HM King Hamad, Saudi Crown Prince Discuss Regional Tensions
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received a phone call from His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The call touched on recent regional developments, particularly the escalating situation following the Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, including today's targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States.
Both leaders emphasized the importance of unity among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during this critical time. They reiterated the need for calm, avoiding further escalation, and resolving disputes through diplomatic channels to preserve regional stability.
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Daily Tribune
an hour ago
- Daily Tribune
Inside Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: From Origins to Tensions Today
A week after Israel's unprecedented military strike against Iran, the United States escalated tensions further with overnight attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities. The strikes underscore mounting international alarm over Iran's expanding nuclear programme — a dispute decades in the making. A Programme Decades in the Making Iran's nuclear ambitions trace back to the late 1950s, when it began receiving technical assistance from the United States under a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement signed by then-Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Iran became a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1970, committing to peaceful nuclear development under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). But by the early 2000s, revelations about undeclared nuclear sites raised international suspicion. A 2011 IAEA report found that Iran had conducted activities 'relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device' at least until 2003. Hope in Vienna, Fallout in Washington After suspending parts of its enrichment activities, Iran entered negotiations with world powers. These culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in Vienna with the five permanent UN Security Council members (US, UK, France, China, and Russia) plus Germany. The deal imposed strict limits on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. That diplomatic breakthrough unraveled in May 2018, when then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and reimposed sanctions. Tehran responded with what analysts call a 'strategy of escalation.' Escalation and Enrichment In defiance of the JCPOA, Iran raised its uranium enrichment levels: From 3.67% (the JCPOA cap) To 5%, then 20%, and eventually 60% in 2021 — alarmingly close to the 90% threshold needed for weapons-grade material. As of May 17, 2025, Iran possesses 408.6 kg of uranium enriched to 60% — a 50% increase since February. Given that around 42 kg at this level is enough for one bomb if further enriched, Iran now theoretically holds enough material for more than nine nuclear weapons. Iran has also exceeded limits on the number and type of centrifuges in operation, using advanced models to accelerate production. No Evidence of a Weapon — Yet Despite the quantity of enriched material, the IAEA has stated it has 'no indication' that Iran currently has a systematic programme to build a nuclear weapon. Nuclear arms require more than enriched uranium: precise engineering, ballistic delivery systems, and warhead miniaturisation are all essential steps — none of which are confirmed. In March, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified that Iran is not actively building a nuclear bomb. Iran continues to deny all nuclear weapons ambitions, citing a religious edict (fatwa) issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banning the development and use of atomic arms. Diplomacy Under Fire Recent Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, coupled with the latest US bombings, have further damaged hopes for reviving the JCPOA. Talks mediated by Oman had resumed in April 2025, but the attacks have prompted Iran's Foreign Ministry to accuse Washington of committing 'illegality and crimes' to aid Israel. While US officials express confidence that a renewed nuclear deal is still possible, Tehran maintains that recent aggression has dealt a 'serious blow' to diplomacy. Why It Matters Iran is now the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60%, a position that drastically reduces its 'breakout time' — the time it would need to produce a nuclear weapon if it chooses to. With over 400 kg of near-weapons-grade uranium, the stakes have never been higher. The world watches as Iran walks the fine line between legal enrichment and potential weaponisation — a line that could redefine security in the Middle East and beyond.
Gulf Insider
8 hours ago
- Gulf Insider
Iranian Parliament Backs Strait Of Hormuz Closure
Iranian state-owned outlet Press TV has released a new report quoting Major General Kowsari, a senior member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission, who stated: ' The Parliament has reached the conclusion that the Strait of Hormuz should be closed, but the final decision in this regard lies with the Supreme National Security Council .' ‼️ Major General Kowsari, member of the National Security Commission of the Parliament: The Parliament has reached the conclusion that the Strait of Hormuz should be closed, but the final decision in this regard lies with the Supreme National Security Council. — Press TV Breaking (@PTVBreaking1) June 22, 2025 If Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approves the proposed closure of the critical maritime chokepoint—through which approximately 30% of global seaborne oil and 20% of LNG transit—Brent crude and natural gas futures will surge sharply this evening. Reuters earlier cited lawmaker and Revolutionary Guards Commander Esmail Kosari, who told Young Journalist Club that closing the critical maritime checkpoint is on the agenda and 'will be done whenever necessary.' 