Iran says it has closed the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's Hatam Anbia Central Headquarters, operating under the General Staff of the Armed Forces, announced on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed to maritime traffic. The decision was made on the grounds that the United States had violated the first article of an agreement intended to end the war. According to a statement released by the headquarters, the closure was triggered by the non-implementation of the first paragraph of a memorandum of understanding signed to end the conflict. The statement also cited Israel's continued breaches of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians and the failure of occupation forces to withdraw from the area as further reasons for the move. Iranian officials described the closure as the first step in response to the enemy not fulfilling its commitments. The statement warned that further measures would be planned and implemented to compel the enemy to comply with its obligations if aggression continues.