U.S. conducts military strikes in Iran as Trump pushes to link peace deal to expanded Abraham Accords

May 25, 2026

The U.S. military conducted 'self-defense' strikes in southern Iran against missile sites and mine-laying boats, even as President Trump says peace talks are 'proceeding nicely.' Trump has complicated negotiations by demanding that any deal require Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, a move that has drawn both praise from allies and skepticism from analysts and targeted nations.

U.S. military strikes in Iran

▪The military action occurred during an ongoing ceasefire negotiated to allow for peace talks between the U.S. and Iran.
▪U.S. Central Command stated the strikes were necessary to protect U.S. troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.
▪The U.S. military conducted "self-defense" strikes in southern Iran on May 25, 2026.
▪The U.S. strikes targeted Iranian missile launch sites and boats that were attempting to place mines.

Iran-U.S. ceasefire negotiations

▪A key objective of the negotiations is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route for over 20% of the world's oil.
▪Iranian semi-official news agencies reported that disputes over "one or two" issues were jeopardizing the potential deal.
▪President Donald Trump stated on social media that negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are "proceeding nicely."

Trump Abraham Accords expansion demand

▪Trump named Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan as countries that should join the accords.
▪The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, and Kazakhstan are existing signatories to the Abraham Accords.
▪President Donald Trump has demanded that any peace deal with Iran must require several other countries to join the Abraham Accords.
▪The Abraham Accords are a series of U.S.-brokered agreements from President Trump's first term aimed at normalizing relations with Israel.

Strait of Hormuz reopening terms

▪The proposed deal also requires the U.S. to completely lift its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days.
▪The proposed agreement calls for Iran to restore ship transit through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within 30 days.

U.S.-Israel war in Iran context

▪After President Trump linked the deal to the Abraham Accords, critics like Senator Lindsey Graham praised the move, calling it "simply brilliant."
▪Analyst Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group characterized President Trump's strategy as "trading one fantasy for another."
▪Pro-Israel advocates and hawkish U.S. senators, including Ted Cruz and Mike Pompeo, initially criticized the potential peace deal with Iran.
▪The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28.
▪Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that normalization with Israel is conditioned on a clear path to Palestinian statehood.
▪Pakistan rejected President Trump's proposal to join the Abraham Accords, stating its position on Israel remains unchanged.