• US President Donald Trump claims Iran has “requested a meeting” following the exchange of strikes last week, and says it will take place in Doha today.
  Iran’s Foreign Ministry says there are no planned meetings “at any level” with the US in the coming days.
• But it says an Iranian expert delegation will be dispatched to Doha this week to follow up on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17, including the release of frozen Iranian assets.
• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian slams the US’s “unreasonable boasting and “unfounded threats” and says Tehran will fulfil its obligations under the MoU if Washington adheres to it.
• Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has rejected Oman and France’s plans to begin de-mining operations in the Strait of Hormuz, warning Paris against “provocations” in a “sensitive and complex situation”.
   

Trump announces Iran talks in Qatar; Tehran denies plans for talks

US President Donald Trump says a meeting between American and Iranian officials will take place in Doha on Tuesday.

Trump said Iran requested the talks in the Qatari capital, but did not provide further details.

But Iran has said there’s no such plan.

In the past few days, Iran has fired on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, while the US launched strikes against Iranian sites in response to Tehran’s attacks.

All this despite both sides signing the memorandum of understanding that brought in a ceasefire.

Iran insists all ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz must coordinate with its Revolutionary Guard. Tehran says the safest routes pass near Iran’s Hormuz and Larak islands, close to the nation’s southern coast.

Trump says Doha talks will be ‘perhaps important, perhaps not’

The US president announced the talks with Iran in a social media post. He also gave more details in subsequent comments to reporters at the White House.

He said the US is doing very well in the fight to denuclearize Iran.

“There’ll be a meeting on that tomorrow in Doha, and they’re going to Qatar there. I think they’ve already left, or they’re just about getting ready to leave. So we’ll see how that goes,” he said.

“But the meeting in Doha is going to be, perhaps important, perhaps not. We’re going to find out, but we’re winning militarily. It’s almost won militarily, I would say. And it’s really very simple. It’s the denuclearization of Iran. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon, and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. And they’ve agreed to that.”

Trump wants to move on from Iran war, says everything else is a ‘big yawn’

There was a great deal of talk [by Trump in the Oval Office] about domestic issues.

And perhaps the idea that Trump wants to move on from it [the war on Iran] was summed up in one sentence during that moment in the Oval Office, where he said that everything except the SAVE America voting act, which he has been pushing for some considerable time, is “a big yawn”.

Clearly, Trump would like to get talks [with Iran] back on track.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff will be with the other negotiating team in Doha on Tuesday. They perhaps hope to achieve an end to the fighting that we’ve seen, the breaches of the ceasefire from both sides. They are in a position where those attacks have stopped for the moment.

There is a degree of frustration as well among the mediators, who thought they managed to get both sides around the table. But it’s just a reminder of how difficult these processes are.

Trump says he wants to have the meeting. He says the Iranians want to have the meeting. The Iranians say no. So, unless you’re actually in the room, we’re not going to know what the real answer is.

But it’s clear that Trump wants to move on from this. Everything else, as he says, is a “big yawn”.

Trump lashes out at fuel retailers over high prices

The US president is once again demanding that petrol stations and other fuel retailers lower their prices immediately in response to the fall in oil prices.

In an apparent threat, Trump warned retailers that “big problems lie ahead” if they do not start charging customers less.

“Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY! They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE! There will be no gauging, which is totally illegal. If Retailers don’t do this, big problems lie ahead!”

Oil prices surged at the outset of the US-Israel war on Iran after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s energy supplies flowed. Prices have since declined in response to the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran and the possibility of a final deal being reached.

Top Democrat slams ‘deficient’ briefing by Trump officials

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have briefed lawmakers on the peace negotiations with Iran.

But the briefing for senators “was delayed, deficient and devoid of details”, he said.

“After dragging America into a costly war, the Trump administration still can’t name a single thing Americans got in return. Instead, Secretary Rubio confirmed to me that Iran will reap billions in oil revenue while retaining dangerous leverage over the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote.

“If this is the administration’s defense behind closed doors, Secretary Rubio should make it under oath, in public, before the Foreign Relations Committee.

“Americans are paying the price for Trump’s war. They deserve answers, not this Administration’s nonstop excuses.”

Iranian delegation’s visit to Doha unrelated to US team’s trip, official says

The Iranian negotiators had previously denied the plans for talks in Doha with US officials.

