Iran has called the US response to its seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz “unconvincing” as US President Donald Trump confirmed launching strikes on an Iranian island near the strategic waterway. The developments on Tuesday came as Qatar stepped up diplomatic efforts to avert a renewed war between the US and Iran and as another oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The indirect talks centre on an Iranian proposal to reopen the waterway over two days, if the US meets Tehran’s seven demands, including the lifting of sanctions and ending a US naval blockade.
Despite reports of progress in recent days, Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on Tuesday that Washington’s response had fallen short. He said Qatar was facilitating the “real-time exchange of proposals between” the US and Iran. In Washington, DC, Trump confirmed the US had struck Iran early on Tuesday, telling Fox News that the strikes had targeted an anti-aircraft facility.
He described the operation as a “minor attack” and said it “wasn’t war”. It took them about two months. As soon as it was completed, we hit it last night,” he said.
Iranian media said the strikes hit Qeshm Island in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier in the day, US officials told US media that the strikes had been “defensive” and followed Iranian fire at an American aircraft. The strikes came as US media, citing US officials, reported that Central Command had prepared plans for strikes that could begin as early as Wednesday, after the midterm elections, when three American aircraft carriers would be in the region.
The crucial elections could cost Trump’s Republicans control of both the House and the Senate, and fears have grown that Trump could carry out a threatened attack on Iran once the vote is over. US media have previously reported that the planned campaign would be short and intense. Trump meanwhile repeated warnings of further military action on Tuesday, saying, “I’m not looking to … kill lots of people” and “If we have to, we’ll have to.” In an earlier interview with the Financial Times, he suggested he was content with the state of the stand-off with Iran.
Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, meanwhile ordered the military at the weekend to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits, and to update its list of targets. Iranian officials have suggested that European countries and undersea cables in the Gulf could be targeted. As officials weighed the possibility of escalation, commercial shipping came under further attack.
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