Trump Confirms US Strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, Claims Progress in Talks

International Desk | PNN

US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that the American military carried out strikes on Iran’s strategically important Qeshm Island. Speaking on Friday, he said US forces had conducted limited attacks targeting Iran’s air defence systems. At the same time, he claimed that significant progress had been made in ongoing negotiations with Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said Iran had recently established a new anti-aircraft defence system on the island. According to him, US forces destroyed the system within five to 15 minutes. He described the operation as a “minor strike”.

Shortly before Trump’s remarks, Iranian state media reported two missile strikes in the Suza area of Qeshm Island. Located in the Strait of Hormuz, the island is strategically significant for international energy trade. A substantial volume of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait, one of the most important routes for global petroleum transportation.

Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, also aired a statement from the country’s military. It said Iran’s air defence forces had detected a US MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island and shot it down.

After reports of explosions on the island emerged, the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, described the situation as “relatively calm”. In a statement to Al Jazeera, a CENTCOM official said the command was aware of the reports but declined to provide further details.

Meanwhile, in a post on social media platform X on Friday night, CENTCOM announced a reward of up to $20 million in exchange for information about Iran’s nuclear programme. It also said informants could be relocated if necessary. The command is seeking information about nuclear facilities, equipment, individuals associated with the programme and scientists.

Despite acknowledging the military strikes, Trump said the door to negotiations with Iran remained open. Speaking to reporters on Friday, he said his administration was in contact with Iranian representatives and that Tehran was interested in reaching an agreement. He also claimed that “a lot of progress” had been made in the talks, although he did not provide details about the areas in which progress had been achieved.

Meanwhile, Qatar has rejected reports suggesting that negotiations between the United States and Iran had failed. In a post on X on Saturday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said false information was being circulated about the failure of the talks. He warned that such claims would only benefit those seeking to prolong the war and destabilise the region.

Earlier, speaking at a public discussion at the University of Oxford on Friday, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said diplomatic efforts were continuing to prevent a major conflict in the Middle East. He also said the crisis could not simply be left unresolved.

The Qatari prime minister said his country had been working with officials in the US administration over the past several weeks. According to him, American officials were making a sincere effort to contain the situation and reduce tensions. He added that positive positions taken by some responsible figures in Tehran had also helped prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.

This is the first US strike on Iran since the Republican Party suffered a major setback in the US midterm elections. According to Al Jazeera, Trump has blamed the Iran war for his party’s defeat in Tuesday’s election.

Since the election, Trump has alternated between issuing warnings of tough military action against Iran and suggesting that a solution to the conflict may be close. On Thursday, he said the remaining parts of Iran might also have to be “destroyed” if necessary. He added that a decision on the matter would become known soon.

Meanwhile, several Pentagon officials and military commanders told The New York Times on Wednesday that the US military was preparing to resume a major operation. Citing those officials, the newspaper reported that thousands of American air and naval personnel were on standby at military bases across the Middle East and the United States, as well as aboard more than a dozen ships. They could launch a large-scale military operation against Iran if ordered by the president.

Amid Trump’s military threats and fears of further attacks, Tehran has also stepped up its diplomatic efforts. As a result, relations between the United States and Iran remain caught between renewed military tensions and claims of progress in negotiations.