The US president says he rejected Iran's response after Tehran reportedly offered a 30-day negotiating window, sanctions relief and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while refusing to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
Iran is demanding a temporary ceasefire and the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, citing severe shortages of food, medicine and cash, and warning of the risk of hunger in parts of the country. The US is prepared to partially ease the naval blockade and release frozen funds, but is conditioning this on guarantees regarding the nuclear issue and the consent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well.
As Washington awaits an Iranian replay on ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the new supreme leader met with the military top brass. A report submitted to him said: “Any enemy mistake will be met with force.” Meanwhile the UAE has intercepted two Iranian drones.
Satellite images on social media may have exposed the location of the Israeli base. The Wall Street Journal revealed the base's existence and its purpose: a logistics hub, pilot rescue point and launch site for operations against Iran. Senior Iraqi security official: "A certain force was deployed on the ground before the airstrike."
Seeking to shorten the route to Iran, Israel set up a covert outpost in the Iraqi desert that served as a “logistics hub” and a base for Israeli Air Force units. Iraqi forces that approached the site were attacked from the air. The US was aware of the operation but did not take part in the strikes.
Iran’s unemployment rate has passed 50%, and the regime is feeling the pressure. Pakistan’s chief of staff promised the Americans he could bring Iran to a deal on the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear issue, but so far he has failed. The reason: Every time the Iranian political echelon is prepared to compromise, the Revolutionary Guards stop the move and wait for cracks to appear on the American side.
Saudi channel Al Hadath quoted a senior Iranian official as saying that Mojtaba Khamenei has recovered. Since his father’s elimination and his appointment as the new supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba has not been seen in public, no footage of him has been released, and speculation over his fate has not stopped.
Iranian reports say explosions were heard at several sites in the Strait of Hormuz area. According to an Israeli source, the Iranians fired missiles at a US warship after it prevented a tanker from passing through the strait, and the Americans returned fire. US official confirms: We struck Bandar Abbas, but this is not a restarting of the war.
Diplomatic officials in the region believe the reason for the delay in Iran’s response is Tehran’s demand to make changes to the emerging document before conveying its official position on it. According to the same officials, Iran is also walking back previous understandings regarding a ban on enrichment and the handover of enriched uranium.
According to a classified report by the CIA, Iran could withstand three to four months of a naval blockade. The report also says Iran still has about 75% of the mobile missile launchers it had before the war and about 70% of its ballistic missile stockpile. Satellite images from recent weeks document the regime’s reconstruction efforts.
