On July 9, the US military set fire to a strategic bridge to Turkmenistan, which connects Iran with its strategic allies.
Specifically, the US strike targeted a railway bridge in the Akkala region of Golestan province, near the border with Turkmenistan.
At the same time, the United States struck the Tehran-Mashhad railway line, aiming to prevent citizens from participating in the farewell ceremony of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in Mashhad.
Russia’s response was immediate, with State Duma official Alexei Chepa speaking of a direct act of war against Moscow and Beijing, which is leading the conflict in the Persian Gulf to strange paths and an undeniable escalation.
For their part, American officials are meaningfully emphasizing that the Strait of Hormuz “will experience a month of hell,” indicating that Islamabad’s Memorandum of Understanding is more or less “dead.”
The conflict between Iran and the United States thus appears not only to be dangerously internationalized, but also to be entering its most dangerous phase since its outbreak…
US strikes bridge linking Iran to China and Russia
The US military has struck a bridge in northeastern Iran, which is part of a transport corridor linking the country to Russia and China.
The incident occurred on the night of July 9. The strike targeted a railway bridge in the Akkala district of Golestan province, near the border with Turkmenistan. It is noteworthy that goods from Russia were transported to Iran via this route.
On July 8, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, the US president declared that the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was no longer in effect.
After the resumption of strikes, US President Trump delivered one of his harshest speeches against the Iranian leadership in recent history.
He described Iranians as “sick people” and “scum of society,” while likening the Islamic Republic to a “cancerous tumor” that, in his opinion, must be eliminated for the sake of stability in the Middle East. The American leader also noted that he no longer sees the point in negotiations.
Shock from the Duma: The destruction of the Akkala bridge is a declaration of war on Russia and Iran
The US strike on the bridge connecting Iran with Russia and China was not only aimed at Tehran, but also at Moscow and Beijing, whose cargo was transported via this route, said Alexei Chepa, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
Earlier, it was reported that the US launched a missile attack on a railway bridge connecting Iran with Russia and China.
Russia has been using this route to transport goods since last year, while after the naval blockade, the traffic of Chinese trains tripled.
According to the Russian MP, the United States is trying in every way to persuade Iran to act more obediently, but Tehran continues to stand firm in its positions.
Earlier, the US Central Command confirmed the resumption of strikes against Iran. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked four American bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Russia’s position on the new round of Iran-US strikes
The exchange of strikes between the US and Iran demonstrates the fragility of the previously achieved ceasefire between the two countries. For The Liberal Globe, the resumption of hostilities was not unexpected (please read the analysis titled “Why can the US-Iran agreement to end the war never be implemented?“).
Differences remain between Tehran and Washington, particularly over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.
The positions of the two sides remain mutually exclusive.
In addition, US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric often changes within a day, while Iranian authorities continue to speak of their readiness to stick to their previous negotiating position and, if necessary, to launch new strikes.
On July 8, Donald Trump stated that the ceasefire with Iran is no longer in effect and that Washington has no intention of continuing negotiations with Tehran. He described the continuation of negotiations with the Islamic Republic as a “waste of time.”
