• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a tour of the Gulf, promising allies that Washington will protect their interests as talks with Iran continue.
• Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, says visits to Iran’s nuclear sites will take place in accordance with the recently signed memorandum of understanding.
• But Iran says inspections by the nuclear watchdog will “solely be examined and resolved within the framework of a final agreement” with the US.
• The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz continues to pick up under a new UN-backed plan to evacuate 11,000 stranded seafarers.

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 US.

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

Trump meets Rutte, slams NATO’s ‘lax participation’ in war on Iran

Trump returned to a familiar theme during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, slamming European countries for not supporting the US-Israel war on Iran.

Sitting across from Rutte in the White House’s Oval Office, Trump reiterated his frustration that members of the alliance did not join in the war effort.

“We didn’t need help on this at all. We demolished them in literally the first week,” Trump said of Iran.

“But it would have been nice if they would’ve said: ‘We’d like to help.’ We didn’t even need it, but it would have been nice if they said that.”

Iran accuses NATO of complicity in US and Israel’s ‘unlawful war’

The spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused NATO of “complicity in an unlawful war of aggression” after the alliance’s chief said European allies had helped support the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran.

Esmaeil Baghaei said that Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks were “a clear and damning admission of NATO’s active complicity” in the war.

Baghaei said that NATO and the individual member states that took part “must be held accountable for all the consequences”. Italy and Romania are among those that should explain “why they chose to collude”.

Speaking to Fox News earlier, Rutte said Italy had allowed 500 US aircraft to take off from US bases on its soil to “support” Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran, while the Romanian capital, Bucharest, had to cut flights because “they had to use the airports for tanker facilities”.

“complicity in an unlawful war of aggression”

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.

Iran accuses NATO of ‘complicity’ in US war: What role did EU nations play?

Since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran, President Donald Trump has been critical of his European allies for not supporting the military campaign against Tehran.

On Wednesday, the United States president expressed his displeasure with members of the transatlantic alliance during a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte.

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

NATO’s Rutte, who is visiting the US in an attempt to ease the transatlantic tensions, defended Europe. He highlighted Europe’s involvement in the Iran war in media interviews in an attempt to appease the Trump administration.

“Ally after ally,” he said, made their bases available to the US military during the war on Iran. Rutte’s comments revealed that aside from “isolated cases”, European allies had, in fact, helped the US with logistics during the war.

See previous comment, and ...

"...European allies had, in fact, helped the US with logistics during the war."

Providing logistics is an activity of preparation and or assistance in the US act of war therefore contributions to aggression and violence in the US act of war, which makes the involved EU countries international legally responsible in states responsibility laws.

Democrats slam Trump’s request for $87.6bn in funds, mostly for war on Iran

The White House’s request for $87.6bn in supplemental funding from Congress, most of it related to the war on Iran, is drawing criticism from the Democratic Party.

The request asks for $67.15bn for the military, including to cover operational costs of the war on Iran and to rebuild weapons stocks and classified programs.

“We should be lowering costs for the American people, not writing another blank check for Trump,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X after Congress received the request.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the chamber’s appropriations committee, said she would review the request to ensure that US troops are taken care of.

“But I will not rubber-stamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice,” she said.

Progressive Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal declared her response to the request as an “absolute HELL NO” and blamed the bill on Trump’s costly war on Iran.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a non-partisan group, meanwhile, urged lawmakers to “carefully review and fully offset every dollar” of the request with new taxes or spending cuts, warning that the country cannot keep borrowing as its debt nears record levels.

Five South Korean ships cross Strait of Hormuz as passage restrictions ease further

South Korea has said that five more South Korean-run vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the latest sign that restrictions on passage are easing.

The ministry said 13 South Korean ships remain in the strait.

Iran warns ships away from an ‘unapproved’ Hormuz route

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) Navy has rejected a new shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel using it will be in danger.

In statements carried by Press TV on Thursday, the IRGC Navy said that “certain authorities” had created the route without notifying or coordinating with Tehran, but did not specify the “authorities”.

The IRGC said only routes designated by Iran are authorized, and that ships must coordinate with the IRGC Navy. Vessels straying outside those corridors, it said, would face enforcement action.

The warning follows an earlier statement from Oman, which shares the strait with Iran

Lindsey Graham agrees with Trump team’s push to end Iran war

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Iran hawk in Congress, says former House Speaker Newt Gingrich “got it right” in saying that Americans want Trump to end the war on Iran while curbing its nuclear ambitions.

Gingrich – citing polls that showed support for ending the conflict – said US negotiators’ efforts had “paid off” and that Washington now needs a “system that monitors… and ensures the compliance of the Iranian dictatorship”.

Referencing Gingrich’s comments on X, Graham wrote: “The American people would like to see the Iranian conflict end honorably and without further violence, if possible.”

US Democratic senator questions progress in Iran talks

Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has criticised claims that talks with Iran are going well.

“How do you know the Iran negotiations are going poorly?” Coons asked rhetorically in a video posted online.

“Because JD Vance says one thing, Iranian negotiators say another, and Trump tweets about algae in the reflecting pool.”

Iran now recognized as ‘powerful and dignified nation’

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says his country’s armed forces responded to the US-Israeli attacks in a way that neither of the attacking countries “could have imagined”.

Speaking on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said Iran is now “recognised throughout the world as a powerful and dignified nation”.

“Our enemies believed … they could bring the Islamic Republic to an end within three days and install their proxies.

“However, our armed forces… created an epic the enemy could never have imagined,” Pezeshkian said.

At the start of the war, Trump demanded Iran’s complete surrender, but the two countries are now in the process of diplomatic negotiations.

US soldiers say government understating injuries from war on Iran

US soldiers and their families are accusing the US military and Pentagon of downplaying injuries they sustained during the US-Israel war on Iran, according to CBS News.

In one case, it was alleged that a service member who experienced a concussion, hearing and vision loss, and lung damage was classified as “not seriously injured”.

At least 13 US service members were killed during the war.

The US military denies downplaying injuries sustained in the conflict.

Trump pressure flips Senate as it blocks Iran war powers measure

The US Senate has reversed course and blocked a resolution limiting President Donald Trump’s war powers over Iran, one day after passing a similar measure – 50 votes to 48 – in a rare rebuke to Trump.

Trump lobbied Republicans before the vote late on Wednesday, and the measure was blocked 50 to 47, turning the tide after a rebellion in his party.

Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky both changed their votes, with Cassidy voting against it and Paul abstaining by voting “present”.

Trump welcomed the result, declaring the outcome puts “Iran on notice”.

Rubio in Bahrain today in three-day Gulf tour to discuss US-Iran agreement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Bahrain officials later today on the final leg of a trip to the Middle East ⁠where he has sought to sell the Trump administration’s preliminary Iran accord to skeptical Gulf Arab allies.

Arriving last night in Bahrain’s capital Manama, which hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Rubio will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, a grouping of six Sunni monarchies that also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.

His three-day tour of the oil-rich Gulf is the ‌first high-level diplomatic mission since the US-Iran framework agreement last week to end the conflict. At his previous stops in the UAE and Kuwait, Rubio sought to assure officials that the proposed deal was not overly favorable to Iran, which struck several Gulf states during the US-Israeli war.

“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” he told reporters in Kuwait.

Rubio has acknowledged his delicate mission in pitching the peace deal to Gulf Arab leaders who fear excessive concessions will strengthen Tehran and reshape ⁠the region’s security balance and oil flows.

Arab Gulf states reject ‘new geopolitical facts’ born from aggression: UAE presidential adviser

New “geopolitical facts” cannot be imposed on the Arab Gulf states as a result of a “treacherous aggression against them,” says the UAE’s presidential adviser Anwar Gargash.

“For imposing a fait accompli from the womb of aggression does not establish stability; rather, it sows new seeds of discord and conflict for the future. And this is precisely what applies to the Strait of Hormuz,” he said in a post on X.

