Overview

• A fragile ceasefire brokered on June 22 has largely held and both the U.S. and Iran are signaling openness to negotiations without a scheduled date.
• The president announced he has abandoned planned sanctions relief following Iran’s defiant rhetoric and vowed to strike again “without question” if uranium enrichment resumes.
• Leaked Pentagon intelligence suggests the strikes only delayed Iran’s nuclear program by months, contradicting White House claims that the sites were obliterated.
• Congressional leaders are scrutinizing last weekend’s Operation Midnight Hammer bunker-buster raid for lack of prior approval and raising questions under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
• The White House is urging IAEA and other independent inspectors to verify damage at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan despite Iran’s parliament voting to suspend site inspections.