• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is on a Middle East tour, says any agreement with Iran will ensure maritime freedom in the Strait of Hormuz.
• US President Donald Trump says Iran agreed to the “highest level” of nuclear inspections, but Tehran says there is no “clear schedule” for such a move.
• Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran’s ballistic missiles program is not up for discussion in the ongoing talks with the US.
• The US Senate has approved a war powers resolution for the first time, directing Trump to halt military action against Iran.

Trump disputes Iran’s rejection of nuclear inspectors

Trump has pushed back on Iran’s Foreign Ministry claim that there are no plans to allow IAEA nuclear inspectors into Iran, and has threatened to “cancel” further peace talks if Tehran blocks them from entering.

What Iran’s FM spokesman Baghaei said yesterday:

• Iran’s delegation in Switzerland did not meet with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi during the latest round of talks. He said there is no “clear schedule” for the agency to examine Iran’s nuclear facilities that were attacked by the US and Israel.
• Iran did not make any commitments regarding its nuclear program during the talks in Switzerland.

Iran’s stance on nuclear inspections

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, most recently came out to say that they had no meeting with the UN nuclear watchdog’s director, Rafael Grossi.

He also emphasized that, at this point, there is no plan for a visit or inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) inspectors.

Baghaei also said Iran’s interaction with the IAEA will be based on four principles:

• the procedures that exist in that regard;
• Iranian obligations under the Safeguards Agreements (signed with the IAEA in 1974);
• the regulations passed by the Iranian Parliament;
• the decisions made by the Supreme National Security Council of the country.

In June 2025, when the US and Israel started the preemptive campaign of air strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities – most importantly in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – the Iranian Parliament passed a bill to suspend cooperation between the IAEA and the country and put a hold on inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog.

Then, a lot of diplomacy is currently at work.

The two sides have been given a period of 60 days to follow up the conversations regarding the nuclear dossier. But what is clear at this point is that Iran has not given any permission for the inspections of the IAEA. The latter is not the same as what Trump is insinuating, that Tehran refuses these inspections.

Rubio ‘trying to sell the deal’ with Iran on Gulf tour

Marco Rubio to visit the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain. What do the three countries have in common? They’re the ones who allowed the United States to attack Iran from their soil.

It’s often forgotten that Rubio, as well as being secretary of state, is also Trump’s national security adviser, and one of the things that he’ll be saying to those countries is that the deal that the US has to protect them is still in place.

There’s a great deal of concern that those countries were attacked so heavily by Iran, and many people locally were questioning where the support from the US was.

Rubio is in Bahrain to speak to the  Gulf Cooperation Council, and to sell the deal.

Washington will tell everyone that Rubio doesn’t think the Iran deal is actually a good deal, but the State Department says there is no daylight between him and the rest of the administration, particularly the president and the vice president, who’s leading so much of the negotiations.

So Rubio has to try and sell this deal to the GCC and make sure that they feel secure that the US will be there for them if there are any future conflicts.

Iran’s military has shifted to an ‘offensive doctrine’, says senior commander

General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, the head of Iran’s Army Strategic Studies and Research Center, says the country’s military strategy has shifted from a defensive posture to an “offensive doctrine”.

“Under the offensive doctrine, preemptive operations are also defined, and should national expediency require it, we may severely surprise the enemy through preemptive operations in unknown arenas,” Pourdastan was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.

He added that Iran’s armed forces have yet to operationalize a significant portion of their capabilities and announced the country’s full readiness to defend the people of Lebanon.

Under former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran’s military adhered to a doctrine known as “strategic patience”. Experts describe the strategy as one of “deliberate, calculated” restraint that focused on deterrence over confrontation.

But with the US and Israel’s war on Iran, Tehran shifted to a doctrine of “active and unprecedented deterrence”, with strikes on US assets in the Middle East, including in Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain, as well as Israel.

The Israeli Menachem Begin doctrine, introduced in 1968, is drafted with the aim to attack any country in the region preemptively if it dares to launch its own nuclear program.

After 14 years of not responding to Israeli bombardments on Iran's presence in Syria, assassination of high ranking persons, and sabotage, including cyber attacks, then forced to respond to an preemptive war and the resumption of that war on February 28th, Iran has learned its lesson and is now abandoning the doctrine of strategic patience to answer the Israeli doctrine with a similar doctrine.

US Senate voted on resolution to curb Trump’s war powers

The US Senate has voted 50-48 in favour of a war powers resolution, requiring the president “to remove” US forces from “hostilities with Iran”.

Four Republicans broke with their party’s leadership to support the measure. They were: Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Renegade Democrat John Fetterman voted against the resolution, the only member of his party to do so in either body of Congress.

Two Republican senators – Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and David McCormick of Pennsylvania – were absent.

Israel believes US-Iran MoU has given Hezbollah ‘a new lease on life’

When Israel first started the talks with Lebanon in Washington, DC, in April, it believed that Iran had been weakened. But this meeting is the first since the MoU between the US and Iran, and the feeling in Israel is that Hezbollah is getting a new lease on life.

The Israeli ambassador to the US has called this fifth round of talks a “train wreck”. He said that in the beginning, the talks were heading towards a shared goal, which is having an Iran-free Lebanon, an agreement that would lead to peace with Lebanon, as well as the dismantling of Hezbollah.

This ambassador is now saying this is not happening.

