Topline
President Donald Trump attacked both Democrats and those he deemed “unpatriotic” Republicans, accusing them of complicating his efforts to negotiate a peace deal with Iran in a late-night Truth Social post, as U.S. forces conducted another round of strikes on Iranian drone sites on Monday amid ongoing talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump
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Key Facts
In a Truth Social post at 1 a.m. on Monday, Trump said Iran was pushing for a deal, which he claimed would be “a good one” for the U.S. and its allies, without providing specifics.
The president then attacked the Democrats, calling them “Dumocrats” and “various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans,” saying they are making it much tougher for him to conduct the negotiation.
Calling them “political hacks” who engage in negative “chirping,” the president accused his critics of asking him to move both faster and slower on the deal, “or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever.”
Trump said they should “sit back and relax” as he claimed the situation would work out “well in the end,” without providing a timeline for the war’s end.
Iranian officials have not yet responded to Trump’s latest comments, but over the past week, both the president and other top administration officials have suggested that a deal with Tehran is imminent, while insisting they won’t rush into a bad deal.
In a follow-up post, Trump insulted the Democrats again and wrote: “Has anyone ever seen a happy Dumocrat???”
What Do We Know About The Latest U.s. Strikes On Iran?
Over the weekend, Iran shot down a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone over the Persian Gulf. On Monday, the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said it conducted “self-defense strikes” targeting Iranian radar and command and drone control sites. CENTCOM said these were “measured and deliberate strikes” which took place on Saturday and Sunday in response to “aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters.” The military said a U.S. fighter jet responded to this by “eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones.” Last week, the U.S. military carried out two other such strikes, which it described as self-defense actions targeting mine-laying boats, missile launch sites and drone control centers.
How Has Iran Responded?
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told state media that it had retaliated against the attack by targeting a U.S. airbase in the region without specifying which one. The IRGC claimed its fighters “successfully destroyed all predetermined targets at an American air base, from where the aggression originated.” The Kuwaiti military issued a statement saying it was forced to intercept several hostile missile and drone attacks on Monday. Kuwait houses several key U.S. military bases in the region.
Crucial Quote
Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf called out both the U.S. strikes and Israel’s military action in Lebanon in an X post saying: “The naval blockade and escalation of war crimes in Lebanon by the genocidal Zionist regime are clear evidence of U.S. noncompliance with the ceasefire.” He then warned: “Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place.” Ghalibaf, who usually posts in Persian, but like Monday’s post he switches over to English when its directed at the U.S.
Further Reading
Hormuz Deal Hangs In Balance As Iran Claims It Retaliated After Fresh U.S. Strikes (Forbes)
Trump Blasts ‘Losers’ Criticizing Potential Iran Deal After Republican Uproar (Forbes)
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