The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's naval drills are dubbed "Smart Control of Hormuz Strait" and are rehearsing scenarios to respond to potential security and military threats in the Strait of Hormuz region, Iranian state media reported.
The U.S. is preparing for a weeks-long military operation against Iran if President Trump orders an attack on the country, Reuters reported.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key waterway that lies between Oman and Iran, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is considered one of the most important oil transit arteries, with a fifth of the world's total oil consumption passing through the strait.
Trump has dispatched two aircraft carriers to the region amid renewed nuclear talks with Iran, flexing America's military might over Tehran as pressure to come to a deal — less than a year after U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
Trump is looking to forge a new deal with Iran limiting its nuclear capabilities after withdrawing in 2018 from the Obama administration's nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which imposed limits on Iran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for sanctions relief.
It's not clear where U.S. officials will land on Iran being able to enrich uranium, which Tehran claims is only for peaceful purposes. But the Trump administration has said Iran's ballistic missile program and support for terrorist proxies must also be part of the talks, which Iran has rejected.
"It's been very difficult for anyone to do real deals with Iran, because we're dealing with radical Shia clerics who are making theological decisions, not geopolitical ones," Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Monday, while on diplomatic travel in Hungary.
"But let's see what happens. I hope it works out."
A U.S. delegation including Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will hold talks in Geneva on Tuesday with Iranian officials, marking the second meeting following a six-hour round of talks in Oman earlier this month.
Read the full report at thehill.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment