AJ
The US/Israel/Iran recap for May 17 includes news surrounding the Middle East negotiations, attacks on the UAE and Saudi Arabia, news about the Strait of Hormuz, what the Iranian officials have said (the US have been relatively quiet – possibly suffering from jet lag after the speedy visit to China), and other news from Iraq and the Middle East.
Negotiation News from the Middle East:
⚡️ Pakistan’s Embassy in Tehran published a statement regarding the recent visit of Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Navqi, noting the IM was present at the Presidential Institution for nearly three hours, holding an open meeting with Iran’s Interior Minister Eskander Momeni and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in attendance, as well as a 90 minute private meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian.
⚡️ Spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, Yu Jung, wrote on X following the visit from Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi: “The Iranian foreign minister in New Delhi said that Iran appreciates the countries – especially China – that have played a constructive role in reviving regional negotiations,” adding that ‘Beijing will continue to remain a constructive partner for peace.’
⚡️ Foreign Minister of the Republic of South Korea Cho Hyun held a phone call with Araghchi, discussing the latest regional and international developments, strategy regarding the Strait of Hormuz, along with the latest diplomatic efforts to end the war.
⚡️ Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also held conversations with Araghchi, exchanging views on the latest regional and international developments, updates in relation to the Strait of Hormuz, and ideas in relation to the negotiation process.
⚡️ Axios reported that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu held a telephone conversation to discuss the situation in Iran, following which Netanyahu entered a urgent security cabinet meeting, leading many to assume the meeting was related to the war with Iran, however, after the cabinet meeting it was revealed the discussions were in relation to a flotilla that was approaching Gaza from Turkey.
⚡️ Qatar reiterated support for efforts to reduce regional tensions during a call between Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, stressing that Doha appreciated Pakistan’s efforts and all others mediating along with their endeavours to help achieve a lasting ceasefire between the US and Iran.
⚡️ Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati also spoke with Pakistan FM Dar, stressing the importance of resuming the dialogue path between the US and Iran to reach understandings that established peace, while reviewing the latest regional developments and ongoing efforts to control tensions.
⚡️ President Trump published a Truth Social warning Iran that time was of the essence, along with several AI-generated images that had various different tones hinting at a possible resumption of the war.
⚡️ Vice-Chairman of the National Security Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly Mahmoud Nabavian said on Iranian social media that once again a threat had been received from the ‘impure mouths’ of some officials, warning that if any aggression should occur, Iran will destroy the foreign forces along with their places, adding: “God willing, soon with the vote of parliament representatives, a significant reward will be considered for anyone who eliminates the gambler Trump and the child-killer Netanyahu.”
⚡️ An assessment presented to Israeli Channel 12 warned the confrontation with Iran is not over and is expected to return, although it would likely be using different methods, as ideals were discussed to dramatically speed up developments and end the conflict totally in a shorter period of time.
🔹 The assessment also argued that the current pressure on Iran was the most significant factor shaping the situation, even more than other regional threats, while at the same time, President Trump is described as operating within a limited window of his own, influencing rushed decisions to reach decisions faster.
🔹 Overall, the situation presented was still the same core area, but more difficult and exhaustive than before, with no clear resolution in sight, but Israeli media sense there is a shifting in the conflict rather than an ending, and whatever comes next would be a continuation in a different shape rather than a clean break.
⚡️ Axios reported that President Trump is set to meet his national security team on Monday to decide next steps in the Iran war after talks collapsed on Sunday, according to Barak Ravid, (also quoted in Israeli media and Iranian media as Tuesday, expecting the meeting to take place around midnight or after, Israeli time).
🔹 Officials allegedly told Axios that Iran had rejected the US draft deal, calling it a demand for surrender, while leaving nuclear concessions off its reply (something Iran always said they would negotiate when other diplomatic requests had been granted, negotiations had been completed, and the war had been declared over).
⚡️ Israeli Channel 13 claimed Trump told them: “I think the Iranians should be afraid of what’s going on right now, they should be wary of me.”
⚡️ CNN reported that Trump allegedly met with senior members of his national security team on his return to the US from China at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, discussing the next steps regarding the war as he become increasingly frustrated with the negotiations, with attendees including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, adding that the pentagon prepared military target plans too, in case Trump authorised further strikes.
⚡️ President Trump also allegedly told Channel 12 Israel (Axios): “If Iran doesn’t come forward with a better proposal, we will strike harder than anything we’ve done before.”
⚡️ Israel and the United States have raised their alert levels around the Middle East amid the possibility of renewed strikes on Iran, according to KAN News, citing an Israeli official, who said that if Trump approved renewed attacks, ‘the strikes would be carried out jointly by both militaries’ in a plan that reportedly includes targeting Iran’s national energy infrastructure.
