Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they struck a cargo ship owned by the “American-Zionist enemy” with a cruise missile after an Iranian freighter was attacked in the Sea of Oman.
“Following the aggressive attack by the terrorist and child-killing U.S. military on the Iranian ship Lian Star in the Sea of Oman, the IRGC Navy, in a retaliatory operation targeted the ship MSC Sariska owned by the American-Zionist enemy with a cruise missile,” the force said in a statement late on Monday.
“Any aggression by the child-killing U.S. military in this area will be met with a decisive response,” the IRGC warned in a statement carried by the Sepah News website.
Iraqi port authorities confirmed that a merchant ship had been hit by two explosions in the Persian Gulf, one of which was reportedly caused by a drone attack.
The incident occurred 40 nautical miles south-east of Iraq’s port city of Umm Qasr on Monday.
The encounter followed a week of tit-for-tat exchanges between the IRGC and the U.S. military in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Iran said it had responded to alleged U.S. ceasefire violations by striking air bases in the region from which the attacks originated.
Amid escalating tensions following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that any violation of the ceasefire between Iran and the United States on one front, including Lebanon, would be regarded as a breach of the truce across all fronts.
“The U.S. and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” he wrote in a post on the X social media platform.
His comments came before Israel withdrew its warning of an attack south of Beirut following a reported phone call between Israeli and U.S. leaders.
Iran’s top diplomat also held telephone conversations with his counterparts in Belgium, France, Pakistan, Qatar and Türkiye, as well as with Pakistan’s army chief, whose country is mediating efforts to extend the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the U.S.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as repeated ceasefire violations by the United States in Iran’s southern waters and by Israel in Lebanon, warning of repercussions for regional peace and security.
In a statement, the ministry referred to the ceasefire agreement reached in April, stressing that the Israel-U.S. war with Iran must cease on all fronts, including Lebanon.
“Recalling the ceasefire agreement dated 8 April 2026, according to which the imposed war by the United States and the Zionist Regime against our country was stopped on all fronts, including Lebanon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that since the declaration of the ceasefire, the United States has repeatedly committed flagrant violations of the ceasefire, including continuous attacks on Iranian commercial shipping,” it said.
The ministry reiterated that Iran “will defend its interests wherever necessary and with all its might in accordance with the inherent right of legitimate self-defence”.
After weeks of stalled negotiations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei blamed Washington’s “shifts in positions and contradictory demands” for the lack of progress in talks with Tehran.
“In circumstances where one party constantly changes its views, raises new demands, and sends contradictory messages by media, it is natural that it prolongs the negotiation process,” he told a weekly press conference on Monday.
He stressed that Iran entered the talks with the U.S. out of “total mistrust”, rejecting reports that Tehran and Washington had reached an agreement on a renewed peace deal.
Responding to a question, Baghaei said the ongoing indirect talks do not concern Iran’s civilian nuclear programme.
“At this stage, the negotiating parties are focusing on ending the war,” he said.
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