US strikes Iran as Tehran vows response amid stalled peace talks
Tehran condemns US attacks as a gross violation of the ceasefire, while analysts warn Israeli actions in Lebanon threaten the viability of a US-Iran agreement.
The United States conducted military strikes on boats and missile sites in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province on Monday, an action Tehran has condemned as a gross violation of the fragile ceasefire that has been in place since early April. The attacks occurred shortly after both nations indicated progress in Doha, Qatar, regarding a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong rebuke of the strikes, while Seyed Majid Moosavi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force, stated that Iran is prepared to deliver a decisive and swift response. Moosavi, who oversees Iran’s strategic ballistic missile and drone programmes, said the air force remains highly vigilant and is awaiting final orders from the commander-in-chief. He also criticised ongoing diplomacy, stating on X that negotiation with the enemy is a pure loss.
The military escalation coincides with high-stakes diplomatic efforts in Doha. Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqr Qalibaf, alongside the foreign minister and the central bank governor, held talks with Qatari officials on Monday. Qalibaf has since returned to Iran. A key sticking point in the negotiations has been the unfreezing of approximately $24bn in Iranian funds held overseas, which Iranian sources describe as the final obstacle to finalising the memorandum.
US Central Command stated the strikes were carried out to protect American troops from threats posed by Iranian forces, including boats attempting to lay mines. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Jaipur, India, emphasised that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open one way or the other. Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker suffered an external explosion on its port side, 60 nautical miles from Muscat, Oman, with bunker fuel discharged into the sea.
Regional tensions have further complicated the diplomatic landscape. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an intensification of strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, resulting in 12 deaths in the town of Mashghara. Analysts Lorenzo Kamel and Mohammad Eslamy warned that these Israeli actions, alongside potential US military escalation, are intended to pressure Iran and may undermine the viability of any US-Iran peace agreement. The conflict, which began in late February, has already caused significant oil price shocks.
