New strikes in southern Iran were launched by American forces, targeting missile installations and boats that, according to CENTCOM, were attempting to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
The new military escalation comes as negotiations continue between the United States and Iran for a possible de-escalation agreement, with Tehran acknowledging progress in the talks but rejecting the assessment that a definitive agreement is imminent.
CENTCOM's announcement
US Central Command announced that the new raids were carried out in "self-defense" to protect American forces from threats attributed to Iranian armed forces.
CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins said the US military "continues to defend our forces, demonstrating restraint during the ongoing ceasefire."
According to him, the strikes took place near Bandar Abbas, a port city in southern Iran and home to a major Iranian naval base in the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by the New York Times.
Earlier, Iranian state media reported that local officials were investigating reports of explosions in the area. So far, Tehran has not officially responded to the latest US strikes.
Progress in talks, but no agreement
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaie said progress had been made in talks with the United States, but made it clear that an agreement to end the crisis "is not imminent."
His statement came after statements by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had left open the possibility of an agreement even as early as Monday.
"It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large part of the issues being discussed. But to say that this means that the signing of an agreement is imminent, no one can make such a claim," said Bakayi.
The memorandum of understanding on the table reportedly includes an extension of the ceasefire for 60 days, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a new round of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.
Trump's statements on enriched uranium
Donald Trump has said that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium should either be handed over to the US or destroyed under international supervision.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, the US president described enriched uranium as "nuclear dust" and argued that it should either be transported to the United States for destruction or destroyed on site or at another acceptable location, under the supervision of an international atomic energy agency.
Trump did not clarify whether he was referring exclusively to the approximately 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium that Iran is estimated to possess or to the country's entire stockpile.
According to American reports, US officials are calling for the removal of the entire stockpile of enriched uranium as part of a possible agreement.
Open issues in the negotiations
Despite progress in contacts, the talks are not expected to immediately lead to a final agreement.
American media reports that critical issues, such as sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian funds and Washington's demands to limit Tehran's nuclear program, are expected to be the subject of new negotiations.
CBS News reported that, according to American intelligence agencies, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in an unknown location, which is making communication with his envoys difficult and slowing down the talks.
At the same time, Iran's chief negotiator and foreign minister were in Doha for contacts with the Qatari prime minister, according to Reuters.
Fragile ceasefire and pressures on markets
American and Iranian forces have been observing a ceasefire since April 8, but the situation remains extremely fragile.
Iran has maintained controls over shipping in the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, while the US Navy has attempted to blockade Iranian ports.
The conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched extensive strikes against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and Gulf states considered allies of Washington, while the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused severe turbulence in international oil markets.
Over the weekend, Trump had hinted that the two sides were close to a deal, but then said he had instructed negotiators "not to rush."
Despite the new military escalation, the price of US crude recorded a significant drop in Asian trading.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell by more than 5% in Tokyo and at around 03:30 Greek time was at $91,33 a barrel, down 5,46%.
In contrast, Brent rose by 1,6%, to $97,68 per barrel.
Investors appear to be discounting a possible full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, provided there is further progress in talks between Washington and Tehran.
Source: protothema.gr