The Israelis have been focusing on one thing: that they will not be leaving the so-called “security zone” in southern Lebanon so long as Hezbollah poses a threat to their communities.

They also want the Lebanese government and army to assume responsibility for areas there and to disarm Hezbollah.

Now, the Israelis have been under US pressure to stop their attacks on Hezbollah, and there’s a feeling that their hands are tied, that their operations are being curbed, and limited only to defensive operations. And hence, there is frustration inside Israel, and many voices are criticizing Netanyahu, not only for not meeting strategic goals in southern Lebanon, but also for the rift that they believe is happening now with Washington.

"... so long as Hezbollah poses a threat ... ''

What is currently taking place in the West Bank is a clear example showing who really poses a threat. The Israelis are the ones who create threats to brand the inflicted results of these threats as a threat on them.

It is no different in the context of Lebanon, as Netanyahu's spillover of his war on Iran into Lebanon is creating threats to his own people also branding the inflicted results as a threat.

Oil prices decrease in early trading

Oil prices have continued to decline, trading near four-month lows on optimism that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will increase global supplies.

Brent crude futures – the international benchmark – were down 0.5 percent, trading at $76.71 a barrel as of 00:43 GMT. This comes after Brent crude fell nearly 1 percent on Tuesday, reaching its lowest level since early March.

Energy prices had surged at the outset of the US-Israel war on Iran after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting one of the world’s most crucial shipping lanes.

Strikes by both sides on energy infrastructure pushed prices even higher.

Four more South Korean ships safely exit Strait of Hormuz

South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has said that four more South Korean-operated ships have safely left the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the number of vessels that have left the region to six.

“Four vessels operated by our shipping companies that were waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz have passed through the strait and are sailing normally,” the ministry said, according to the Yonhap news agency.

The ships had 26 Korean crew members on board, and one of the ships is headed back to South Korea, the ministry added.

With their departure, the number of South Korea-linked ships remaining inside the strait has fallen to 18, Yonhap reported.

The report came as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) began evacuating more than 11,000 sailors who have been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz for months.

US Senate votes to pause Iran war in rare rebuke to Trump

The US Senate has voted 50-48 to pause the war on Iran. Four Republicans voted for the resolution, which, for the first time, requires President Donald Trump to get congressional approval for further military action.

However, the bill has already passed the House. It’s been tried a few times in the Senate, but never managed to get through.

It did this time because four Republicans voted with the Democrats. One Democrat voted with the Republicans, while two Republicans were missing.

And effectively, this says that the US can’t go back to war with Iran unless it gets permission from Congress. At the moment, we’re in the peace talks, so there’s no immediate sign of that happening.

Unfortunately, the White House doesn’t really care about the voting. They can’t veto this. They think the voting has no real legal standing.

If the war had continued and the bill had been passed, then they would be able to test the constitutionality of the bill – going as far as the Supreme Court.

Over the last couple of months, people at the White House have been saying that the president has the right to decide if America is at threat and whether or not to launch an attack.

The voting is important because it is the first big split between Republicans in the Senate and Trump during his second term in the Oval Office.

Trump slams Senate’s war powers resolution

Trump has responded to the Senate’s approval of a war powers resolution directing him to halt any military action against Iran.

“So, I have Iran on the ‘ropes,’ ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything, and for the first time in decades, respecting the hell out of the United States and its President, ME, and the U.S. Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act Vote,” Trump wrote on X.

The resolution tells “the Number One Sponser [sic] of Terror in the World that the United States doesn’t like what I am doing to them, and I must stop, and by so doing has provided aid and comfort the Enemy”, he said.

The president went on to slam the four Republican legislators who voted with the Democrats to approve the resolution, saying: “These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done!”

Rubio says Iran has ‘an opportunity to do incredible things’

Marco Rubio said to reporters in Abu Dhabi that if Iran makes the decision “that they want to be a country, instead of a revolutionary movement”, they could benefit from new economic opportunities, including investments.

“They’re going to have an opportunity to do incredible things in Iran,” Rubio said.

“I’m not promising you that’s the choice they’re going to make. I’m saying if that’s the choice that they make, then there will be opportunities, and those opportunities could include investment, as you’ve seen other countries in this region benefit from investment, from foreign direct investment. It won’t be our investment. It won’t be our government money,” he said.

Rubio added that Iran’s political trajectory would depend on whether progress is made on a “host of other security issues” that will be discussed in the coming days.

Crossings in Strait of Hormuz ‘nearly triple week-on-week’

Shipping monitor MarineTraffic says that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has rebounded sharply and nearly tripled across two consecutive weekends.

It said its data, along with Kpler’s, confirmed that “crossings rose from 32 vessels between 12-14 June to 93 vessels between 19-21 June”.

“The recovery has been supported by recent diplomatic developments” as well as the US’s temporary waiver of Iranian oil sanctions, “which has helped ease immediate compliance uncertainty around approved Hormuz transits” until August 21, MarineTraffic added.

Windward, another monitor, said it recorded 25 transits on Monday, June 22, and that the situation reflected “early-stage normalisation, not full reopening”.

Qatar could resume normal LNG production ‘within a few weeks’, PM says

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has told The Financial Times that Qatar is preparing to resume the normal production of Liquefied Natural Gas following the signing of an interim deal between the US and Iran.

Qatar is the world’s second-largest LNG producer and halted production in March following an Iranian drone attack at its Ras Laffan plant.

