While negotiations in Oman were underway regarding a framework agreement between Washington and Tehran, CENTCOM conducted strikes on southern Iran on May 25. According to a statement by U.S. Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hockins, the targets were missile launch systems and Iranian boats attempting to lay mines — presumably in the area near Bandar Abbas close to the Strait of Hormuz.
«American forces conducted strikes in self-defense in southern Iran to protect our forces from threats posed by Iranian forces. US Central Command continues to protect our forces while exercising restraint during the current ceasefire».
Captain Tim Hockins, CENTCOM spokesman, — Stars and Stripes
Strikes and negotiations — simultaneously
The paradox of the day: on that same May 25, Trump wrote on Truth Social that negotiations «are going very well,» but warned that if no deal is reached, military operations will resume. This dual rhetoric — «we are restrained» and «we are ready» — is a deliberate pressure tactic, not a contradiction.
According to Axios, citing an American official, the draft memorandum of understanding provides for a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, within which the Strait of Hormuz will resume operations, Iran will be able to freely sell oil, and negotiations on the nuclear program will continue on a separate track.
Uranium — the main sticking point
Washington's negotiating position on uranium remains unclear. Special Envoy Steve Witkov initially allowed for the preservation of enrichment, then rejected it. Trump publicly demands the «complete dismantling» of the nuclear program and the removal of all enriched uranium from Iranian territory — and refuses to sign a final agreement without these conditions. Secretary of State Rubio confirmed this position separately: «This issue will be resolved — one way or another».
According to CBS News sources, Iran has in principle agreed to the disposal of highly enriched uranium, but the details of the control mechanism remain open. According to the IAEA, as of December 2024, Iran has accumulated an unprecedented stockpile of highly enriched uranium without convincing civilian justification — enough for several bombs in a short timeframe.
What the strikes mean tactically
Mines in the Strait of Hormuz are not an abstract threat. Approximately 20% of global maritime oil transit passes through the strait. The American blockade has already halted over 100 commercial vessels. The strikes against boats attempting to lay mines fit into the logic of protecting this corridor — not as escalation, but as backing up the negotiating position with force.
CENTCOM provided no additional details regarding the scale of the strikes and casualties among Iranian forces. Tehran has not officially responded.
If the memorandum is signed without a verified mechanism for uranium removal — the agreement will have the same structural vulnerability as the 2015 JCPOA, which Trump previously exited precisely due to the lack of reliable verification.
