Iran remains in contact with the United States and is seeking an agreement despite renewed military strikes and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the White House said Thursday.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the latest U.S. strikes were carried out after Tehran allegedly violated a memorandum of understanding reached with Washington.
“The reason for the recent strikes over the course of the last several days is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them,” Leavitt told reporters.
She said the agreement required Iran not to attack commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
According to Leavitt, Tehran breached that commitment by firing on commercial ships operating in the waterway.
She added that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to vessels that are not travelling to or from Iranian ports.
The U.S. Navy continues to operate in the region to ensure ships can safely pass through the strait, Leavitt said.
Despite the escalation, the White House said communication between Washington and Tehran was continuing and that Iran still wanted to reach a deal.
The remarks come amid heightened military tensions between the two countries and growing concern over the security of commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.