The US army announced on Monday that it had carried out strikes “préventives” on the south of Iran, in particular against missile launch sites and boats laying mines, even though President Donald Trump affirmed on social networks that the negotiations “are progressing well”.
According to a press release from the American Central Command (Centcom), these strikes were carried out “in order to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”
“Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian craft attempting to lay mines. U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while exercising restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”wrote Centcom spokesperson Timothy Hawkins in this press release.
Additional details were not immediately available, particularly on the exact nature of the Iranian threats and what this implies for the current negotiations.
The strikes come as the two sides discuss a potential deal to end the war, which would allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global maritime trade passes and which has been de facto blocked by Iran since the start of the war waged by the United States and Israel against Tehran, February 28.
On Monday, Iranian officials indicated that agreements had been reached on many points between their negotiators and Washington, while stressing that a comprehensive agreement was not imminent.
According to the spokesperson for Iranian diplomacy, Esmail Baquei, there is no “no timetable or deadline” to finalize the agreement with the United States.
These statements contrast with those of Trump, who affirmed on Saturday that an agreement with Iran on the war, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, had been reached. “en grande partie négocié” following talks with Israel and other regional allies.
“Final aspects and details of the agreement are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly”declared Trump on social networks, without providing further information.
A few hours later, on Sunday, the American president indicated that he had asked his representatives to delay and not rush this possible agreement.
The question of the Abraham Accords
At the same time, Trump declared on Monday that any agreement ending the war in Iran should provide for the accession of several additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, to the Abraham Accords, these agreements concluded under the aegis of the United States during his first mandate to normalize relations with Israel.
This proposal comes as the draft agreement on Iran is criticized by Republican officials favoring a tougher line towards Tehran, and it could further complicate the negotiations on the diplomatic level.
Trump named Saudi Arabia and Qatar among countries that should “immédiatement” join the agreements, alongside Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were the first to join in 2020.
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Selon Trump, “After all the efforts the United States has made in trying to put this extremely complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these countries, at a minimum, sign the Abraham Accords simultaneously.”
Trump has long hoped that Saudi Arabia will rejoin these agreements, but the kingdom repeats that any normalization begins by defining a clear path towards the creation of a Palestinian state. It is also essential for Pakistan, which is one of the countries that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
Born first between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, then joined by Sudan, Morocco and, more recently, Kazakhstan, these agreements are a series of diplomatic, economic and security commitments concluded under the leadership of Washington during Trump’s first term.
They were presented as a way to strengthen cooperation between countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and the administration saw them in part as a stepping stone toward establishing full relations with Israel.
