• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington wants the deal with Tehran to work, but will not settle for “a deal at any price”.
• After a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in Bahrain, Rubio also said the US and its Gulf allies are opposed to any Iranian fees or restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warns against any unauthorized crossings of the strait, saying that vessels not complying “will be dealt with”.

Israel’s war backfires as Gulf countries back US-Iran deal

Gulf states have welcomed the breakthrough agreement between the US and Iran to end a war they never wanted.

Six countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman – form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which was created in 1981 following fears of the perceived expansionist ambitions of a new Iranian government.

Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Israel has attempted to isolate Iran and its wide network of regional proxy groups. But in a twist of irony, Israeli aggression in this pursuit has pushed some Gulf states closer to Tehran.

“The ongoing conflict … compelled the Gulf states to pursue a more pragmatic relationship with Tehran, one that will include enhanced dialogue to deter conflict,” Farah al-Qawasmi, a researcher at the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University, said.

What did Rubio, GCC ministers say after meeting in Bahrain?

• Rubio stressed the “enduring US commitment to GCC security”.
• The GCC nations welcomed the US-Iran deal, while stressing “the need to maintain momentum and unity as negotiations proceed toward a more permanent end to hostilities”.
• The ministers “rejected any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control” over the Strait of Hormuz.
• They expressed a “full commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, stability, and territorial integrity”, as well as support for US-brokered talks between Israeli and Lebanese government officials.
• “The Ministers condemned attacks by Iranian proxies in Iraq against GCC countries, including drone attacks damaging civilian facilities, critical infrastructure, and energy security.”

Trump says he’ll use unfrozen Iranian assets to buy US agricultural products

The US president was speaking a short time ago at an event for US farmers.

“We’re going to be taking some of their money,” Trump said, referring to unfrozen Iranian assets.

“And we’ll spend it, and we’re going to be buying wheat, soy beans and corn – a lot of it. And that process is going to be starting pretty soon,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty big, too.”

The Trump administration has said Iran’s unfrozen money will be used to buy US agricultural products, which will then be provided to Iran.

Iran reacts on Trump’s push to use Iranian assets to buy US crops

Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and a key figure in the Iranian negotiating team, has rejected the idea.

“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting. The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust,” Ghalibaf recently wrote on X.

US president knows ‘he has to get an agreement’ with Iran

Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute think tank, says that’s in part because Trump “wants to ensure that oil continues to flow” around the world.

“He doesn’t want continuing violence. He knows that Gulf countries are desperate as well to have stability … and return to economic growth and energy production,” Bandow siad.

“So there’s a lot of pressure on the president, and he’s going to be applying a certain amount of pressure on Israel” to rein in its military assault on Lebanon, Bandow said.

As we’ve been reporting, the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran stipulates an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. Despite that, Israel has continued to carry out deadly attacks on the country.

South Korea says 3 more ships to depart Strait of Hormuz at weekend

South Korean ⁠President Lee ⁠Jae-myung made the announcement in a post on X.

He said the departures were facilitated by several state agencies, including the Foreign Ministry, which “worked tirelessly through sleepless nights on communication and cooperation”

Grossi says IAEA hopes to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites ‘as soon as possible’

Rafael Grossi, head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says the agency has been tasked with inspecting Iran’s nuclear sites as part of the US-Iran deal.

“This MoU specifically indicates that the nuclear part of the memorandum will be supervised … by the IAEA. In order to supervise, we need to inspect, there is no other way,” Grossi told reporters in Tokyo, Japan.

“The technical work has started and we hope to be there soon.”

Grossi added: “The IAEA will have to have access and inspect. I am prepared to continue the technical work and be there as soon as possible.”

Saudi Aramco resumes oil loading after 4-month halt

Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, has resumed oil loading at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf after a near four-month halt, shipping data showed.

Reuters has reported that this is a sign that Middle Eastern producers are pushing forward with plans to boost exports despite a ship being reportedly attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday by an unknown projectile.

