Iran Suspends US Framework Agreement After Strikes Kill Two American Soldiers in Jordan
Reporting based primarily on welt.de.
Tehran has suspended a framework agreement with the United States amid ongoing attacks in the Iran war, as Iranian strikes on US allies killed two American soldiers in Jordan and damaged critical infrastructure in Kuwait. [1]
Suspension of US-Iran Framework Agreement
Tehran set the recently negotiated framework agreement with the United States aside after concluding that Washington had violated commitments from the Islamabad declaration. [1] Vice Foreign Minister Kasem Gharibabadi stated that Iran is occupied with the defense of the country and is no longer bound by the agreement because of American aggressive measures. [1] The mid-June framework agreement had envisioned the conclusion of a final deal within 60 days and included a demand for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. [1] In a televised statement the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei described President Trump’s signature on the agreement as worthless and invalid. [1] He threatened unforgettable lessons if the United States continues its attacks. [1] The son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had not previously appeared in public since the start of the war. [1]
US Strikes on Iranian Targets
US forces struck Iranian infrastructure and military targets, including bridges, for the seventh consecutive night. [1] The escalation of the Iran war began again in early July after a ceasefire that had been in place since early April. [1] President Trump renewed threats in recent days to attack Iranian power plants and bridges in order to force Iran to loosen its control over the Strait of Hormuz. [1] The United States also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to cut off the country’s crude oil deliveries. [1]
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Iranian Attacks on US Allies
Iran responded to the US strikes with attacks on US allies in the region, including Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq. [1] Iranian rocket and drone attacks on a US-used airbase in Jordan killed two American soldiers, injured four others, and left one missing. [1] The US Department of Defense and Central Command reported that US and allied troops defended against the Iranian attacks. [1] In Kuwait the Iranian military struck a seawater desalination plant and an oil facility, causing fires and injuring several people on the oil facility grounds as well as firefighters and a worker. [1] It was the second attack on a desalination plant in two days in the desert state that relies on desalination for 90 percent of its drinking water. [1] Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace, and Kuwait Airways rescheduled most flights to and from the capital. [1] Iraqi authorities reported that attack drones were intercepted over Erbil. [1] Jordanian air defense systems shot down Iranian rockets, according to the state news agency Petra. [1] In Bahrain the government reported multiple air raid alerts. [1]
Impact on Strait of Hormuz and Oil Shipping
Fewer vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz after the US naval blockade on Iranian ports. [1] Ship passages dropped to eight on Thursday, the lowest level in three weeks. [1] In peacetime roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas is shipped through the waterway. [1] The United States imposed the blockade to halt Iran’s crude oil deliveries. [1]
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Media Restrictions in Iran
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a confidential directive instructing media publishers and editors to limit reporting on damage to civilian infrastructure as the United States widens the war. [2] The directive was obtained by Iran International on Friday. [2]
Regional Responses and Further Escalation Risks
Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Iraqi, and Bahraini authorities each reported defensive actions or alerts in response to the Iranian strikes. [1] The pattern of mutual attacks on military and infrastructure targets has continued without interruption since the early July resumption of hostilities. [1] Both sides have signaled readiness for additional measures, with Iranian leadership emphasizing national defense and US leadership reiterating pressure on oil routes. [1]
What to watch next: Further US strikes on Iranian infrastructure and any Iranian responses targeting additional regional allies remain possible following the seventh consecutive night of attacks and the suspension of the framework agreement.