⚡️ A senior military official told IRIB News that the US and Israel had been isolated due to their aggression, was trying to fre itself from the self-made quagmire, and escape the deadlock it is in by carrying out operations against regional countries and attributing them to Iran, stating that Iran are the victorious party in the conflict and condemned the alleged Israeli conspiracy, warning everyone against “falling for the trap and any reckless behaviour or speech.”
UAE & Saudi Arabia Attacks:
⚡️ An attack occurred on Sunday morning at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, but as multiple news agencies began sharing stories of a drone strike, the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Internal Affairs said that an explosion occurred but the reasons were unclear and being investigated.
🔹 Officials Abu Dhabi reported responded to a fire in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, triggered by a drone strike, the Global Eye reported, stating there were no injuries, and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) confirmed there was no impact on radiological safety levels, plant safety, or essential systems, while all units continued to operate normally, later echoed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
⚡️ UAE’s Ministry of Defence published a statement saying the country had intercepted two out of three drones that had infiltrated from the western border, adding that investigations were under way to determine where they had originated from, adding that the third drone struck an electrical generator near the Barakah nuclear power plant.
⚡️ Yemen’s Houthi’s reported on Sunday night of shooting down a US drone that had been carrying out surveillance over the country following the attack on the UAE, showing images of the captured debris, as claims began to surface that either Iraqi militia or the Houthis had carried out the drone attack on the UAE, however Yemen have been in a permanent state of ceasefire since the Pakistani-led ceasefire between Iran and the US.
⚡️ Advisor to UAE President MBZ, Anwar Gargash, wrote on X that the targeting of the Barakah clean nuclear power plant, whether carried out by the principle perpetrator or through one of its agents (eluding to Iran), represents a ‘dangerous escalation’ and a ‘dark scene’ that violates all international laws and norms, in criminal disregard for ‘the lives of civilians in the UAE and its surroundings.’
🔹 Gargash said that the prohibited escalation served to reaffirm the nature of the challenges facing the region: “No one will twist the UAE’s arm, nor will they succeed in undermining its vision, its success, i(as well as ) its inspiring message to the people’s of the region in security, stability, and prosperity.
⚡️ Middle East Eye published a report stating the UAE couldn’t present itself as the guardian of legal order while allowing its territory to be used for attacks on Iran, claiming that a “state who continuously enabled illegal force, fuelled proxy violence in Sudan, and constantly violates international law can no longer hide behind the legality and put on a show.”
⚡️ Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the drone attack on the UAE, saying in a statement that Riyadh was opposed to blatant aggression that threatened regional security and supported the UAE’s actions to maintain the country’s national security.
⚡️ Not long after the Saudi’s condemnation of the attacks, with both alleging Iranian or Iran-backed Proxy involvement, explosions were reported by the Saudi Ministry of Defence, announcing that three drones from the direction of Iraq had been intercepted, and threatened to retaliate.
⚡️ An aerial reconnaissance drone had been spotted over the Samawah desert in southern Iraq soon after the launch towards Saudi Arabia, and coincided with the allegations made by the Saudi Ministry of Defence that claimed missiles were launched from Iraq towards Saudi Arabia, while the UAE had previously noted that drones which attacked the power plant had come from a westerly direction.
⚡️ Two USAF KC-46A Pegasus aerial refuelling planes took off from Ben Gurion Airport and were performing manoeuvres above southern Iraq, close to the Iranian and Saudi borders, according to claims and images by GeoPWatch.
Hormuz News:
⚡️ Bloomberg checked the shipping data in the Strait of Hormuz, stating no vessels departed on Sunday, noting the commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked and only a limited number of ships were observed, most of which were related to Iran.
⚡️ US Central Command were still proud of their achievements with the Naval blockade, claiming the Iranian economy was being strangled, despite alternative trade routes opening via sea, land, and air, as CENTCOM shared they’d turned one vessel around between Saturday and Sunday, taking the total redirected from 80 to 81, along with four redirected commercial vessels, while also noting that the amphibious assault ship the “Tripoli” is participating in the blockade.
⚡️ Major General Mohsen Rezaei told IRIB News TV that Iran were advising the US military to end the blockade ‘before the Sea of Oman becomes your graveyard,” stating while the Strait of Hormuz is open for commercial traffic, it’s not open for a military invasion, and added that during the operations to open the Strait of Hormuz in Project Freedom, the IRGC stood against the Americans and ‘seriously damaged one of 3 warships by missile fire, which they do not admit.’
⚡️ Three US-sanctioned empty tankers slipped through the US blockade line and entered the perimeter, reported TankerTrackers.com, noting one passed with the AIS briefly offline, another flew the Russian flag, while the third hugged the Omani coastline, adding that they could lift 1.9 million barrels of Iranian oil together, which buys more time for Iran while at the negotiating table and the world stays stranded from urgently-needed supplies.