This is exactly the role the UAE has been playing since its ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba masterminded the diplomatic crisis against Qatar. The UAE wanted to force Doha to change its policy of engaging diplomacy with all partners in the region, including Iran.

The UAE also participated in the creation of chaos by Netanyahu in Gaza, in the civil war in Libya and in the Dafur genocide by the RSF.

During the war on Yemen, the UAE was an ally of Saudi Arabia until it attempted to takeover Saudi dominance. The Emiratis made themselves an enemy of the Saudis.

In December 2020, the UAE was the first to sign the Abraham Accords, which was mastermind by Netanyahu and Jared Kushner. That accord is only meant to give the Israelis the opportunity to have (more) influence in the region.

The UAE is the only closest ally of the Israelis in the region. It was from this position against a ceasefire with Iran.

"... from the womb of aggression," right?

Rubio says arguments over Hormuz toll fee are ‘semantics’

During his visit to Bahrain, US Secretary of state Rubio said: “You can call it a toll, you can call it a fee, at the end of the day it’s all semantics.”

The US rejects any nation’s claim over Hormuz, says Rubio in Bahrain

The US will not accept that Hormuz belongs to any nation state, Rubio says while meeting with Bahraini leaders in Manama.

“We want a deal with Iran, we don’t want a deal at any price,” he added.

Rubio says US open to ‘enduring peace’ in the region

At the news conference in Manama, Rubio also says: “We are open for peace that is enduring and real and doesn’t undermine security and prosperity for the US or its allies.”

US wants to ensure agreement takes into account ‘interest of allies’: Rubio

• The US wants to ensure that any decision made in an agreement with Iran takes into account the interests of its allies.
• The US wants this agreement to work and will do everything it can to make that happen.

Bahrain FM welcomes Oman corridor for safe passage through Hormuz

Bahrain’s ⁠Foreign ⁠Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al ⁠Zayani has welcomed Oman’s announcement of a corridor for the ‌safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Al Zayani made ⁠the remarks as ⁠he chaired a Gulf Cooperation Council ⁠meeting during Rubio’s visit to the ‌country.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says any ships taking the new route will be in danger.

GCC priority is negotiation, dialogue, accommodation with Iran for regional stability

The status quo in Hormuz changed the moment the US and Israel began striking Iran. That’s just a fact. Before the war began, the Strait of Hormuz was open.

Iranian boats were arguably irritants to naval passage, but naval passage was moving quite freely and quite openly, and there was a heavy volume of traffic going back and forth. That has perhaps changed forever.

It will be music to the ears of the GCC leaders that they will not accept any change to the status quo in the Strait of Hormuz, that they won’t allow Iran to charge any fees, that that won’t be part of the deal – that will be something that will no doubt be seen as a positive.

But the fact is that for Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was a big red button – break glass in case of emergency, and they did that. They’ve pushed that button now and what they’ve illustrated is that even if things go back to normal, it’s always a button they can push again.

They can bring the global economy – insofar as the part of it that they control – they can bring that to a standstill, if and when they want to, and that is something that is going to be difficult to get around.

The GCC leaders who have been speaking in the last few days, weeks, and months have seemed to illustrate one clear point: negotiation, dialogue, accommodation with Iran is what will work to secure regional stability. That is the GCC priority most likely being discussed behind closed doors right now in Bahrain.

Rubio’s red lines will be concern for Iran

So far there hasn’t been any official reaction to Rubio’s visit to the region from Iran. However, they are indeed closely following that meeting because it is primarily about the countries that are on the other coast of the Gulf and also the Strait of Hormuz.

Two messages are quite important from Rubio’s speech – he’s saying that they have two red lines in this process.

The first one is the Strait of Hormuz, and when he’s talking about the Strait of Hormuz, he is now saying that there will be no change in the status quo of the Strait of Hormuz.

