US signals willingness to renew talks with Iran and avoid prolonged war

President Donald Trump, who had addressed the nation from the White House on Saturday night, allowed his national security team to speak for him the next morning, staying quiet on social media and scheduling no public appearances.
The co-ordinated messaging by his vice president, Pentagon chief, top military adviser and secretary of state suggested a confidence that any fallout from the attack would be manageable and that Iran's lack of military capabilities would ultimately force it back to the bargaining table.
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth said at a news conference that America 'does not seek war' with Iran while vice president JD Vance said the strikes have given Tehran the possibility of returning to negotiate with Washington.
Operation Midnight Hammer 'involved decoys and deception and met with no Iranian resistance', according to Mr Hegseth and air force General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
'This mission was not and has not been about regime change,' Mr Hegseth added.
Gen Caine said the goal of the operation – destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan – had been achieved.
'Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,' Gen Caine said.
Mr Vance said in a television interview that while he would not discuss 'sensitive intelligence about what we've seen on the ground', he felt 'very confident that we've substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon'.
Pressed further, he told NBC's Meet the Press that 'I think that we have really pushed their programme back by a very long time. I think that it's going to be many, many years before the Iranians are able to develop a nuclear weapon'.
The vice president said the US had 'negotiated aggressively' with Iran to try to find a peaceful settlement and that Mr Trump made his decision after assessing the Iranians were not acting 'in good faith'.
'I actually think it provides an opportunity to reset this relationship, reset these negotiations and get us in a place where Iran can decide not to be a threat to its neighbours, not to a threat to the United States, and if they're willing to do that, the United States is all ears,' Mr Vance said.
Secretary of state Marco Rubio said on CBS's Face the Nation that 'there are no planned military operations right now against Iran, unless, unless they mess around and they attack' US interests.
Mr Trump has previously threatened other countries, but often backed down or failed to follow through, given his promises to his coalition of voters not to entangle the United States in an extended war. It was not immediately clear whether Iran saw the avoidance of a wider conflict as in its best interests.
Much of the world is absorbing the consequences of the strikes and the risk that they could lead to more fighting across the Middle East after the US inserted itself into the war between Israel and Iran.
Air strikes starting on June 12 by Israel that targeted Iran's nuclear facilities and generals prompted retaliation from Iran, creating a series of events that contributed to the US attack.
While US officials urged caution and stressed that only nuclear sites were targeted by Washington, Iran criticised the actions as a violation of its sovereignty and international law.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Washington was 'fully responsible' for whatever actions Tehran may take in response.
'They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities,' he said at a news conference in Turkey. 'I don't know how much room is left for diplomacy.'
China and Russia, where Mr Araghchi was heading for talks with President Vladimir Putin, condemned the US military action.
The attacks were 'a gross violation of international law', said Russia's Foreign Ministry, which also advocated 'returning the situation to a political and diplomatic course'. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement warned about the risk of the conflict spreading to 'a global level'.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK was moving military equipment into the area to protect its interests, people and allies, but that he was focused on finding a solution.
The leaders of Italy, Canada, Germany and France agreed on the need for 'a rapid resumption of negotiations'. France's Emmanuel Macron held talks with the Saudi crown prince and sultan of Oman.
Iran could try to stop oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, which could create the same kind of inflationary shocks that the world felt after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Oil prices have increased in the financial markets as the war between Israel and Iran had intensified, climbing by 21% over the past month.
The Pentagon briefing did not provide any new details about Iran's nuclear capabilities. Mr Hegseth said the timeline for the strikes was the result of a schedule set by Mr Trump for talks with Iran about its nuclear ambitions.
'Iran found out' that when Mr Trump 'says 60 days that he seeks peace and negotiation, he means 60 days of peace and negotiation', Mr Hegseth said. 'Otherwise, that nuclear programme, that new nuclear capability will not exist. He meant it.'
pic.twitter.com/wu9mMkxtUg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2025
That statement was complicated as the White House had suggested last Thursday that Mr Trump could take as much as two weeks to determine whether to strike Iran or continue to pursue negotiations. But the US benefited from Iran's weakened air defences as it was able to conduct the attacks without resistance from Iran.
'Iran's fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission,' Gen Caine said.
Mr Hegseth said that a choice to move a number of B-2 bombers from their base in Missouri earlier Saturday was meant to be a decoy to throw off Iranians. He added that the US used other methods of deception as well, deploying fighters to protect the B-2 bombers that dropped 14 bunker-buster bombs on Iran's site at Fordo.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

