U.S. President Donald Trump called for an end to strikes between Iran and Israel after both countries attacked each other, and also stated that Iran and Israel are seeking a "ceasefire" and insisted on "final negotiations" regarding a deal, UNN reports.
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"Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting’," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.
Later, Trump stated that Israel and Iran are "looking to do an immediate ceasefire" after a series of attacks between the two countries.
"Final negotiations on ‘Peace’ are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way," he wrote on Truth Social. "The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a ‘Final Deal’ is reached. Things should move quickly."
In a phone call on Sunday, Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from a retaliatory attack on Iran, a U.S. official reported.
Israel responds to Iranian strike despite Trump's warnings08.06.26, 08:56
However, an exchange of strikes took place between the countries. On Monday, explosions were reported in several Iranian cities, including Tehran, CNN notes.
The Iranian state broadcaster IRIB later reported a new wave of Iranian missiles launched toward Israel. Around the same time, sirens were heard in Israel, CNN points out.
The United States "bears responsibility" for Israel's actions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.
The U.S. "bears responsibility as a party to the April 8 ceasefire agreement," state news agency Tasnim quoted Baghaei as saying, adding that "whatever happens in the region... the direct responsibility of the United States is established, and they will also be held accountable for the consequences of any escalation."
"The goal of the negotiations was to end the war against Iran, and we also viewed the end of the conflict in Lebanon as part of the ceasefire," he added, warning that undermining this premise would "inevitably" affect the diplomatic process.
Iran insists that "under no circumstances" will it allow Israel and the U.S. to continue attacking the Islamic Republic and then "issue a general statement claiming they remain committed to a ceasefire—a ceasefire that is constantly and repeatedly violated," he said, adding that the diplomatic process, nevertheless, continues through Pakistani mediators.
Iran also warned that if attacks on its energy infrastructure continue, "all oil and gas facilities" associated with the U.S. and Israel will also become targets, reports the semi-official Fars news agency, citing an "informed military source" it did not name, adding that "oil companies and energy sector entities in the region that have American or Zionist shareholders are considered legitimate targets by Iran."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated on Monday that it responded to an attack on one of the country's petrochemical facilities with a missile strike on similar infrastructure in Haifa, Israel, adding that Israel has started a "dangerous game, the scale of which will encompass all energy-related targets in the region."
Baghaei also stated that reports that the United States might use Iranian assets to compensate regional allies for war-related damages are "absurd." Reuters, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported on Saturday that the U.S. would provide Iranian assets to Gulf allies to support recovery and repair of future damage caused by Iran.
Meanwhile, as CNN points out, an Israeli military official stated on Monday that the Israeli military is preparing for at least several days of hostilities with Iran and the possibility of a prolonged campaign.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since the resumption of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the official accused Iran of violating the April ceasefire when it began firing ballistic missiles at Israel late Sunday night.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Iran has fired about 30 ballistic missiles since its first attack. Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired two more missiles, one of which was intercepted, while the other fell near Israeli territory.
In response, Israel launched two waves of attacks on Iran, the official said. The first wave targeted strategic air defense systems, and the second targeted a petrochemical facility that the IDF says assists in the production of ballistic missiles and other weapons.
The military official emphasized that all strikes so far have been carried out exclusively by Israel, and that the U.S. assisted Israel in air defense by intercepting some missiles.
The official added that the IDF coordinated its actions with U.S. Central Command, and that IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir spoke twice with CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper over the past 24 hours.
Trump has been signaling for weeks that a preliminary deal to end the war is close, but so far it has not materialized, CNN observes.