Key facts
- Iran's IRGC denied reports of a direct US hotline.
- President Trump accused Iran of violating a ceasefire with a drone strike in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran's foreign ministry stated U.S. strikes on coastal surveillance facilities were a 'blatant violation' of a peace deal.
- The International Maritime Organisation announced evacuations of 115 ships and 2,500 seafarers from the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iranian media reported an explosion in Sirik, southern Iran.
- Iran has resumed cargo clearance from the UAE's Jebel Ali Port.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has denied reports of a direct hotline with the United States concerning the Strait of Hormuz, calling them 'sheer lies.' IRGC spokesperson General Mohabi stated such a hotline 'has not happened and will not happen,' asserting Iranian control over the Strait.
These statements follow U.S. President Donald Trump's accusation that Iran violated a ceasefire by launching four suicide drones toward ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump claimed one drone struck a cargo ship, while the U.S. shot down the other three, describing the action as a 'foolish violation.'
Iranian state television also reported that three foreign oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz 'without authorisation' turned back after receiving warnings from the IRGC. Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized Iran's right to legitimate self-defence.
Amid escalating tensions, the International Maritime Organisation announced that since Tuesday, June 23, a total of 115 ships and 2,500 seafarers have been evacuated from the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media also reported an explosion in Sirik, southern Iran, though the source was not immediately clear.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, condemned the U.S. strikes as a 'reckless violation of the ceasefire,' stating Trump has shown he has no commitment to negotiation principles. Iran's foreign ministry denounced the U.S. strikes on coastal surveillance facilities as a 'blatant violation' of the Memorandum of Understanding and the UN Charter.
An Iranian trade official stated on Saturday that Tehran has resumed cargo clearance from the UAE's Jebel Ali Port, a major transit hub for Iranian goods. Containers that could not be processed due to 'wartime conditions' are now being cleared, and trade is expected to return to pre-war levels gradually.