‘Explosions heard’ at Iranian oil refinery hours after US-Iran ceasefire

Less than a day after Donald Trump and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, explosions have been reported on Lavan Island in Iran.

The island is one of the major terminals in Iran for the export of crude oil, and is further south in the Persian Gulf.

The explosion was reported this morning by Iranian media and has since been confirmed by other media outlets in the region.

‘This morning, after the ceasefire was established, several explosions occurred at the Lavan Island refinery. The source of these explosions is not yet known,’ Mehr agency reported.

Other explosions were reported at Sirri Island this morning, which is closer to the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said: ‘Given the necessity of adherence by all parties to the announced ceasefire, and based on the announcement of the armed forces, any aggression against the country will be met with a regret-inducing response.’

Tehran has already proposed a 10-point plan that provided ‘a workable basis on which to negotiate’.

The move came in response to a request by Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator in the conflict between the warring sides.

Iranian media first published the rough 10-point plan, which includes some measures the United States has refused to cooperate with in previous mediations.

It includes:

• Removing all sanctions on Iran
• Iran regaining control over the Strait of Hormuz
• A full US military withdrawal from the Middle East
• An end to attacks on Iran and its allies
• The release of frozen Iranian assets
• A UN Security Council resolution to ensure the deal

Any talks between the US and Iran would face monumental challenges. Many of Washington’s shifting objectives, particularly over Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, remain difficult to achieve.

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