Diplomatic efforts continued on Tuesday to secure a deal aimed at ending the West Asia conflict, even as tensions escalated following US military strikes on targets in Iran.
US forces carried out overnight strikes on missile sites in southern Iran, as well as on vessels allegedly attempting to lay mines in Gulf waters, according to reports.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating a fragile ceasefire over the past 48 hours, citing incidents in the southern coastal province of Hormozgan.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the country’s military capabilities following the reported strikes, saying Iran’s armed forces had demonstrated strong defensive and offensive strength.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement that regional countries would no longer serve as shields for US bases, warning of shifting regional dynamics.
Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone after it allegedly entered Iranian airspace. The IRGC also claimed it repelled additional US aircraft and warned of retaliation against further violations.
Despite the escalation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal remained within reach, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open “one way or another.”
Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an explosion that damaged a tanker near its waterline while sailing off Oman close to the Strait of Hormuz.
The developments came shortly after Iranian negotiators met Qatari mediators in Doha for talks coordinated with the United States. Both sides are reportedly working toward a memorandum of understanding, though disputes over Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions continue to stall progress.
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