DUBAI, June 1: The United States said it carried out airstrikes on Iranian radar and drone facilities after Iran shot down an American MQ-1 drone over the weekend.
According to the US military’s Central Command, the strikes targeted sites near Geruk and on Qeshm Island, destroying air defence systems, a ground-control station and two attack drones.
Washington described the operation as a measured response to what it called aggressive Iranian actions against a drone flying over international waters.
The latest exchange highlights the fragility of the ceasefire between the US and Iran, which has been repeatedly tested despite ongoing efforts by both sides to negotiate an end to the conflict.
While talks continue, uncertainty remains over whether a lasting agreement can be reached, and further military action could derail negotiations.
Shortly after the US strikes, Kuwait reported incoming drone and missile fire, with its air defences intercepting the threats.
Around the same time, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard announced it had responded to an American attack, though it did not specify a location.
Iranian media reported that US forces had targeted a telecommunications tower. Footage later aired on Iranian state television showed the launch of a ballistic missile bearing anti-US imagery and slogans linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict continues to affect global energy markets. Iran has maintained restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route that previously handled about one-fifth of globally traded oil and natural gas.
The disruption has increased fuel prices and raised concerns about shortages of chemical fertilisers, a major export from Gulf countries.
Meanwhile, tensions have also intensified between Israel and Hezbollah despite their own ceasefire, with continued exchanges of attacks across the Lebanon-Israel border.
US President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to pursue a broader agreement that could extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait.
Iran insists no final deal has been reached. While Washington says preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains a key objective, Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Despite mutual mistrust, both sides continue negotiations, with Trump expressing optimism that an agreement can eventually be achieved.
Trump pushes revised Iran pact to end war
US President Donald Trump is seeking to modify the proposed US-Iran agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, a move that could prolong already complex negotiations.
According to reports, Trump wants stricter and more detailed provisions regarding Iran’s stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.
The draft agreement currently includes Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons and a 60-day period for negotiations over its nuclear obligations and existing fissile material.
Trump reportedly wants clearer terms on how and when the United States would take control of the enriched uranium.
He said the revised text now requires Iran not only to refrain from developing nuclear weapons but also from acquiring them.
While the White House remains optimistic that an agreement can be reached within days or weeks, Iranian officials have indicated that Tehran will seek its own amendments in response to the US changes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks and exchanges with Washington are continuing but cautioned against speculation until concrete results emerge.
However, divisions appear to exist within Iran’s leadership. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insisted that no agreement would be approved unless it protects Iran’s interests and expressed distrust of US promises.
Meanwhile, reports from a London-based opposition outlet claimed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian submitted a resignation letter, citing exclusion from key decision-making processes and growing influence of hardline factions.
Tehran swiftly denied the report, calling it false. The developments highlight the political complexities surrounding efforts to finalise a US-Iran agreement and end the conflict. (Agencies)