'We can close the strait of Hormuz and shut their mouths. This will ruin their economy'Young Iranians dismiss Trump attacks, sharing thoughts on bombings to Fars News'We should hit Dimona 10 times harder' — RT (@RT_com) June 22, 2025 Crypto-based prediction market Polymarket shows that odds for a 'Strait of Hormuz closure by July' surged from roughly 15% before the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber strikes on Iran's key nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan—to as high as 60% earlier today, reflecting a sharp repricing of geopolitical risk. The potential closure of the strait was recently outlined in a 'worst-case scenario' by JPMorgan's chief commodity strategist, Natasha Kaneva (available to pro subscribers in the usual place). The note cautioned that a severe outcome could send oil prices into the $120-$130 per barrel range. London-based oil strategist at Bloomberg, Julian Lee, penned several important questions about what would happen if Iran tried to close the critical maritime chokepoint: Could Iran really block the Strait of Hormuz? Iran would have no legal authority to order a halt to traffic through Hormuz, so would need to achieve this by force or the threat of force. If its navy tried to bar entry to the strait, it would likely be met with a strong response from the U.S. Fifth Fleet and other Western navies patrolling the area. But it could cause severe disruption without a single Iranian warship leaving port. One option would be to harry shipping with small, fast patrol boats. Or it could launch drones and fire missiles toward ships from coastal or inland sites. That could make it too risky for commercial ships to venture through. Similar tactics have been employed successfully by the Houthi militia in Yemen to disrupt traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait leading into the Red Sea on the other side of the Arabian peninsula. The Houthis have mostly fired missiles and drones at ships after warning owners of vessels linked to the U.S., the UK and Israel that they will be attacked if they approach the area. A US-led force in the Red Sea is seeking to protect shipping there. But the number of ships sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden was still down about 70% in June compared with the average level of 2022 and 2023, according to Clarkson Research Services Ltd, a unit of the world's largest shipbroker. This has forced vessel operators to reroute their traffic around the southern tip of Africa instead of going through the Suez Canal — a lengthier and more expensive journey for ships traveling between Asia and Europe. Closing the Strait of Hormuz would quickly hit Iran's own economy as it would prevent it from exporting its petroleum. And it would antagonize China, the biggest buyer of Iranian oil and a critical partner that's used its veto power at the UN Security Council to shield Iran from Western-led sanctions or resolutions. When has Iran disrupted shipping? Iran has used harassment of ships in the Gulf for decades to register its dissatisfaction with sanctions against it, or as leverage in disputes. In April 2024, hours before launching a drone and missile attack on Israel, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized an Israel-linked container ship near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran released the ship's crew the following month, according to trade publication Lloyd's List. Tehran claimed that the MSC Aries had violated maritime regulations, but analysts pointed to its Israeli ownership connection as a motive. When it seized a US-bound tanker in April 2023, Iran said the ship had struck another vessel. But the move appeared to be retaliation for the seizure off Malaysia's coast of a ship loaded with Iranian crude by U.S. authorities on the grounds of sanctions violations. In May 2022, Iran seized two Greek tankers and held them for six months, presumably a response to the confiscation by Greek and U.S. authorities of Iranian oil on a different ship. The cargo was eventually released and the Greek tankers freed. So, too, was the oil on a tanker that Iran said it impounded in January 'in retaliation for the theft of oil by the US.' Has Iran ever closed the Strait of Hormuz? Not so far. During the 1980-88 war between Iraq and Iran, Iraqi forces attacked an oil export terminal at Kharg Island, northwest of the strait, in part to provoke an Iranian retaliation that would draw the U.S. into the conflict. Afterward, in what was called the Tanker War, the two sides attacked 451 vessels between them. That significantly raised the cost of insuring tankers and helped push up oil prices. When sanctions were imposed on Iran in 2011, it threatened to close the strait, but ultimately backed off. Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval forces, said shortly before the MSC Aries seizure that Iran has the option of disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, but chooses not to. How did the U.S. and allies respond to threats to Hormuz shipping in the past? During the Tanker War, the U.S. Navy resorted to escorting vessels through the Gulf. In 2019, it dispatched an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region. The same year, the U.S. started Operation Sentinel in response to Iran's disruption of shipping. Ten other nations — including the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain — later joined the operation, known now as the International Maritime Security Construct. Since late 2023, much of the focus on protecting shipping has switched away from the Strait of Hormuz and onto the southern Red Sea, the region's other vital waterway, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects it to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on shipping entering or exiting the Red Sea became a greater concern than the Strait of Hormuz. UK-flagged tanker Kohzan Maru reversed course in the Strait of Hormuz overnight after the strikes became public. At least one tanker in the Strait of Hormuz appears to have paused its transit after the US struck Iran overnight. Seen here, the UK-flagged tanker Kohzan Maru reversed course after the strikes became public and is now racing south at top speed. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 Latest ship tracking data via Bloomberg shows tankers are still flowing through the maritime chokepoint. Other critical maritime chokepoints to keep an eye on in the region. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued this warning to Iran on Fox News: 'If Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it and we retain options to deal with that.' Rubio:'If Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it and we retain options to deal with that' — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 22, 2025 Now the West waits for Iran's retaliatory attack. Also read: Here's How US Strikes On Iran Unfolded
Gulf Insider
9 hours ago
- Gulf Insider
Here's How US Strikes On Iran Unfolded
The U.S. strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities overnight on June 21–22 followed a highly intricate plan that entailed more than 125 U.S. aircraft and warships and layers of deception, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Pentagon news briefing. Hegseth said preparation for the mission—dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer—took place over the course of weeks and months, 'so that we could be ready when the president of the United States called.' The U.S. strikes were made a week after Israel launched a series of surprise airstrikes across Iran, aimed at degrading the country's nuclear programs and military capabilities. Joining the conflict that Israel initiated, U.S. military planners set Iran's Fordow uranium enrichment facility as their primary target. With the Fordow facility situated hundreds of feet underground in a mountainous region of Iran, U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers carrying 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs, called GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators, offered one of the best options to destroy the facility. Illustration by The Epoch Times Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the operation was the longest B-2 bomber mission since 2001, the second longest B-2 mission ever flown, and the first operational use of the GBU-57 bombs. At the June 22 news briefing, Pentagon personnel presented a timeline for Operation Midnight Hammer. The operation began just after midnight Eastern time on June 21, as seven B-2 bombers departed Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, heading east on their way to Iran. The B-2 bombers received refueling support from dozens of aerial refueling aircraft along their journey across the Atlantic Ocean and over the Mediterranean Sea. The seven U.S. bombers reached the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility at about 5 p.m. Eastern time on June 22. Just before these bombers entered the Central Command area, U.S. submarines began launching Tomahawk cruise missiles at targets in Iran. U.S. fighter jets flew ahead of the bombers, and the airstrike package entered Iranian airspace at approximately 6 p.m. Eastern time. (Left) A satellite image shows vehicles at the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Iran on June 20, 2025. (Right) A satellite image shows the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, where multiple buildings were destroyed during recent Israeli airstrikes, in Iran on June 14, 2025. Maxar Technologies via AP As they flew ahead, U.S. fighter jets began preemptively suppressing Iranian air defense systems around the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities, clearing the way for the bomber crews. At approximately 6:40 p.m. Eastern time, the lead bomber crews reached the Fordow nuclear facility and dropped two GBU-57 bombs. Over the next 20 minutes, the rest of the bomber crews dropped their payloads over Fordow and Natanz. The sea-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles reached the third and final target, Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility, and concluded the strike operation at approximately 7:05 p.m. Eastern time. The B-2 bomber crews exited the Iranian airspace at approximately 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. As he delivered remarks on the strikes on the morning of June 22, Hegseth said U.S. air crews were still returning to the United States. After the lead bomber dropped its two GBU-57 bombs, the remaining six B-2 bombers each released two of their own heavy bunker busters over the Fordow and Natanz facilities. In total, these bomber crews dropped 14 bunker buster bombs. Airmen look at a GBU-57, or the massive ordnance penetrator bomb, at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri on May 2, 2023. Seven B-2 bombers on June 21, 2025, departed Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. U.S. Air Force via AP, File Detailing the operation, Caine said the U.S. submarines involved in the strikes began firing 'more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Isfahan.' The air and sea components of the U.S. strike package were carefully sequenced so that the Tomahawk missile impacts could coincide with the narrow time frame of the rest of the strike package. The U.S. strike operation entailed several elements of deception in order to misdirect Iran's defenses. While the bomber crews responsible for conducting the strikes flew east from Whiteman Air Force Base, Caine announced that some bombers were headed west over the Pacific Ocean. An operational timeline of a strike on Iran is displayed following a news conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on June 22, 2025. Caine also announced that some bombers headed west over the Pacific Ocean as said it was 'a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa.' The top U.S. general said U.S. forces employed other deception tactics in the course of the mission, but did not specify what those tactics were. More than 125 military aircraft participated in Operation Midnight Hammer, according to Caine. He said this included the B-2 stealth bombers, 'multiple flights of fourth and fifth generation fighters,' and 'dozens and dozens of air refueling tankers.' A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber performs a flyover of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, on May 8, 2020. Jeff Roberson, File/AP Emphasizing the surprise nature of the operation, Caine said the U.S. military is unaware of any Iranian forces firing on the U.S. warplanes during the mission. 'Iran's fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface-to-air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission,' Caine added. 'We retained the element of surprise in total.' Hegseth also said the capabilities and coordination demonstrated by the U.S. forces during the operation will be a key factor dissuading Iran from retaliating. 'We believe that'll have a clear psychological impact on how they view the future, and we certainly hope they take the path of negotiated peace,' Hegseth said. 'But I could not be more proud of how this building operated, of the precision, the sensitivity, and the professionalism of the troops involved in this effort.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (L), accompanied by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, takes a question from a reporter during a news conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on June 22, 2025. President Donald Trump gave an address to the nation on June 21 after three Iranian nuclear facilities were struck by the U.S. said Operation Midnight Hammer was launched in order to destroy or 'severely degrade Iran's nuclear program.' The full extent of the damage inflicted on Iran's three nuclear facilities cannot be independently confirmed at this time. Still, Caine provided an optimistic early outlook. 'I know that battle damage is of great interest,' Caine said. 'Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.' In a statement shared by Iran's state-run PressTV shortly after the U.S. strikes, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran vowed it would continue its work. The Iranian nuclear agency also urged the international community to condemn the attack. Vice President JD Vance said that he believes the U.S. airstrikes on three of Iran's nuclear sites have set back the regime's nuclear program. 'I feel very confident that we have substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of this attack. That's why it was a success,' Vance said on June 22 on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'I think that we have really pushed their program 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.' Prior to the strikes, Israel said that Iran could be just weeks away from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while President Donald Trump had said Iran was weeks to months away from a nuclear bomb. Also read: Trump Has Already Pivoted To Mulling Regime Change In Iran With Latest Post
