Full story
Trump weighs escalation
President Donald Trump warned China and Russia against giving Iran weapons as Iran said it has targeted multiple US bases across the Middle East, and Trump told reporters he had "not made a decision on major strikes" against Iran.
Trump also said he believes Iran is being the most serious about negotiations, and he told reporters, "Right now, we're talking to them... so maybe there won't be a tipping point" that would trigger a massive attack.
At the same time, the US bombing campaign against Iran continued for 13 consecutive nights after their ceasefire agreement crumbled earlier this month, and CNN reported Trump met with top advisers and Cabinet officials to discuss a potential escalation if negotiations are not fruitful.
CNN said the US military disabled a tanker that tried to bypass its blockade on Iranian ports, and it said the crew was repeatedly warned before US forces disabled the ship after firing into its engine room.
The US Central Command said its strikes were aimed to hold Iran accountable and diminish threats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping, while also stating the "international waterway remains open for transit" despite recent attacks.
Ceasefire rejected, talks stall
Iran rejected a US ceasefire proposal delivered through Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, with Iranian and Iraqi officials telling The New York Times that Tehran was not interested in a temporary deal that left control over the Strait of Hormuz unresolved.
Araghchi told state television, "The problem is not passing messages," and he added, "The problem is America’s outlook, which is illogical, greedy and controlling."
While Trump weighed a "massive attack" and said he was "close to making a decision," Time reported Iran is "not ready" to make a deal and that its leaders "have some evil intentions."
Time said the sticking point appears to be the Strait of Hormuz, and it reported the June 17 U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding said Oman and Iran would carry out discussions over management of the narrow waterway.
In Washington, CNN reported Trump stressed the US is actively negotiating with Iran, while also saying it’s possible the military continues its bombing campaign or escalates it if talks do not prove fruitful.
Congress constrains war powers
As the Iran conflict escalated, the US House voted to limit Iran war for the first time since the ceasefire breakdown, with the resolution passing on Thursday by a 214-208 vote after three US military personnel were killed by an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan.
“• Latest from Washington: President Donald Trump says the US and Iran remain in talks and that he believes Tehran is “getting more serious”
Al Jazeera reported that a Senate resolution failed to pass by a vote of 47 to 49, and it said the House vote was a so-called "concurrent resolution" that was not sent to Trump’s desk.
Representative Pramila Jayapal said from the House floor, "This war must end," and she argued the vote sends the clearest message that Congress opposes Trump’s approach to the war.
Al Jazeera also quoted David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), saying the House vote "reaffirmed what people across the country have been saying all along: We want no part in an illegal war".
The same Al Jazeera report said the House and Senate had previously passed a resolution in June calling on Trump to seek congressional approval before launching further attacks, and it said the administration notified Congress that fighting had resumed before the most recent round of attacks.