NBC News

28 minutes ago

• NBC News

Oil prices jump following U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities

Oil prices jumped and stock futures slipped Sunday evening, indicating concern among investors about the possibility of economic fallout from the ongoing unrest in the Middle East following U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. The major focus is on oil. Iran remains a major international oil supplier, and it also sits on the Strait of Hormuz, a heavily trafficked waterway in the Persian Gulf that is a key transit channel for about one-fifth of the world's oil supply. Concerns centered on whether Iran would begin limiting or shutting down access to the strait. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that closing the strait would be tantamount to 'economic suicide' for Iran and called on China, Iran's top trading partner, to head off any attempt by Iran to affect traffic. U.S. and global oil benchmark prices opened up 4% Sunday evening, underscoring the concerns about what the conflict means for the world's oil supplies. Oil prices already gained about 3% last week in the wake of Israel's initial strikes against Iranian targets and Iran's retaliatory missile attacks. Stocks also slid Sunday. S&P 500 futures contracts declined about 0.6% in the first hour of trading, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell about 250 points, or 0.6%. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 0.7%. U.S. markets officially open at 9:30 a.m. ET Monday. 'Should oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz be affected, we could easily see $100 oil' or an increase in U.S. gas prices by 75 cents per gallon, Andy Lipow, president of the consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates, said in a note to clients Sunday. In a worst-case scenario in which oil prices rose to at least $120 a barrel, U.S. gas prices would increase as much as $1.25 per gallon, Lipow said. In a follow-up email, Lipow said that even if the strait does not officially close, any action by a tanker company to pre-emptively reduce its footprint there represents 'a de facto supply disruption.' Iran's state-owned media reported that Iran's parliament backed closing the strait — but that the final decision lies with Iran's national security council, according to the report. Any move by Iran to alter traffic in the strait could also hurt its own economy — particularly commerce with China. On Sunday, a department of the U.K. Royal Navy said it observed 'electronic interference in the Strait of Hormuz.' At least two massive supertankers that had entered the strait were reported to have made U-turns. Marine tracking websites also showed the vessels turning about halfway through the strait. 'I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,' Rubio said in an interview on Fox News. China is Iran's most important oil customer, and they maintain friendly relations. Iran may still be assessing the ultimate damage to its nuclear facilities as it contemplates its next move. The International Atomic Energy Agency said Sunday that while it had confirmed that the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites had been hit, it was not immediately possible to assess the damage at the Fordo site. Until last week, U.S. stocks had been enjoying a substantial, if volatile, recovery from the lows following President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs announcement in April. That momentum reversed after Israel announced last weekend it had struck key Iranian military and nuclear targets, prompting retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli targets by Iran. JPMorgan analysts said Sunday that investors had voiced concerns to them last week that the Iran-Israel conflict would spread, 'and those concerns have been materialized.' 'Trump's statement that this might be the only US attack or might begin a series of attacks brought us little certainty,' the analysts added in a note to clients. 'Moreover, we do not see an obvious route to a political settlement to the military conflict, which makes us think the conflict, like the one in Gaza, could last longer than many investors think.'

