Donald Trump claims Iran nuclear sites ‘turned to dust’ as US-Iran talks stall

Donald Trump on Monday claimed that “Operation Midnight Hammer” resulted in the complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear sites, adding that any effort to recover or rebuild them would be “a long and difficult process.”

The operation refers to US strikes carried out in June 2025, following nearly two weeks of Israeli bombardment targeting Iran’s nuclear programme. Posting on Truth Social, Trump also criticised sections of the media for, in his words, failing to credit American pilots, accusing them of trying to “demean and belittle” their efforts.

On June 22, US forces struck three major facilities — the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, the Natanz Nuclear Facility, and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center — using bunker-buster bombs delivered by B-2 Spirit aircraft operated by the US Air Force and Navy.

The strikes marked Washington’s formal entry into the brief “12-day war,” which began on June 13 with Israeli attacks and ended in a ceasefire on June 24, 2025.

However, tensions reignited months later. Fresh US and Israeli strikes on February 28 this year triggered a wider conflict across the Gulf, leading Iran to effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a critical route for global oil supplies.

Ceasefire under strain

After more than a month of missile and drone exchanges, a fragile two-week ceasefire was brokered through talks in Islamabad. With the truce set to expire on April 22, both Washington and Tehran signalled readiness to resume hostilities.

The White House said Vice President JD Vance was prepared to return to Islamabad for another round of negotiations. However, Iran has not confirmed participation and has accused the US of breaching the ceasefire through continued naval pressure and seizures.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not negotiate “under the shadow of threats,” warning that the country was preparing new military responses.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to target vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its approval.

Washington, for its part, has accused Iran of violating the truce by harassing ships in the waterway, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

With both sides trading accusations and preparing for possible escalation, the conflict remains in a precarious stalemate, with diplomacy uncertain and the risk of renewed fighting looming.