US Senator Tillis doubts Iran will honour truce

Washington, June 28 (IANS) US Republican Senator Thom Tillis on Sunday voiced doubts that Iran would honour its ceasefire agreement with the US, saying he did not trust Tehran's leadership as renewed military exchanges threatened to derail negotiations. 

Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, Tillis said recent Iranian attacks had reinforced his long-held scepticism about Tehran's willingness to abide by international commitments.

"I just simply don't trust the Iranian leadership, the mullahs, to live up to their commitments," Tillis said. "We're already seeing it."

His remarks came after President Donald Trump warned Iran overnight that it could "no longer exist" if it continued violating the ceasefire Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), following fresh exchanges of fire between US and Iranian forces.

The latest violence followed Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, raising new concerns over the durability of the agreement reached earlier this month.

Asked whether the MoU remained a good deal, Tillis questioned whether Iran could be trusted to implement it.

"My goodness, cease-fires have we had over the past several months?" he said. "And this one was supposed to be keyed to a 60-day agreement."

Tillis said much more work remained before any durable agreement could be achieved.

"I don't believe that they were any more faithful to this agreement than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), unless it is buttoned down tight. And I just don't see that happening in 60 days," he said.

The interview came as tensions escalated in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest energy shipping routes.

Earlier, Iran had attacked two commercial ships in the Strait despite the ceasefire arrangement and was signalling that vessels would require its permission to transit the waterway. The renewed exchanges have raised fresh concerns over global energy supplies and the future of US-Iran negotiations.

ABC News also reported that overnight, Iran launched drones and missiles towards Bahrain and Kuwait, both of which host US military bases. According to the network, a US official said there had been no reported American casualties or damage, but both sides appeared to be testing each other's red lines.

Trump later warned on social media that continued Iranian violations could force the United States to "militarily complete the job", signalling growing frustration within the administration over repeated breaches of the ceasefire.

The current memorandum of understanding followed months of escalating military confrontation between Washington and Tehran. While both governments have said they remain committed to negotiations, repeated exchanges of fire have cast doubt on whether a broader and more durable agreement can be reached.

--IANS

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