Hardline Iranian faction sparks Strait of Hormuz attacks, derailing US-Iran peace pact

In July, a hard-line faction inside Tehran directed three ships in the Strait of Hormuz to be attacked, effectively nullifying the June memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. The strikes were ordered by Hossein Taeb, the newly appointed head of the Basij militia, which previously suppressed protests in January. Iranian expert Alireza Namvar Haghighi said the move was intended to destroy any chance of future negotiations.

The attacks unfolded while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, severely injured earlier in the war, has not appeared publicly, raising doubts about his capacity to command. President Masoud Pezeshkian, a moderate who had hoped the cease-fire would end the conflict, was left without a clear answer on who gave the orders. The incident underscores deep divisions within Iran’s political and military hierarchy and has led to ongoing confrontations in the Hormuz corridor.