Two Very Large Crude Carriers controlled by Saudi’s shipping arm Bahri were seen loading crude at Ras Tanura, the world’s biggest oil port, while another waited nearby, the data showed. Each VLCC is capable of loading 2 million barrels of oil.

As we reported earlier, Iran has said that any vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz must be in coordination with the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Taiwanese company says ship was hit by ‘unknown object’ off Oman

Evergreen Marine’s ship was hit by an unknown object off Oman but has now safely departed the Strait of Hormuz, the Taiwanese company said on Friday.

In a statement to the Taiwan stock exchange, the company has said the starboard side of the bridge of the Ever Lovely, owned by its Singapore subsidiary, was hit a day earlier by an unknown object 3.6 nautical miles off Oman’s Khawr Naiwah.

After an initial inspection by the crew, damage was found around the bridge windows. But the crew, vessel and cargo are all safe, it said.

It added that the ship was following the recommended route of the British navy agency UKMTO while passing through the strait.

Hard-headed pragmatism: Israel’s war backfires as Gulf states back US-Iran deal

Gulf states, which never wanted this war, have welcomed a breakthrough agreement between the United States and Iran to end it.

Six countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman – form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which was created in 1981 following fears of the perceived expansionist ambitions of the new Iranian government.

Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Israel has attempted to isolate Iran and its wide network of regional proxy groups. But in a twist of irony, Israeli aggression in this pursuit has pushed several Gulf states closer to Tehran.

Gulf relations with Iran, at present, appear more shaped by realism than reconciliation, but this approach could help them navigate the uncertain road ahead.

“The ongoing conflict … compelled the Gulf states to pursue a more pragmatic relationship with Tehran, one that will include enhanced dialogue to deter conflict,” Farah Al Qawasmi, a researcher at the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University, said.

Iran threatens response ‘if US is unable to contain’ Israeli aircraft

Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of Iran’s armed forces, has said in a statement that Tehran considers the “movements and presence of military aircraft in the skies of some neighbouring countries towards Iran as a dangerous act and a threat against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

In the statement, quoted by Iran’s Fars news agency, the headquarters further noted that if the US “is unable to contain and control the Zionist [Israeli] regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not tolerate any threat against it and considers it its right to respond to these dangerous actions”.

MoU an official declaration of US-Israel defeat, says Hezbollah chief

“Iran was able to stand firm and reach the memorandum of understanding, which is an official declaration of the defeat of America and Israel,” says Qassem.

Iran calls US-GCC joint statement ‘interventionist, provocative’

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has called the joint statement from the US and GCC countries “interventionist, irresponsible, and provocative,” and warned against “the continuation of hostile and interventionist behaviors in the region”.

US military a burden for GCC countries, says Iran’s Foreign Ministry

Iran’s Foreign Ministry further said in its statement, carried by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency, that the US claims of commitment to the security of the GCC member states “is nothing more than rhetoric and a distortion of reality”.

The statement added that the US military presence is rather a burden for regional countries.

We put it this way:

If a GCC country engages in agreements with a alien military power from another continent, knowing that the alien power wants to be on its soil merely for own interest, for instance Iran, the engaging country contributes to instability in the region. So, it is not just about being themselves binded to military agreement:

If the alien military power declares war on a third party country in the region, and the agreement includes the allowance of the use of the host country's soil for attacks on the third party country, the host country is then contributing to aggression and violence in the act of war by the alien military power even when it is about logistical assistance.

The host country remains international legally responsible under state responsibility laws.

US places no value on security of Gulf countries, says Iran’s Foreign Ministry

A ministry statement said that “the use by the US of military bases and facilities” in regional countries to attack Iran “clearly demonstrated that the US places no value on the security of the countries in the region or their mutual relations”.

In April and early May 2026, Gulf states, in particular Kuwait, were complaining about the lack of protection from the United States

Iran urges GCC to support ‘nuclear-weapon-free zone’ in Middle East

Iran also dismissed the United States’ and the Israeli government’s position on “Iran’s peaceful nuclear program” as false allegations.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry urged GCC countries to support the initiative for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, “instead of aligning with policies of portraying Iran as a threat”.

