US President Donald Trump recently shared an image of an Israeli strike on an Iranian oil depot, wrongly asserting that it was a recent American attack on Iran. The photo depicted flames and smoke rising from the Shahran oil depot in Tehran, which was actually from an Israeli assault on June 15, 2025.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump claimed that the strike was in retaliation for Iran’s alleged bombing of ships the day before, warning of further actions if such incidents recurred. However, the accompanying screenshot from a news outlet was later corrected to clarify that the image was not from the stated date.
Following the targeting of several vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the US initiated a new series of strikes against Iran. The conflict stemmed from joint US-Israeli attacks on Iranian sites earlier in the year, leading to heightened tensions in the region.
Despite previous efforts to reach a peace agreement, the latest escalation has disrupted progress towards peace. A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the US and Iran aimed to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz and resolve disputes over Iran’s nuclear program within 60 days. However, Mr. Trump declared the ceasefire over during a NATO summit in Türkiye, ordering further strikes on Iran to prevent threats to navigation in the strait.
Under the MoU terms, Iran committed to restoring merchant vessel movements between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman to pre-war levels within 30 days. In return, the US agreed to lift its naval blockade against Iran and restore traffic capacity within 30 days of signing the agreement.
The recent developments have raised concerns about the future of peace efforts in the region, with escalating tensions threatening to derail diplomatic progress between the US and Iran.