Iran is singing “let’s do the time warp again” after spending the weekend throwing bombs around and getting absolutely nowhere.

After the retaliatory bombing by the United States after Iran sent drones to hit the Singapore-flagged M/V Ever Lovely, the IRGC decided to aim at another cargo ship on Saturday. So the United States bombed them AGAIN. Tit, tat, wash, rinse, repeat.

CENTCOM said that after the US struck Iran Friday in response to an Iranian attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship the M/V Ever Lovely, the Islamic Republic hit a second vessel, the tanker M/T Kiku — which was sailing from Qatar.

Military officials said the new Saturday attacks “targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities.” According to reports, at least 10 targets were hit.

The military also said that “commercial vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz continue.”

The message from CENTCOM said attack began “at the Commander in Chief’s direction.”

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told its semi-official news agency counterpart Tasnim that Iran condemns the “savage attacks, which targeted Iran’s coastal surveillance facilities,” adding that they constitute violations of international law.

The Ministry also called upon its neighbors in the Persian Gulf “to adhere to the principles of good neighborliness” and to “observe the fundamental principle of international law” by preventing the US from using their territories and facilities.

President Trump also issued another warning via Truth Social on Saturday night.

Here’s my question – at what point does the President of the United States (because it will be his decision alone) make the determination that Iran is not going to learn and will not stop violating the MOU? How many times is Iran allowed to hit cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz before it becomes painfully clear to President Trump that the only way to make this stop is to pummel them into submission? This has echoes of asking how many civilians the IRGC had to kill before the president’s red lines were crossed. We got there eventually, but stopping so Trump can play “Let’s Make A Deal” only works if you are dealing with rational actors. The Islamic regime that rules Iran is not composed of rational actors.

The point was then proved when Iran decided to start aiming at U.S. military bases.

Iran says it launched a series of retaliatory strikes on US military assets in Kuwait and Bahrain Saturday night and Sunday morning — after the US hit them earlier in the day as part of a rising series of strikes and counter-strikes between the two nations.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed they “destroyed eight important US military facilities at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and at the Fifth Fleet naval base in Port Salman in Bahrain.”

An official reportedly said there were no ⁠US casualties or major impacts ⁠or damage ‌to US bases after the barrage of missiles and drones.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said the strikes damaged a residential building near the international airport and confirmed no one was killed.

The ministry released images showing an 8-story building with its top floor blown apart, windows shattered and rubble filling the interior.

Kuwait said it detected and intercepted two ballistic missiles Sunday morning, with no reports of injuries or damage.

Just because Iran isn’t capable of doing major damage in these attempted strikes doesn’t negate the intent. And they are pissing everyone off in the meantime.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Sunday that Iran has never been so isolated across the Middle East, dismissing Tehran’s claims of dominance over the Strait of Hormuz following strikes in the region.

“The Iranian regime thinks for a second that President Trump is going to stand by while Iran continues to attack international shipping without a response, or our bases without a response,” Waltz said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“They’re sadly mistaken, and they saw that loud and clear over the last few nights, where we will continue to take down their infrastructure militarily, if needed, that they’re trying to use to illegally control an international waterway.

“A U.N. record 143 nations have agreed with us that this is in violation of international law. Even the Chinese government has said you cannot be taking tolls or fees,” he added before stating that Iran was “relying on Oman across the waterway to help it set up this new infrastructure.”

“Now Oman just yesterday rejected the idea of tolls or fees, so they’re completely isolated here,” Waltz explained.

The refusal of Oman to help out in the tolling scheme has apparently undermined Iran’s momentum, and as a result, they are holding up a small white hanky and saying “parlay?” Iran will reportedly be at the negotiating table on Tuesday.

Washington and Tehran agreed to halt military strikes in the region on Sunday, according to reports.

“Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU. Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” the White House told Fox News.

Citing an official, Axios also reported that the two sides’ delegations are now scheduled to meet June 30 in Doha, Qatar.

The Iranians apparently failed to have a “memorandum of understanding” with Oman when it came to trying to extort money out of the Strait of Hormuz. WHOOPS. They also are, um, kinda broke.

One of the key points that allegedly pushed Iran to act was US Central Command working with the International Maritime Organization to escort ships through the Omani side of the strait.

The action undermined Tehran’s control over the vital shipping route, which faced a big challenge after Oman stated that it did not support a toll system through the waterway.

“The Omani statement of no tolls really undercut the Iranian position,” the official said.

The Islamic republic is also supposedly upset that it has not been able to find new buyers for its oil after the US lifted sanctions against Iran last week.

Officials from the National Iranian Oil Co. have reportedly gone around Asia to offer refiners discounted oil to expedite sales, but it remains unclear how many deals have manifested.

As Iran attempts to capitalize on the cash flow secured through the memorandum of understanding, Tehran is also demanding the US unleash its frozen assets.

“We were always very clear with them that frozen funds would only be released as progress is made on the nuclear issue,” the US official said.

So, as it stands right now, Iran is short on cash, the oil isn’t selling well, and the new scheme to make a fast buck off tolling the Strait of Hormuz just went kaput. And every time they attempt to bomb a cargo ship or a base, they get hit again, and no one seems to care very much. Which means the only thing they can do right now is pretend to play nice at the negotiating table, stalling for time, until they figure out the next angle. Because they haven’t learned a damned thing, and President Trump is willing to let them keep playing with fire until someone gets burned.

Featured image via jorono on Pixabay, cropped, Pixabay license