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US Vice President JD Vance has warned Iran that any further violence will trigger a stronger American response after Washington carried out strikes following Tehran's attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest escalation comes just a week after the United States and Iran reached an interim peace agreement aimed at ending months of conflict, raising fresh concerns about the durability of the fragile ceasefire.

Vance urged Tehran to pursue diplomacy if it had concerns over the agreement, saying disagreements should be addressed through dialogue rather than military action.

Vance Calls for Dialogue, Warns Against Violence

"If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone," Vance wrote on X.

"But violence will be met with violence," he added, signalling that Washington would respond firmly to any further attacks.

The warning followed US military action after Iran allegedly targeted a commercial vessel in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Trump Says Iranian Strike Violated Ceasefire

The United States and Iran had reached an interim understanding last week to begin working towards ending their months-long conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump said the Iranian attack on the container ship amounted to a violation of that ceasefire. The strike came shortly after Trump responded, "You'll find out," when reporters asked whether Washington intended to retaliate.

"I don't like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them," Trump told reporters at the White House before the US launched its response. Asked why strikes were taking place despite his insistence that talks with Tehran were progressing well, Trump replied: "They're a little bit different."

Iran Defends Its Position on Strait of Hormuz

Iran maintained that it exercises control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime passage through which around 20 per cent of global oil flows.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament's national security commission, responded to Trump's remarks on social media, saying, "the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules," while urging Washington to "not mistake control for escalation."

"This is not a violation of the ceasefire; it is ceasefire management," Azizi wrote.

Maritime Operation Underway Amid Rising Tensions

The attack on the cargo ship occurred as a United Nations maritime agency began an operation this week to help move stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz.

The operation involves using an alternative route that hugs the coast of Oman instead of passing through the central section of the strait, as concerns over security continue to grow.a