Trump tells critics to ‘sit back and relax’ as US-Iran airstrikes resume and nuclear talks stall | Today’s news
President Donald Trump on Monday publicly attacked critics from both sides of the political spectrum over their comments on his Iran diplomacy, saying Tehran “really wants to make a deal,” even as weekend military exchanges between U.S. and Iranian forces near the Strait of Hormuz cast a long shadow over negotiations that have now dragged into a second month without resolution.
Trump attacks political ‘hacks’ for undermining Iran nuclear talks
On his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed his belief that the Iran deal remained within reach, while directing sharp criticism at those he described as obstructing the negotiation process from within the United States.
“Iran really wants a deal and it will be good for the US and those with us,” Trump wrote.
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The president has directed particular frustration at members of Congress from both parties who have publicly weighed in on the pace and direction of the talks, arguing that their comments are actively hampering his ability to conduct diplomacy.
“But what the Democrats and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans don’t understand is that it’s MUCH harder for me to properly do my job and negotiate when political hacks are constantly ‘chirping’ negatively at unprecedented levels, over and over again, that I should move faster or slower or go to war or not go to war or whatever,” he said.
“Just sit back and relax, everything will work out in the end – it always does!”
The US attacked an Iranian radar and command post near the Strait of Hormuz
The political confrontation in Washington unfolded against a backdrop of renewed military activity near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical bottleneck through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies pass. The US Central Command confirmed on Sunday night that it had carried out raids over the weekend on Iranian radar facilities and command and control posts on the islands of Goruk and Qeshm.
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The command described the action as a direct response to what it characterized as Iranian provocation, saying the strikes followed “aggressive Iranian actions that included the downing of a US MQ-1 drone operating over international waters.”
“US fighter jets responded quickly by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station and two one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat to ships passing through regional waters,” the central command said.
Iran’s IRGC demands a retaliatory strike on a US air base after the attack on Sirik Island
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps offered a starkly different account of the weekend’s events, claiming to have struck a US airbase that was allegedly used to launch an attack on a telecommunications tower located on Iran’s Sirik island. The IRGC statement, carried by several Iranian state news channels, did not identify which specific base it allegedly targeted.
The announcement came shortly after Kuwait said it had repelled a wave of incoming drone and missile attacks, the second such incident in a fortnight. Last week, Kuwait similarly reported coming under fire from Iranian missiles, an episode that has already drawn considerable attention to the conflict’s geographic reach.
Kuwait retargeted as regional fallout from Iran and US expands
Kuwait’s revelation that it had come under fire for a second straight week has heightened concerns about the extent to which the bilateral confrontation between Washington and Tehran has implications for neighboring states. Regional governments have repeatedly found themselves in the vicinity of exchanges, the initiation of which they were not participants.
Read also | US fires missile at merchant ship trying to reach Iran, breaching Hormuz blockade
The pattern of incidents has drawn the attention of members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and international observers who have been monitoring the progress of the ceasefire since it took effect in early April.
The Iran-US truce is tenuous as the Strait of Hormuz deal has stalled
The Strait of Hormuz remained at the center of both the military and diplomatic dimensions of the stalemate. Along with confirming the weekend strikes, reports indicated that Trump had rolled back proposed revisions to the draft agreement designed to extend the existing ceasefire and facilitate the reopening of the strategically important waterway to international shipping.
The ceasefire itself has been repeatedly tested since its inception in early April, with both sides exchanging fire several times without formally abandoning the ceasefire. The latest round of strikes represents another such exchange, perpetuating a cycle in which hostilities repeat themselves without causing a formal collapse of the ceasefire or a breakthrough toward a lasting settlement.
Read also | Petrol at PKR 380 per liter: Pakistan stares at economic crisis amid US-Iran war
Global energy markets and regional governments continue to closely monitor developments, given the strait’s role in facilitating a significant share of the world’s daily oil transport. With talks showing no visible signs of immediate progress and military exchanges continuing at regular intervals, the ceasefire remains intact while its practical foundations continue to be tested.
