Middle East crisis Iran war

Iran's leader: Will no longer act as a shield for the US

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei believes that US military bases in the Middle East are no longer safe. He said this in a statement on state television, writes AFP.

"What is clear is that time cannot be turned back and that the nations and territories of the region will no longer act as a shield for US bases," according to the statement.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards IRGC also said that they had shot down a US drone, writes AFP. The drone is said to have entered Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf, but it is unclear when this happened.

The US has attacked ships and missile facilities in Iran

On Monday, US forces carried out attacks on several targets in southern Iran, in the area around the Strait of Hormuz, writes CNN. The US military command Centcom describes the attacks as "self-defense".

“The targets included missile installations and Iranian ships attempting to lay mines,” spokesman Timothy Hawkins said in a statement.

It is unclear how many targets were hit.

Negotiations are currently underway between Washington and Tehran to end the war. US President Donald Trump has indicated on several occasions in recent days that the countries are close to an agreement, but also that the US does not intend to “rush” into a deal.