US forces carried out strikes on missile launch sites and boats attempting to lay mines in southern Iran during a seven-week ceasefire. US Central Command said the actions were defensive and did not mean the ceasefire was over. Iranian sources reported deaths of Revolutionary Guard troops and blasts near Bandar Abbas, while Iranian state media said the situation was under control. Negotiators from Tehran began new talks in Qatar led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, with Abbas Araghchi and Abdolnaser Hemmati among the delegation. Hemmati’s presence raised expectations that discussions would include the release of frozen Iranian assets. Reports said the US would unfreeze some assets held in banks outside Iran, including Qatar, drawing criticism from some US Republicans due to similarities to the 2015 nuclear deal.
"US forces targeted missile launch sites and boats attempting to lay mines, US central command (Centcom) said on Tuesday, but stressed that the strikes did not indicate the ceasefire with Iran was over. Centcom continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire, said navy captain Tim Hawkins, who characterised the action as defensive."
"In Iran, the news website Tabnak, believed to be close to former Revolutionary Guard chief Mohsen Rezaei, identified four dead Guard troops it said had been killed in American strikes on boats. Iranian state television separately reported blasts around Bandar Abbas, a city on the Strait of Hormuz home to a military port and a dual-use airport."
"The strikes the second major attacks to take place during the seven-week ceasefire came as Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, led a delegation of negotiators to Qatar. Local media said Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and central bank governor, Abdolnaser Hemmati, were among the group as well."
"Hemmati's presence has fuelled speculation that talks will focus on the release of frozen Iranian assets. The deal currently under negotiation with the US would reportedly see Washington agree to unfreeze some Iranian assets being held in banks outside Iran including Qatar. Trump has faced criticism from loyalists in his party over the reports that billions of dollars in frozen assets could be made available to Tehran."
#us-iran-relations #ceasefire-and-military-strikes #qatar-negotiations #frozen-iranian-assets #strait-of-hormuz
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]