Esmaeil Baghaei, who is also the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said Tehran’s “current priority is to ensure the implementation” of the memorandum of understanding with Washington, and that “we are seriously pursuing our demands”.

He said the expert delegation being dispatched to Doha is going there to follow up on the implementation of the MoU.

Baghaei noted that the US has issued waivers on Iranian oil exports, as per Article 10 of the MoU, and said, “We are following up on its implementation”. Officials are also seeking the release of frozen Iranian funds, under Article 11 of the MoU.

“We will not have any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days. And the fact that American representatives are traveling to Qatar has nothing to do with the Iranian delegation’s trip,” he added.

Tehran officials previously said that Washington had agreed to release $12bn in frozen Iranian funds in two tranches of $6bn. Iran’s president said earlier on Monday that one of those tranches, held in Qatar, will be released and returned.

Iran says talks on a final deal with US have not begun

Esmaeil Baghaei’s comments on the tensions with the US.

He said negotiations on a final deal, including on Iran’s nuclear programme, have not begun.

“We have not yet entered the negotiation phase for a final agreement,” he said in comments carried by Iran’s IRIB broadcaster.

“According to Article 13 of the Memorandum of Understanding, the commencement of negotiations for a final agreement is conditional on the commencement and continuation of the implementation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11,” Baghaei added.

Article 1 calls for an end to war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, while Article 4 calls for the US to remove its naval blockade on Iranian ports and remove its forces from the “proximity” of Iranian territory. Article 5 concerns the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, as we reported earlier, Article 10 is on lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports, while Article 11 calls for the release of frozen assets.

US lawmakers press Rubio, Witkoff on Iran nuclear stockpile, lifting of oil sanctions

About the congressional briefings by the Trump administration on the memorandum of understanding with Iran.

According to Politico, Secretary of State Rubio and Trump’s envoy Witkoff held a phone briefing for House lawmakers after their briefing for the Senate.

Politico described the calls as the “first broad congressional briefings” on Trump’s Iran deal.

Citing two anonymous sources, Politico reported that lawmakers pressed Rubio and Witkoff on Tehran’s nuclear stockpile and the lifting of sanctions on Iran’s oil exports. The officials told legislators their goal was to negotiate a final deal that would prohibit Iran from keeping its highly enriched uranium. They said the MoU would launch those negotiations, while Witkoff added that technical teams involved in the nuclear talks would travel to Qatar for the discussions.

Rubio and Witkoff sought to ease concerns about the slow reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and assured lawmakers that Iran has not received any money under the MoU, especially not directly from US sources.

According to Politico, one Democratic lawmaker went back and forth with Rubio and Witkoff over the lifting of oil sanctions, and the officials eventually cut off the conversation and ended the call.

Only two South Korean ships remain in Strait of Hormuz

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung says all but two South Korean ships in the Strait of Hormuz have now exited the waterway.

A total of 26 South Korean-linked vessels were stranded in the strait when Iran closed the strategic waterway on February 28, the day the US-Israeli war began.

The hostilities stranded some 11,000 sailors on board 600 vessels. Under an International Maritime Organization-led operation, some 115 ships carrying 2,500 crew members left the strait last week.

But the United Nations agency had to pause the operation after hostilities between the US and Iran flared again last week.

Iran, Oman reach ‘common understanding’ on Hormuz, official says

Iran and Oman held a first meeting of the Hormuz Joint Committee, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi saying the two sides “exchanged views on the future management” of the strait.

According to the AFP news agency, Gharibabadi later told Iranian state media that Tehran and Muscat have reached “a common understanding” on the administration of the waterway.

He said Oman “also supports being involved in these arrangements as a coastal state with sovereign rights, and… believes that fees should be collected in return for the services that are provided”.

Gharibabadi said technical committees would be set up between the two countries, with experts beginning specialized discussions within seven to eight days to prepare a text and negotiate shipping routes.

The strait’s future has been a major sticking point between Iran and the US: Tehran wants to impose new “service fees” in coordination with Oman, while Washington opposes any charges.

Oman’s position has been ambiguous. Last week, the two countries said jointly they were examining costs tied to managing the strait, but Oman later said no “passage fees” were planned, announcing a UN-coordinated “temporary maritime corridor” near its coast.

Iran responded with attacks on ships using the waterway and insisting that the only authorized route was one along its own coastline.

Traffic in Strait of Hormuz ‘continues amid security threats’

MarineTraffic, a global provide of ship tracking, says vessel movements in the Strait of Hormuz continued over the weekend despite security concerns, including attacks on two ships on Friday and Saturday.

