Tehran, Iran - Iran said it was once again closing the vital Strait of Hormuz on Saturday over Israeli attacks in Lebanon, as Iranian and US negotiators prepared to converge on Switzerland for talks on implementing a deal to end the Middle East war.
Follow-up negotiations had been planned in Switzerland on Friday, but were postponed at the last minute as Israel carried out a wave of deadly strikes in Lebanon after four of its soldiers were killed in combat.
The US announced a renewed ceasefire there on Friday afternoon – a stipulation under the deal it signed with Iran – but Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah fighters and conducted strikes again on Saturday, with both sides accusing the other of violating the new truce.
Citing a US "breach of contract" and "the Zionist regime's continuous and relentless violation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon", Iran's central military command announced Saturday "that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic".
The Revolutionary Guards' naval force warned vessels not to approach the waterway, "otherwise, their security will be jeopardised".
The strait, an important conduit for oil and gas shipments, was blockaded by Iran for much of the war, sending shockwaves through global energy markets.
Tehran had agreed to reopen it under the preliminary accord signed this week by President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, and shipping traffic had started to pick back up in recent days.
The US military's Central Command said after the announcement that its "forces remain present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to".