After extending the deadline twice in the past two weeks, US President Donald Trump renewed his ultimatum, threatening to blow up oil facilities if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington insists talks with Iran are still ongoing, but has provided few details about who it is communicating with while Iran has sent contradictory messages.
Here’s what you need to know on day 32.
What are the main headings?
Trump’s threat: President Trump reiterated his threat to “destroy” Iran’s power plants and oil wells if the country doesn’t agree to a deal to end the war. Asked about the threat, a White House spokesperson said the U.S. military always follows the law. Experts warn that attacks on civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime.
WASHINGTON COMMENTS: A White House spokesperson said negotiations between the United States and Iran are “progressing well” and that Iranian officials currently at the negotiating table appear to be more reasonable than the regime’s previous leaders. He added that authorities are pursuing a diplomatic solution while sending U.S. troops to the Middle East to give Trump “maximum options.”
Iran’s response: In a stark contrast, Iranian officials previously denounced the U.S. list of demands as “quite excessive, unrealistic, and unreasonable.”
Strait of Hormuz: Just before Iran approved plans to impose tolls on ships passing through the vital waterway, the White House heralded the movement of some tankers in the strait as a diplomatic sign.
Energy costs: Oil prices rose on Monday, with U.S. crude exceeding $100 per barrel for the first time since July 2022.
Oil tanker attack: A Kuwaiti oil tanker docked in Dubai was attacked in what appears to be an Iranian drone attack, Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA reported on Tuesday. There were no casualties and the fire was extinguished. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said the tanker was fully loaded and warned of the possibility of oil spilling into surrounding waters.
Peacekeepers killed: France called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after two Indonesian UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon on Monday. This is the second fatal accident involving a United Nations peacekeeper since last weekend. The United Nations mission to Lebanon said it had launched an investigation to find out what happened and did not attribute responsibility to any party. Israel said it was reviewing the incident to determine whether the deaths were caused by its own forces or Lebanon’s Iranian-backed group Hezbollah.
Orphanage damaged: At least two people were killed in an attack on an Iranian orphanage by the US and Israel, state media reported. It was a newly built charity facility in the city of Fardis, west of Tehran.
Lebanese soldiers: One Lebanese soldier was killed and five others injured in an Israeli attack on a Lebanese military checkpoint on Monday, the Lebanese army said. In response, the Israeli military said its forces were operating in the area “where firing was confirmed earlier in the day.”