It said 108 verified transits were recorded over three days.

“Activity was highest on 26 June, with 48 crossings, followed by 38 crossings on 27 June and 22 crossings on 28 June.”

The figures mark a drop from before the attacks, when MarineTraffic recorded 54 transits on Thursday and 70 on Wednesday. The latter was the highest since the US-Israel war on Iran began.

Prior to the conflict, about 130 to 140 ships passed though the waterway daily.

US envoys en route to Doha for ‘perhaps important’ Iran meeting, Trump says

Yesterday, Donald Trump said US negotiators are heading to Qatar for what he called a ‘perhaps important’ meeting.

The talks follow recent attacks that strained the Strait of Hormuz ceasefire.

The US and Iran have until about mid-August to reach a permanent peace deal.

Oman opposes ‘transit fees’ on ships in Hormuz

Oman’s foreign minister says Muscat “does not support imposing transit fees” on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, while also appearing open to charges for “maritime, environmental and navigational services”.

Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi made the statement during an interview with French radio station Monte Carlo Doualiya, according to highlights posted by his office on X.

Albusaidi said charges for services “can be discussed voluntarily with the beneficiary countries and companies”. He also explained that “some services may include enhancing navigational safety, protecting waters from pollution, and increasing preparedness to deal with accidents or emergencies.”

Albusaidi noted the possibility of “drawing on existing models, such as the Straits of Malacca and Singapore”.

Iranian and French foreign ministers discuss MoU

Iran’s foreign minister has discussed the memorandum of understanding and its implementation during a phone call with his French counterpart, according to Iranian state media.

Abbas Araghchi and Jean-Noel Barrot “reviewed and exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments” regarding the US-Iran MoU, with “the aim of ending the war imposed by” the US and Israel against Iran, according to the IRIB broadcaster.

The report comes after Iran’s deputy foreign minister criticised comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Paris was working with Oman on demining the Strait of Hormuz.

Kazem Gharibabadi said demining in the strait is solely Iran’s responsibility and that “we fundamentally do not permit such a thing.”

Oil prices fall as investors focus on possible US-Iran talks

Brent crude, the primary international benchmark, has dipped with investors eyeing potential US-Iran talks in Doha.

As of 03:56 GMT, Brent August crude futures were down 0.9 percent or 64 cents, at $72.51 a barrel. These prices are about $20 or 22 percent lower than last month’s closing.

Iran's concerns over US implementation of MoU

Contrary to what the US claims, Iran says there will be no high-level delegation for direct talks with the Americans in Doha. There will be a technical team that will be sent there to discuss not the next phase of political talks between the two countries but rather the level of implementation of the MoU

Iran has a lot of objections, criticisms and concerns regarding the slow pace of the implementation of the MoU, including about Article 1 in that MoU about the ceasefire in south Lebanon.

There also seems to be a misunderstanding between the Americans and the Iranians about the implementation of Article 5. While Iran does see that this article gives it the authority to organize traffic in the Strait of Hormuz for the 60 days of negotiations before reaching a final deal, the Americans seem to believe that Iran has to just step aside and let the traffic flow freely.

Iran also has lots of concerns regarding the opening of new routes through the Strait of Hormuz near the Omani side of the waterway. They think that has been done without the coordination of Iran, which they think is a violation of Article 5 of the MoU.

The Iranian delegation will also discuss the unfreezing of Iranian assets, particularly after the Americans announced that there will be a provision for $6bn in Qatar to be released at the first stage.

So there is quite a lot of things to be dealt with.

".. the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements, using its best efforts, for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa."  This does not mean having the authority to organize traffic, as that is talking about having supervision or control over the organization of traffic.

"Americans seem to believe that Iran has to just step aside and let the traffic flow freely." That is a clear violation of paragraph 5. The "view" also suggest that the US has changed the paragraph into an unwritten version.

What the US is showing tells us that Trump is behaving as if he wants to get rid of the Memorandum of Understanding

Oman says responsibility for Hormuz demining ‘primarily rests with Iran’

Yesterday, French president Emmanuel Macron caused Iranian outcry after he made a statement on collaboration with Oman to demine the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran said it alone has the responsibility for such operations in the waterway.

Oman’s foreign minister has appeared to back that claim.

