US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with “1000 Missiles… Locked and Loaded,” adding that the US is “ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas” of the country if its leadership attempts to assassinate him.
Israel’s intelligence had recently shared with the Trump administration Iranian threats to assassinate him. Two US sources familiar with the matter said recent US intelligence assessments show no indication of a new, specific Iranian plot to kill Trump, but rather a steady drumbeat of chatter about various Iranian actors wanting to do so.
Here’s what else to know:
- Strait of Hormuz updates: Senior US officials said Washington expects Tehran to issue a public statement in the coming days that the Strait of Hormuz is open. Without safe passage assured in the waterway, the two sides will “never” move on to negotiations on nuclear weapons, a senior US official said. The officials declined to specify the consequences for Iran if it does not issue such a public declaration. But in broad terms, they warned the US could take further action.
- New sanctions: Following the Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the strait, the Trump administration on Friday imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran. As traffic in the strait remains muted, at least 15 commercial vessels transited the waterway in the past 24 hours, according to MarineTraffic data.
- Iran “distrustful” of US: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of violating a clause in their agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program, adding that “Iran has so far kept its word.” Top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also said that they remain “distrustful of the Americans.” He said: “I made it clear to the US vice president that we have no trust in you.”
- On an Iran deal: Any final deal with Iran must include the US obtaining Iran’s enriched uranium, a senior US official insisted Friday, telling reporters: “If we don’t get the dust, we do not have a deal with Iran.”
- Travels to Oman: Araghchi is expected to travel to Oman on Saturday to discuss the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional developments, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Ghalibaf has said Tehran is prepared for “all-out defense” if the US breaks the Memorandum of Understanding signed last month.
- Official talks: Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia had a phone call with US President Donald Trump, where the two leaders “reviewed cooperation between the Kingdom and the United States and ways to strengthen it in several areas,” according to a readout of the call.
- More talks: Also on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan about “the importance of close coordination to promote regional security and stability,” according to a readout from the US State Department. Their call comes a day after Rubio met with the Saudi ambassador to the US, and as regional countries try to stop recent US-Iran tensions from escalating.
CNN’s Rhea Mogul, Jennifer Hansler, Eyad Kourdi, Lauren Kent, Kevin Liptak, Kit Maher and Aida Karimi contributed reporting.
