According to the US Central Command’s post on “X”, additional strikes against Iran are being carried out at the direction of the commander in chief. The attacks are being carried out to “further degrade their (Iran’s) ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the post read further.
Holding Iran accountable for the recent attacks on commercial shipments in the crucial waterway, the US called Iran’s actions “unjustified aggression against civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway.”
The US forces had attacked Iran in the late hours of Tuesday as well, in response to Iranian attacks on an LNG tanker, an oil supertanker and a third unidentified tanker in the Persian Gulf. The LNG tanker was confirmed to belong to Qatar, as admitted to by its foreign ministry. Additionally, the US Treasury Department also revoked a waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil globally until August 21.
US President Donald Trump also told reporters in Ankara on Wednesday that he does not believe the US will go to a full war again but they are just responding to Iran’s attacks. “I just don’t know if they’re worthy of making a deal. I don’t know that they’re going to honor the deal,” he said, adding that Iran is currently “a little bit out of control” but they want to make a deal badly.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson wrote on “X” that the MoU between the two countries was not established on trust, but on “Commitment for Commitment” principle as there was no signs of good faith from the “opposing party”. The post said that the US has violated the agreement’s structure through its unilateral actions and aggressive attacks and that Iran will pursue the protection of its national interests and sovereignty.
Trump also said he would not stop negotiators from continuing to engage and, when asked if he thought the war would resume, said “I don’t think it’s going to start again.”