According to the country’s Foreign Ministry, Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi told France’s Monte Carlo Doualiya radio on Monday that “responsibility for ensuring the strait and internationally recognized shipping lanes are free of any mine-related hazards primarily rests with Iran” as per the US-Iran MoU.

He also affirmed Oman’s openness to contributing to regional and international efforts whenever requested.

German and US top diplomats hold talks on Iran MoU

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has held talks with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, in Washington, DC, and reaffirmed support for the US-Iran MoU.

In a statement on X, he said the deal was an “important step” and that “it creates an opportunity for diplomacy in what remains a highly fragile situation.”

He added: “The priority now is to reach a sustainable solution that ensures safe and free passage through the #StraitOfHormuz and, in particular, addresses Iran’s nuclear program, which must never again pose a threat.”

"The transatlantic partnership is indispensable ..."
 

Being a co-belligerent of the US, who are a war belligerent since Trump's declaration of war on Iran Feb. 28, 2026, Germany is legally responsible under states responsibility laws for contributing to aggression and violence in the acts of US war on Iran.

The US is scrambling their allies together to ensure that they are on the same page. This is instigating interference by countries who neither were part in the MoU and signatories of that agreement. This amounts to bringing the MoU into jeopardy.

The US attempt in doing so to provoke Iranian response to statements, comments and remarks made by countries like Germany, in particular regarding Iran's nuclear program, when these expressions do not correspond with the consecutive developments since the invention of the nuclear militarization by the US in 1942.

Split between Vance and Rubio

As Trump faces backlash from pro-Israel politicians and critics of the MoU with Iran, Vice President JD Vance has gone on a media blitz defending the agreement to end the months-long war.

Vance, who led the talks with Iran in Switzerland, hailed the MoU as “good progress”, saying a “very good foundation” has been set for a successful final deal.

He also used tough language over Israel’s public opposition to the MoU.

“You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have,” he said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, by contrast, has avoided openly criticizing Israel, railing instead against the Iranian government. Pressed on Vance’s criticism, Rubio deflected before recounting an assault by Hezbollah on an Israeli checkpoint earlier in the week.

But the White House has denied a split between Vance and Rubio, who have historically held diverging foreign policy positions.

What is Iran looking for in any upcoming talks with the US?

After Iran and the US exchanged attacks at the weekend, attention has once again turned to diplomacy with Trump saying the two sides would hold talks in Doha today.

But on Monday, Iran’s deputy foreign minister rejected the premise that any technical-level negotiations with the US would be held in Qatar this week. Gharibabadi instead said consultations would be held with Qatari officials.

Mehdi Fazaeli, a member of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, earlier told state television that talks scheduled with the US for Sunday were cancelled by Iranian negotiators after fundamental disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz and other issues.

The reciprocal US-Iranian attacks as well as Iran’s signaling that it is in no rush to return to talks point to the fact that any discussions between Tehran and Washington will focus on implementing what has already been agreed to – particularly when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, the vital maritime route that Iran seized upon as a major leverage point against the US during the war.

Iranian lawmaker says Hormuz an ‘inseparable part of Iran’s national sovereignty’

Ebrahim Azizi, the chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, has reiterated Tehran’s claims over the Strait of Hormuz and called for an end to Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon.

“The strategic Strait of Hormuz is an inseparable part of Iran’s national sovereignty, and its management is solely in the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he was quoted as saying by the IRIB state broadcaster.

“Lebanon’s sovereignty will be secured not by disarming the resistance, but by ending the occupation and aggression,” he added.

The Strait of Hormuz is not the exclusive national sovereignty of any single country, as it falls within the shared territorial waters of both Iran and Oman. There where the two territorial waters merges becomes a international strait.

Under international maritime law, neither nation holds unilateral ownership or the legal authority to close the strait to global shipping.

US-Iran talks in Qatar a ‘good sign’

Paul Musgrave, an associate professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, says that talks between the US and Iran in Qatar are a good sign because they show that everybody wants to keep negotiations going.

“There is a commitment to making sure that even though talks in Switzerland were interrupted for a little bit, there is still going to be a role for mediators … to keep these talks going,” he said.

He explained that there is, however, a degree of ambiguity with these talks because the Iranians “clearly don’t want to give the Americans direct face-to-face contact”.

“This is because that would imply a degree of normalcy, of making sure that what is happening is within bounds, and during the last couple of weeks, President Trump has made threats, which are, of course, a violation of the memorandum of understanding itself,” he said.

