Iran's Foreign Ministry said renewed United States attacks had rendered an April ceasefire practically meaningless on the date of June 11, 2026. The ministry condemned the strikes as violations of Iranian sovereignty and international law, as two days of renewed exchanges placed the truce under its most severe strain.
The ceasefire had been agreed on April 8 after more than a month of war. Although earlier breaches had occurred, the latest escalation followed the downing of a US helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz and included a new wave of American strikes across southern Iran. Tehran's statement did not formally declare the ceasefire ended, but argued that continuing attacks had deprived it of practical effect.
Iranian authorities announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed until further notice. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the waterway was closed to all vessels, while US Central Command disputed that account and said commercial ships continued to pass. Because the parties offered conflicting descriptions, the operational status of the channel could not be established solely from their statements.
Maritime incidents added to the tension. A Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker carrying 20 Indian crew members sent a distress call after a fire off Oman's port of Shinas. India's Foreign Ministry said the US Navy attacked the vessel; the crew members were reported safe. US Central Command did not immediately comment. Other tankers with Indian crews had also been hit earlier in the week, with three seafarers reported killed in one strike.
Regional governments called for restraint. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the reciprocal attacks risked a wider escalation and urged Washington and Tehran to stop and resume negotiations. Pakistan, which had acted as a mediator, said it remained deeply concerned and would continue efforts toward a negotiated settlement.
Reports indicated that talks continued despite the strikes. Negotiators discussed a mechanism for releasing frozen Iranian funds, with cited Iranian sources seeking between $6 billion and $12 billion. The United States favoured phased access tied to humanitarian purchases rather than an unrestricted transfer, according to the supplied report. No agreement had been announced.
The violence also affected neighbouring countries. Jordan said it intercepted 20 missiles launched from Iran without casualties, while Bahrain reported that falling debris from intercepted drones injured an 11-year-old girl and damaged vehicles and homes. These incidents reinforced the regional stakes of a ceasefire that remained nominally in place but was being breached by substantial military action. Iran's wording captured that ambiguity: it questioned the truce's meaning without supplying a formal notice that diplomacy had ended.