It further emphasized that lasting peace and security can only be achieved through regional cooperation without foreign interference, and condemned efforts to portray Iran’s defensive, missile, and drone capabilities as a threat.

With its secret 1942 Manhattan Project (atom bomb), the US is the inventor and introducer of nuclear militarization and inflamed in 1947 the rise of nuclear powers in the world, including the Israelis in 1956.

The invention wasn't helping peace. It contributed to the first nuclear genocide to end the Second World War in Asia.

The outcome have led to the possession of weapons of nuclear mass destruction across the world, only helping to deter each other: China, US, North Korea, India, Pakistan and yes, even the Israelis are potential users. The latter particular against those who don't have these nuclear WMDs. The Israelis have proved it during their six-day war in 1967.

IAEA demands verification of Iran nuclear ambitions amid ‘statement war’

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has asserted that a “very strong system of verification” must be put in place to monitor Iran’s nuclear program.

Director General Rafael Grossi called on Friday for the nuclear watchdog to be given full access, noting that ensuring Iran is not able to develop nuclear weapons is the key objective of the preliminary ceasefire agreement with the United States.

The United States and its Western allies have for years warned that Tehran’s nuclear program may be aimed at developing the capacity to build a weapon. Iran has always firmly denied it has any such intention, insisting its ambitions are strictly civilian.

“The government of Iran has affirmed quite clearly that [developing nuclear weapons] is not their intention, but of course intentions are not enough,” Grossi told reporters on Friday. “In order to have certainty, we need to have a very strong system of verification as soon as practicable.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on US, GCC and the Strait of Hormuz

• The US-GCC joint statement is “interventionist, irresponsible and provocative”, as it warned against the “continuation [of] confrontational conduct” in the region.
• The Strait of Hormuz will be managed, and the security of the territorial waters and coasts of Iran and Oman, in accordance with the MoU.
• The US claim of committing to GCC countries’ security is “a distortion of reality”, and the US military presence is “merely a burden [imposed] on the peoples of the region and has been a source of insecurity and division”.
• Iran called on Gulf countries to prevent any use of their territories and facilities for planning, supporting or carrying out unlawful acts against Iran.
• Iran urged GCC countries not to align with the US’s portrayal of “the threat of its peaceful nuclear program”, and instead pursue a “nuclear-weapon-free Middle East”.
• Tehran also stressed that the security of the region must be ensured by the countries of the region themselves … rather than through dependence on foreign powers whose interventions have “repeatedly undermined” regional stability.

Attack on ship in Hormuz Strait ‘unprovoked, unjustifiable’, says Singapore port authority

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has reacted on the attack with an unknown projectile, that hit the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.

“The vessel has since completed its transit through the Strait of Hormuz and is proceeding on its voyage,” the statement noted, adding that all 21 crew members are safe.

The authority expressed deep concern over the incident, “which was unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law”.

“All actions affecting international shipping must fully comply with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and not endanger the safety of seafarers and ships at sea,” the statement concluded.

Safe passage through Hormuz by ‘parallel routes’ cannot be guaranteed: Iran’s deputy FM

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, has said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed for vessels transiting “with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran’s considerations as the coastal state”.

“Any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” he said in a statement on X. “Otherwise, the outcome will be the suspension of the designated parallel route.”

The 14-point MoU between the US and Iran mandates that Iran “will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz”.

Strait of Hormuz management to be main sticking point in US-Iran talks

Yesterday, Oman announced new routes for the passage of the ships. But then the IRGC released a statement, saying that whether the ships go through the Iranian or Omani territorial waters, they need to be in full coordination with Iranian authorities.

And if they violate that, then Iran is going to act accordingly. So the question was whether Iran is going to really act or not?

The answer is yes. Now, we have seen that a tanker has been attacked by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC did not claim responsibility but did not deny it, either.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, also said any parallel routes or decision-making outside Iran’s considerations as a coastal state are unacceptable, and Iran is going to act.

Perhaps, in the coming days and weeks, we will see that the Strait of Hormuz is one of the main sticking points.

