US offers to resume Iran talks to avoid conflict
The United States indicates a readiness to re-engage in discussions with Iran, aiming to prevent an extended conflict. The Trump administration on Sunday indicated a readiness to re-engage in discussions with Iran, aiming to prevent an extended conflict following an unexpected assault on three of the nation’s nuclear facilities, while US officials evaluated Tehran’s nuclear aspirations and the potential for retaliation against American interests.
President Donald Trump, who had addressed the nation from the White House on Saturday night, permitted his national security team to communicate on his behalf the following morning, remaining silent on social media and arranging no public appearances. The synchronized communication from his vice president, Pentagon chief, top military adviser, and secretary of state indicated a belief that any repercussions from the attack would be controllable and that Iran’s limited military capabilities would eventually compel it to return to negotiations. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at a news conference that America does not seek war with Iran, while Vice President JD Vance remarked that the strikes have provided Tehran with the opportunity to return to negotiations with Washington.
Operation Midnight Hammer employed decoys and deception, encountering no Iranian resistance, as stated by Hegseth and Air Force Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This mission was neither about regime change in the past nor is it about regime change now, Hegseth added. Caine stated that the objective of the operation targeting nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan had been accomplished. Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction, Caine said.
In a recent television interview, Vance stated that although he would refrain from discussing sensitive intelligence regarding observations on the ground, he expressed a strong sense of confidence that we have significantly hindered their progress in developing a nuclear weapon. Pressed further, he told NBC’s Meet the Press that “I think that we have really pushed their program back by a very long time.” I believe it will take numerous years before the Iranians can successfully develop a nuclear weapon. The vice president stated that the US had engaged in ‘aggressive negotiations’ with Iran in an effort to achieve a peaceful resolution, noting that Trump reached his decision after determining that the Iranians were not behaving in good faith. “I actually think it provides an opportunity to reset this relationship, reset these negotiations and get us in a place where Iran can decide not to be a threat to its neighbours, not to a threat to the United States and if they’re willing to do that, the United States is all ears,” Vance said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on CBS’s Face the Nation that “there are no planned military operations right now against Iran, unless, unless they mess around and they attack” US interests. Trump has previously issued threats to other nations, yet he frequently retreated or did not fulfill these commitments, considering his pledges to his voter base to avoid involving the United States in prolonged conflicts. It remained uncertain whether Iran perceived the evasion of a broader conflict as aligning with its strategic interests.
The global community is grappling with the ramifications of the strikes and the potential escalation of conflict throughout the Middle East following the US’s involvement in the war between Israel and Iran. The airstrikes initiated by Israel on June 12, aimed at Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leaders, elicited a response from Iran, setting off a chain of events that ultimately led to the US attack.
US officials advocated for caution, emphasizing that Washington’s actions were directed solely at nuclear sites. In response, Iran condemned these actions as infringements on its sovereignty and a breach of international law. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, stated that Washington bears full responsibility for any actions Tehran may undertake in response. “They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities,” he said at a news conference in Turkey. It remains uncertain how much space exists for diplomatic efforts.
China and Russia, to which Araghchi was en route for discussions with President Vladimir Putin, expressed their condemnation of the U.S. military action. The attacks constituted a significant breach of international law, stated Russia’s Foreign Ministry, which further emphasized the need to revert the situation to a political and diplomatic trajectory. A statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry cautioned regarding the potential for the conflict to escalate into a global issue.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the United Kingdom was relocating military equipment to the region to safeguard its interests, citizens, and allies, while emphasizing his commitment to seeking a resolution. The leaders of Italy, Canada, Germany, and France concurred on the necessity for a swift resumption of negotiations. Emmanuel Macron of France engaged in discussions with the Saudi crown prince and the sultan of Oman.
Iran may attempt to halt oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz, potentially triggering inflationary shocks reminiscent of those experienced globally following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Oil prices have surged in the financial markets as the conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated, rising by 21 per cent over the past month.
The Pentagon briefing failed to disclose any additional information regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Hegseth indicated that the timing of the strikes was determined by a schedule established by Trump for discussions with Iran regarding its nuclear aspirations.
According to Hegseth, Iran has discerned that when Trump articulates a timeline of 60 days for peace and negotiation, he is indeed referring to a period characterized by 60 days dedicated to peace and negotiation. “Otherwise, that nuclear program, that new nuclear capability will not exist.” He intended it sincerely. The statement was intricate, given that the White House indicated last Thursday that Trump might require up to two weeks to decide between launching a strike on Iran or continuing diplomatic negotiations. However, the U.S. capitalized on Iran’s diminished air defenses, allowing it to carry out the attacks unopposed by Iran. “Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission,” Caine said.
Hegseth stated that the decision to relocate several B-2 bombers from their base in Missouri earlier on Saturday was intended as a decoy to mislead the Iranians. He noted that the US employed additional tactics of deception, including the deployment of fighters to safeguard the B-2 bombers that released 14 bunker-buster bombs on Iran’s facility at Fordo. The strikes took place on Saturday from 6:40 pm to 7:05 pm in Washington, which corresponds to approximately 2:10 am on Sunday in Iran.
