US Strike on Iran Remains a Real and Ongoing Threat

US President Donald Trump has made recent comments about Iran, following days of protests against the government in Tehran. On Wednesday evening, Trump stated that killings had stopped and that arrested protesters would not be executed, as reported by Iranian authorities. However, he did not rule out an attack on Iran.

In August, the US deployed its largest military presence in the Caribbean Sea in decades, targeting over 30 boats accused of carrying drugs to the United States. The operation resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people. Trump had also accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading mass-scale narcotics smuggling operations, without providing evidence. In November, Trump spoke with Maduro, and later confirmed that they had a cordial conversation.

Following the boat bombings, the US targeted a docking facility in Venezuela, which was described by Maduro as a “cordial” call. However, just hours later, US forces abducted Maduro and his wife on charges of narcotics trafficking. This incident occurred during a time when diplomacy appeared to be taking hold, with Maduro offering Trump an olive branch regarding drug trafficking and access to oil.

In June, the US and Iran engaged in weeks of negotiations over concerns about Iran’s enrichment of uranium for nuclear weapons. Trump frequently warned Iran that time was running out for a deal, but then returned to talks. On June 13, he stated that his administration remained committed to a diplomatic resolution, but just hours later, Israel struck Iran.

On June 20, the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 Spirit bombers and conventional bombs. The attack occurred despite Trump’s earlier statement about making a decision on whether or not to bomb Iran within two weeks.

Source: Al Jazeera