‘West has brought nothing but plunder and violence,’ says adviser to Iran’s supreme leader

Ali Akbar Velayati said that the stability of Gulf Arab states “is indebted to Iran’s century-long management of the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that “the West has brought nothing to the region but plunder and violence”.

In a post on X, Velayati wrote: “These political minors of the periphery should not be comforted by commissioned statements; know this, your survival feeds off the scraps of this table.

“In the great realignment, peripheral minor players have no seat at the table,” he added, “They are eliminated, and their strategic survival is at the mercy of Tehran’s tolerance.”

IRGC Navy warning forces three oil tankers to turn back in Strait of Hormuz

At least three foreign oil tankers that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz “without authorization” turned back after a warning from the IRGC, Iranian state TV has reported.

Yesterday, a Singapore-flagged vessel came under attack from an unknown projectile, prompting the UN to call off its mission to rescue 11,000 sailors in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has not claimed the attack, but has issued multiple warnings against transiting the waterway without Iran’s authorization.

IRGC warns Hormuz transit only possible via routes approved by Tehran

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has warned that passage through the world’s energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, “is only possible via routes announced by Iran,” the state broadcaster IRIB has reported.

“The only law that governs this region is still the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Revolutionary Guards Navy,” a reporter from the state broadcaster said.

If Iran attacks Israel, it will ‘commit its biggest mistake’: Katz

If Iran attacks Israel, it will “commit its biggest mistake”, says Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz.

The IRGC’s commander has “been constantly threatening Israel these days”, he said in a post on X.

“Neither Hormuz nor attacks on civilians will help them; nothing will stop us. Our forces are ready to finish the job.”

Since February 28, 2026, Iran has attacked the Israeli territory many times.

Iran has an ‘inherent right to legitimate self-defense’: Foreign Ministry

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, has issued a scathing statement, calling out Iran’s neighbors in the Gulf, Israel and the US, saying Iran has the right to defend itself.

“The southern neighbors [Gulf countries] must be held accountable,” Baghaei posted on X, for their role in US attacks on Iran.

“It should be clear to all that Iran’s military capabilities ensure the Iranian people’s inherent right to legitimate self-defense in the face of aggression and crimes, while at the same time guaranteeing peace and stability in the region”, he said.

Throughout the joint US-Israeli war on Iran, the Iranian military carried out continuous attacks on its Gulf neighbors, including on their energy production and transportation facilities.

Iranians are taking a hard line on passage through the Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian officials are using quite a strong language. The deputy foreign minister is saying the safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed by vague arrangements or parallel routes.

Any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran, otherwise the result will be suspension of the designated routes. So clearly, they are no warning that the routes will be suspended.

So now, the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranians are saying that they’re not opening it.

UAE, Iranian FM’s discuss regional developments during call

Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi during a phone call, in which they discussed the latest regional developments, the UAE state news agency WAM reports.

During the call, Al Nahyan stressed the importance of full commitment to the MOU’s terms, including the cessation of hostilities in the region.

“Respect for the sovereignty of states and the principles of good neighbourliness, strict adherence to international law, and the protection of maritime routes and freedom of international navigation, including ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz,” WAM cited him as saying.

Al Nayhan also expressed his hope that the ongoing US-Iran negotiations would yield positive results, achieving “sustainable security and stability in the region.”

He also pointed out that “serious diplomacy and responsible dialogue are the best way to address all regional and international crises”.

Pakistan says Iranian crew members seized by US have been released

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said 22 Iranian crew members from the vessel Lenore/Davina, which was seized by US authorities amid a blockade on Iran’s sea trade, have arrived in the Pakistani city of Karachi.

“Arrangements are now being finalized in close collaboration with the Iranian Missions in Pakistan to facilitate their earliest and safe return to their homeland,” Dar said.

“This marks the fourth group of Iranian crew members in the last two months whose repatriation has been facilitated by Pakistan.”

Iran deal in ‘serious danger of collapsing’

The memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US is “in serious danger of collapsing”, Rob Geist Pinfold, lecturer in defense studies at King’s College London, says.

