By FARNOUSH AMIRI and AAMER MADHANI
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — It’s been every week since the US pressed Israel and Iran right into a truce, ending a bloody, 12-day battle that had set the Center East and globe on edge.
The delicate peace, brokered by the U.S. the day after it dropped 30,000-pound “bunker-busting” bombs on three of Iran’s key nuclear websites, is holding. However a lot stays unsettled.
How badly Iran’s nuclear program was set again stays murky. The prospects of renewed U.S.-Iran peace talks are up within the air. And whether or not U.S. President Donald Trump can leverage the second to get Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘s authorities and Hamas targeted on a ceasefire and hostage deal that brings about an finish to the 20-month battle in Gaza stays an open query.
Israeli troopers work amid the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike that killed a number of folks, in Beersheba, Israel, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photograph/Bernat Armangue)
1 of 2
Israeli troopers work amid the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike that killed a number of folks, in Beersheba, Israel, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photograph/Bernat Armangue)
Increase
Here’s a take a look at what we nonetheless don’t know:
How far Iran’s nuclear program has been set again
Trump says three targets hit by American strikes have been “obliterated.” His protection secretary stated they have been “destroyed.”
A preliminary report issued by the U.S. Protection Intelligence Company, in the meantime, stated the strikes did vital harm to the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan websites, however didn’t completely destroy the services.
Rafael Grossi, head of the Worldwide Atomic Power Company, stated on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the three Iranian websites with “capabilities when it comes to therapy, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an vital diploma.” However, he added, “some remains to be standing” and that as a result of capabilities stay, “in the event that they so want, they may be capable of begin doing this once more.” He stated assessing the complete harm comes right down to Iran permitting inspectors entry.
What future US-Iran relations would possibly seem like
After the ceasefire deal got here collectively, Trump spoke of probably easing a long time of biting sanctions on Tehran and predicted that Iran may develop into a “nice buying and selling nation” if it pulled again once-and-for-all from its nuclear program.
The speak of concord didn’t final lengthy.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his first public look after the ceasefire was introduced, claimed Tehran had delivered a “slap to America’s face.” Trump responded by suggesting the supreme chief come clean with the actual fact Iran “bought beat to hell. The president additionally stated he was backing off reviewing any speedy sanction reduction, due to Khamenei’s heated feedback.
White Home officers say the U.S. and Iran are already in early discussions about resuming negotiations that had ended after Israel started launching strikes. However Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi says there’s no settlement in place to restart talks.
It’s unclear if Iran’s management is able to come to the desk so quickly after the combating has ended — particularly if Trump holds to the place that Iran should surrender nuclear enrichment for even civilian use. And Trump has provided conflicting statements about his dedication to talks. “We might signal an settlement,” he stated Wednesday at a NATO summit press convention. He added, “I don’t assume it’s that needed.”
What position Iran’s supreme chief will play
Khamenei’s age and up to date diminished look have raised questions in regards to the scope of his involvement in U.S.-Iran relations and the Islamic Republic’s response to each American and Israeli strikes. However regardless of having spent the previous couple of weeks in a bunker as threats to his life escalated, there may be little indication that the ayatollah doesn’t nonetheless reign supreme over the nation’s huge army and governmental operations.
Khamenei has dominated 3 times longer than his predecessor, the late Ruhollah Khomeini, and has formed life for the nation’s greater than 90 million folks maybe much more dramatically.
He entrenched the system of rule by the “mullahs,” or Shiite Muslim clerics. That secured his place within the eyes of hard-liners because the unquestionable authority, beneath solely that of God. On the identical time, Khamenei constructed the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard into the dominant drive in Iran’s army and inside politics.
How Iran would possibly strike again
Iran’s retaliatory missile assaults on a U.S. base in Qatar following the American bombardment have been sloughed off by the White Home as a half-hearted, face-saving measure. The U.S. was forewarned and the salvos have been simply fended off.
But Iran stays a persistent menace, notably through cyberwarfare. Hackers backing Tehran have already focused U.S. banks, protection contractors and oil trade corporations — however to this point haven’t brought on widespread disruptions to essential infrastructure or the economic system.
The U.S. Division of Homeland Safety final week issued a public bulletin warning of elevated Iranian cyber threats. And the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company, is urging organizations that function essential infrastructure like water programs, pipelines or energy vegetation to remain vigilant.
Whether or not the Israel-Iran ceasefire will maintain
It stays a fragile peace.
Instantly following the U.S. strikes, Trump bought on the cellphone with Netanyahu and informed the Israeli chief to not count on additional U.S. offensive army motion, in line with a senior White Home official who was not approved to remark publicly in regards to the delicate diplomatic talks.
However at the same time as he agreed to deal, Netanyahu made clear that Israel will strike once more “if anybody in Iran tries to revive this undertaking.”
The ceasefire deal got here with none settlement from Tehran on dismantling its nuclear program. Khamenei claims the assaults “did nothing vital” to Iran’s nuclear services.
Trump expressed confidence that Iran, in the mean time, has little interest in getting its nuclear program again up. “The very last thing they’re desirous about proper now could be enriched uranium,” Trump stated.
Nonetheless, Trump says he expects Iran to open itself to worldwide inspection to confirm that it doesn’t restart its nuclear program by the Worldwide Atomic Power Company, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, or another group “that we respect, together with ourselves.”
Whether or not Trump can now press Netanyahu on Gaza
The president took a giant gamble along with his choice to order strikes on Iran’s nuclear fortress.
As a candidate, he promised to shortly finish Russia’s brutal battle in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas battle in Gaza, however has didn’t discover a decision to both. He additionally vowed to maintain the U.S. army out of international conflicts.
However after serving to Israel with U.S. strikes on Iran, Trump — in conversations with Netanyahu and different world leaders in latest days — has made clear he desires a deal accomplished quickly, in line with two folks accustomed to the personal discussions and weren’t approved to remark publicly.
On Friday, Trump informed reporters, “We expect inside the subsequent week we’re going to get a ceasefire.”
Trump didn’t supply any additional clarification for his optimism. However Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer is predicted to be in Washington this week for talks on a Gaza ceasefire, Iran and different issues, in line with an official accustomed to the matter. The official spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk to the media.
Madhani reported from Washington. Related Press writers Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna, Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, and David Klepper in Washington contributed to this report.
Initially Printed: