U.S. forces on Monday conducted strikes in southern Iran against targets including boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, in what it described as defensive actions.
The strikes occurred as Iran’s chief negotiator and foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar’s prime minister on a possible agreement with the United States to end the three-month-old conflict. The visit came after both Washington and Tehran cautioned against expectations of an immediate breakthrough in negotiations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in New Delhi earlier that the U.S. would give diplomacy every chance to succeed before considering whether to deal with Iran in “another way”.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran were going “nicely”, but warned of fresh attacks if they failed. It “will only be a Great Deal for all, or no Deal at all,” he wrote.
Hours later, U.S. Central Command said in a statement it had carried out fresh strikes designed “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”
Also Monday, Iran said it had downed a “hostile” stealth drone using a new air defence system, Iranian news agencies reported, without saying where it had come from.
Israel-Hezbollah Row
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel would step up strikes against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, with the military later announcing attacks on Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa Valley and other areas.
Meanwhile, talks in Doha between Iranian officials and Qatari mediators focused on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and the possible release of frozen Iranian funds as part of a broader agreement. Iran said nuclear issues would be discussed only after a framework deal is reached, while Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a key U.S. objective.
Trump Pushes Abraham Accords
In a Truth Social post, Trump urged more Arab and Muslim countries to join the Abraham Accords, calling on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to sign immediately, followed by Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey.
A Pakistani source said the push was separate from Iran negotiations and should not be linked to them. Analysts, however, suggested Trump was presenting a potential Iran deal as part of a broader regional realignment aimed at making it more acceptable to critics.
Iran Deal Sticking Points
Iran said a potential deal with the U.S. does not yet include detailed arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz, though ships would not face tolls, only charges for services such as navigation and environmental protection.
Reports suggest Washington and Tehran are discussing reopening the strait about 30 days after a peace agreement, with Iran clearing mines during that period. Shipping through the waterway remains far below pre-war levels, though limited traffic has resumed.
The disruption has driven up global energy, fuel, and food costs, although oil prices fell more than 4% on Monday amid hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations.
(With inputs from Reuters)
