Khamenei raises stakes in Iran’s war vs US; says America ‘no longer’ has safe haven in Mideast
“What is certain in this regard is that the hands of time will not turn backwards, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases,” Khamenei said in an Eid al-Adha message. Notably, he has yet to make a public appearance since taking office after his father’s assassination in March.
The United States is losing influence in the region, he added, claiming it was “moving further and further away from its former status with each passing day”.
The US Central Command said the strikes targeted missile launch sites and boats placing mines, with spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins saying the action was taken “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces” while stressing that the military was “using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s revolutionary guards said that they held a ‘right to respond’ to any US ceasefire breach.
Also read: US military says it carried out ‘self-defense’ strikes on Iran, including on missile launch sitesThe developments came even as US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding nicely,” amid continuing military tensions in the region.
Where do peace talks stand?
Trump also sought to widen the scope of any potential agreement with Iran, saying countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar should join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional settlement.Posting on social media, Trump said it should be “mandatory” for these countries to sign onto the US-brokered agreements, which were launched during his first term to normalize relations with Israel.
“After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords,” Trump wrote.
He said he had raised the proposal with regional leaders during negotiations on Saturday and added that he would accept “one or two” countries opting out.
The Abraham Accords were first signed in 2020 by Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, later expanding to include Sudan, Morocco and Kazakhstan. The agreements were framed by the Trump administration as a platform for deeper diplomatic, economic and security cooperation with Israel.
Also read: Iran would open Strait of Hormuz 30 days after peace deal
Regional hurdles: What’s at stake?
Trump’s latest proposal, however, risks complicating negotiations further, particularly because some of the countries he named have longstanding conditions or sensitivities tied to relations with Israel.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly maintained that any normalization with Israel would require a credible pathway toward Palestinian statehood. Pakistan, which also does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, has similarly linked its position to the Palestinian issue.
Islamabad-based analyst Syed Mohammad Ali said Pakistan’s stance remained unchanged despite Trump’s remarks.
Former Pakistani ambassador to the US Masood Khan said introducing the Abraham Accords into the Iran negotiations added “an altogether new dimension” to the diplomatic process because the issue “was not on the agenda.”
“It remains to be seen how workable the proposal might be,” Khan said, though he added that diplomacy was still active and that Pakistan remained central to ongoing regional discussions.
The push for a broader diplomatic realignment comes as Trump faces pressure from some Republicans demanding a tougher line against Iran, even while negotiations continue.