“Within a few weeks, production will come back to normal, except the damaged facility,” Sheikh Mohammed told the FT.

“Our teams have been mobilised already for a few weeks. QatarEnergy is preparing for operations to come back to normal as soon as the situation in the strait [of Hormuz] normalizes.”

But Sheikh Mohammed said QatarEnergy, which is state owned, would lift the force majeure it declared in March only “once the company sees they have addressed all the issues, and it’s safe to operate”.

Qatar says restoring traffic in Hormuz will take time and effort

The Qatari prime minister said to The Financial Times:

• The Strait of Hormuz is open. After Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a closure on Saturday, mediators checked with Iranian officials and were told no order had been made to close the strait.
• Traffic through the strait is expected to return to pre-war numbers on day 30 of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU). But it will “take a lot of effort” and will “take time to restore confidence again”.
• Qatar will resist any Iranian plans to charge fees in the strait. “This is against this international protocol. For a country like Qatar, it’s our only water corridor.”
• “If there is a proposed model by the Iranians, … they need to argue the case, [and] we need to look at it. We cannot accept a situation or a condition where our gateway to the world is controlled.”

Iran says no plans for IAEA inspections for now, but ‘not rejecting possibility’ in future

Iranian officials say they did not make any commitments in Switzerland regarding Tehran’s nuclear program and that they did not meet with any officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including its director-general, Rafael Grossi.

Over the last year, there has been major tension between the IAEA and the Iranian government, which accused the IAEA of cooperating with Israel. Iran asked the agency to leave during the 12-day war last June for safety reasons.

Iranian officials say that, as they have not made any commitments, they have no plans to invite the IAEA back into the country. That said, Iran is not rejecting the possibility that this could happen in the future. To provide the legal framework for this, any decision to allow inspectors back would rest with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

It is not only about the legality. When it comes to Iran’s facilities in Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan, which were heavily bombed by the US, the situation is unclear, and there are expected to be huge technical, operational and logistical challenges.

‘This is going to happen’: IAEA says Iran nuclear inspections will take place

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi has said the agency’s inspectors will eventually inspect Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites.

“Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important, but not essential,” Grossi told journalists in Tokyo. “This is going to happen.”

The US and Iranian officials have given different accounts of Tehran’s commitment to nuclear oversight. US Vice President JD Vance has claimed Iran agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into the country, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said Iran has not met with Grossi and has no clear schedule for any inspections.

UN begins evacuation of 11,000 sailors stranded in Strait of Hormuz

The UN’s maritime agency has launched an operation to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding paused the war. The waterway had been in effect closed by Iran since late February, leaving vessels trapped for months.

Trump says oil companies not lowering gas prices enough, orders probe

Trump says major oil companies are not setting gas prices “commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying” for oil.

“I have instructed the DOJ [Department of Justice) to immediately start looking into this,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I’m seeing!”

Trump has repeatedly said petrol prices will sharply drop once the conflict with Iran ends and the Strait of Hormuz reopens. While prices have dropped since the signing of the US-Iran deal, some analysts say it will likely take months before consumer prices return to pre-war levels.

Oman announces IMO-backed transit corridor in Strait of Hormuz

Oman says it is working with the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) to put in place a temporary transit corridor for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said the corridor is in line with Oman’s commitment to international law and ensuring toll-free navigation of the strait.

It said vessels using the corridor would need to coordinate with the IMO.

EU safety agency urges airlines to steer clear of Iranian, Lebanese airspace

The European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has warned that airlines should avoid flying through the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon despite the interim US-Iran agreement.

In a notice, the agency said short-term violations of the US-Iran ceasefire were possible, in particular in and around the Strait of ⁠Hormuz and neighbouring airspace. It also flagged the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and ⁠the potential for military activity impacting the ⁠airspace of Lebanon.

EASA said ⁠all operators must also exercise caution and take potential risks into account when operating ‌within the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, the United ‌Arab Emirates ‌and Saudi Arabia.

Extending ‌the agency’s conflict-zone advisory for the region until July 1, the notice said: “While the overall level of risk has decreased in the region, the sustainability of the ceasefire remains uncertain in the longer term, with a possibility of rapid escalation.”

Iran’s parliament speaker says withdrawal of foreign forces ‘a strategic objective’

Top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says regional countries alone ⁠should determine the Middle East’s ⁠security structure.

“We consider the withdrawal of foreign military forces from the region a strategic objective. We see the future of the region not in confrontation, but in interaction. [Military] bases of extra-regional forces in West Asia are a source of instability,” he said.

Speaking during a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, Ghalibaf said Iran is ready to cooperate with nations in the Middle East on the basis of “non-interference in internal affairs and respect for sovereignty”.

He reiterated Iran’s stance that Israel must halt its attacks and occupation of southern Lebanon.

“We have not abandoned our friends and strategic partners in the most difficult and complex conditions … A ceasefire and an end to the war in Lebanon is just as important to us,” Ghalibaf said.

Iran: Deal to end US-Israel war a ‘declaration of US defeat’

The deal between Iran and the United States to end the war is “America’s declaration of defeat”, says Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of the Iranian negotiating team.

“The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation,” Ghalibaf said at a conference in Azerbaijan broadcast on Iranian television.

“That is why the Islamabad memorandum of understanding became a declaration of America’s defeat.”

