US-Iran confrontation deepens as tanker strikes, Hormuz tensions and nuclear dispute escalate
The confrontation between the United States and Iran has sharply escalated in recent days, with American forces striking Iranian oil tankers, Iranian forces targeting US Navy vessels, tensions mounting around the Strait of Hormuz and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) referring Iran to the UN Security Council over its failure to cooperate with a long-running nuclear investigation.
The latest escalation follows months of military confrontation that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran subsequently carried out retaliatory attacks against Israel and US-linked positions in the region. Attempts to establish a lasting ceasefire and return to negotiations have failed to produce a durable settlement.
On September 8, US Central Command said American forces destroyed five Iranian crude-oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles on two occasions over the preceding two days. CENTCOM said the US warship evaded the attacks and that no American personnel were injured.
According to the US military, the vessels targeted were M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, and M/T Derya near Kharg Island. CENTCOM said crews were ordered to abandon the ships before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable.
The latest strikes followed another US operation on September 5, when CENTCOM said it destroyed three Iranian crude-oil carriers after the IRGC launched ballistic missiles towards an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. The US military said none of its personnel were injured in those incidents.
Iran, meanwhile, has claimed responsibility for attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities said on September 9 that its forces had attacked 10 vessels, including US-linked ships and oil tankers, in response to the American destruction of Iranian tankers. The United States has disputed some of Iran’s claims concerning damage to American vessels.
The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central pressure points in the confrontation. The waterway normally carries roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies, and the reduction in shipping through the strait has already affected international energy markets.
Brent crude remained above $100 a barrel on Thursday, while prices have risen sharply since the latest escalation. Reuters reported that Brent had increased by nearly 30 per cent from its early-August lows amid fears of prolonged disruption to energy supplies. (reuters.com)
The conflict has also spread beyond the immediate maritime confrontation. Iran launched missile attacks against a US-linked military position in Jordan, according to reports, while Iran-aligned Houthi forces have intensified attacks affecting alternative oil routes through the Red Sea.
At the same time, the nuclear dispute between Washington and Tehran has entered another critical phase.
On September 9, the IAEA Board of Governors voted to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over what it described as Tehran’s failure to cooperate with an investigation into uranium traces discovered at undeclared sites.
The resolution was backed by 23 of the 35 members of the IAEA board. Russia, China and Niger voted against it, while eight countries abstained. It was the first time in two decades that the IAEA board had taken such a step against Iran.
Western governments have argued that the unresolved uranium traces could point to previously undeclared nuclear activities. Iran has rejected the allegations, maintaining that its nuclear programme is peaceful and that the current conflict has made international inspections more difficult.
The nuclear dispute is particularly significant because negotiations between Washington and Tehran have already broken down. The two sides had earlier reached a memorandum of understanding aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and creating a 60-day period for negotiations on a wider agreement, including the nuclear issue. That period ended in August without a final agreement.
Iran has sought sanctions relief and the reopening of normal oil exports, while the Trump administration has pressed for broader restrictions and guarantees concerning Iran’s nuclear programme and regional military activities.
The military pressure has also continued around Iranian nuclear facilities.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran against activity at Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground site near the damaged Natanz nuclear complex. Trump said the United States could strike the location if Iran continued what he described as provocative activity.
Pickaxe Mountain contains underground tunnel complexes and has not been targeted in the previous major strikes on Iran, according to Reuters. Trump has previously identified Iran’s nuclear capabilities as one of the objectives of the US military campaign. (reuters.com)
Trump has also said that he believes the war could end after the US midterm elections in November and has suggested that negotiations with Tehran remain possible, even as military operations continue.
Iran, for its part, has continued to signal that it is prepared for dialogue with regional countries while warning that further American attacks would trigger a stronger response. Iranian officials have made the Strait of Hormuz a central element of their response to the US military campaign.
The confrontation has consequently developed along several parallel tracks: direct military attacks, control of maritime energy routes, economic pressure and sanctions, and the unresolved question of Iran’s nuclear programme.
For the wider region and global economy, the Strait of Hormuz remains the immediate concern. Continued attacks on tankers and restrictions on shipping have reduced the flow of oil through one of the world’s most important energy corridors, while higher crude prices are increasing inflationary pressures in major economies.
The immediate prospect of a comprehensive US-Iran agreement remains uncertain. Diplomatic channels have not completely closed, but the latest military escalation, the tanker attacks and the IAEA’s referral of Iran to the UN Security Council have added new obstacles to any return to sustained negotiations.
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