Trump used Iran MOU as stalling tactic, then resumed strikes — SkimNews
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- Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran on June 17 that he later declared 'over' on July 11, calling Iranians 'scum,' after a series of strikes and counterstrikes.
- Cassidy initially opposed the MOU but reversed his position after a briefing from Vance and Witkoff, suggesting the administration had a 'plausible plan' to achieve war goals without the agreement holding.
- U.S. Navy directed commercial ships to use a new transit corridor along the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz starting June 18, directly challenging Iran’s claimed authority over shipping routes.
- Rubio announced a trilateral agreement focused on Hezbollah’s disarmament, undermining the MOU’s ceasefire provisions and enabling Israel to continue operations in southern Lebanon.
- Iran accused the U.S. of violating the MOU by establishing an alternative maritime route, warning such moves were 'unacceptable' after the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely was fired upon near Oman on June 25.
- CENTCOM conducted retaliatory strikes on Iranian coastal sites on June 26 and launched 80 additional strikes on July 7 and 90 more on July 8, killing 14 and injuring 78, according to Iran’s Health Ministry.
- Administration officials stated that frozen Iranian assets would not 'ever touch Iran,' limiting access to humanitarian purchases only, despite MOU obligations to unfreeze them.
Why it matters: The U.S. gained short-term leverage over Hormuz shipping routes but lost long-term diplomatic credibility, as Iran and international observers now view American commitments as inherently untrustworthy, increasing the risk of prolonged conflict. This undermines future ceasefire efforts and strengthens hardliners on both sides.
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