Tehran realizes that control over the Strait of Hormuz is a good leverage on the US and its allies, which will deter any further attack.
An Al Jazeera journalist, citing well-informed sources from the negotiations, announced on the X network that Iran is willing to discuss its nuclear program only after meeting five of its demands, which are the end of war on all fronts, the lifting of all sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, reparations and the recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The same demands were expressed on May 11 by the former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Džafari.
According to the Tasnim agency, the political deputy of the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, even stated that the operational area from the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding islands has expanded to a 350- to 500-kilometer crescent stretching from the port of Jask in the Gulf of Oman to the islands of Keshm and Tunb. What exactly his words mean is not clear, but Iran intends to control the area and denies the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf their claims.
Iranian MP Ebrahim Rezaei also threatened this week that if the US resumed attacks, Iran could respond by enriching its uranium to 90 percent, which is the limit for use in nuclear weapons. At the same time, the US and Israel have the main goal of preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and on the contrary, they want Iran to hand over uranium enriched to 60 percent to another country and not enrich uranium for many years.
Preparation for the resumption of fighting
The fact that several Iranian military aircraft, including a reconnaissance and spying RC-130, flew to Pakistan and a civilian aircraft to Afghanistan right after the ceasefire indicates that Iran has not ruled out renewed fighting since the ceasefire began.
Iran apparently took advantage of the fact that the country acts as a mediator. Pakistan tolerates the presence of the RC-130, saying that it is nothing secret, CBS reported.
Although US President Donald Trump stated after several Iranian provocations that the ceasefire is in place, he has now threatened to renew the fighting.
In early May, several Iranian members of the Revolutionary Guards tried to penetrate the Kuwaiti island of Bubijan on a hired boat, which the guards could use for observation and attacks, reported the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA. Iran also plans naval exercises in the area 100 kilometers from Bubijan, although it is not yet clear where.
Exercises are also held at home to prepare the population for hostile American-Israeli activities, which can mean both preparations for war and an effort to intimidate the population and discourage them from protesting.
