Iran Negotiated With US Under Constant Bombing Threat, Foreign Minister Says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran negotiated with the US under the constant threat of bombing, as the conflict escalated with Iranian attacks on US bases in Jordan and Kuwait that killed two American service members, prompting fresh US strikes on Iran.

Iranian Minister Describes Negotiations Under Bombing Threat

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran conducted negotiations with US envoy Steve Witkoff while facing the constant threat of being bombed. [1] Speaking to Mehr News Agency on Sunday, July 19, Araghchi said, “I asked Witkoff (during negotiations), have you ever been in a meeting where there was a chance of being bombed at any moment?” [1] He did not specify when the negotiations took place. Araghchi said Iran would not be intimidated, adding, “Iran is not Venezuela, where you take one person and everyone else gets scared and backs down.” [1] He also accused the United States and Israel of making “two miscalculations”, saying, “They started the war… they didn’t account for the resistance.” [1] Referring to Israel’s military campaign, he added, “The Zionist regime thought that with a short attack, they could destroy everything. When that didn’t happen… they were forced to stop the war.” [1] Araghchi’s remarks came as the conflict widened after an Iranian attack on a US military base in Jordan killed two American service members. [1]

Iranian Attack on Jordan Base Kills Two US Service Members

An Iranian attack on a US military base in Jordan killed two American service members, left one missing and injured four others. [1] The US military carried out new airstrikes on Iranian targets after the attack. [1] US Central Command said the operation was intended to further reduce Iran’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. [1] According to US figures, 16 service members have been killed and more than 430 wounded since the conflict began on February 28. [1] A third service member died the day before during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone in northern Iraq. [4] The US said unidentified remains of another victim in Friday’s Jordan strike were being examined. [4] As the conflict turns deadly again for the US military, where Trump will take the fight now is not clear. [4] The administration sent a mix of messages over the weekend, as the US death toll hit 17 since the war began on Feb. 28. [4]

Iran Claims Strikes on US Bases in Kuwait

Iran said it launched drone attacks against two US military installations in Kuwait, identifying Camp Udairi and Ali Al Salem Air Base as targets. [1] The Iranian military claimed the attacks struck an ammunition depot as well as Patriot radar and air surveillance systems. [1] Kuwait and Bahrain confirmed they activated air defence systems after detecting aerial threats, while air raid sirens sounded in both countries. [1] Kuwait’s foreign ministry condemned what it said was another Iranian attack targeting a power generation and water desalination station, describing the strike as a dangerous escalation and a violation of international law. [1] The ministry said Iran bears “full legal and moral responsibility” for the attack and its consequences. [1] Residents of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan criticized Iranian aggression in interviews with N12. [3] “Since Iran resumed launching missiles over the past week, the situation in Bahrain has been extremely tense,” Bahraini author and activist Fatima Al Harbi told N12. [3]

Missile Interceptions and Regional Fallout

Jordan’s Armed Forces said air defence units intercepted and destroyed three Iranian missiles, while a fourth landed in an unpopulated area. [1] Military officials said there were no casualties or material damage. [1] Sirens have been activated in various regions in Jordan, state broadcaster the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation said Sunday on social media platform X. [2] Several media reports, citing the Israeli military, said missiles launched from Iran toward southernmost Jordan's coastal city of Aqaba were identified. [2] The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was examining reports that the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant in southwestern Iran had been attacked. [1] The agency said the site contained no nuclear material during its most recent inspection and that there was no indication of any radiological risk. [1] Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any future Iranian missile attack. [1]

US Political Responses and Silence From Trump

US President Donald Trump urged Republican lawmakers to include Iran in sanctions legislation currently focused on Russia. [1] Republican Senator Tom Cotton supported additional military action against Iran following the attack that killed the two US service members. [1] In a post on X, Cotton said President Trump was right to “unleash hell” on those responsible. [1] If U.S. President Donald Trump knows where he wants to take the war in Iran, he’s giving little sign of it publicly. [4] Trump kept a low profile on Saturday and spent Sunday celebrating the World Cup finale in New Jersey. [4] Trump has so far stopped short of ordering a substantial escalation, and called Sunday for Congress to roll new Iran penalties into a Russian sanctions bill. [4] Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the soldiers’ deaths will only strengthen U.S. resolve. [4]

Ongoing Focus on Strait of Hormuz and Broader Conflict

Military operations continue to focus on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes through which around one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies normally pass. [1] Total shipments out of the Gulf, both through the Strait of Hormuz and pipelines used to avoid it, is at about two-thirds of pre-conflict levels. [4] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to discuss implementation of the US-brokered agreement signed on June 26 aimed at ending hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. [1] According to the US State Department, Rubio also praised the Lebanese government’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah. [1] Lebanon’s health ministry said 4,328 people had been killed and 12,229 wounded in Israeli attacks since March 2. [1]

What to watch next includes further US strikes on Iranian targets aimed at the Strait of Hormuz, additional Iranian responses in the Gulf region, and diplomatic meetings on Lebanon implementation.