US-Iran Ceasefire Hangs by Thread as Mediators Seek De-escalation
The ceasefire between the United States and Iran is over, President Trump announced Friday, after back-and-forth military strikes this week. Mediators are working to get both sides back to negotiating talks over the stalled memorandum of understanding.
Ceasefire Declared Over
The ceasefire between the United States and Iran is over, President Donald Trump said today, as mediators work to try to get both sides back to the bargaining table. It follows a flurry of strikes in recent days after Tehran targeted multiple vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic is still at a trickle and questions remain about key details of the memorandum of understanding agreed by both sides last month.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
The United States prefers a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran, but at the same time, "stands ready to hold Iran to account for its acts that defy international peace and security," Deputy US Representative to the United Nations Tammy Bruce said today. "We hope Iran chooses to come back into compliance with its obligations and to engage seriously in talks toward reaching a final deal," Bruce said at a United Nations Security Council meeting.
Iranian Distrust and Conditions
Iran remains "distrustful" of the US, the country's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Friday. Ghalibaf, who serves as Iran's parliament speaker, said he expressed this sentiment during indirect talks with the US in Switzerland last month, according to Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). If Iran won't allow tankers to freely traverse the Strait of Hormuz then the two sides will "never" move on to negotiations on nuclear weapons, a senior US official said Friday.
Military and Intelligence Concerns
CNN found notable activity at a site in the Parchin military complex, known as Taleghan 2, where experts believe explosive material for nuclear weapons is stored. An analysis of the facility in conjunction with the Institute for Science and International Security identified repair and reconstruction work to several impact holes left by the US-Israeli bombing campaign, in images taken on June 22 and July 7. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint, with Vice president JD Vance saying that Iran and the U.S. have held technical talks based on the recent 14-point memorandum of understanding in Doha, Qatar, to discuss the Strait of Hormuz.