THE US military has carried out “strikes in southern Iran” after Donald Trump threatened that its uranium must be destroyed.
Explosions rocked the port city of Bandar Abbas and nearby coastal areas along the Strait of Hormuz late on Monday.
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Trump speaks during the 158th National Memorial Day Observance coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary Credit: AP
Trump’s post on TruthSocial Credit: Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump
In a statement, US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins confirmed that the US conducted the hits in “self-defence”.
“US forces conducted self-defence today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Hawkins said.
“Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines.
“US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
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This comes after Trump has warned that Iran’s enriched uranium – used as a fuel in nuclear weapons – should be handed over to the US or destroyed.
As Iran and the US are still exploring a deal to end the war, the President outlined his conditions for handling the material – a major obstacle in the negotiations.
“The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the US to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location…” he wrote on TruthSocial.
Trump suggested that the Atomic Energy Commission – an agency of the US government – “witness” the event.
Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman Credit: Reuters
People drive in front of a large anti-US billboard featuring Trump and the Strait of Hormuz at Valiasr Square in Tehran Credit: EPA
Iran stockpiles 440kg of 60 percent enriched uranium, and Israel and the US have long accused the country of building nuclear weapons.
Trump has said his key aim is to prevent Iran from developing the bomb – something that the regime has consistently denied it has plans to achieve.
In an earlier post online, he said talks with the Islamic Republic were going “nicely,” but added an ultimatum: “It will only be a Great Deal for all, or no Deal at all.”
The two sides remain at odds on several other issues, such as Israel’s war in Lebanon with Hezbollah, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, demands for the lifting of sanctions on Iran and the release of billions of dollars of Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks.
They are talking of a “memorandum of understanding” that will set out a roadmap for resolving all outstanding issues, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“We’re either going to have a good agreement or we’re going to have to deal with it another way,” he said during a visit to India on Monday.
But what is in that memorandum remains unclear.
