Iran denounces US 'self-defense' strikes, dimming prospects for a peace deal
Iran slammed the recent U.S. strikes in its southern region as a sign of "bad faith and unreliability," Associated Press reported, adding that "the Islamic Republic of Iran will leave no act of aggression unanswered." The strikes and the subsequent condemnation come at a critical juncture, casting a pall over the ongoing negotiations for a peace deal in Qatar that will bring the three-month-long war to an end.
Iran has consistently honored its commitments and explored every avenue to avert war; all paths remain open from our side. Forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion. Mutual respect in diplomacy is far wiser, safer, and more sustainable than war.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) May 20, 2026
It remains to be seen whether these strikes will affect the negotiations, but Iran's foreign ministry termed the strikes a ceasefire violation and warned that Washington would bear responsibility for "all consequences." The report also said that Iran's Revolutionary Guard had shot down drones and a fighter jet that entered its airspace, without expanding on the timing of these incidents.
If Iran had wanted to give you uranium, Iran would have done so long before the war.
— Iran In Hyderabad (@IraninHyderabad) May 25, 2026
If you could have taken it from us by the war, you would have already done so.
Now, all you can do is repeat your broken dreams. This is the price of trusting a delusional war criminal friend. https://t.co/GkB9XPU6xP
The US military said on Monday its forces carried out "self-defense strikes" to neutralize what it described as "threats posed by Iranian forces," targeting missile launch sites and mine-laying boats. Captain Tim Hawkins, the spokesman for the Central Command, said the command was "continuing to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire." This is not the first time the two sides have engaged in combat after the ceasefire came into effect on April 7.
Good morning.
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@AdamKinzinger) May 24, 2026
We won the war so hard that Iran now has privileges it didn’t have before we started it,
The gaslighting is actually impressive
The skirmish comes at a time when peace talks between the two sides are nearing a possible agreement. The strikes now risk derailing a fragile ceasefire that has held since April. The US strikes inside Iranian territory can cascade into a wider conflict and hand Tehran a reason to walk away from the table when the world is seeking an end to the conflict and dent its inflationary effect.
The Strait of Hormuz was open and not controlled by Iran before Trump launched his war against Iran.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) May 23, 2026
Meanwhile, there is little clarity over the progress in the negotiations after President Donald Trump announced it on Saturday. In his last update about the peace deal, Trump revealed that talks with Iran were "proceeding nicely," and urged his U.S. Middle Eastern allies to become signatories to the Abraham Accords and warned that signing the accords would be mandatory for those regional nations as part of a final deal with Iran.
Furthermore, many of the details around the deal's terms remain unclear. Some of the details reportedly include a 60-day ceasefire extension, sanctions relief, and the unlocking of nearly $20 billion of frozen assets in return for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and agreeing to discuss its nuclear program. No official announcement has been made on the finalized details yet.
