If Iran talks fail, US could target missiles, ports and IRGC infrastructure

The discussions remain fragile amid continued distrust between Washington and Tehran.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
US officials and military analysts said a collapse in negotiations with Iran could quickly lead to a renewed American military campaign focused on degrading Tehran’s missile systems, naval assets and command infrastructure before potentially expanding to broader economic and energy targets, Fox News reported.

Officials involved in the talks are still working toward what was described as a preliminary framework agreement tied to Iran’s nuclear program and possible sanctions relief, according to the material.

The discussions remain fragile amid continued distrust between Washington and Tehran.

“We’re not starting at zero,” retired Army Col. Seth Krummrich, a former Joint Staff planner and current vice president at Global Guardian, told Fox News Digital. “We’re both starting at minus 1,000 because neither side trusts each other at all. This is going to be a pretty hard process going forward.”

A senior US official confirmed Thursday that American forces struck Iran’s Qeshm port and Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz, while saying the operation did not represent a resumption of the war or an end to the ceasefire.

The strikes followed an Iranian missile attack targeting the UAE’s Fujairah Port earlier in the week.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said the Iranian attack did not amount to a ceasefire violation, describing it as a limited strike.

President Donald Trump has warned repeatedly that the US could resume bombing Iran if negotiations fail.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said, “President Trump has all the cards, and he wisely keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.”

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula said any renewed campaign would likely focus on “ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, air defense systems, maritime strike assets, command-and-control networks, IRGC infrastructure, proxy support channels, and nuclear-related facilities.” He said the goal would be “denying Iran the tools it uses to escalate.”

Analysts also said Iran’s fleet of fast attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader structure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remain largely intact despite previous strikes.