martyred leader” and other victims as a legitimate national demand rooted in Islamic principles and the country’s deterrence strategy.

Akbari outlined what he described as four stages of retaliation: bringing those responsible for attacks on Iran to justice, removing US military bases from the region, eliminating Israel, and ending US global dominance. He also accused the United States of violating commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, alleging that Washington had initially recognized Iran’s right to manage the Strait of Hormuz before abandoning the agreement by launching attacks on Iranian infrastructure and civilian facilities.

Declaring that “the negotiations and the memorandum of understanding are over,” Akbari said future relations between Iran and the United States would be determined by the military capabilities of Iran’s armed forces. He also described the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic asset that serves Iran’s economic and security interests, calling it an important element of the country’s deterrence policy.