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Background

The US and Iran at war

The war began on 28 February 2026 with American and Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader. The ceasefires since have broken down, and the June memorandum settled neither of the two questions the war is about: the nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said the war would last four to five weeks. It began on 28 February 2026, and the June memorandum that declared it over has not reopened the Strait of Hormuz or lifted the US blockade. The UN counted more than 3,400 civilians killed in Iran by 9 June. Defence Secretary Hegseth puts the American bill at $37.5bn.
The US and Iran at war

The United States and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February 2026. Trump announced "major combat operations" that night and said the aim was to stop Iran ever getting a nuclear weapon. He told Iranians to take over their government when the bombing ended. Washington had been in talks with Tehran about its nuclear programme before the strikes, and Iran denied building a weapon. The first day's strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On 8 March the clerical body that picks Iran's highest authority named his son Mojtaba his successor.

Iran struck back across the region, firing missiles and drones at Israel and at American forces in Jordan, and hitting Kuwait and Bahrain. Since 28 February it has effectively controlled navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, requiring permission and transit fees, and Washington has blockaded Iran's southern ports. The fighting now reaches Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. Saudi Arabia says Iran-backed militias in Iraq have fired drones at its oil facilities, and the Houthis in Yemen have blockaded Saudi shipping.

Trump said early on that the war would last four to five weeks, though he warned it could take longer. On 30 July AP called it a five-month war. The UN aid office OCHA, citing the WHO, counted more than 3,400 civilians killed and more than 33,000 injured in Iran between 28 February and 9 June. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth put the American bill at about $37.5bn on 21 July, a figure covering spending to the end of the fiscal year. Sources tell CBS the real cost is higher.

A two-week ceasefire Trump announced on 7 April was extended on 21 April. On 17 June the United States released the fourteen points of the Islamabad Memorandum, brokered by Pakistan. It declares the war over on all fronts, naming only Lebanon. It gives sixty days for a final deal, ends the American blockade within thirty days of signing and bars each side from interfering in the other's internal affairs. It promises at least $300bn for Iranian reconstruction and leaves the strait's future administration to Iran, Oman and their neighbours.

From 19 June Iran designated a single lane as the only safe passage and fired on ships using the others. Fighting resumed on 8 July. The blockade was never lifted, and on 18 July Iran suspended its commitments, saying Washington had broken its own. Trump says talks are running at Iran's request, and called off a planned attack on 1 August. Iran's foreign ministry says it is dealing with Oman, not with Washington. The nuclear programme Trump gave as his reason in February is still to be negotiated.

”As long as the maritime siege and US actions continue, nothing significant will change in the Strait of Hormuz”
Esmail Baghaeispokesman for Iran's foreign ministry

The numbers

The war's first day
The United States began "major combat operations" in Iran on the night of 28 February 2026. In the same statement Trump told Iranians: "When we are finished, take over your government."
CBS News
A new supreme leader
Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as Iran's new supreme leader on 8 March 2026, eight days after his father was killed, the Guardian reports, in a US and Israeli strike on Tehran on the first day of the war.
The Guardian
Civilian deaths in Iran
3,400+
The UN humanitarian office OCHA reports more than 3,400 civilians killed and more than 33,000 injured for the period 28 February to 9 June 2026, citing a WHO situation report of 11 June. The update carries no later figure, so it does not cover the July fighting.
OCHA
What the war has cost the US
$37.5bn
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on 21 July 2026 that the war had cost about $37.5bn, a figure he said takes in costs running to the end of the fiscal year on 30 September. A Pentagon official gave about $29bn in mid-May. Sources tell CBS the real cost is much higher.
CBS News
What the June deal actually said
60 days
The Islamabad Memorandum's fourteen points, released by the United States on 17 June 2026, allow a maximum of 60 days to reach a final deal, extendable by mutual consent, and end the American naval blockade within 30 days of signing. On Iran's enriched uranium the text fixes only a minimum, down-blending on site under IAEA supervision; the rest is left to later negotiations.
CNN
Four to five weeks
4–5 weeks
Trump said in the war's early days that it would last four to five weeks, while warning it could take longer. On 30 July 2026 AP described it as a five-month war.
Associated Press
When Iran froze the deal
On 18 July 2026 Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said, according to the Tasnim news agency, that Iran was suspending implementation of its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum because the United States had breached its own.
Haaretz
Ten embassies on one day
On 1 August 2026 the US missions in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint alert telling Americans to consider leaving the region.
Arab News

What the comparison shows

Where they agree

Washington, Tehran and Pakistan all treat the Strait of Hormuz as the question to settle first. Trump says a deal on Hormuz comes before any deal on the nuclear programme. Iran's foreign ministry says its talks with Oman are about the strait, and Pakistan says its mediation is aimed there above all. Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tehran reports Iranian flexibility on how the shipping lanes would be run.

