US-Iran
US-Iran crisis deepens: Tehran freezes landmark MoU amid fresh American strikes
Iran has suspended its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the United States, accusing Washington of repeatedly violating the agreement amid the ongoing military confrontation, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said.
Speaking to reporters, Gharibabadi said the US had undermined the agreement even as diplomatic negotiations were underway.
“We were in negotiations. Unfortunately, it was the Americans themselves who, in fact, took these aggressive actions, in violation of their own commitments,” he said, according to Iran's Fars News Agency.
“We have suspended all of our commitments and are, in fact, no longer implementing them,” he added.
According to Fars, Iran has documented dozens of alleged US violations since the MoU was signed in mid-June. These include actions affecting Iranian arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz, renewed threats of military strikes, raids in southern Iran, the reimposition of oil sanctions, and continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
US launches fresh strikes on Iran
The announcement came as the United States launched a fresh round of strikes against Iran on Sunday, further escalating the conflict after two American soldiers were killed in an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the latest operation marked the eighth consecutive night of strikes targeting Iranian-linked positions.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 19, 2026
According to CENTCOM, the strikes were intended to "swiftly punish" forces associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington holds responsible for attacks on US personnel in the region.
US President Donald Trump ordered the strikes, which CENTCOM said were also aimed at further degrading Iran's capability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important energy corridors.
Two US soldiers killed in Jordan
Earlier, CENTCOM confirmed that two US service members were killed while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan on Friday. Another American soldier remains missing.
The military said four personnel were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan before being discharged, while several others treated for minor injuries have since returned to duty.
The latest casualties bring the total number of confirmed US military deaths since the conflict began on February 28 to 16, according to the US military.
UN voices concern
The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the continuing military escalation between Iran and the United States.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday that Secretary-General António Guterres remains alarmed by the growing conflict and the damage to civilian and military infrastructure across the Gulf region.
“He is particularly concerned about attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region,” Haq said. “Such attacks are unacceptable.”
The latest developments come just a month after Tehran and Washington signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, following an intense US-Israeli bombing campaign that began in late February.
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