Pakistan says US-Iran talks to resume next week

Pakistan has said technical talks between the US and Iran will restart early next week.

“Talks will resume next week, I presume on Tuesday,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told journalists in Islamabad, adding that Monday or Wednesday were also possible start dates, without providing details on the location of discussions.

Iran pushing for new maritime regime for Hormuz ‘one way or another’

For the first time, a joint statement from Iran and Oman reveal that the two countries are clearly talking about potential fees for the Strait of Hormuz.

A key distinction is emerging between tolls and service fees. For a while during the war, Iranian officials were talking about starting a new maritime regime that included tolls.

Recently, they shifted their rhetoric, instead saying that the states bordering the strait – Iran and Oman – have the right to charge service fees to provide security and for environmental reasons. In the joint statement with Iran, the two countries said they will create a working group to study the issue.

What is clear is that Iran, one way or another, and now Oman as well, is looking to create a new maritime regime for the Strait of Hormuz.

How will Iran’s ‘greatly increased deterrence’ affect Gulf relations?

While Iran and Oman say they’re working on “mechanisms” to administer the Strait of Hormuz, it remains unclear how other nations in the Gulf will respond, an analyst says.

“I think this is a very big question and the biggest question is whether they will be able to sell it to the Emirates,” said Cyrus Schayegh, professor of international history and politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute.

“I think the Emirates will need to be involved in a really substantive way for any sort of new authority to actually work.”

Ultimately, administration of Hormuz is “only one piece of a much larger puzzle, and that larger puzzle is the overall architecture of the security of the Gulf into which [it] is trying to get integrated more”, said Schayegh.

“[That] is something that a good number of its neighbors, bar the Emirates, are actually keenly interested in, and the reason is that they too accept that Iran has greatly increased its deterrence through the attacks it launched against these neighbors during the 40-day war.”

 

Iran’s central bank governor says Iran can receive payment for oil exports in any currency it chooses

Iran’s central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati has highlighted new details emerging from recent negotiations with the US, including on the reported release of $12bn in Iranian assets and the waiving of sanctions on Iranian oil.

In a video message shared by Ali Ahmadnia, head of the Iranian government’s information office, Hemmati said that Iran has no obligation to use the funds to buy US agricultural products, as claimed by US officials, but that it is not opposed to doing so if the US products are competitive.

Regarding Iranian oil exports, Hemmati emphasized flexibility in how Iran can transport the oil and receive payments, saying funds can be accepted in any currency Iran chooses, not only dollars.

This sounds like that Tehran wants to avoid that oil revenues goes via the dollar system.

Iran’s Araghchi briefs senior Hamas official on US negotiations

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has discussed recent US-Iran negotiations and the situation in Israeli-occupied Gaza during a call with senior Hamas official Basem Naim.

In a statement, Hamas said Naim congratulated Iran on its interim agreement with the US and expressed “deep appreciation for Iran’s steadfastness” during US-Israeli “aggression”.

Araghchi reiterated Iran’s support for the Palestinian people and said its negotiating team has been raising the issues of Israel’s continued “aggression against Gaza” and ceasefire “violations” with US officials and mediators.

Gulf countries want US assurances that future Iran deal will address their concerns on security, Hormuz

Gulf countries have some serious security concerns when it comes to Iran. During the war, the majority of Iran’s retaliatory attacks targeted them.

The UAE, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio currently is, was targeted by about 2,800 missiles and drones.

After the UAE, Rubio is supposed to go to Kuwait City to meet with the country’s emir. Kuwait was also hit really hard during the war, including its airport, commercial ports and desalination plants, which it considers a red line. Ninety percent of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from these desalination plants.

The Strait of Hormuz is also a major issue for Gulf countries. Oil and gas are the beating heart of Gulf economies and that strait is the main artery to get their oil supplies out into the global market. They want to be assured by the US that any agreement moving forward addresses those concerns.

China says US-Iran MoU sends ‘positive signal’

China’s Foreign Ministry has expressed optimism about the US-Iran interim agreement, adding that Beijing supports Iran in defending its “sovereignty, security, territory and national dignity”.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the US-Iran MoU had delivered a “positive signal” and should be jointly safeguarded and implemented.

He added that China “always upholds a just position, supports all efforts conducive to peace, supports the Iranian side in defending sovereignty, security, and territory, and national dignity, and supports Iran in improving its relations with Gulf states and regional countries”.

US, Iran to create direct communication line to avoid miscommunication: Pakistan

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi, who has announced that US-Iran talks are due to resume next week, said the US and Iran have agreed to put in place a direct line of communication to avoid any incidents or miscommunication, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Andrabi also said the parties agreed to establish a high-level political oversight committee for mediation, to which chief negotiators will regularly report; a roadmap for reaching a final agreement within 60 days; and a deconfliction cell also involving the Lebanese government and mediators.

Iran says UN nuclear inspections will occur after ‘final’ deal with US

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says UN inspectors’ access to attacked nuclear sites and materials will “solely be examined and resolved within the framework of a final agreement” with the US.

He said UN inspections are dependent on “the other party’s practical action in terminating all sanctions”.

In a post, Gharibabadi also said that during the Switzerland negotiations, no Iranian officials met with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi “despite his request”.

Earlier, Grossi said inspections of Iranian nuclear sites are “going to happen”.

“Whether this happens today, after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important but not essential. This is going to happen.”

Rubio ‘reaffirms’ security commitment with UAE president

Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the US-Iran deal with the leader of the United Arab Emirates and renewed the US’s commitment to its security on his first leg of a tour of the Gulf.

Rubio met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed on Wednesday, said his spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

“They discussed President Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region,” Pigott said.

Rubio “reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the Emirates”, he added.

Oman’s Sultan Haitham meets Qatar’s PM

Oman’s ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, has met Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, at Al Baraka Palace on the outskirts of Muscat, Oman’s state media report.

It said the meeting addressed the course of the US-Iran negotiations with Pakistani-Qatari mediation as well as the latest developments in diplomatic efforts to end the state of war and reach a final settlement of the crisis in all its aspects.

Haitham bin Tariq is reported to have “stressed the need to push forward these efforts to achieve security and stability in the region”.

Iran intent on ‘imposing new protocol’ over Hormuz

Mostafa Khoshcheshm, a professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Tehran, says Iran is unlikely to back away from plans to introduce service fees in the Strait of Hormuz over the long term.

“According to the MoU, Iran is not going to charge service fees for 60 days, but afterwards, Iran is definitely going to do that,” Khoshcheshm said, adding that many Iranians are already dissatisfied with the government foregoing fees during the 60-day negotiating period.

“The money is not the real core of the issue,” Khoshcheshm added. “The point here is how to impose your new protocols in the region. This is highly important for the Iranians.”

Ships have crossed Hormuz under IMO-backed scheme: Agency spokesperson

Ships have begun crossing the Strait of Hormuz through a newly launched evacuation scheme backed by the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO), Reuters reports an IMO spokesperson as saying.

The spokesperson did not offer details on how many vessels had crossed as part of the plan, but Reuters cited ship-tracking data as saying at least two dry bulk ships and one cargo ship had passed over the last 12 hours.

Earlier, as we reported, Oman said it was working with the IMO to put in place a temporary transit corridor for vessels passing through Hormuz.

Trump to meet arms dealers as weapon stockpiles dwindle

President Trump is set to meet munitions makers at the White House as his administration pushes ⁠to expand weapons production after the war on Iran and Israel's genocidal waron Gaza, and the war in Ukraine drew down the US arsenal.

The United States has supplied large quantities of arms to allies while ⁠also firing loads of munitions, raising concerns about inventories of key air-defense and precision-guided weapons.

Wednesday’s meeting marks the second White ⁠House gathering with chief executives of major defense firms focused on ramping up weapons production. A March gathering included CEOs and other officials from BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX Corp, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace and L3Harris Technologies with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The meeting comes as Pentagon negotiators press contractors to ‌move much faster with tentative production agreements struck earlier this year. Demand for air-defense systems has surged among the US and its allies during heightened geopolitical tensions and the US-Israel war on Iran.

Trump says Iran told US no tolls being sought for Hormuz travel

President Donald Trump says ⁠Iran told the United States ‌no tolls are being sought from ships traveling through ⁠the Strait of Hormuz.

“If ⁠this is false information ⁠negotiations would ⁠end immediately,” ⁠Trump wrote on ‌his social media platform Truth Social.

“NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, & NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND BEING SOUGHT OR RECEIVED BY IRAN ON SHIPS TRAVELING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.”

Trump added: “Additionally, no money has been given to Iran, or released from their money to them, by the US. We will be releasing some of their money, that is totally controlled by us, to our Farmers and Ranchers, for the purchase of Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, and more.

“Food is desperately needed in Iran and we will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States.”

Israeli minister warns US will soon find itself ‘on collision course’

The United States will soon find itself “on a collision course” with Israel over its agreement with Iran, an Israeli minister says.

Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar criticized Washington’s handling of negotiations with Tehran.

“The conduct of the US at this moment regarding the Iranian issue is not good. They do not internalize who they are dealing with,” Zohar was quoted as saying by Israeli news site Ynet.

“The US will find itself on a collision course with Israel in the near future, and our response to the US will not be automatic. Our security interest will dictate the military move.”

Zohar also expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war. “A US agreement, in my opinion, will not solve the nuclear weapons issue, and the war phase will return faster than people think.”

The comments come amid growing criticism within Israel of President Trump’s administration.

“on a collision course” with Israel'

His statement is probably inside information, he made public.

US Treasury secretary says unfrozen Iranian funds to be ‘recycled into US products’

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has insisted that a large portion of unfrozen Iranian assets would go towards purchasing US food and medicine, despite claims from Iranian officials that they have made no such commitment.

“Any money that the Iranians get is going to be used, first, for the benefit of the Iranian people,” Bessent told CNBC.

He said the US Treasury will directly oversee how the funds – likely distributed through Qatar – are allocated. “A very large percentage of it will go to buy US foodstuffs and medicine,” said the US treasury secretary. “So we will be recycling the money back into US products.”

Marco Rubio arrives in Kuwait after UAE

The US secretary of state has arrived in Kuwait after his meetings in the nearby United Arab Emirates.

Rubio thanks the UAE for its ‘leadership and unparalleled support’

Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the US Department of State, has provided more details of the meeting between Marco Rubio and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and senior UAE leaders in Abu Dhabi.

The two men discussed US President Trump’s efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region. They also discussed the strong bilateral US-UAE ties and continued partnership in the areas of defense and commerce, Pigott said.