There will be no charge, whether you call it tolls or fees, so that’s not acceptable. So that is definitely a concern for the Iranians because Iranians have been saying that there is a new maritime regime and Iran is going to extend its control and sovereignty over this critical point.

And if they reach a final agreement, despite that, Iran is going to charge some fees. They are calling it service fees. So previously they were clearly talking about toll fees, but now they are saying toll fees are banned under international law.

And the other message is definitely on the nuclear issue. Marco Rubio is talking about verifiable steps – and that can only be provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Iranians are saying that, for now, there is no planned visit of the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Iran. These are going to be huge disputes in the coming days and weeks, perhaps.

Some 57 ships sailed through Hormuz since June 23 under UN evacuation scheme

Some ⁠57 ⁠ships carrying an estimated 1,100 seafarers have transited ⁠the Strait of Hormuz since June 23 ⁠under a UN evacuation plan launched this week, data released on Thursday from the ‌UN’s shipping agency showed.

These are the first numbers to be released by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ⁠for the initiative, ⁠which it is hoped will enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 ⁠seafarers to leave the Strait.

According ⁠to current IMO ⁠data, 12 ships sailed through during the morning of June ‌25, 32 on June 24 and 13 ‌on June ‌23.

Iran warns against Hormuz crossings without authorization

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned against any crossings of the Strait of Hormuz without authorization, saying vessels not complying “will be dealt with” as it criticized a new route through the waterway.

The future of the strait, a vital route for energy shipments that was in effect blocked by Iran during the more than 100-day war between it and the US, is a key sticking point in negotiations between the sides.

Tehran has said it plans to impose what it calls maritime service fees in the future, as opposed to tolls, while the US argues it is an international waterway and therefore passage should not be subject to charges.

“The only authorized route for passage through the Strait of Hormuz is the route announced by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the IRGC, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, said on Thursday.

Oman backs MoU, stresses no imposition of Hormuz transit fees

Oman has expressed support for the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, saying it is important for restoring peace and ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X from the state news agency, Oman reaffirmed its responsibility as a coastal state to support maritime security under international law and stressed that no transit fees would be imposed in the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement was made by Oman’s foreign minister during the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the US Secretary of State in Bahrain today.

‘Zero’ support from GCC for Hormuz tolls, fees: Rubio

There is zero support from Gulf countries for tolls or fees on the Strait of Hormuz, says Rubio.

‘Very productive’ meeting, says Rubio after meeting with GCC in Bahrain

Rubio is making remarks in Manama, Bahrain after a meeting with GCC foreign ministers.

“We had a very productive meeting,” said the US Secretary of State.

No reconstruction fund for Iran discussed with GCC states, says Rubio

A reconstruction fund for Iran was not discussed with Gulf countries, the US Secretary of State also says at the live media conference in Manama.

Iran, Oman stress need for coordination on Hormuz traffic

The foreign ⁠ministers ⁠of Iran and Oman have emphasised the need for ⁠continued bilateral coordination on maritime traffic in ⁠the Strait of Hormuz.

During a phone call, Abbas Araqhchi and Badr al-Busaidi discussed recent regional developments, including maritime arrangements ⁠in the strait ⁠and temporary measures set for a 60-day period, Araqchi’s Telegram account said.

Europe’s refusal of military bases weakens transatlantic alliance with US: Rubio

Some more remarks from Rubio's live presser in Bahrain after meeting with GCC officials:

• Europe not allowing use of military bases undermines alliance between the continent and the US.

The United States has a record of violations of international law when it comes to its wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and during the rendition campaigns across Europe after George W. Bush's speech from 2002.

Trump joined Netanyahu's war by declaring on February 28, 2026 war on Iran. In the context of international law, Trump had made the US a war belligerent.

If European countries were to make to same mistake the Gulf countries and Jordan have made by allowing American warplanes attacking Iran from their soil, these countries would then make themselves a co-belligerent of the US, as they then contribute to aggression and violence in American acts of Netanyahu's war on Iran.

European countries would then also bear legal responsibility under state responsibility laws.

