WASHINGTON, D.C. — There are growing questions tonight about whether new U.S. strikes inside Iran could shake an already fragile diplomatic breakthrough.
Just days after President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran was “largely negotiated,” the U.S. military launched what it calls “self-defense” strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. According to U.S. Central Command, the “defensive” strikes on Monday targeted Iranian missile sites and boats allegedly preparing to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for global oil.
It’s unclear whether those strikes may impact what appeared to be a breakthrough between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend. Over the weekend, Trump said a potential agreement had been “largely negotiated” and could include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The president even called the relationship with Iran “more professional and productive.”
“We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today. I wouldn’t read too much into it. It takes a little while to hear back,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday. “We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the strait, get the Strait open, enter into a very real significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matters.”
Iranian officials have also signaled a possible reopening and said Tehran is ready to assure the world it is not seeking nuclear weapons.
“We’re either going to have a good agreement or we’re going to have to deal with it another way. We’d prefer to have a good agreement,” Rubio said.
But it’s unclear how Monday’s “defensive” strikes by the U.S. will impact any progress. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill continue questioning whether and when Congress should step in to limit the administration’s authority in Iran.
“I never put a timeline on anything like that because I’ve been on the other end of that. They cut my funding in Vietnam when they had never done anything other than then reinstate on a whim a few months later. So, stop, start, stop, start,” said Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich.
Congressman Bergman believes if Congress were to step in and limit the administration’s actions now, it would do more harm than good.
“Doesn’t mean we don’t need to get there. But right now we have an opportunity to do and to continue to do the right thing to keep Iran from having any type of nuclear capability,” Bergman said.
Democrats continue to attack the administration over what they call the “war of choice” and are honing in on the economic toll from the conflict.
“Americans’ financial situation is dire, and Republicans don’t think about anyone other than Donald Trump,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., earlier this month.
Oil prices did inch higher Tuesday after the latest strikes. The national average for regular gas sits around $4.49 a gallon, according to AAA. However, analysts warn new escalation could quickly push those prices higher again.
