TEHRAN — Iran’s acting defense minister has warned that the country’s armed forces remain on a war footing and will strike back forcefully against any violation of the current ceasefire, as the United States appears either unable or unwilling to fully uphold its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed in mid-June.

Brig. Gen. Majid Ibn Reza made the remarks during a phone call on Tuesday with Qatar’s Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, expressing gratitude for Doha’s role in mediating the truce.

“We trust our brothers, but we do not trust the enemy,” General Ibn Reza said, according to a readout of the call. “Our fingers remain on the trigger, and without any doubt, if any provision of the cease-fire is violated, we will take necessary and proportionate action.”

The general pointed out that the United States has “violated its commitments on several occasions even during this short period." 

His comments came days after Iran’s armed forces launched missile and drone strikes against eight U.S. military installations across the region overnight Saturday—a retaliatory response to renewed attacks on Iranian territory. Those U.S. strikes, which CENTCOM acknowledged as “operations” conducted inside Iran, followed Tehran's decision to prevent vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route. Under the terms of the MoU, all shipping through the strait is required to operate under Iranian arrangements.

General Ibn Reza said the latest exchange of fire was part of six to seven decades of American “interference and broken promises.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will never forget the assassination and martyrdom of its highest political and religious leader, military commanders, innocent people, and especially the schoolchildren of Minab,” he said. “These crimes will remain forever in America’s black record.”

Turning to regional security, the acting defense chief rejected any foreign military role in the Persian Gulf, noting that the presence of extra-regional forces “increases misunderstanding, mistrust, and insecurity” rather than stability.

“The Strait of Hormuz must not be exploited by extra-regional countries,” he said. 

The recent escalation followed a U.S.-Israeli war of aggression, which was halted by a Pakistan-brokered cease-fire and later reinforced by a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington. That accord, which includes provisions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, also requires the United States and its allies to fully cease military action against Iran and its regional partners, including Lebanon. Israel has yet to stop attacking Lebanon or withdraw its soldiers from Lebanese territories.

General Ibn Reza also condemned Israel, asserting that U.S. support has enabled the “continued existence and growing audacity” of Israel, whose survival, he said, “depends on creating crises and tensions in the region.”

He reaffirmed Iran’s interest in deepening defense ties with neighboring states, particularly Qatar, and suggested that bilateral cooperation could form the basis for broader regional security mechanisms.

“The more the defense and military cooperation between our two countries expands, the more mutual trust and the region’s collective security will be strengthened,” he said.

The two ministers concluded their conversation with an emphasis on expanding bilateral defense relations.