We believe that Europe realized they would expose themselves to this legal risk.

The biggest mistake of the Gulf countries and Jordan have made is that they also made themselves a military objective for Iran. That is why American bases in the Gulf states were attacked by Iran.

Europe’s refusal of military bases weakens transatlantic alliance with US: Rubio

Some more remarks from Rubio's live presser in Bahrain after meeting with GCC officials:

• Iran is a greater threat to Europe than it is to the US.

If we go back into the history of nuclear militarization in the Middle East, and see that the Israeli general Moshe Dayan wanted to use nuclear weapons against Egypt when he had to see huge losses during the 1967 six-day war, if an entity won't hesitate to use these weapons, it is a potential existential threat even to Europe.

Why Iran is not a threat to the US?

Iran and the Israelis don't have missiles which can reach the Americans on the other side of the Atlantic.

Strait of Hormuz differences could jeopardize US-Iran talks

Iranians quickly realized the importance of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war, and how controlling the strait is a huge leverage over their adversaries, whether regionally or globally.

They have used it to force Americans to come back to the negotiating table.

According to the memorandum of understanding, there will be no fees for the next 60 days. However, there is no clarity on what happens after 60 days.

Iranians are clearly talking about a new maritime regime. But today, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that whether you call it fees or tolls, it doesn’t matter, and there will be no charge, adding that there is no support for it from the GCC countries either.

Iranians are also firm that they will not go back to the pre-war status quo.

So, this is clearly a source of tension for the ongoing talks, and potentially it could undermine the talks or jeopardize them.

The IRGC has essentially said that it does not matter whether it is Omani or Iranian territorial waters – any ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz have to be in full coordination with Iranian authorities.

Iran is not taking temporary measures, but they want permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz. And that is something that the regional countries, GCC countries, and the United States are saying that they are fundamentally against.

Ghalibaf denies claims Iran will use unfrozen assets to buy US goods

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has said US claims that unfrozen assets will be used to buy US agricultural products are false.

“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting,” Ghalibaf said on X. “The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the US only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks.”

India explores opportunities with Iran to cooperate in energy sector

Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Puri says he has explored opportunities for New Delhi and Tehran to cooperate in the energy sector during his meeting with Iranian Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad in New Delhi.

India remains committed to enhancing energy security via dialogue, partnership and a mutually beneficial engagement, Puri said in a post on X.

GCC seeks US assurances on security, political influence and control of Hormuz

The GCC countries want to be reassured that they will not lose political influence, regional practical influence on the ground, insofar as the control of waterways, moving goods and oil, and economic imperatives.

And they want to make sure that their security guarantees are going to be met by their ally, the United States. And insofar as negotiating with Iran, they want to make sure that they are in a position to be able to secure security guarantees from Iran as well.

Rubio said the GCC expressed concrete concerns. They want to be informed and involved. The US will not make any decisions or commitments to compromise the interests of their Gulf partners or their long-term prosperity and stability.

The GCC also want funding for reconstruction from damage suffered as a result of Iranian retaliatory attacks – attacks and damage suffered during a time of war, a war that they did not choose, a war that they tried to stop from day one, and a war that they were caught in the middle of.

And he said, very significantly, one thing that came across very clear, is that there is zero support among the Gulf for any charges for the use of Gulf waters, and he said we need to get back to what the strait looked like before this conflict. It’s an international waterway.

We have to remind people that before the conflict that was sparked by the US and Israel, passage through the Strait of Hormuz was normal.

Iraq urges OPEC to raise its oil production quota

Iraq has called on OPEC to increase its oil production quota, considering the Iran war has damaged its industry, the Oil Ministry said on Thursday.

Like other oil producers, Iraq, a founding member of OPEC, was greatly affected by the war, as it is hugely dependent on oil exports, which make up about 90 percent of its budget revenues.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that the country “has consistently emphasized the importance of reassessing production baselines to ensure they are aligned with the sustainable production capacities of member countries,” and in respect of “Iraq’s unique security and economic circumstances”.

