08/07/2026
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08/07/2026
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (AP)
BERLIN/LONDON, July 8: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday accused Iran of violating the latest interim ceasefire agreement, while the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that nearly 6,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.
Merz said he had told US President Donald Trump that any future agreement with Iran must be durable and sustainable, but maintained that Tehran was responsible for the latest breach of the ceasefire.
"Iran was responsible for the latest violation of the agreement," the German chancellor said.
Meanwhile, International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez strongly condemned the recent attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
"I condemn the attacks over the past two days against several ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz," Dominguez said in a statement.
He warned that the attacks had placed thousands of civilian mariners at risk.
"These reckless attacks have again placed innocent seafarers in grave danger."
According to the IMO chief, almost 6,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf as a result of the deteriorating security situation.
Dominguez called for "maximum restraint and de-escalation," stressing that merchant ships and their crews must be protected and warning against any actions that threaten maritime safety in one of the world's most critical shipping routes.
The statements come as tensions continue to escalate in the Gulf following a series of attacks on commercial vessels and growing concerns over the security of international maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