Rubio “thanked the UAE for their leadership and unparalleled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran’s attacks, and reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the Emirates”, Pigott noted.

Reduction but not cessation of Israeli operations in southern Lebanon

Despite the fact that there is supposed to be a ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued to carry out attacks.

They have been much more limited than what has been over the weekend.

Two people were killed when their car was hit near the village of Kharaman. The Israelis are also still operating on the ground, including in areas that the Lebanese army had, in the past day or so, reopened… including a village called Ain al-Arab, where people had returned to their homes.

An armored Israeli bulldozer and a patrol entered that village and told the local community leader that people "needed to leave" their homes again and that if they did not do so by 5pm (14:00 GMT), those homes would be demolished.

So what we are seeing is a reduction, but not a cessation, of Israeli military activity here in southern Lebanon.

Price of Brent crude falls to near four-month low

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading at $74.80 per barrel at 12:34 GMT today, according to Bloomberg.

This marks the first time the benchmark has fallen below $75 per barrel since February 27, the day before the US-Israeli war on Iran started, according to Reuters.

Qatar’s PM speaks with Pakistan counterpart about status of US-Iran deal

Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, according to his office.

A statement released by Islamabad said the two men “discussed the successful diplomatic efforts that led to the historic signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran”.

“Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the first round of technical-level talks held in Burgenstock and stated that positive momentum must continue so that negotiations could be successful,” the statement said.

Japan weighs deploying forces to demine the Strait of Hormuz

Japan is considering sending its navy to help clear mines in the critical Gulf waterway following the US-Iran ceasefire.

But the proposal has sparked a domestic debate due to the country’s post-WWII pacifist constitution.

Attacks by Iraqi armed groups also major concern in Gulf

They want peace and stability. The Gulf countries have serious security concerns. They felt betrayed when Iran attacked them.

They also had concerns when it came to armed groups in Iraq that are affiliated with Iran. When I was covering Kuwait, they were talking about a lot of these attacks coming from those armed groups.

In the Gulf, security is the main issue – to keep the guns silent.

People here want a long, comprehensive plan that will bring about peace and stability, not just right now but for years and generations to come.

Lack of self-reflection is common in the Arabic world.

If

Rubio trying to convince Gulf nations that US remains ‘reliable partner’

That’s because the US-Israeli war on Iran has demonstrated that US military defense systems “can be taken out by relatively cheap Iranian drones”, says Patrick Bury, a defense and security specialist at the University of Bath in the UK.

“I think if you’re a Gulf leader, [you’re thinking about] militarisation on your own terms rather than relying so much on the Americans as in the past,” Bury says.

Iran fired drones and missiles throughout the war at what it said were US military targets across the Gulf region, prompting widespread condemnation.

Netanyahu reaffirms pledge to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapon

Speaking at the Muni Expo local government conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon would pose an existential danger to Israel and vowed that his government is determined to prevent that from happening.

He said Israel has carried out numerous operations inside Iran and is actively working to stop Tehran from becoming a nuclear-armed state.

Israel and the US have claimed for years that Iran is close to building nuclear weapons, without offering any meaningful proof.

Addressing tensions on Israel’s northern border, Netanyahu said Israel’s military objectives in Lebanon are not yet complete.

He added that Israel is in the process of creating a security buffer zone in southern Lebanon aimed at preventing Hezbollah from staging attacks across the border.

"...Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon would pose an existential danger to Israel ..."

The Israelis had already created, not a existential danger, but a nuclear threat after they had their first nuclear weapons in 1967. When they introduced the Menachem Begin doctrine a year later, which is to attack any country in the region preemptively if that country launches its own nuclear program, the Israelis created another threat.

So, the doctrine, create a threat and claim that the inflicted effect is a threat to you while you created, is not new.

Iranian official says Israel responsible for ‘all region’s problems’

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a top Iranian negotiator and speaker of the country’s parliament, says Washington’s “hegemony” has collapsed as a result of the war.

“And the countries of the region must build a new system based on their capabilities,” he said in remarks shared by Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

Speaking after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Ghalibaf also said “harmony” among Muslim countries has now become “an unavoidable necessity”.

Kuwait’s emir discusses regional developments with US’s Rubio

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah has discussed regional issues with the US secretary of state, the Kuwait News Agency is reporting.

The two leaders discussed “historical relations between the two countries” as well as “efforts and endeavors to enhance its security and stability” in the region.

Rubio says US security assurances in Gulf ‘real’

The US secretary of state is taking questions from reporters in Kuwait City.

“I didn’t sense any doubts about our security assurances because they’re real, they’re not promises – they exist,” Rubio said.

US will not ‘do anything that undermines security’ of Gulf allies: Rubio

The US secretary of state says the Trump administration will be “completely aligned with [its] partners in the Gulf” as negotiations proceed with Iran.

“That’s why we’re meeting with all of them tomorrow. That’s why I’m taking these trips now, and it’s the reason why I’m here, apart from thanking them for the incredible support they gave us throughout this process,” Rubio told reporters.

“We want them to know, and we want to reiterate, and begin to talk to them and engage them in conversations about every decision that’s made with regards to this negotiation.

“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies – our longstanding allies – in the region.”

Rubio reiterates Iran cannot charge fees for Hormuz transit

The US secretary of state says “the whole world will be against any mechanism that charges money to use an international waterway”.

