WASHINGTON (TNND) — Throughout the Middle East, there were more signs Thursday that the United States and Iran are back to engaging in all-out war. U.S. Central Command announced a sixth consecutive night of strikes following a day of Iranian strikes on Gulf state targets.
Throughout the Middle East Thursday were more signs the United States and Iran are back to engaging in all-out war. U.S. Central Command announced a sixth consecutive night of strikes following a day of Iranian strikes on Gulf state targets. (TNND)
It’s unclear whether President Donald Trump is willing to pause fighting to give diplomacy another chance. In an interview Tuesday, Trump said he didn’t want to negotiate with Iran.
“I said, let’s not negotiate,” he told Fox News.
In that same interview, Trump threatened to strike Iran’s infrastructure if they refused to negotiate.
“Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all of their power plants. We’ll knock out all of their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” Trump said.
Trump has made this threat four times before – once in March and three times in April– but never followed through.
Reuters first reported that Iran instructed Houthis in Yemen to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea if Trump follows through this time. Some oil exporters have turned to this route while the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. A simultaneous closure of both straits would deal an unprecedented blow to global oil supply at a time when prices have already rebounded and strategic reserves – including the United States’ – are running low. Between Wednesday and Thursday, the national average gas price rose by five cents to $3.94, according to AAA.
Tehran’s willingness to retaliate doesn’t stop there.
An Iranian military spokesperson said, “Everything that has so far remained intact because of Iran’s restraint – namely, all infrastructure across the region – will be crushed beneath the iron blows of the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
In a separate interview, Vice President JD Vance criticized those who argue the United States should not negotiate with Iran.
“The people who are like, you cannot negotiate with the Iranians, the reason why that’s fundamentally idiotic is because so long as you have some person who’s willing to fire off a few cheap drones, you’re going to have some ship captains who say, ‘No, no, no, we’re not willing to do this.’ So, we got to kind of use all tools at our disposal. The military is one tool but diplomacy is another tool,” Vance said.
When asked about the president and vice president’s contradicting statements, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is on the same page and is open to negotiations with Iran.