Iran has accused the US of undermining diplomacy by violating the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, saying Washington’s actions had shattered the foundation for meaningful dialogue between the two countries.

Speaking to Austria’s ORF television, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the United States had committed a “flagrant and gross violation” of the agreement, describing it as the third time in a year that Washington had derailed diplomatic efforts through military action against Iran.

“The entire world expected that this time, at least, the United States would fulfil its commitments,” Baqaei said.

“Instead, it violated several provisions of the agreement, betraying diplomacy once again.”

Despite the setback, Baqaei said indirect communication between Tehran and Washington continues through mediators, including Pakistan, Oman and Qatar.

However, he stressed that meaningful negotiations require mutual trust, which he said had been eroded by US actions.

“Iranians have never sought war. We were attacked and forced to defend ourselves,” he said, adding that Iran remained committed to defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity.

Baqaei also defended Tehran’s handling of maritime security, saying Iran had fully honoured its obligations under the Islamabad memorandum to facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

He said Article 5 of the agreement provided a 30-day period to restore commercial shipping through the strategic waterway to pre-war levels, but claimed the United States launched a large-scale military operation against Iran before that process could be completed.

According to Baqaei, Washington justified the operation by citing incidents involving commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran’s compliance with the agreement.

He further accused the United States of imposing a naval blockade on Iranian shipping and introducing a 20% tariff on vessels transiting the strait only weeks after the memorandum was signed, calling both measures clear breaches of the accord.

Baqaei said Iran’s immediate priority remained protecting its people and defending the country against what he described as US “war crimes”.

Asked about the prospects for lasting peace in the Middle East, the spokesperson said achieving regional stability would remain difficult as long as “forces that seek war” continued to fuel conflict, accusing Israel of decades of aggression against countries across the region.