Why have US-Iran strikes resumed and what does it mean for peace?
Both sides have accused each other of violating the memorandum of understanding signed in June. The United States launched dozens of strikes on Iran early
Both sides have accused each other of violating the memorandum of understanding signed in June. The United States launched dozens of strikes on Iran early on Wednesday in what it said was retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on commercial ships in the highly contested Strait of Hormuz, sparking widespread fears of the renewal of all-out war in the Middle East. After the US attacks, President Donald Trump told reporters at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, that he thinks the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran is “over”. While he “might” allow peace talks to continue for now, he said, he believed they were a “waste of time”. Brent crude rose 6 percent to $78 a barrel, while European stocks fell 1.6 percent, following his remarks. The dollar strengthened and government bond yields climbed, as investors weighed the risk of a renewed flare-up in inflation. The escalatory strikes on Iran came as peace talks were ongoing between the two countries amid the days-long funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the early minutes of the US-Israel war on Iran back in February. They represent the largest such attacks since April, when both sides initially agreed to ceasefire talks. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had responded to the strikes by targeting US assets in neighbouring countries as sirens went off in Bahrain and Kuwait early on Wednesday. One of its members was killed by “enemy drones”, the IRGC said. Both sides have blamed each other for breaking earlier agreements outlined in the MoU, which initiated a 60-day peace negotiation process three weeks ago. Wednesday marks the third time the US has launched major attacks on Iran while talks are ongoing, something Tehran has said has caused trust to break down. Here’s what we know What has happened? The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had launched strikes on “over 80 targets” on Tuesday, early on Wednesday in local time, in Iran in response to the attacks on commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz hours before. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump told reporters in Ankara, Turkiye, where he is attending the NATO summit, “We attacked very powerfully last night, the very dangerous people from Iran.” “They’re sick, there’s something wrong with them,” he added. Iran, CENTCOM said, had attacked three vessels: the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity, which are thought to have been sailing close to the coast of Oman. Iran has directed all shipping to follow its map for a “safe route” through the strait, which takes ships much closer to its own coast and marks a section of Omani territorial waters as a “restricted zone”. Local television reported that the ships had ignored warnings to change direction from Iranian forces. In response to the shots fired at tankers, CENTCOM said in a statement: “US forces struck Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor.” The US also revoked a sanctions waiver on Iran in response to the strikes on tankers in the strait.
The BriefWire