“So the Iranians don’t want that to be treated as normal, but they also want to perceive what looks like at least a continuation, if not a resolution,” he added.

Qatar says US envoys in Doha but will not meet with Iranian officials

A spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry says US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are in the country’s capital, Doha, but will not engage in direct meetings with Iranian officials.

The two will meet with mediators and discuss the progress of negotiations, the spokesman said.

He added that the $6bn in frozen Iranian assets has not yet been transferred to Tehran.

The spokesperson also says the issue of frozen Iranian funds is directly linked to the progress of negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

On the Strait of Hormuz, he said a hotline dedicated to de-escalation was used to contain last week’s exchanges of fire between the US and Iran. He added that Qatar is coordinating with Oman regarding the safe passage of ships through the vital waterway, and Qatar considers freedom of navigation through the strait paramount.

‘The Americans are not implementing MoU in good faith’

Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies in Tehran, says there is absolutely no condition attached to the release of Iranian assets in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran.

“The Americans are under the obligation to immediately release Iran’s frozen assets and without any conditions, and they have not honored their commitments,” he said.

He added that the MoU has two phases: The first phase focuses on confidence-building measures, and the second phase will focus on negotiations for a final deal.

He said the US has not been complying with its obligations according to the MoU, which could stall talks.

“Look at what the Americans are doing. Article 1 of the MoU says the Americans have given a commitment on their behalf and on behalf of Israel to end war and military operations on all fronts. But they deliberately signed a separate deal with Israel and Lebanon, contradicting the MoU. That means the Americans are not implementing the MoU in good faith,” he said.

“The Americans also stole Iran’s money and now are holding the same money hostage,” he added.

Iran says no need for foreign help for clearing mines in Hormuz

Esmaiel Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, says there is no need for outside interference on issues related to the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it would only complicate matters.

He told reporters in Tehran that any intervention “will not be done with good intentions and will only lead to more complicated situations”.

Baghaei added that the issue of mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz is covered in the memorandum of understanding, and there is no need for others to intervene in the region on this matter.

No meeting planned with US side in Doha: Iran’s Baghaei

The foreign ministry spokesperson says the Iranian side has no plans to meet US officials “at any level in the next few days”.

“What will probably be done in Doha tomorrow is a discussion on the implementation of clauses of the Memorandum of Understanding, including the clause related to the release of Iran’s restricted assets with the Qatari parties,” he said.

“Therefore, I emphasise that we have not planned any meeting with the American side at any level for the next few days,” Baghaei added.

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier today that $6bn of Iran’s frozen funds in Qatar had not yet been transferred to Tehran.

Hormuz disruption may have lasting impact on vulnerable economies, UN trade agency says

The UN Trade and Development agency has warned that while the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will bring immediate relief to energy markets, vulnerable economies remain at risk from prolonged increases in food and fuel costs.

Food and transport systems are likely to take longer than energy markets to recover, as disrupted supply chains need more time to reset following more than 100 days of severe disruption to shipping through the strategic waterway, a UN conference on trade and development said in a new report.

The strait, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies, was paralyzed during the war triggered by joint US-Israel attacks on Iran in late February.

MoU wording ‘poison’ for Iranian and US negotiators

Military and diplomatic analyst Alexandru Hudisteanu has described the wording in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed this month by Iran and the US in Islamabad as “vague and open to interpretation” and will be “poison” as both sides try to negotiate an end to the war.

“We know that Article 13, broadly speaking, favors Iran, because it states that they will not discuss the nuclear file until articles 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11 … are starting to be implemented. But that wording specifically leaves a lot of room for interpretation,” he said.

US is trying to get around Iran by linking the relaxation of some sanctions relief to discussion of the nuclear issue, according to Hudisteanu.

“We see that [talks on] reconstruction funds and asset freezes are actually bound to a negotiation of the nuclear file,” he said.

 “vague and open to interpretation” and will be “poison”

The Trump administration had warned Iran against "ambiguous" language, pushing for strict legal precision to prevent Tehran from exploiting loopholes regarding nuclear stockpiles and international waterways.

But, we are seeing the United States looking for loopholes by resorting to interpretations to create versions unwritten in whatever paragraph often suggesting they want to get rid of the MoU.

China urges US, Iran to sustain talks momentum

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is calling for the momentum of talks between the US and Iran to be sustained, speaking during a meeting in Beijing with his Saudi counterpart, state news agency Xinhua reported.