OPEC has “responded by launching a process to reassess” its member states’ capacities, the ministry said.

Amid reports on Thursday of a possible Iraqi exit from OPEC, Oil Ministry spokesperson Salim al-Rikabi told AFP that Iraq “has no intention of withdrawing from the organization and remains committed to its mechanisms”.

He added that the organization “has to raise Iraq’s production quota. Otherwise, a decision will have to be made about whether to stay or leave the organization”.

Italy denies US used airbases for attacks in call with Iran’s Araghchi

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says he held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, in which he denied that Italy authorized the use of its airbases for US attacks against Iran.

“Italy has never taken part in any military initiative and has never authorized the use of bases for war actions against Iran, in the strictest respect of the treaties with the United States,” Tajani wrote on X.

The comments come a day after Italy rebuked remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggesting the contrary. The statements caused a political row in Italy as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had denied the bases were used for direct military action against Iran.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto responded to Rutte by saying the air bases were used for exclusively technical and logistical activities.

PM denies claim Italy aided in US-Israeli war on Iran

Giorgia Meloni, in a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, has rebuked a claim made yesterday by NATO chief Mark Rutte that Italy had aided US attacks against Iran.

Meloni said that Italy never participated in the Iran conflict, but only provided “technical and logistical” support to the US Army.

Yesterday, Rutte told Fox News that 500 US planes had taken off from US bases in Italy to “support” the US’s “Operation Epic Fury”, Washington’s name for its joint war with Israel on Iran.

Gulf states want US assurances after Iran war, analyst says

Professor Paul Musgrave of Georgetown University in Qatar says Gulf states will want firm guarantees from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Washington will not endanger their security as it seeks a final deal with Iran.

“I think the first thing has to be what Secretary of State Rubio is saying publicly, which is that their interests will be respected,” Musgrave said, adding that this marks “a big change from February”.

He said Gulf countries had been “invested in mediation” before “the United States and Israel launched this war” and now want to know whether Washington will protect states most exposed to any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The first thing that Gulf countries want to know, especially those like Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, which are most dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, [is] that the United States will not jeopardize their physical or economic security,” Musgrave said.

But he warned that any final deal may leave major security concerns unresolved.

“He’s been a little bit cagier on other issues like ballistic missile program that do directly affect the security of those of us,” Musgrave said, referring to Rubio. “That’s not going to be part of the final deal.”

Iran rejects US-backed southern corridor in Strait of Hormuz

Iran wants coordinated routes for vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz and rejects any US-backed attempt to open a separate southern corridor, says Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran.

Aslani said Iran and the United States are still trying to shape what happens next in the vital waterway after the recent memorandum of understanding (MoU).

“We have been seeing that despite the recent MoU, the two sides … are flexing their muscles in relation to the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Aslani said Iran believes the current 60-day window will allow it to work with Oman on the details of new transit arrangements.

“For Iran, the Strait of Hormuz after 60 days … will be subject to receiving fees for the services that are provided,” he said.

But Aslani said Tehran rejects pressure from Washington to create a separate southern route through the waterway.

“Oman under the pressure from the US, they want to open a southern corridor there. This is unacceptable for Iran,” he said.

Aslani warned that any failure to resolve the dispute could threaten the wider diplomatic track.

GCC–US meeting opens in Bahrain as Rubio rejects Iran toll plan for Hormuz

The Gulf Cooperation Council and US officials held a meeting in Bahrain.

Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani welcomed recent diplomatic efforts including the US–Iran memorandum of understanding brokered with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar.

He welcomed the restoration of secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Oman’s announcement of a temporary maritime corridor. However, he stressed Iran must fully adhere to its obligations under the deal.

Vance says the US and Iran to use direct IRGC channel in Doha to de-escalate conflict

The US Vice President says Washington and Tehran have agreed to set up a direct channel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to reduce the risk of further conflict.

In an interview with the British right-wing news site UnHerd, JD Vance said the arrangement would involve Iranian and US military officials meeting in Doha to work through disputes.