“It’s that simple. The president has already said it: That’s not going to happen,” Rubio said, adding that he believes every country in the Gulf will be supportive of that stance.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran has floated the idea of charging for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical Gulf waterway through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies transit.

Rubio says ‘very frank, honest’ talks in Gulf

Rubio has refused to offer details when asked what concerns Gulf leaders may have raised in his meetings in the region so far.

But he acknowledged that Washington “speaks very frankly” with its longstanding allies.

“That’s what we’re here to do – get their input,” Rubio said. “I thought they were very frank, honest and important conversations, and I think we’re very strongly aligned.”

US expects Iran to ‘live up to commitments’ or Trump has ‘options’: Rubio

The US secretary of state has described a 60-day sanctions waiver for Iran as “a temporary measure”, while stressing that Washington expects Tehran to “live up to the commitments” made in the deal.

“If they don’t live up to those commitments, the president [Trump] has a lot of options at his disposal including – I’m not saying he’s going to do it, I’m saying including – reversing these sanctions,” Rubio told reporters in Kuwait City.

“They made very straight-up commitments in Switzerland, and the president has been very clear they need to keep those commitments,” he said.

“If they do, we’ll keep forward. If not, the president will have options at his disposal for what to do about it. Let’s hope they keep those commitments.”

Iran blames US for regional instability, responding to Rubio’s remarks on armed groups

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has rejected remarks by US Secretary of State Rubio linking regional instability to Iran-backed groups, arguing that American policies are the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

“No one will be fooled,” he posted on X, together with a clip of Rubio condemning Iraq-based armed groups, as well as Hezbollah and Hamas.

“We can’t have a peaceful region so long as American militarism and interventionism persist, and their occupying proxy [Israel] continues, with absolute impunity, to inflict endless wars across the region and perpetrate genocide, terror violence and every atrocities.”

"American policies are the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East."

US politics on the Middle East has always been in the Israeli interest.
 

About Rubio’s claim Iran cannot charge tolls in Hormuz

While a number of ships have crossed through the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Iran agreement was signed last week, uncertainty remains over whether Iran intends to impose permanent fees or service charges on shipping operators using the route.

Rubio, the US secretary of state, has said Tehran will not be permitted to charge tolls or fees for vessels transiting the waterway under any final agreement with Washington.

Rubio says US-Iran technical talks due in Switzerland early next week

The US secretary of state said he believed technical talks between the United States and Iran would resume on June 29 or 30 in Switzerland.

“The technical group will be back, I believe, on the 29th or the 30th… I believe they’re going back to Switzerland, if I’m not mistaken,” Rubio said.

Gulf states have ‘clear role to play in what comes next’

Bader al-Saif, an assistant professor at Kuwait University, says Rubio’s Gulf visit is “long overdue”.

“And it’s one that’s necessary [for the US] to reassure their partners in the region that they are real partners and moving forward,” al-Saif said.

He explained that Gulf countries have a “clear role” to play in what follows the US-Iran deal.

“Having the Qataris along with Pakistan involved in the mediation is encouraging,” al-Saif said. “We need to be in the room, but we actively need to be shaping outcomes that not only guarantee peace and prosperity for the US and Iran, but for the rest of the region, including the Gulf states.”

Iran ‘making very big concessions’, Trump claims

The US president has made very brief remarks to reporters ahead of a visit to the Senate.

“We’re winning by a lot. Iran is making very big concessions,” he said, without offering any further details.

He added that things are “going very, very well”, again without elaborating.

UN peacekeepers report relative calm in southern Lebanon

UN peacekeepers reported no missile trajectories or airstrikes from midnight to 4pm local time (1300 GMT) today, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, has revealed.

Haq said that last night, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) “observed two missile trajectories launched from south of the Blue Line that landed north of the Litani River”.

Despite the relative calm, UNIFIL “observed ongoing Israeli airspace violations, mostly by drones”.

According to Haq, Israeli ground activity was also observed, which included “armored vehicle movements, engineering work, and logistical activity”.

He said UNIFIL also “observed four Israeli patrol boats within Lebanese territorial waters southwest of Naqoura.”

US-Iran technical talks set to focus on Iranian nuclear program

According to Rubio, it looks as if technical teams – lower-level diplomats from both countries – will be meeting again in Switzerland on June 29 and 30. That is his understanding, he said.

They’re looking, really, at trying to deal with the Iranian nuclear enrichment question.

The US doesn’t want Iran to get a nuclear weapon. What isn’t being dealt with right now is the delivery system, the ballistic missiles.

The US’s belief is that military action has done enough to degrade Iranian capability. … So they’re looking right now at the nuclear question. They consider that, from the US perspective, the most important one.

Iran FM spokesman warns against ‘contradictory statements’ by US officials

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, has warned that “contradictory statements” by US officials on the MoU “will do nothing to reduce the accumulated distrust of Iranians” towards Washington.

Instead, they “will merely serve as a reminder of past breaches of faith”, Baghaei wrote on social media, without specifying which exact statements he was referring to.

“The US ruling establishment must bear in mind that the principle of ‘commitment for commitment’ requires the fulfillment of reciprocal obligations and the avoidance of interpretations that are entirely at odds with the explicit wording of the memorandum of understanding text,” he said.

Trump reiterates ‘disappointment’ in Europe for response to Iran war

The US president has been taking questions alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte in the Oval Office.