“The current ceasefire remains fragile, but talking is better than fighting, and dialogue is better than confrontation,” Wang said today, adding that Beijing was ready to work with Saudi Arabia to help ease regional tensions and promote lasting peace.

Iran rejects third-party intervention for mine clearance in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says that “clearance of mines in the Strait of Hormuz is regulated by a relevant memorandum of understanding, and Tehran sees no need for third-party intervention.”

This comes after France’s President Macron said that “we have decided to collaborate jointly, in coordination with our partner, on de-mining the strait to secure maritime routes and ensure free and unconditional passage through the Strait of Hormuz”.

Araghchi calls US submarine attack on Iran frigate ‘sign of cowardice’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi has visited an exhibition of objects left behind by the sailors of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena which was attacked by a US submarine.

Eight-seven bodies were recovered at sea after the torpedo attack in international waters off Sri Lanka’s coast.

Araghchi said “what happened is undoubtedly a war crime that will be recorded in history”, as the frigate “was attacked without any military action, without weapons, and without any prior warning”.

“This action is in no way considered a naval victory, but only shows the enemy’s helplessness,” Araghchi said.

Aragachi said “attacking an unarmed target far from the battlefield is not courageous; rather, it is a sign of cowardice”, although he did not explicitly mention the US.

He added that the legal department of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Navy, would “collect the documentation of this crime and we will carry out all the necessary legal follow-ups”.

The US Navy attacked and sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena with a torpedo on March 4, 2026. The attack occurred in international waters in the Indian Ocean, approximately 19 to 40 nautical miles off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka.

The IRIS Dena was an advanced Mowj-class guided-missile frigate of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.

IMO chief says Hormuz tolls illegal, suggests voluntary fund as alternative

Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, says mandatory tolls or any system that undermines free navigation through international waterways would be illegal under international law, while suggesting a voluntary fund for the Strait of Hormuz.

Dominguez said he has discussed “management of the strait” with Omani officials, including talks about the existing arrangement in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

The trilateral framework involving Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore has operated since 2007, funded largely through voluntary contributions from user states and the shipping industry rather than compulsory tolls, to support navigational safety and environmental protection in the busy waterway.

“It’s learning from something that already exists, that is being tested,” he said, adding that the aim was to find practical solutions to the crisis triggered by regional conflict, adding that he intends to present various options to IMO member states “to see what is viable”.

Iraq’s PM says ‘no evidence’ recent attacks on Gulf nations originated from Iraq

Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi said there is “no evidence” that recent attacks against Gulf nations originated from Iraqi territory.

“We will not accept dictates from outside our borders, neither from the East nor the West,” he said.

Iran FM slams US Homeland Security chief’s World Cup ‘happy dance’ remark

Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi has criticized US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin following a report that the latter had done a “happy dance” over Iran’s elimination from the World Cup.

“‘Mission Accomplished,’ Mr. Mullin,” Araghchi wrote.

“You also accomplished something else: proving to the world that you have no business hosting an international tournament,” he said, adding that Mullin’s conduct had been “a master class for how to squander the dignity that comes with being a host”.

A US media report that Araghchi shared cited Mullin telling reporters that he was relieved by Iran’s exit from the tournament, saying, “I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back,” and that he “might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance”.

Iran was eliminated from the group stage following a 1-1 draw with Egypt.

Throughout the tournament, Iran’s delegation operated under strict US visa restrictions, with the team’s training base relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico and players required to leave the US immediately after each match.

US-Iran MoU aimed at peace talks, not post-war settlement

The US-Iran MoU was meant only to make further negotiation possible, not to chart a post-war settlement, says Sheikha Alanoud Hamad Saud Al Thani, fellow at the Middle East Council for Global Affairs.

Those talks have since deteriorated, evidenced by an exchange of strikes, prompting renewed mediation efforts in Doha by US envoys Witkoff and Kushner.

“The MoU was completely misunderstood by a lot of people. It did not predict how the day after the war was going to look in any way, shape or form. It was merely an understanding to stop hostilities so that negotiations may begin,” Al Thani said.

“Now, those negotiations may have gone well, or they may have gone badly. It appears to be the case that they are going very badly recently, and the evidence for that is that they traded strikes.”

Iran says will not enter further negotiations until conditions in MOU are met

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf says the country will not begin negotiations for a final agreement before the implementation of clauses 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the MOU.