“They were like, ‘OK, fine, we’ll send somebody from the IRGC to go hang out in Doha with somebody from [U.S. Central Command]’ and that’s how we’re going to settle a lot of these disputes”, Vance described discussions with Iranian officials.

Vance also said that the United Arab Emirates had opened channels with Iran that had not existed before, including with the IRGC.

He said the UAE is “having conversations with the Iranians that have never happened before, including with the IRGC, about various types of economic incentives”.

Shipping group Hapag-Lloyd says stranded ships have left Gulf

Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd says all of its vessels stranded in the Gulf after the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz have now left the region.

A company spokesperson said the decision followed a security assessment and consultations with the relevant authorities.

“All Hapag-Lloyd vessels that were affected by the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz and had been waiting in the Persian Gulf to leave have now safely left the Gulf region,” the spokesperson said.

The company said it would not release further details for security reasons.

Iran and Oman to discuss Strait of Hormuz arrangements

Iran and Oman will hold talks on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz and the maritime services provided in the vital waterway, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.

In a post on X, Araghchi said he had a “productive call” with his Omani counterpart as Tehran moves to shape the next phase of arrangements in the strait.

“We’re determined and will do so in discussion with our neighbors,” Araghchi said.

Ship hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says a cargo ship has been hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging the vessel but causing no injuries.

UKMTO said the projectile struck the ship’s starboard side off the coast of Oman and damaged the bridge.

The vessel’s captain reported no casualties and no environmental impact from the incident.

If the UN IMO had followed the developments regarding Iran's warnings on transits through the Strait Of Hormuz, it wouldn't have created a dangerous situation when it decided to "evacuate" ships, not just sailors, from the Persian Gulf.

Because, the UKMTO report is about the "evacuation" of a cargo vessel by IMO through a passage newly created by Oman.

IRGC warns against new Hormuz route for ships

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned commercial vessels to only use its approved routes through the Strait of Hormuz, reopening a point of friction in fragile negotiations between the United States and Iran over the future of the strategic waterway.

The warning came after Oman announced a new shipping transit route through the strait yesterday, saying it had coordinated the route with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as traffic resumes following weeks of disruption.

The dispute remains one of the unresolved issues after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the United States and Iran last week. It largely halted hostilities in the four-month US-Israel war on Iran and launched a 60-day negotiation process aimed at reaching a broader peace agreement.

The MoU, which includes the reopening of the strait, followed months of severe disruption to shipping after Iran effectively closed it, and the US imposed a corresponding naval blockade on Iranian ports.

IMO suspends evacuations of vessels from Hormuz following reported attack

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez says that the group’s evacuation plan for vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, which launched earlier this week, has been suspended.

As we reported earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel was hit near Oman’s coastal waterways in the Strait of Hormuz today.

“I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel which passed through the Strait of Hormuz. This vessel did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework,” he said in a statement.

“Following the launch of the IMO’s evacuation plan, through which several vessels have already been successfully evacuated, I have decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region.”

Iran’s PGSA says ships transiting Hormuz outside its authority not guaranteed safety

In a brief message on X, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) said, “Any passage through routes outside the framework designated by PGSA will not be covered by safe passage guarantees and will not be entitled to insurance coverage or related liabilities”.

It said the message was issued in response to multiple “inquiries”, and it comes after a Singapore-flagged vessel was attacked off the coast of Oman earlier today.

“The consequences arising from passage through unauthorized routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander,” the PGSA message concludes.

Strait of Hormuz dispute overshadows US-Iran talks

There is a discrepancy between the US and Iran over what is going to happen with the Strait of Hormuz.

Hormuz is something Iran has been using as a leverage tool throughout the negotiations, throughout this entire war. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated what he’s been saying for quite a while, that if Iran wants to charge any tolls or fees that’s something that is completely unacceptable.

