The US conducted "self-defense" strikes in Iran last weekend, as President Donald Trump returned changes to a proposed deal to extend the current ceasefire in the region and unblock the Strait of Hormuz, UNN reports citing CNN.
Details
The weekend strikes in Iran targeted Iranian radars and command and control centers and were in response to "Iran's aggressive actions, which included the shooting down of a US MQ-1 drone operating over international waters," US Central Command said Sunday night.
"US fighter jets responded quickly, destroying Iranian air defense assets, a ground control station, and two strike drones that posed a clear threat to vessels passing through regional waters," US Central Command stated.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck a US airbase allegedly used to attack a telecommunications tower on Iran's Sirri Island, according to a statement published by several Iranian state news agencies.
The statement did not specify which airbase was hit, but the announcement came after Kuwait reported repelling drone and missile attacks.
It is unclear how or if these strikes will affect negotiations on the Iran deal, but Trump's proposed changes, which he made after meeting with advisors on Friday, have already extended the talks by another week, the publication points out.
The exact changes Trump requested were not immediately clear, but officials said the US president pushed for tougher language regarding Iran's nuclear commitments and its promise to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. US allies in the Persian Gulf were briefed on the discussions. One foreign official familiar with the matter told CNN that the changes are not substantial and are mostly focused on the US desire for guarantees on these issues.
Trump also expressed concern about what financial aid might be provided to Iran under the deal, fearing comparisons to the "pallets of cash" provided under the Obama-era nuclear deal, which he considers weak.
Prior to the announcement of the latest strikes on Iran, one US official told CNN that further military strikes were unlikely once a deal is reached, and regional allies do not want a resumption of hostilities.
The latest wave of proposed changes comes a week after Trump declared the deal "largely completed" and signaled an imminent end to the war.
Since then, US officials have telegraphed progress toward reaching an agreement that would end hostilities, reopen the strait, and kickstart more detailed negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.
However, even after Trump announced he would make a "final decision" during Friday's meeting and outlined some terms of the deal on social media, the two-hour session ended without a final decision, the publication writes.
While Trump claimed in his message that the US would take control of and destroy Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, Iran has consistently stated that it is not discussing the details of its nuclear program within the framework of the current negotiations.
Trump also claimed there was no discussion of an "exchange of money" as part of the deal, a condition that Iran believes must be included in any agreement.
How those discrepancies are resolved remained unclear as the haggling over the deal’s language ground forward.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no deal with the United States will be approved until Tehran's "rights" are secured, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
If the deal with Iran is confirmed and the current blockades of the Strait of Hormuz are lifted, it could take two months for oil supplies to return to normal, said US National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett.
Oil prices jump amid lack of progress in US-Iran negotiations - Bloomberg01.06.26, 05:32