{"id":23181,"date":"2026-07-31T14:11:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T09:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=23181"},"modified":"2026-07-31T14:11:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T09:11:28","slug":"as-diplomacy-falters-us-iran-war-expands-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=23181","title":{"rendered":"As diplomacy falters, US-Iran war expands: ANALYSIS"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \">The 14-point deal with <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/International\/live-updates\/iran-live-updates-tehran-progress-made-strait-hormuz\/?id=135110405\" dir=\"ltr\">Iran<\/a> signed by President Donald Trump in mid-June was supposed to be a diplomatic offramp, one the architects of the agreement said would wind down the war and open new pathways to prosperity for the Middle East.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">But six weeks after the agreement was inked and three weeks after Trump declared it officially dead, the conflict has not only been revived &#8212; it has reached new fronts and reignited simmering feuds.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Efforts by several mediating countries to restart negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have repeatedly hit a wall, dimming prospects of the<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->key belligerents striking even a more limited ceasefire agreement.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur \" style=\"padding-bottom:155.55555555555557%\" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ee44133c-a624-4dfb-8ef9-c97779ea61df\/iran-egypt-tanker-rt-20260730-rt-jh_1785454486770_hpEmbed_9x14.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ee44133c-a624-4dfb-8ef9-c97779ea61df\/iran-egypt-tanker-rt-20260730-rt-jh_1785454486770_hpEmbed_9x14.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ee44133c-a624-4dfb-8ef9-c97779ea61df\/iran-egypt-tanker-rt-20260730-rt-jh_1785454486770_hpEmbed_9x14.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ee44133c-a624-4dfb-8ef9-c97779ea61df\/iran-egypt-tanker-rt-20260730-rt-jh_1785454486770_hpEmbed_9x14.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: Smoke rises from a gas tanker after a drone strike at Damietta\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ee44133c-a624-4dfb-8ef9-c97779ea61df\/iran-egypt-tanker-rt-20260730-rt-jh_1785454486770_hpEmbed_9x14.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Smoke rises from a gas tanker after a drone strike, maritime security firm Ambrey said, at Damietta port, Egypt, July 29, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Social Media\/SOCIAL MEDIA via Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"vPZug ZqdKL xcLAU bunQU uhXXI PjNjV lNbol LBPRq \">War stretches west<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">On Wednesday, flames engulfed an American-owned gas storage tanker and another vessel in Egypt&#8217;s Mediterranean port of Damietta.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Although Iran&#8217;s foreign minister has denied any responsibility and no country or group has taken credit for it, Egypt said the fire was the result of a drone strike and U.S. officials have assessed that Iranian-linked actors were likely behind it.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Trump<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->said on Wednesday he was briefed on the matter and described the incident as &#8220;a little more of the same.&#8221;<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">However, the attack<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->marks the first time Egypt has been hit during the course of the conflict, adding another name to the list of more than a dozen countries that have come under Iranian fire this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">\u00a0<!-- -->According to the Egyptian government, the country&#8217;s foreign minister spoke by phone with Trump&#8217;s special envoy Steve Witkoff after the drone attack and both officials &#8220;stressed the importance of preventing further escalation and avoiding a broader regional conflict.&#8221;<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">But the war is already increasingly ensnaring another power player in the region: Saudi Arabia.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur \" style=\"padding-bottom:63.63636363636363%\" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/2dc2f780-da56-46fd-8c30-de1a861ba44a\/Iran-saudi-arabia-20260730-rt-jh_1785454602635_hpEmbed_11x7.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/2dc2f780-da56-46fd-8c30-de1a861ba44a\/Iran-saudi-arabia-20260730-rt-jh_1785454602635_hpEmbed_11x7.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/2dc2f780-da56-46fd-8c30-de1a861ba44a\/Iran-saudi-arabia-20260730-rt-jh_1785454602635_hpEmbed_11x7.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/2dc2f780-da56-46fd-8c30-de1a861ba44a\/Iran-saudi-arabia-20260730-rt-jh_1785454602635_hpEmbed_11x7.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: A satellite image shows trail of smoke rising from an oil facility, in Jizan\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/2dc2f780-da56-46fd-8c30-de1a861ba44a\/Iran-saudi-arabia-20260730-rt-jh_1785454602635_hpEmbed_11x7.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">A satellite image shows trail of smoke rising from an oil facility, in Jizan, Jazan province, Saudi Arabia, July 26, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">European Union\/copernicus Sentin via Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">U.S. officials say Tehran fomented the collapse of a yearslong informal truce between Riyadh and the Iranian-backed Houthis by attempting to fly Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel and weapons into the Yemen&#8217;s capital earlier this month, prompting the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to fire on the airport to prevent the plane from landing.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">But that plane diverted and the Houthis appeared emboldened, declaring they would impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia &#8212; threatening another vital shipping lane in the Middle East.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Riyadh had been reluctant to formally join the fray but signaled it would meet threats from the Houthis and other Iranian proxies with force.