This is something that Gulf countries see as extremely important. It has to do with their economic security. The Gulf relies heavily on the strait to get its energy supplies out to global markets. They rely on the income from energy supplies, from the sale of energy, for their economies.

The Iranians have said they weren’t charging tolls. What’s going to happen after these 60 days is going to be something that Gulf countries are going to be looking at very closely.

Iranian attempts impose a fee or toll, that’s something that’s going to be completely unacceptable from the perspective of the Americans.

US wants Gulf states to bankroll Iran reconstruction, but plan has ‘many holes’

Defense analyst Alex Alfirraz Scheers says Washington needs Gulf Arab states on board with its Iran plan because they carry major political and economic weight in US regional strategy.

Scheers said Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states remain central to Washington’s security architecture and arms trade in the region.

“The GCC countries do carry a considerable degree of sway with the United States, not least of all for regional security, for at least having some alignment with US interests in the region,” he said.

He noted that Washington also has deep defense and technology ties with Gulf states.

“The United States sells 81 percent of its foreign military sales to GCC countries,” Scheers said, adding that the two sides also cooperate on issues including AI governance.

Scheers said another key factor is a proposed $300bn reconstruction fund for Iran under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.

He added that Washington appears to expect Gulf states to help fund the mechanism.

“It seems to me that the United States is expecting GCC countries to actually cough up the cash and to create a mechanism in order to pay for these reparations,” Scheers said.

Scheers said Rubio’s visit to the Gulf is partly aimed at selling that proposal.

“He’s trying to sell to them this idea that they should invest in Iran, in rebuilding Iran,” he said. “But if you’re sitting in any one of the GCC capitals at the moment, this proposal has many, many holes in it.”

What does international law say when the US as a war belligerent demands from its allies to contribute to reparation funds, while it is the war belligerent who created damage in Iran?

Under international law, the belligerent state that causes unlawful damage in a conflict bears the primary legal obligation to provide full reparations to the injured state. Demanding allies or third-party states to contribute financially to damages caused by the US itself contradicts established state responsibility frameworks.

Israeli attacks kill three in southern Lebanon despite ongoing Washington talks

An Israeli strike has killed at least three people on the outskirts of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military continues to target people moving through areas it occupies in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese health authorities say more than 4,000 people have been killed since the war began in March.

US-Iran talks may stretch beyond 60 days

Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and former special assistant to US President Ronald Reagan, says Washington wants Gulf countries fully behind its Iran strategy because they remain central to US military, security and energy interests.

Bandow said the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have long been important US partners.

“The US has military bases in some of those countries. So their security is also very important,” he said.

Bandow added that Gulf states matter to Washington because they are major energy producers.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Bandow said the dispute between Washington and Tehran would likely dominate the coming negotiations.

“Both sides are pressing for advantage. Both sides want to emphasize their leverage,” he said. “For Iran, its strongest card is the fact that it can control passage through the strait.”

Bandow said Tehran wants to show that vessels can still pass while maintaining its authority over the waterway.

“So it’s promised that ships can pass, but it wants to maintain the notion that it is actually in charge. The US doesn’t like that,” he said.

He added that a deal could take longer than the 60-day window set out by the two sides.

Australia to release information on weapons exports after legal challenge, rights groups say

Australia’s defence minister has agreed to disclose information “relevant to” Australian arms exports to Israel following an order from a Federal Court justice, the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) says.

The order comes after ACIJ brought a case to the court on behalf of three Palestinian human rights organisations – Al-Haq, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and Al Mezan – seeking access to information following years of ambiguity over Australian weapons exports to Israel, including parts used in F-35 fighter jets.

Shawan Jabarin, the general director at Al-Haq, said that while the outcome was a “win”, there is still a “battle ahead”.

“We should not have to go to court to understand who is arming the Israeli settler-colonial apartheid regime,” Jabarin said in a statement. “We are speaking about bombs falling on families, homes, hospitals, schools, refugee camps and entire communities,” he added.

“When States refuse to disclose what they are exporting, they are also refusing to confront the human consequences of the weapons systems they help sustain.”