During the negotiations, the US armed forces launched strikes on targets in southern Iran. According to the US, missile bases and ships laying mines were attacked. The attacks were defined as "self-defense measures".
The US armed forces have launched strikes on missile bases in southern Iran, although the ceasefire is still in effect. They also claim to have attacked ships laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The "self-defense strikes", as Washington described them, were intended to protect troops from threats coming from Iranian armed forces, a spokesman for the Central Command for the Middle East explained. The US military is showing restraint under the current ceasefire, but is protecting its own forces.
Iran reports casualties
Iranian media reported several deaths in a US attack near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military did not initially provide information about possible casualties or further details.
Although the ceasefire in the Iran war is largely being respected, there have already been several mutual attacks in the Strait of Hormuz area. For example, in early May, Iran attacked US warships in the strait with missiles and speedboats, while the US carried out strikes on targets in Iran. Negotiations are currently underway between the two countries to finally end the hostilities. However, after optimistic statements, US President Donald Trump on Sunday again cooled hopes of a quick agreement.
"Good deal or no deal"
Iran has not yet commented on the US attack. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaie said earlier that while some progress had been made in talks to end the war, a deal "will not be reached in the near future". It is unclear what impact the strikes will have on a possible peace agreement between the US and Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was adamant that despite the attacks, he still believes that an agreement is possible. He said there is still no full understanding on many issues, so it will take more time. Rubio also said that US President Donald Trump has reiterated his commitment to reaching an agreement, but "it's either a good deal or no deal".
Meanwhile, the US president commented on the issue of Iran's enriched uranium. Iran must either hand it over to the US for destruction "immediately" or agree to have it destroyed under supervision on site. It remains unclear whether Trump is reflecting the current state of the negotiations - that is, whether this is simply a request raised by the US government during the negotiations, or whether it is already part of the agreement. What will happen to Tehran's approximately 400 kilograms of enriched uranium is one of the most contentious issues hindering the negotiations.
Will Internet access in Iran be restored?
Since the start of the war, the Iranian government has blocked access to the international internet in the country. President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered internet access to be restored, state media in Iran reported. However, it is not yet clear when this decree will be implemented. A specific date for the restoration of internet connectivity has not yet been announced. However, in mid-May, Iranian media reported that this could happen on June 5.
Officially, the state justifies the internet blockade, which has been ongoing since the start of the war on February 28, with security reasons. However, observers suggest that the authorities primarily wanted to prevent the spread of footage on social media showing the true scale of war damage and the mood in the country.