U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Iran is not living up to a performance-based memorandum of understanding with the United States.
The warning comes as tensions escalate following recent U.S. strikes and threats from Tehran to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane. Failure to adhere to the agreement could lead to further military or diplomatic escalations as the U.S. maintains that all responses remain available.
Speaking during an address to the United Nations Security Council in New York, Waltz said Iran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz were "a cynical, sad and sick attempt at global blackmail" [1]. He said such actions are not an act of self-defense but an attempt to manipulate international trade and security [1].
Waltz said the current diplomatic framework was designed to be contingent on specific actions. "The president … has always said this was a performance‑based MOU," Waltz said [2]. "Iran is not living up to it, and all options are on the table" [2].
These statements follow a period of heightened instability in the region. The ambassador's comments occurred shortly after U.S. strikes and ahead of the funeral for Ayatollah Khamenei [3, 4]. During separate remarks, Waltz said the Iranian leader had "blood on his hands" [5].
The U.S. position suggests that the memorandum of understanding is not a static treaty but a conditional arrangement. By linking the agreement to performance, the U.S. administration has signaled that any deviation from the terms, including threats to maritime corridors, justifies a reconsideration of the agreement's validity.
“"Iran is not living up to it, and all options are on the table."”
The shift toward a 'performance-based' interpretation of the MOU indicates that the U.S. is moving away from traditional diplomatic patience toward a policy of immediate consequences. By framing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as 'global blackmail' rather than a regional dispute, the U.S. is attempting to galvanize the UN Security Council and international shipping partners to isolate Iran economically and politically.
