WASHINGTON / TEHRAN: United States President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Washington “might have to go after” Pickaxe Mountain, a strategic site linked to Iran’s nuclear programme, if Tehran fails to reach a negotiated agreement with the US. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump cautioned that military hostilities could reignite if a diplomatic consensus is not secured.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance stated on Monday that Washington has made tangible progress toward a potential negotiated settlement with Iran and will continue pursuing diplomatic channels to finalize an agreement.
Concurrently, a Qatari diplomatic delegation headed to Tehran on Monday as part of broader regional efforts to de-escalate tensions, according to a report by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed citing informed Iranian sources.
On the military front, a US fighter jet destroyed an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) surface-to-air missile launcher on Qeshm Island on Monday night. According to Axios citing a US official, the strike was executed in self-defense after the IRGC fired a missile at an American aircraft operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the localized military engagements, President Trump indicated that Tehran remains interested in securing an agreement with Washington, noting that a diplomatic resolution is still achievable.
However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry firmly ruled out the possibility of transferring enriched uranium out of the country on Monday. The ministry added that Tehran has not yet entered discussions regarding conditions for the resumption of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections.
According to a Wall Street Journal report citing US officials, Monday’s strike on Qeshm Island formed part of a series of limited, clandestine military operations conducted by Washington against Iranian targets in recent weeks.
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