Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, visited sailors and Marines aboard the America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) while the ship operated in the Arabian Sea. During the visit Cooper met with service members, recognized top performers and toured multiple shipboard spaces.
The visit took place amid heightened US military activity in the region and as a naval blockade was being enforced in the Gulf of Oman near USS Tripoli’s area of operations.
On the diplomatic front, Tehran has replied to a US-backed nine-point proposal with a 14-point counteroffer, reportedly delivered through a Pakistani intermediary. Iran framed the response as a set of conditions to halt hostilities and move from a temporary truce toward a more permanent settlement. Tehran rejected Washington’s proposed two-month ceasefire, saying issues should be resolved within 30 days.
Key elements of the Iranian proposal include guarantees against future military attacks, withdrawal of US forces from areas bordering Iran, an end to the reported naval blockade, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, payment of reparations, and removal of sanctions. The proposal also calls for ending the war “on all fronts, including Lebanon,” and suggests creating a new mechanism to manage security and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he would review the Iranian submission but expressed skepticism, saying Iran “has not yet paid a big enough price” and that he “can’t imagine that it would be acceptable.”
Sea tensions have escalated after President Trump likened US naval actions against vessels linked to Iran to piracy, drawing strong criticism from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on X that the President’s remarks were a “direct and damning admission” of illegal maritime activity and urged the United Nations and the international community to reject such breaches of maritime law.
Trump has said US forces intercepted a vessel and its cargo, commenting, “We’re like pirates, but we are not playing games,” and characterizing the seizures as “a very profitable business.” Iran condemned the reported capture of two oil tankers, Majestic X and Tifani, calling the operation “armed robbery on the high seas” and saying it violated international norms.
This report is based on a syndicated feed and is presented as received.