These clauses involve cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, removal of the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only as well as waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and the release of frozen Iranian funds.

‘The strait can’t rescue Iran’s economy’

The Strait of Hormuz is a negotiating tactic, not Iran’s real priority, says Sheikha Alanoud Hamad Saud Al Thani, fellow at the Middle East Council for Global Affairs.

“I don’t buy that the Strait of Hormuz is that important to the Iranians at this very moment. The most important card for the Iranians is to let up on strangling their economy,” she said.

“The Iranian economy has completely collapsed. I think we’re at the stage now where one dollar equals 1.8 million Iranian currency. So this is what they care the most about.”

Al Thani said the strait issue cannot rescue Iran’s economy and is not central to the deal, given that both Washington and the Gulf, including Oman, whose sovereignty was violated when its territorial waters were mined, would reject any toll arrangement outright.

“They know that the US will never accept that, and that the US itself has said it will sanction any country that accepts paying these tolls in the first place. They’re simply using it now as a card to apply pressure in the negotiation.”

Tracking firm says Iran exported 50 million barrels of crude oil after blockade lift

Iran has exported 50 million barrels of crude oil since the US lifted its naval blockade on the country’s energy exports, according to tanker-tracking firm TankerTrackers.com.

The figure equates to roughly 1.66 million barrels per day for June 2026, the firm said in a post on X, adding that most other countries in the region remain well below pre-war export levels.

The blockade was lifted under the MOU signed by US and Iran on June 17, after which the US Treasury issued a 60-day authorization permitting the production and sale of Iranian crude through August 21.

Vance says oil traffic in Strait of Hormuz has reached ‘pre-war height’

US Vice President JD Vance says oil traffic at the Strait of Hormuz has “reached its pre-war height”.

“The strait is open in the sense that we’re seeing more oil come out,” Vance said.

“Some days, there’s actually more oil coming out of the strait than before the war even started, so there’s this element that the world economy is coming back into gear. That will take time, but we’ve already seen prices go way down.

“If you harmonise the Lebanon-Israel peace deal with the MoU signed between the US and Iran, what both of those documents fundamentally say is that Lebanon’s territorial integrity will be respected,” Vance added.

Charging toll on Strait of Hormuz ‘not internationally lawful’

Tehran wants to make the point that it won’t give up the idea that Iran, together with Oman, will charge fees or possibly even tolls for administering passage through the waterway, says Marc Weller, director of the Global Governance and Security Centre of the International Law Program at Chatham House.

“That is not internationally lawful, and the MoU really has no standing to remove the rights of passage for everyone else,” he said.

Qatar’s PM reaffirms mediation efforts in meeting with Witkoff and Kushner

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Doha to discuss the ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington.

In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed the country’s mediation efforts during the meeting and its support for all negotiations stemming from the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

“The meeting also addressed the latest regional developments, particularly the ceasefire in the fraternal Republic of Lebanon.”

In a separate statement, the ministry said that “the Iranian and American technical delegations remain in session, noting that these meetings are taking place in different contexts and with the participation of mediators to ensure their continuity, whether in Doha or elsewhere”.

The ministry added that there are “currently no high-level meetings between the Iranian and American sides” under way.

Iranian assets unfreezing critical to US deal

Unfreezing Iranian assets is vital for Tehran and one of the main sticking points of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the US.

Iranians are saying that is the condition for them to move ahead in talks on the [peace] deal.

They got what they wanted, and according to what they say, they got an article about it in the MoU. That is Article 11.

Yesterday, the Iranian president said that the Americans agreed to unfreeze $6bn out of the $12bn that are kept in Qatar.

‘Iranian officials hesitant to meet U.S. in Doha over progress delays on June memorandum’

Iran’s foreign minister and parliamentary speaker are reluctant to meet the U.S. negotiating team in Doha because it might be seen as a liability back home in the absence of progress on the June memorandum of understanding, says Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.

“In Tehran they’re asking where’s the action on the MoU? Why are Iranian assets still frozen? Why is Israel still in Lebanon?, he told Al Jazeera.

Vatanka said time was running out on implementing and achieving the roadmap as outlined in the document signed on 17 June, which would eventually lead to a comprehensive deal between the U.S. and Iran.

“That is why Iranian foreign minister Abbas Agarchi and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are reluctant to show up in Doha to meet the Americans because back home (in Iran) that might be seen negatively”.