Where they split

Washington will not lift the blockade until Iran signs a deal. Trump says it stands unless there is a deal or a total surrender, and Tehran says nothing will change in the strait while the siege lasts. They also disagree about the facts of the nuclear programme. Trump demands what he calls the denuclearization of Iran. Grossi says the IAEA never had information showing a structured programme to build a weapon, while calling Iran's stock of what he described as almost military-grade material an unjustified accumulation.

What nobody is saying

The war opened with Trump telling Iranians to take over their government when the bombing ended. The June text runs the other way: in it the United States promises not to interfere in Iran's internal affairs. The fourteen points say nothing about Iran's missile programme, and nothing about the militias fighting for Iran in Iraq and Yemen.

Who says what

Donald Trump, President of the United States

Called off a planned large attack on 1 August, saying the outlines of a deal were agreed. He wants the Strait of Hormuz fully reopened and what he calls the denuclearization of Iran. The blockade of Iran's southern ports stays, he says, unless there is a deal or a total surrender.

”I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL”I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL
Source: CNN · Saturday, 1 August 2026
Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA

Told CNN days after the opening strikes that Iran was not days or weeks from a nuclear weapon. He named serious concerns at the same time: an unjustified accumulation of what he called almost military-grade material, and a lack of transparency in inspections. CNN set the remarks out again in its live coverage of 2 and 3 August.

”we never had information indicating that there was a structured systematic program to build or to construct a nuclear weapon”we never had information indicating that there was a structured systematic program to build or to construct a nuclear weapon
Source: CNN · Monday, 3 August 2026
Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry

Denies that Iran is negotiating directly with the United States. Tehran is talking to Oman and to states inside and outside the region, and its talks with Oman are about a temporary safe route through the strait. The words below are Al Jazeera's English rendering, not English as he spoke it.

”As long as the maritime siege and US actions continue, nothing significant will change in the Strait of Hormuz”As long as the maritime siege and US actions continue, nothing significant will change in the Strait of Hormuz
Source: Al Jazeera · Monday, 3 August 2026
Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran's military central command

Accused Washington of escalating tensions and aimed his threat at the neighbouring states that host American forces. Arab News carried the statement on the day American missions in ten countries in the region told citizens to consider leaving. The words below are Arab News's English rendering of a statement read on Iranian state television.

”Any country serving as defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war”Any country serving as defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war
Source: The Daily Star · Saturday, 1 August 2026
Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign ministry

He says Pakistan is working to bring Washington and Tehran back to the Islamabad Memorandum, and that negotiations are under way to normalise the situation, above all in the Strait of Hormuz. He urges both sides to show maximum restraint and to resume technical-level talks.

”We note with concern that the security situation remains precarious”We note with concern that the security situation remains precarious
Source: The Express Tribune · Thursday, 30 July 2026 · The words are from the foreign ministry's weekly press briefing of 30 July 2026.
Ali al-Zaidi, Prime Minister of Iraq

On 28 July he ordered Iraq's security agencies to investigate the drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that Riyadh blames on Iran-backed militias in Iraq. The next day American and Saudi aircraft struck those militias on Iraqi soil, killing at least 20 fighters. In the Guardian's English translation he said Iraq was committed to preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a route or launching point for attacks on brotherly or friendly countries.

Source: The Guardian · Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Resul Serdar, Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran

Reported from Tehran on 28 July, the day Iran and Oman exchanged proposals on how the strait should be run. Oman has offered three shipping lanes: one through Iranian waters, one international and one through Omani waters.

”Despite public statements, our sources tell us Iran is demonstrating some flexibility.”Despite public statements, our sources tell us Iran is demonstrating some flexibility.
Source: Al Jazeera · Tuesday, 28 July 2026

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