According to Geist Pinfold, the deal was intended as a “stepping stone” that served two purposes.

“To stop the escalating violence in and around the Strait of Hormuz and in Lebanon, and to get the Strait of Hormuz open to deal with the more substantive issue, which is Iran’s nuclear program and its support for proxies,” he said.

“But we’re now more or less back to square one, seeing no end to conflict in Lebanon and no end to escalation in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We thought we’d be out of this quagmire of no war, no peace to somewhere better, but we’re now back once again to square one,” Geist Pinfold added.

More than 100 vessels evacuated from Strait of Hormuz since Tuesday, UN’s IMO says

Since Tuesday, 115 vessels and 2,500 seafarers have been evacuated from the Strait of Hormuz, says Arsenio Dominguez, the secretary-general of the UN’s International Maritime Organization.

Separately, Pakistani officials said Friday that 22 Iranian crew members from the vessel Lenore/Davina, which was seized by US authorities amid a blockade on Iran’s sea trade, have arrived in the Pakistani city of Karachi.

UAE says technical glitch caused false alarm

The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority says earlier messages warning residents about a missile threat were a technical malfunction.

It said the issue was resolved by specialized teams and apologized for the disruption.

The UAE has been the Gulf country hardest hit by Iranian missiles during Tehran’s war with the US, with significant disruption to daily life amid missile alarms and loud explosions from interceptions.

Lebanese FM welcomes GCC-US statement on the situation in the country

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji says he spoke with the secretary-general of the GCC, Jasem Albudaiwi, conveying his “appreciation for the support expressed in the joint ministerial statement” for the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations mediated by the US.

In a statement posted on X, Raji said the ministry had “highly appreciated” the references to Lebanon in the GCC-US statement.

“Particularly its welcome of the ongoing US-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, its emphasis on preserving the negotiation process and keeping it separate from any other track, and its affirmation that Lebanon cannot achieve full sovereignty as long as non-state armed groups retain military capabilities,” the statement read.

“The ministry also welcomes its call for the complete disarmament of all such groups and for the Lebanese state alone to have the exclusive authority to use force,” it added.

Iran slams the GCC and the US for ‘interventionist’ statement

The US-GCC statement followed talks in Manama co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, in which foreign ministers from other Gulf nations, including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, also participated.

The ministers welcomed the June 17 memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran, but tied any future economic engagement with Iran to strict conditions.

The ministers said “any trade and investment with Iran is conditional and reversible”, and reaffirmed “the shared objective of preventing Iran from ever developing or otherwise acquiring a nuclear weapon”.

The statement also said, “lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region”.

‘Iran will keep leveraging Strait of Hormuz until MoU fully implemented’

Iran is aiming to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz to ensure it has the ability to shut the shipping channel again if parts of the deal with the US are not upheld, Hamid Reza Gholamzadeh, director of Diplo House in Tehran, says.

The waterway is the “most important and maybe the only leverage to contain the Americans and have some practical results on the MoU,” the analyst said.

He added that Iran would want to see all issues in the MoU resolved before allowing free passage of all vessels.

One issue Iran wants to see progress on is Lebanon, where Israeli troops are still stationed and waging war.

“The Americans do not seem to be serious in following [up on that commitment],” which is why Tehran must retain its ability to put pressure on the US, he added.

Trump calls Iranian drone attack a ‘foolish violation’ of ceasefire agreement

The US president says the US shot down at least “four one-way attack drones at ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz” launched by Iran.

“One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship. Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial.

“We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” he added.

It is unclear which incident the US president is referring to or when it took place.

A vessel was attacked yesterday in the waters off the coast of Oman, for which the US blamed Iran.

Strait of Hormuz management to be main sticking point in US-Iran talks

Yesterday, Oman announced new routes for the passage of the ships. But then the IRGC released a statement, saying that whether the ships go through the Iranian or Omani territorial waters, they need to be in full coordination with Iranian authorities.

And if they violate that, then Iran is going to act accordingly. So the question was whether Iran is going to really act or not?