Daily Mirror

35 minutes ago

• Daily Mirror

Donald Trump's defence chief claims Iran attack was shared with lawmakers

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was asked when congress was informed that President Trump had taken executive action to launch an offensive on Iran US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed to journalists that Congress was not informed about Saturday's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities until after they had taken place. In a press briefing on Sunday morning, the former Fox News pundit turned Trump ally responded to reporters' queries about the surprising move. When one journalist asked the 45-year-old when Congress was notified that the president had taken executive action, he answered, "They were notified after the planes were safely out." ‌ After a brief pause, he added, "Uh, we complied with the notification requirements of the War Powers Act." Then, a moment later, he stated: "They were. ..immediately thereafter" ‌ Several politicians from both parties have criticised Trump's action, accusing the president of acting unconstitutionally. Congressman Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and vocal opponent of U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, reacted on X just minutes after Trump announced the offensive, stating, "This is not Constitutional." Massie has been a key figure behind a bipartisan war powers resolution aimed at preventing American military engagement in the ongoing Middle East tensions, reports the Mirror US. Others were more restrained in their criticism while still expressing concern about executive overreach, with Republican Warren Davidson, a congressman for Ohio tweeting: "While President Trump's decision may prove just, it's hard to conceive a rationale that's Constitutional." Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch Trump supporter, has openly criticised the President for siding with Israel in its conflict against Iran. ‌ On social media, she fumed: "Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war." She also pointed out the cause and effect of the hostilities: "There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first." The political sphere was caught off guard by Trump's sudden move, especially since he had previously declared that he would take "two weeks" to decide on US involvement in Israel's conflict with Iran. ‌ Trump had earlier indicated a period of contemplation, saying, "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiation that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go in the next two weeks," as read by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt last Thursday. In a surprising admission, Trump acknowledged his collaboration with Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in orchestrating the strikes, expressing gratitude towards Netanyahu for his backing. Netanyahu reciprocated the sentiment on Fox News, stating, "Tonight, President Trump and the US acted with a lot of strength. President Trump, I thank you. The people of Israel thank you." According to the Iranian state-affiliated news agency, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard issued a stern response: "Today's act of aggression by the terrorist American regime has granted the Islamic Republic of Iran the legitimate right to act in self-defense, including through options that go beyond the delusional calculations of the aggressor coalition." The comments were somewhat enigmatic regarding the specific 'options', but the menace was unmistakable. With an air of defiance, they continued: "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is well-versed in the realities of this full-scale hybrid war and will never be intimidated by the noise of Trump or the criminal gangs ruling Washington and Tel Aviv."

Daily Mirror

an hour ago

• Daily Mirror

Inflation 'disaster' looms if Iran's leaders sign off on response to US strikes

Shutting the vital Strait of Hormuz would be bad news for economies around the world, experts have warned after the measure was passed by Iran's parliament today The world could soon be braced for an inflation 'disaster' after Iran's parliament approved closing the key Strait of Hormuz. A whopping 20 percent of global oil and gas goes through the strait and its closure could create the same kind of inflationary shocks that the world felt after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The decision is not final and is now with the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the country's Supreme National Security Council, according to Iranian state TV.. It comes afte r a surprise attack on three of the country's nuclear sites by the US. ‌ ‌ The move, according to Revolutionary Guards Commander Esmail Kosari 'will be done whenever necessary'. He said to the Young Journalist Club: 'Our hands are wide open when it comes to punishing the enemy, and the military response was only part of our overall response.' The impact of the strait closing would be 'catastrophic' according to business expert Gerrit Heinemann, who spoke to the german news outlet BILD. '[It would be] worse than Corona and Putin combined! The second episode of the ongoing crisis would be even more severe than what we experienced at the beginning of the Ukraine war and during the Corona years. A disaster.' He continued: 'A large part of the global supply chains runs through the affected region. This not only dramatically impacts energy supplies, but also the flow of goods. All of a sudden, all the crises we had just overcome would return: the energy crisis, inflation, disrupted supply chains, and now the threat of mass unemployment.' The strait separates Iran and Oman and is only 21 miles across. As a result it is vulnerable to attacks. There has already been an impact on oil prices following the outbreak of war between Iran and Israel, climbing by 21% in the financial markets over the past month. ‌ The Trump administration has signalled a willingness to renew talks with Iran and avoid a prolonged war in the aftermath of its strikes on Iran, known as Operation Midnight Hammer. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth said at a news conference that America 'does not seek war' with Iran while vice president JD Vance said the strikes have given Tehran the possibility of returning to negotiate with Washington. Much of the world is absorbing the consequences of the strikes and the risk that they could lead to more fighting across the Middle East after the US inserted itself into the war between Israel and Iran. Air strikes starting on June 12 by Israel that targeted Iran's nuclear facilities and generals prompted retaliation from Iran, creating a series of events that contributed to the US attack. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK was moving military equipment into the area to protect its interests, people and allies, but that he was focused on finding a solution. While US officials urged caution and stressed that only nuclear sites were targeted by Washington, Iran criticised the actions as a violation of its sovereignty and international law. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Washington was 'fully responsible' for whatever actions Tehran may take in response.