The BLUF - May 26th

Good morning everyone,

This is Atlas, and you’re reading the Bottom Line Up Front, where we cover the top geopolitical stories from around the world every Tuesday!

Today’s topics:

• U.S. Initiates ‘Defensive’ Strikes On Iran

• Carney On Alberta Vote: A Dangerous Bluff

• Pope Calls For AI To Be ‘Disarmed’

U.S. Initiates ‘Defensive’ Strikes On Iran

_{By: Atlas}

The U.S. military said Monday it had carried out a series of "self-defense" strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to lay mines, even as President Donald Trump described the ongoing negotiations to end the war as "proceeding nicely."

U.S. Central Command announced the operation in a statement from spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins. "U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces," Hawkins said. "Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire."

The strikes were carried out in the area of Bandar Abbas, the southern Iranian port that hosts the country's main naval base, a defense official said. A separate U.S. official described the scope as "very small." Semi-official Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas city and along the coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Mehr News agency said the situation was under control and that there was no cause for concern.

The Pentagon did not announce any change to the ceasefire that has been in place between the two sides since April 7, and the State Department offered no public comment on whether the operation would affect the negotiating track.

Negotiations Continue in Parallel

The strikes came in the middle of a weekend of mediated talks aimed at extending the ceasefire and beginning the technical work of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said on Saturday that an agreement to end the war had been "largely negotiated" before walking the timeline back on Sunday, telling negotiators "not to rush into a deal" and saying "time is on our side." On Monday, the president returned to a more optimistic register, calling the emerging deal "a Great Deal for all."

The framework being discussed would extend the existing ceasefire by 60 days and require Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world's seaborne oil flows, would gradually reopen as the United States ends its blockade of Iranian ports. The strait has been effectively closed since the war began on February 28, sending gasoline prices sharply higher in the United States. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded sat at $4.50 on Monday.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said earlier in the day that "no one" could call a deal imminent and described the framework as a "work in progress."

Trump Softens on Uranium Removal

In one of the more substantive policy shifts of the past week, Trump indicated Monday that he could accept the destruction of Iran's enriched uranium inside Iran itself, rather than insisting the material be physically removed to the United States. In a post on Truth Social, the president wrote that the stockpile "will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, being witness to this process and event."

The phrasing marks a shift from earlier demands. In April, Trump said: "The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear 'Dust,' created by our great B2 Bombers — No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form." Last week, he said personal possession of the material was important "psychologically." A senior White House official said the new wording did not reflect a fresh demand that had not already been communicated to the Iranians.

Iran has not yet publicly accepted the conditions and continues to insist that it has a right to enrich uranium for what it says are peaceful purposes. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates Iran is holding 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, a short technical step from weapons-grade.

Push to Expand the Abraham Accords

Separately on Monday, Trump opened a new diplomatic front by calling on a list of Muslim-majority countries to join the Abraham Accords as part of any settlement with Iran. The accords, brokered during Trump's first term, normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020, with Sudan, Morocco, and most recently Kazakhstan signing on later.

Trump wrote that Saudi Arabia and Qatar should sign first, with Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan following. Egypt and Jordan already formally recognize Israel and have long-standing peace treaties; Turkey first recognized Israel in 1949. "It should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords," he wrote. He said the proposal had been raised with negotiating partners over the weekend and that he would accept "one or two" countries declining. The president added that Iran itself could eventually join if a deal is reached.

Riyadh has long maintained that any normalization requires first establishing a clear path to a Palestinian state, a position Pakistan also holds. Islamabad-based analyst Syed Mohammad Ali said Pakistan's stance on Israel remains unchanged despite the new proposal. Masood Khan, Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States, called the move a "new dimension to the diplomatic and mediatory processes" but said "the diplomatic track is still working."

Republican Pushback and Other Fronts

The emerging framework has drawn criticism from Republican hawks in the Senate. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina warned that an agreement now could make Iran "more powerful over time." Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has called the framework a "disastrous mistake." Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on Sunday, defended the administration's approach and said no one has been stronger on Iran than the president.

The Lebanon front remained active. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message Monday that Israel would "intensify" its strikes against Hezbollah, instructing his military to "press the pedal even harder." The Israel Defense Forces said it had struck more than 70 Hezbollah infrastructure sites across Lebanon during the day. A separate U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon took effect on April 17, though fighting has continued in the south of the country.

Earlier in the day, Trump marked Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery, honoring the 13 American service members killed in the war with Iran. "In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls," the president said. Seven died in the opening wave of Iranian retaliatory strikes across the region, and six Air Force airmen were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq.

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