⚡️ Iranian officials have allegedly said that Tehran is prepared to seize coastlines of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain if the UAE attempted to seize Iranian-controlled islands in the Persian Gulf, following reports on Saturday that the UAE were being pushed by the US and Israel to help capture Larak island.
⚡️ An oil tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz towards Basra, a source told Naya, stating it will arrive within the next two days to load 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil.
⚡️ During an interview captured by The Clash Report, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that Project Freedom was stopped at the request of Pakistan, stating the Pakistan side said: “If you guys stop Project Freedom, we think we can get a deal,” so we went ahead and agreed to stop it.
🔹 This is despite previous remarks and comments that the operation was cancelled within 36 hours due to Saudi Arabia and Iraq closing airspace and bases for any attacks on Iran during the ceasefire period, which they had foreseen, and which eventually occurred as the US forces broke back out of the Strait under Iranian fire.
News from Iran:
⚡️ President Masoud Pezeshkian held a meeting with the Interior Minister Eskander Momeni, discussing Israel and the United States’ attempts to ‘transfer insecurity into the country by supporting terrorist groups,’ but the cooperation and responsibility of Iran’s neighbours in preventing any misuse of their territory against Iran was a valuable and commendable action.
🔹 Masoud sincerely thanked the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq for not allowing any action against Iran from their soil through the war, stating that Iran sought sincere, stable relations based on good neighbourliness within the Islamic countries of the region, noting that the US and Israel had tried to pit Islamic countries against each other through divisive projects that created distrust.
🔹 Eskander Momeni said that the people of Pakistan have a deep affection for the people of Iran, and hoped the will of the leaders of the two countries could further develop the levels of bilateral relations and cooperation.
⚡️ Spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Esmail Baghaei said on Sunday that the next grand lie was being rolled out to justify an ‘illegal war of choice,’ by forces claiming to ‘preserve peace and stability in the global markets,’ noting this was the main playbook: “To manufacture crisis and war, then escalate further under the banner of ‘restoring stability and defending peace,” he said, adding: “‘They create a desolation and call it peace.'”
⚡️ Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf received an additional role on Sunday, when he was appointed as Iran’s special representative to China affairs, according to Tasnim News Agency, stating the proposal was initially put forward by President Masoud Pezeshkian and approved by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
🔹 Ghalibaf’s role will differ from those who previously held the position in terms of level of authority, such as Abdolreza Rahmani Gazli, the former President’s representative for China affairs, and Ali Larijani, who held the position of the Leader’s special representative for China affairs when he was alive.
⚡️ Spokesperson for the National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament Ebrahim Rezaei said Sunday morning that a “return to war may cause damage, but certainly – the enemy will be hurt more, much more.”
⚡️ Fars News Agency reported what appeared to be a mocking 5-point proposal from Washington, including no payment of compensation or damages by the United States; Transfer of 400kg of uranium from Iran to the United States; Operation of only one nuclear site out of Iran’s nuclear facilities; No release of even 25% of the frozen assets (despite other reports suggesting that Iran could get up to 25%); and conditioning a ceasefire on all fronts upon the continuation of negotiations, however, the US and Israel reserved the right to attack at any time.
⚡️ International Affairs Advisor to Mojtaba Khamenei Ali Akbar Velayati referred to President Trump’s ‘futile diplomacy in China’ and ‘Washington’s calculation crisis,’ said: “Falling into the pit with Israel’s rope has a heavy price, soon, Washington will have to search with a lantern for the remnants of its credibility in West Asia.”
⚡️ Brigadier General Abdolfazi Sherkarchi, senior spokesperson of the Iranian Armed Forces, said on Sunday: “Repeating any foolishness to compensate for the US’s disgrace in the third imposed war against Iran will only result in even more severe and crushing blows for that country.”
⚡️ Iran are to draft an Internet Users’ Rights Charter with the civil participation of the Ministry of Communications, the Computer Guild Organisation, the National Centre for Cyberspace, and civil society representatives to guarantee rights such as stable and quality access, the right to data privacy, the right to appeal restrictions, and the right to know the reason for filtering, Hesamodin Ashna told the Digital Resilience and Smart Response to Crises and Hybrid Threats Event in Iran.
🔹 Drafting the charter is very important to restore public trust in the community because some users were concerned that domestic platforms could access their information by manipulating algorithms.
⚡️ President of the Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) Abdolreza Pazouki gave an updated assessment of damage caused to hospitals in Tehran during the war, stating a large part of the Motahari Burn Hospital was damaged, along with the Nursing Faculty and one of the dormitories following an attack at nearby Rabat Karim Hospital.
