Iran Suspends Deal With US as Supreme Leader Khamenei Dismisses Trump's Signature as "Worthless"

Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has declared that the US president's signature on the agreement with Tehran carries no weight, arguing that Washington has already violated its commitments under the memorandum of understanding with Iran on multiple occasions. Reuters reported on the written statement issued by the successor to Ali Khamenei, the long-serving supreme leader who was killed in an Israeli strike in February.

On Saturday, Tehran suspended its obligations under the agreement, which had been seen as a key step toward ending the war launched by the US and Israel.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public even once since taking up the post following his father's death, read out the statement on state television. In it, he also warned the United States that if strikes on Iran continue, Americans will learn a lesson they won't soon forget.

Last week, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to avenge his father's death, mourned by Iranians during six days of funeral ceremonies. He said the revenge was inevitable and represented "the demand of the entire nation."

The hostilities, triggered by joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, have continued at varying intensity for five months now. Although a ceasefire was announced in April and the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June, Tehran has since suspended its commitments, claiming Washington had violated every point of the agreement.

The latest escalation has been under way since July 7, and since Tuesday the US has once again imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. According to Al Jazeera, citing Iranian authorities, renewed American strikes have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500. Since Monday, the American side has reported ten wounded Marines and three sailors.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz