Us Iran News: US Strikes Bandar Abbas as Talks Continue
us iran news: The United States launched new strikes on southern Iran on Monday, targeting Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to place mines near Bandar Abbas, a southern port city on the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said the action was taken in self-defense, while talks over a ceasefire extension were still underway.
Marco Rubio said a deal was still possible after the strikes and said talks on Tuesday involved Iran's top negotiator, Iran's foreign minister, and Qatar's prime minister. Esmail Baqai said a deal is “not imminent,” even as he said some progress had been made in the talks.
Bandar Abbas under strike
Capt Tim Hawkins said the US military “continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.” US Central Command said the strikes were designed “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” and Hawkins said the targets were near Bandar Abbas, where Iranian state media reported local officials were investigating after explosions were heard.
Bandar Abbas matters because it sits by the Strait of Hormuz and hosts an Iranian naval base. Rubio said “The straits have to be open. They're going to be open one way or the other, so they need to be open. What's happening there is unlawful, it's illegal, it's unsustainable for the world, it's unacceptable.”
Talks and a ceasefire
The strikes landed while negotiations were still moving forward on a memorandum of understanding reportedly involving a 60-day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and further talks on Iran's nuclear programme. Rubio said, “We'll see if we can make progress. I think it's a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it'll take a few days,” and added, “He's either going to make a good deal or no deal.”
Baqai said, “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion... But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent - no-one can make such a claim.” He also said “a large portion of the issues under discussion had been concluded,” but that no agreement was close.
Trump’s instructions
Donald Trump had already said at the weekend that the sides were close to a deal, then later said he had instructed negotiators not to rush into one. Earlier in May, a clash between Iranian and US naval destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz led Trump to insist that a ceasefire was still in place.
The next decision point is the continued round of talks involving Iran's top negotiator, Iran's foreign minister, and Qatar's prime minister, with Rubio saying an agreement could possibly be reached on Monday. Iran had not responded to the US attack at the time of the report.