🔹 Multiple private hospitals such as Gandhi and Bahman also suffered damaged, he said, stating that Gandhi Hospital was taken out of service and is still dealing with the inflicted damaged, but despite all the damages, Pazouki said there was no casualties among medical staff and workers.
⚡️ Isfahan also saw a lot of damage during the war, according to Iran’s Director-General of Crisis Management of Isfahan Province, stating that a total of 16,111 residential and commercial units in 31 cities and 31 provinces were damaged, adding that 85% of the damages from the war were related to residential units, while the other 15% were related to commercial units.
🔹 The Director General also noted that since the beginning of the war until the present day, 580 affected families had been accommodated by the municipality in the City of Isfahan and by the Housing Foundation in other cities in designated places according to regulations, with 144 families still in temporary housing.
⚡️ Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology spoke with the Malaysian Minister of Higher Education by phone on Sunday, discussing the development of bilateral cooperation through the implementation of joint research projects, as well as support for research scholarships between universities and scientific centres of the two countries, while the Malaysian Minister condemned the attacks on Iran’s scientific centres, stressing the necessity of protecting the facilities.
Other News:
⚡️ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that in a symbolic move to tackle the energy crisis, he has ordered a reduction in the size of his escort convoy, an informed source told Reuters, noting the government are trying to reduce the financial burden caused by energy imports by promoting a culture of saving.
⚡️ Senior Iraqi and regional officials told the New York Times that a second covert Israeli base had been discovered operating in Iraq’s western Iraq, which came after the Wall Street Journal reported the first base which had been denied by Iraqi authorities.
🔹 Officials said at least one of the bases was believed to have been operational for more than a year, with Israeli forces thought to have begun preparations as far back as late 2024, and at least one base was used during the 12-day war against Iran in June 2025.
🔹 According to the NYT, the second base came alight after Bedouin shepherd Awad al-Shammari, 29, was killed on March 3rd, after stumbling upon one of the sites and contacting Iraqi authorities, as witnesses describe a helicopter pursuing and firing upon al-Shammari’s truck until it came to a halt in the sand, and images from the scene showed Al-Shammari’s truck, which was found along with his body by the Popular Mobilisation Forces during their searches of Iraq’s western region a few days ago.
🔹 During both conflicts, Washington forced Iraq to shut down radars to protect American aircraft, making Baghdad more dependent on American forces to protect hostile activity that was aimed towards the airport and the US base located inside, and the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, had contacted his counterparts in the US and confirmed the forces at the base were not from the United States.
⚡️ Spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces said on Sunday that Iraq will not allow its country’s soil to be a base for aggression against other countries, adding that Iraq have distanced themselves from the conflict axes as a step to protect its national stability.
⚡️ On July 14, 2025, a Syrian shepherd captured two C-130 military transport aircraft, with video footage showing them both flying at low altitude near the Syrian-Iraqi border, however, the video didn’t gain traction when first published, but due to the release of info about bases in Iraq recently, the video has gained some significance, reported Naya, noting that the secret bases for operations deep inside western Iraq were in the border desert region shared with Saudi Arabia and Joran.
⚡️ Egyptian researcher Basheer Abdel Fattah told Russia Today that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed to ‘divide and fragment’ the countries of the region and ‘increase tensions in order to form a greater Israel,’ adding: “Netanyahu is neither seeking calm in the region nor peace, and absolutely does not want to sign any agreement that would stop Israel’s aggression against neighbouring countries.”
⚡️ Israeli media channel Russia Al-Youm and Iranian State Media channel IRNA reported that the deployment of advanced air defence systems by Egypt’s Rafael fighter jets in some Gulf countries indicated the depth of regional military cooperation between Cairo and those countries, adding that in addition to hosting Israeli and Egyptian air defence systems, the UAE has also provided a base for stationing a squadron of Egypt’s Rafael fighter jets on its soil.
⚡️ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly decided to publicise his wartime visit to the UAE in what was considered a strange move at the time and heavily criticized following Emirati requests to keep it secret due to alleged political considerations, which officials said would not seriously damage the growing strategic relationship between the two countries.
🔹 Netanyahu’s personal reasons for publishing the schedule came following the PM learning that former PM Naftali Bennett was expected to visit the UAE the following day for meetings with MBZ and other officials, and didn’t want a situation where Bennett’s visit would be public while his own remained confidential, claimed Israeli Channel 12.
⚡️ Emirati accounts on social media have suggested the UAE could take steps to follow Israel in recognising Somaliland, according to Naya, claiming the move is considered extremely important.
🔹 Naya added that Monday is a national day celebrated in Somaliland, where President Herzog of Israel will be presented his credentials, noting sources in Hargeisa confirmed the strength of relations with the UAE, but the timing of the recognition was ultimately up to the UAE.