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">On Wednesday, the<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->kingdom acknowledged taking a direct role in the conflict for the first time, announcing its armed forces had carried out joint strikes with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on targets in Iraq that perpetrated attacks on Saudi energy sites.<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1a506b08-418d-4729-910a-de1724a8c77e\/yemen-patrol-red-sea-20260730-gty-jh_1785454694466_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1a506b08-418d-4729-910a-de1724a8c77e\/yemen-patrol-red-sea-20260730-gty-jh_1785454694466_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1a506b08-418d-4729-910a-de1724a8c77e\/yemen-patrol-red-sea-20260730-gty-jh_1785454694466_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1a506b08-418d-4729-910a-de1724a8c77e\/yemen-patrol-red-sea-20260730-gty-jh_1785454694466_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: YEMEN-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR-TRANSPORT\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1a506b08-418d-4729-910a-de1724a8c77e\/yemen-patrol-red-sea-20260730-gty-jh_1785454694466_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Sailors from the navy of Yemen&#8217;s Aden-based internationally recognized government stand at machine gun positions aboard a vessel patrolling a shipping lane off Hanish Island in the Red Sea on July 27, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Khaled Ziad\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Riyadh also announced on Thursday that it convened representatives of 43 countries to discuss plans for a maritime defense coalition to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea, and that 14 of those nations ultimately backed a joint statement launching the coalition.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"vPZug ZqdKL xcLAU bunQU uhXXI PjNjV lNbol LBPRq \">An increasingly global conflict<!-- -->\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Exactly a month to the day after the deal that was supposed to cement that truce between the U.S and Iran was signed by Trump, a missile and drone attack<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->launched by Tehran claimed the lives of three American service members &#8212; the first troops<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->killed by direct Iranian fire since the first days of the war.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Although Jordan is approximately 1,000 miles from Iran, Tehran has hit at U.S. interests in the country nearly a dozen times during the past month, extending the range of its retaliatory strikes far beyond the Gulf.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Following a few days of calm earlier this week<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->that U.S. officials hoped would make space for diplomacy, Iran also launched what CENTCOM described as an &#8220;attempted surprise attack&#8221; on American forces in the Middle East. The Iranian regime later identified Jordan&#8217;s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base as the intended target.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur \" style=\"padding-bottom:66.62808641975309%\" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c5bfd9f3-cdcf-4846-8694-dd2b0ca71fdd\/iran-jordan-attack-20260730-gty-jh_1785454280613_hpMain.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c5bfd9f3-cdcf-4846-8694-dd2b0ca71fdd\/iran-jordan-attack-20260730-gty-jh_1785454280613_hpMain.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c5bfd9f3-cdcf-4846-8694-dd2b0ca71fdd\/iran-jordan-attack-20260730-gty-jh_1785454280613_hpMain.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c5bfd9f3-cdcf-4846-8694-dd2b0ca71fdd\/iran-jordan-attack-20260730-gty-jh_1785454280613_hpMain.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c5bfd9f3-cdcf-4846-8694-dd2b0ca71fdd\/iran-jordan-attack-20260730-gty-jh_1785454280613_hpMain.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">This screen grab taken from video footage released on July 16, 2026, by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Sepah News website shows a missile being launched from an undisclosed location towards U.S. targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">SEPAHNEWS.COM\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">That attack<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->followed Iran&#8217;s rejection of a proposal for managing the Strait of Hormuz and was likely intended to signal &#8220;the regime&#8217;s willingness to incur the risk<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->of full-scale conflict with the United States,&#8221; according to an assessment from the Institute for the Study of War.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Tehran&#8217;s focus on U.S. targets in Jordan has also intensified questions about intelligence sharing and other forms of support Tehran may be receiving from two other U.S. rivals: Russia and China.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Trump administration officials have repeatedly said that Moscow and Beijing have not meaningfully contributed to Iran&#8217;s war effort.<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->But on Saturday, Ukraine struck<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->an Iranian commercial cargo ship in the Caspian Sea<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->that Kyiv said was transporting arms between Iran and Russia. The attack<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->prompted threats of Iranian retaliation and concern that the wars in Ukraine and Iran could eventually converge.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 14-point deal with Iran signed by President Donald Trump in mid-June was supposed to be a diplomatic offramp, one the architects of the agreement said would wind down the war and open new pathways to prosperity for the Middle East.\u00a0 But six weeks after the agreement was inked and three weeks after Trump declared&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c5bfd9f3-cdcf-4846-8694-dd2b0ca71fdd\/iran-jordan-attack-20260730-gty-jh_1785454280613_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abc-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23181"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23181\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}