The answer is yes because of a tanker that has been attacked by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC did not claim responsibility but did not deny it, either.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, also said any parallel routes or decision-making outside Iran’s considerations as a coastal state are unacceptable, and Iran is going to act.

So, the Strait of Hormuz may remain one of the main sticking points.

‘West has brought nothing but plunder and violence,’ says adviser to Iran’s supreme leader

Ali Akbar Velayati said that the stability of Gulf Arab states “is indebted to Iran’s century-long management of the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that “the West has brought nothing to the region but plunder and violence”.

In a post on X, Velayati wrote: “These political minors of the periphery should not be comforted by commissioned statements; know this, your survival feeds off the scraps of this table.

“In the great realignment, peripheral minor players have no seat at the table,” he added, “They are eliminated, and their strategic survival is at the mercy of Tehran’s tolerance.”

IRGC Navy warning forces three oil tankers to turn back in Strait of Hormuz

At least three foreign oil tankers that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz “without authorization” turned back after a warning from the IRGC, Iranian state TV has reported.

Yesterday, a Singapore-flagged vessel came under attack from an unknown projectile, prompting the UN to call off its mission to rescue 11,000 sailors in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has not claimed the attack, but has issued multiple warnings against transiting the waterway without Iran’s authorization.

IRGC warns Hormuz transit only possible via routes approved by Tehran

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has warned that passage through the world’s energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, “is only possible via routes announced by Iran,” the state broadcaster IRIB has reported.

“The only law that governs this region is still the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Revolutionary Guards Navy,” a reporter from the state broadcaster said.

UN has paused plans to evacuate sailors from the Strait of Hormuz

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was struck by a projectile.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said several crews had already been evacuated, but the United Nations agency had decided to pause the operation until there were “necessary safety guarantees”.

Iran, UK foreign ministers discuss regional developments

Iran’s foreign minister has discussed regional developments with his British counterpart.

In their phone call, Abbas Araghchi updated Yvette Cooper on the progress of negotiations with the US, and both sides stressed their commitment to regional stability, reported the Mehr news agency.

Trump says Iran has ‘some’ military capability

Donald Trump says Iran has “some [military] capability, not much”.

“They’re not winning or anything.”

Speaking at a faith-based conference in the US, the president also called the January 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran‘s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) Quds Force, one of the biggest things to happen in the Middle East.

• Iran's air force, navy, and anti-aircraft systems have been "wiped out" and are practically gone.
• The majority of Iran’s radar systems, telecommunications, and drone factories have been destroyed.

These bold declarations were and are still part of a broader discourse surrounding his part in Netanyahu's resumption of the preemptive 12-day war on Iran. Despite Trump's claims of total military dismantling, localized standoffs and skirmishes—such as reports of drone activity and regional altercations involving tankers—have continued to surface in the area.

Iranian media report sound of explosion in Sirik

Iranian ⁠media ⁠have reported that a sound of ⁠an explosion was heard ⁠in Sirik in southern Iran, adding that the source of ‌the sound was unclear.

The reports came right after Trump hinted at a response to an Iranian attack ⁠on a cargo ⁠ship, who, when asked if there would be consequences, said: “You’ll ⁠find out.”

US CENTCOM says aircraft struck Iranian ‘missile and drone’ storage locations

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that it has conducted strikes against Iran following Tehran’s attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

“US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone,” CENTCOM said in a post on X, adding that the “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire”.

“Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.

“CENTCOM forces continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait. The US military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect,” it added.

This is a major test of diplomacy for Trump

This is the first real test since that memorandum of understanding was signed, and it doesn’t matter that Iran hasn’t claimed responsibility [for the attack on a vessel in the Gulf yesterday].

Perception is reality, at least in the United States’ eyes, and so, as a result, it has responded.

But this is the first major military retaliation since the ceasefire, so it is clearly a major test of diplomacy for the US president, and it essentially broadens things out again.

This is the United States saying, “We’re going to preserve freedom of navigation, we believe Iran targeted a commercial ship, but we also noticed that you didn’t target one of our US warships,” and so as a result, once again, this is a more measured response by the United States.

