Free Republic

Any damage inflicted by Iran on ships in the Strait of Hormuz will be paid for by Iranian money that the U.S. holds, President Donald Trump said on Thursday in a Truth Social post. The comment follows after the U.S. has pounded Iran for about 12 days straight. Iran and the U.S. tore up a memorandum of understanding that sought peace after Iran repeatedly fired upon ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. “Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to Ships, Cargo, or anything related thereto, will...

Iran has managed to rebuild a significant amount of infrastructure destroyed during its war with the US and Israel in recent months, ranging from bridges to missile bases, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The report, based on a review of satellite imagery, suggested that the speed at which Tehran is restoring its damaged capabilities is the reason why it is continuing to hold its own against the US after hostilities renewed earlier this month over disputes relating to the Strait of Hormuz. One set of satellite images showed that an access road leading to an Iranian missile base...

HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — Senate Democrats, seething over the Trump administration’s revived war with Iran, blocked a traditionally bipartisan defense funding bill on Tuesday. The Defense Department is seeking more than $1 trillion through a broad package that includes program funding, pay raises and policy directives as the ceasefire with Tehran ends. The administration’s hopes for the historically high request were suppressed on Capitol Hill, where a mostly party-line vote delayed passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which usually succeeds with ease. Forty-five Democrats voted against the legislation, preventing Republicans from overcoming the 60-vote barrier set for most...

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was the Trump administration’s frontman for waging war on Iran during weeks of kinetic operations aimed at decimating its nuclear threat. Since President Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran to end the war, without securing significant concessions on its missile or nuclear stockpiles, Hegseth has said little about the shift in strategy — as Vice President Vance takes the spotlight in defending the tenuous diplomacy. The public positioning of the top Trump advisers reflects reporting on their private counsel to the commander in chief, with Trump saying in March that Hegseth was “the...

Today, 1:59 am Share 10 The United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy say they are prepared to lift sanctions on Iran in response to steps on its nuclear program after the US and Iran say they reached a deal to end their war. The deal, to be signed on Friday, will reportedly kickstart 60 days of talks over Iran’s nuclear program. “Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. We stand ready to work with the US, Iran and the IAEA to this end,” the leaders of the countries say in a joint statement, referring to the United Nations’ nuclear agency.