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The US military says it has launched new strikes on southern Iran, targeting Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to place mines.

US Central Command said in a statement the strikes were taken in "self-defense", and were designed "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces".

Central Command spokesperson Capt Tim Hawkins said the US military "continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire".

The strikes come as Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai said some progress has been made in talks with the US, but a deal to end the conflict "is not imminent".

Capt Hawkins said the strikes targeted an area near Bandar Abbas, a southern port city and home of an Iranian naval base that sits on the Strait of Hormuz, according to the New York Times.

Iranian state media had earlier reported that local officials in Bandar Abbas were investigating after explosions were heard.

Iran is yet to respond to the latest US strikes. It is unclear what impact they will have on any potential peace agreement between the US and Iran.

At the weekend, President Donald Trump had suggested the sides were close to a deal, but later said he had instructed negotiators "not to rush into" one.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said an agreement could possibly be reached on Monday.

But Baqai responded: "It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion... But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent - no-one can make such a claim."

The memorandum of understanding being discussed reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a plan for further negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.

CBS News, the BBC's US partner, has reported that US intelligence believes Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei - who was injured in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war which killed his father and predecessor - is holed up in an undisclosed location, making communication with his envoys difficult and therefore delaying pace of talks with the US.

According to US media, the discussions will not immediately lead to a final settlement. Contentious issues will likely be negotiated later, including details of Iranian sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian funds, and US demands for Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions.

At the start of the war, Iran is thought to have had about 440kg (970 lbs) of uranium that was enriched up to 60% purity - a short process away from being enriched further to the weapons-grade 90%, which theoretically could allow it to create a nuclear bomb.

On Monday night, Trump said the enriched uranium would either be "immediately" turned over to the US, or "preferably, in conjunction and co-ordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place".

Despite the downplaying of any breakthrough from senior officials, Iran's top negotiator and foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the US, Reuters reported.

US and Iranian forces have observed a ceasefire since 8 April. Iran has maintained controls on Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the US Navy has sought to blockade Iran's ports.

The US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on 28 February, sparking conflict across the Middle East. Iran responded by attacking Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. The move sent oil prices soaring globally.

madridguy:
Only US/Israel could bomb you during a peace deal out of self defense

Saturnalia:
How can a Country launch a “Self Defense” strikes against another Country that is thousands of miles away from her border?

The United Snakes of Amerika is about to reap all the rotten fruits of her parasitic labors.

God1000:
Terrorist USA is at it again, the murderous trump regime will be held accountable for all the deaths and destruction, just imagine another country bombing US soil and call it self defense, yet Iran is still cast as the aggressor by these lunatics

franchasofficia:
Level Karg Island and all power plants in Iran and watch Iran surrender unconditionally because all those ballistic missiles they buried underground won't function again and their military commanders will come outside to be routed out like stubborn bush rat they are

HacheNoire:
Dumb Trump and dumb moves!

Same you having peace talks in Qatar, is same you bombing!

This orange turd is the most confused living and why the US military is being embarrassed like never before.

Now, oil prices will take flight again!

Anyways! Iran already started installing Christmas lights on Israel!

bigpicture001:
The US is blocking is real from totally freeing up Iran once and for all..

If the US are not involved, by now isreali ttacks won't stop ND Iran regime would have crippled ,they ppl would have been free and the new government would happily give away all those nuclear arsenal in exchange for economiçs freedom...

Iran DN want to negotiate Trump is just being dump..Stan aside an allow isreali takeover...just stand and watch

Robertgreene1:
All ye ignorant Trump supporters should start getting set to buy fuel at 2k per liter. How can an old grandpa with one leg in his grave already, be taking stupid actions that affect billions of poor people around the world, just because him and his family members and cronies are secretly buying millions of dollars worth of stokes in major oil companies just before he bombs lran and then making millions of dollars in profit once the oil prices goes up. Tufiakwa!!! This man is surely the antichrist!!!

franchasofficia:
Level Kargis Island and all power plants in Iran and watch Iran surrender unconditionally because all those ballistic missiles they buried underground won't function again and their military commanders will come outside to be routed out like stubborn bush rat they are

Mattswaggz:
Like play like play fighting wan resume.....energy prices will either continue to rise or maintain it's present position if they don't resolve this conflict any sooner.

US are holding their ground when it comes to making sure that Iran would either hand over their already enriched Uranium or destroy it as part of the peace plan and they aren't willing to back down.....which means that Iran would have to accept this reality for any talks to materialize in coming days.

madridguy:
Only US/Israel could bomb you during a peace deal out of self defense

God1000:
Terrorist USA is at it again, the murderous trump regime will be held accountable for all the deaths and destruction, just imagine another country bombing US soil and call it self defense, yet Iran is still cast as the aggressor by these lunatics

obedience4:
Can't you read? Or is the problem assimilation?? Can't you read were it was stated they fired on ships lying mines on a international water way??.. what happens when a civilian vessel or military vessels gets hits a mine??... well wait till your enemies kill you before you attack... "self defence" doesn't mean you have to wait before you are attacked, preemptive strikes against a potential aggression can be termed "self defence"

Leepeak:
Nice one if Iran start their self defense strike make Dem nor call for seize fire oo
USA ran out of weapons just to buy time/ Israel ran out of the war, na Gaza isreal like to fight
Them see their mate isreal called Americans oya Iran will definitely retaliate
I was watching 2003 bush invasion of Iraq, called it weapons of mass destruction according to him he wants to dismantle Iraq WMDs which the whole world know Iraq doesn't have
Now Iran has missile , lol oya seeing the soldier that died many black , die which I am even happier that a black soldier died in Iraq war, same with young soldiers who just got married they died but bush still dey life
Bush my guy
Trump pikin do wedding by now he is lashing his wife and some black and Asian dey the war
USA don't even have clue of where Iran missile are them dey do try and error by south Iran
Thank God Putin warn USA that they will be consequences if they attack Iran, let's see if Qatar Kuwait UAE Bahrain Saudi Arabia will survive this one,
I was expecting trump to bomb khang island where Iran 90% of oil is
Europe go hate trump once because energy price go blast up ,
U dey find oil u say na nuclear weapons only fools and idiots believe you