The US president not only says and warns Iran about this, but in his Truth Social post, he calls this a “foolish violation”, hoping that this action by the US military will deter Iran from any future alleged attacks by Iranian drones against commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

‘Iran cannot afford to relinquish chokehold’ on Strait of Hormuz

Former US diplomat Alan Eyre says that the Trump administration wants to ensure that Iran does not gain control over the key Gulf waterway on a permanent basis.

Eyre explained that the MoU signed by Washington and Tehran is marked by ambiguity, including over the Strait of Hormuz.

“There was a lot of ambiguity to be filled in later. Iran, for its part, said it would let traffic resume through the strait, but the implied understanding Iran has is [that’s] with Iranian administration,” Eyre said.

“For the US part and for pretty much the rest of the world, they do not want to see a new normal established where every ship going through the strait has to coordinate with the IRGC and with the Iranian authorities.”

Iran ‘determined’ to keep control over Strait of Hormuz

The Americans have attacked the Sirik area before.

Just before the memorandum of understanding was signed in Switzerland last week, there was back and forth between the two countries.

Iranians were attacking some of the cargo ships.

Then, as a retaliation or response, the American attacks, particularly on the Iranian areas that are located in the south of the country.

Not many details have been released by the Iranian authorities [on the latest US attack].

However, throughout the day, officials again said that Iran is determined to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed if the ships are not in coordination.

Iranian official condemns US attack as ‘reckless violation of ceasefire’

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, says Trump “has shown he has no commitment to the principles of negotiation or a ceasefire”.

Commenting on the US strikes on Iran, Azizi said, “This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part.”

“The blame game does not work anymore,” he wrote on X.

About the US attack on Iran

• An explosion was heard near the port of Sirik, in southern Iran, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.
• The US military’s Central Command said it launched a “powerful” attack on Iran’s “missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites”.
• CENTCOM said the attack was in response to what it described as an Iranian drone strike on a tanker in the Gulf.
• The Ever Lovely cargo ship was hit by a projectile on Thursday while crossing the Strait of Hormuz, near the coast of Oman.
• Asked if there would be consequences for the attack on the Ever Lovely, Trump said: “You’ll ⁠find out.” The US president also said the drone attack was “a foolish violation” of the US-Iran MoU.
• These are the first two incidents since Iran and the US signed the deal in Switzerland on June 17. Under the MoU, Tehran said it agreed to allow traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz but only under its coordination.

‘Violence will be met with violence’: JD Vance

The US vice president has commented on the American strikes on Iran.

“Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone,” Vance, who has been leading the US negotiating team, wrote on X.

The Trump administration has said its strikes are in response to a drone attack on a vessel in the Gulf, which Washington has blamed on Tehran.

Unclear if US, Iran will continue attacks

An Iranian state TV reported that around 11:15pm [19:15 GMT] the sound of explosions were heard in a Sirik. State TV said a communication tower was hit by two projectiles.

They did not name who was behind these attacks, but said that a military source informed the state TV that the causes were projectiles.

The same reporting on the state TV also said that five hours prior to the attacks on Sirik, the Revolutionary Guards had fired several warning shots toward the Strait of Hormuz, towards vessels that were violating the agreements and were not in coordination with the Iranian authorities.

The question is whether these kinds of military engagements between Iranians and Americans are going to continue.

IRGC says it targeted US army in region in response to attack

Iran’s Tasnim and IRNA news agencies have just shared a statement from the IRGC media office.

The IRGC said its navy targeted locations in the region where US forces are deployed, without specifying where or providing additional details.

It condemned the US strikes on Iran, saying Washington, “as always, violated its commitments and launched an air strike” on the Iranian coast.

“According to Article 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding, Islamabad has arrangements for controlling traffic in the Strait of Hormuz with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the IRGC said.

“However, the US, by inciting various parties, sought to violate this commitment, which was met with the necessary response,” the statement continued. “If the aggression is repeated, our response will be more extensive.”