Tehran has condemned Mondays strikes in its southern province as officials met with mediators in Qatar

Iran has accused the US of violating the ceasefire after American fighter jets struck targets in the country's southern Hormozgan province.

On Monday, US Central Command said American forces had carried out "self-defense strikes" on missile sites and naval vessels attempting to mine the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian media, several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval speedboats were targeted, and at least three sailors were killed in what was the largest military clash with the US since the May 7 strikes in southern Iran.

Seyyed Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, said the attack constituted a breach of the fragile truce reached on April 8.

"The ceasefire violation during the negotiations was once again committed by the treacherous enemy," Mousavi wrote on X on Tuesday.

"The IRGC Aerospace Force is ready to deliver a decisive and rapid response and carry out the orders of the respected commander-in-chief," he added.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry released a statement condemning the "gross violation" of the ceasefire and saying that Iran would hold the US "responsible for all the consequences resulting from these aggressive and unjustified actions."

The strikes came after US officials hinted that the two sides were close to a breakthrough in negotiations, which had stalled over disagreements regarding Iran's nuclear program, sanctions, and the future status of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, returned from talks with Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday.

Tehran had earlier said the US must regain the trust of the Iranian people after Washington and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28 during Omani-mediated talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that finalizing an agreement could take "a few more days." The outcome of the talks, however, remains unclear, as President Donald Trump reiterated on Monday his demand that Iran relinquish its enriched uranium stockpile - a condition Tehran has previously rejected.

(RT.com)