Trump leaves the door to Iran ajar, saying there will be no fresh bombing if Tehran signs a strong deal
In an interview with CNN the US president ties everything to the talks mediated by Qatar, while the military disabled a ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to slip past the blockade.
Donald Trump says a resumption of US strikes on Iran is unlikely, provided the talks with Tehran make progress. He said so on Sunday in an interview with CNN, repeating the point several times. The negotiations, mediated by Qatar, cover Iran's nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Trump, everything depends on whether Iran signs a very strong agreement.
At the same time the president kept the threat alive. He pointed to three US aircraft carriers in the region and said the military has picked out targets such as power stations and bridges. In his view Iran has only about a tenth of its missile capacity left. CNN notes that after eight months the war has settled into a stalemate, with little fighting but also little diplomatic progress. The newsletter Foreign Exchanges reports that Qatar has reportedly proposed letting IAEA inspectors visit Iranian nuclear sites, in exchange for an end to the US naval blockade, the release of frozen assets and the reopening of Hormuz. Neither side has yet agreed.
Tensions at sea remain high. The US military says it fired on the Huda in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, a ship flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis that had left an Iranian port, NOS reports. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the crew ignored warnings; an aircraft hit the stern and the vessel was left unable to steer. What happened to those on board is unknown. The National Guard of the United Arab Emirates says it rescued 22 people from a burning ship in the same waters, but it is unclear whether it was the same vessel.