“We didn’t need help on this at all,” Trump said of the US-Israel war on Iran, adding, however, that “it would have been nice” for European countries to say, “We’d like to help”.

“I was disappointed with Italy. I was disappointed with the UK,” Trump said. “We were disappointed with Germany and France. We were disappointed with most of them. Spain is a horror show.”

The Republican leader has repeatedly hit out at the US’s European allies, accusing them of failing to support the war effort. Spain, which has borne the brunt of Trump’s ire, refused to allow the US military to use joint military bases on its territory to launch attacks on Iran.

Imposing fees for transit in Strait of Hormuz ‘unacceptable’: Trump

The US president says again that he wouldn’t accept any fees being imposed on vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

“It would be unacceptable,” he told reporters at the White House.

Trump noted that there are other international straits and said he “wouldn’t allow it there either”. He added: “It would be a game-changer.”

Iran has said it would waive planned transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz, which crosses through its territorial waters, for 60 days while talks with the US continue.

Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss US-Iran negotiations

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saudi has spoken by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, the Saudi Foreign Ministry says.

The pair “reviewed the latest developments” in continued US-Iran negotiations, as well as the progress made to implement the agreed understandings” between the two sides, the ministry said in a readout of the call.

“They also discussed regional developments and emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to advance dialogue and diplomatic solutions that serve the shared interests of all countries and peoples of the region,” the ministry said.

More than $300bn needed to rebuild Iran after US-Israeli strikes

Iran is dealing with widespread destruction after months of attacks by Israel and the United States.

The cost of rebuilding will likely run into hundreds of billions of dollars.

Sixty-day deadline hinges on ‘restraint’, strict Iran nuclear enforcement

Former political adviser to the Obama administration, Laurie Watkins, said the fate of a potential deal within the 60‑day deadline will depend on how much Iran and the US will be able to exercise influence over Hezbollah and Israel.

“The bottom line comes down to whether they are willing to be partners with one another, and that’s going to come with a lot of agreements, laying down a bunch of different issues that they might have had in the past,” she said.

On the nuclear issue, Watkins highlighted a core dispute over inspections and sanctions relief. She warned that the US should not be “giving the Iranians any money before they demonstrate to us that they are going to adhere to the rules of this MoU”.

“You don’t give them money beforehand,” she added.

Trump casts doubt on US role in Iran school strike, despite mounting evidence

Donald Trump has questioned whether US forces were behind the strike on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, that killed 168 children, despite growing evidence pointing to American responsibility.

Speaking on Wednesday, Trump suggested the cause might never be established.

“There were many missiles flying all over the place,” he said. “Somebody said it was our missiles. Well, maybe it wasn’t our missile. But I’ve seen nothing to lead me to believe it was.”

Alongside him, Pete Hegseth said the US had “taken the investigation very seriously” and would release its findings, “whatever that outcome is”.

US military investigators themselves believe American forces were the likely culprits, two US officials told Reuters, and the US was operating in southern Iran, where Minab lies.

Several investigations have found the school had been a clearly marked civilian site for over a decade, yet was hit while a nearby clinic was spared.

OSINT researchers discovered that a US-made Tomahawk – used only by American forces in this war – struck the school. But Amnesty International took the credit this week.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia discuss regional security after US-Iran deal

Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s top diplomats have spoken by phone to coordinate easing tensions in the Gulf, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani spoke with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on Wednesday, according to the statement.

The two reviewed efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran.

The conversation reflects a wider push by Gulf states to shore up the fragile calm after months of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Rome pushes back on NATO chief’s remarks that Italy let US use country during Iran war

Italy’s defense minister has dismissed comments by NATO chief Mark Rutte, who earlier today said that Rome had allowed 500 US military aircraft to take off from the country in support of the US-Israel war on Iran.

Guido Crosetto said Rutte’s remarks were “totally misleading”, insisting that the Italian government had “authorised exclusively technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities”.

Italy’s right-wing prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has publicly criticized the US-Israel war on Iran, which has been disastrous for European economies.

Meloni’s stance has angered Trump, straining their relationship. Meloni had been Trump’s strongest European ally in recent years, and she was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in January last year.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Washington’s European allies for refusing to provide military support for strikes on Iran.

What does international law say when member states of NATO allow the US to carry out attacks from these member states' soil, while Iran is not attacking the country of the United States?

Under international law, the use of force is strictly governed by the UN Charter. Allowing the US to carry out strikes against Iran from allied soil while Iran has not directly attacked the US can create distinct legal issues for both the host nations and the US:

• The UN Charter prohibits the use of force against another state's territorial integrity unless it is authorized by the UN Security Council or executed in self-defense against an ongoing or imminent armed attack. Legal experts widely debate and scrutinize preemptive strikes absent an immediate Iranian attack on the US, arguing such actions violate international prohibitions against aggression.

So, international law considers attacks launched by the Unites States against Iran from the territory of any NATO member state to be illegal as no authorization by the UN Security Council was given and the US was not acting in self-defense because Iran was not attacking their territory.

Involved NATO countries were facilitating these attacks, thus contributing to aggression and violence in the act of war, that these countries also bear legal responsibility under state responsibility laws.

Italy itself is misleading as technical and logistical activities are activities contributing to preparations for attacks on Iran from its soil, which is also contributing to aggression and violence in the act of war.

Rome must proof that it had no consent about the motives behind the presence of US warplanes.