The Trump administration says the ceasefire remains in place but has been repeatedly tested by Iran’s restrictions on traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Uneasy ceasefire iran war In another test on Sunday, a drone of unknown origin set fire to a cargo ship off the coast of Qatar and entered Kuwaiti airspace before dawn, authorities said.
Qatar and Kuwait said there were no casualties in either attack. The incidents mark the latest threat to a month-old ceasefire that the Trump administration says remains in place.
Halt of fighting faces difficulties, Iran restricts traffic through Iran Strait of HormuzIran is a key strategic waterway for the flow of global oil, and the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Washington has been awaiting Iran’s response to a new proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the strait to shipping and curtail Iran’s nuclear program. President of the United States Donald Trump have repeated threats Resumption of full-scale bombing if Iran does not accept a deal to reopen the strait and reduce its nuclear program. Since the United States and Israel jointly launched a war on February 28, Iran has basically blocked the waterway, causing global fuel prices to soar. Volatile world markets.
One of the main sticking points in the negotiations is the fate of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The U.N. nuclear agency says Iran has more than 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium with a purity of up to 60 percent, just steps away from weapons-grade levels.
In an interview with Iranian state media, an Iranian military spokesman said that the military is “fully prepared” to protect nuclear facilities where uranium is stored.
“We believe they may intend to steal it through an infiltration operation or a helicopter operation,” said Brig. Gen. Akrami Niya told the Islamic Republic News Agency on Saturday night. He did not provide further details.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said most of Iran’s highly enriched uranium may still be at its Isfahan nuclear facility Associated Press last month.
The Isfahan facility was hit by U.S.-Israeli air strikes during last year’s 12-day war, and the intensity of the attacks in this year’s war has weakened.
In Sunday’s naval attack, Qatar’s Defense Ministry said a drone targeted a commercial ship entering a southern port from Abu Dhabi, sparking a small fire that was later extinguished. The British Maritime Trade Operations Center said the attack occurred 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) northeast of the Qatari capital Doha. It gave no details about the vessel’s owner or origin, and no one claimed responsibility.
There have been a number of attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf over the past week. The United States attacked two Iranian oil tankers on Friday after it said they were trying to break a blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy reiterated its warning on Sunday that any Iranian oil tanker attacked Or the merchant ship would be subject to a “violent attack” on one of the U.S. bases and enemy ships in the area.
In Kuwait, Defense Ministry spokesman Brig.-Gen. Saudi General Abdulaziz al-Otaibi said an enemy drone entered Kuwaiti airspace early Sunday and troops responded “in accordance with established procedures.” There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the ministry did not say where the drone came from.
Pakistan continues to mediate during the ceasefire. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday he received a call from his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in which the two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation and reviewed ongoing peace efforts.
Sharif wrote on X that the two countries share a “brotherly bond” and said he looked forward to Qatar’s upcoming visit to Pakistan.
Sami Magdi reported from Cairo. Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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