• The US military says it has begun launching a “series of powerful strikes” against Iran over attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iranian state media say explosions have been heard in the Iranian port city of Sirik, in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
• The attacks came shortly after the US revoked a waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil under the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17.
• Earlier, three ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz were hit, including Qatari and Saudi Arabian oil tankers.
• US President Donald Trump, arriving in Turkiye for a NATO summit, has criticized allies for failing to support Washington during the war on Iran.

Iran slams US violations of MoU as multiple blasts rock Qeshm, Sirik and Bandar Abbas

Local authorities and state TV say at least six rounds of explosions have been heard on the island of Qeshm, in which a wharf is said to be targeted.

[Blasts were also heard] in Sirik, another critically important location that oversees the Strait of Hormuz. Between seven and nine explosions have been reported there, and a commercial and a fishing wharf are said to have been attacked.

And in the city of Bandar Abbas, the biggest port city of Iran, 10 explosions have been heard too, targeting different places. Again, according to initial reports, telecommunications towers and other places, including fishing wharfs, have been targeted.

The deputy foreign minister of the country says the US military operations are considered a violation of the MoU. And regarding the reports and the statements about the so-called Iranian attacks, Tehran has called them questionable accusations.

This is something that we heard from the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who also said that Iran’s authority and control over the Strait of Hormuz is something that has been given to it based on the MoU, and any passage through the trajectory of the Strait of Hormuz should be coordinated with the Iranian side to ensure the safe transiting through this waterway.

In Paragraph 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding is to read:

".. and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operations against each other, .."

Iran did not attack American war ships but civilian vessels from two co-belligerent countries.

Then, ".. not to initiate any war or any military operations against each other, .." does not reflect with the fact that Trump had declare war on Iran on February 28, 2026, but never declared the war as officially ended.

Several people wounded in US attack on Iran’s Sirik

Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster reports that several people were wounded after being hit by shrapnel from an “enemy projectile”, which hit a commercial dock in the southern port of Sirik.

It said the wounded were taken to the Minab Hospital.

US official says strikes targeted Iranian air defense and missile systems

US Central Command is saying that it has launched a series of what it called “powerful strikes” against Iranian targets.

It attributed the strikes to what it describes as bad behavior on the part of Iran for attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

An US official had given details on the type of targets that US forces are hitting. The official said the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites. The official said the targets were linked to Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions have grown over who controls passage through different parts of the waterway.

Iran has been trying to get ships to go through the northern routes it controls. The US, meanwhile, has said it wants ships to take the southern route. Meanwhile, ships are unable to use the traditional route through the centre of the strait because it is believed to remain mined. All of these were supposed to be addressed in negotiations following the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US.

‘Renewed explosions’ reported on Iran’s Qeshm

Iran’s state-owned Press TV reports renewed explosions on Qeshm Island, adding that several blasts were also heard on Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Pezeshkian leaves Iraq following US air strikes

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has left the Iraqi city of Najaf to return to Tehran, according to the IRIB broadcaster, following the US’s latest strikes.

Pezeshkian had been in Iraq to attend funeral rites for Khamenei, whose body had arrived in Najaf on Tuesday night. According to Press TV, Pezeshkian had also planned to hold high-level talks with Iraqi government officials.

The slain supreme leader’s coffin will be taken from Najaf to Iraq’s Karbala before it is returned to the Iranian city of Mashhad for burial on July 9.

US strikes Iran despite promised pause for Khamenei funeral

The US has launched new strikes on Iran despite a promise by Trump to pause attacks during the seven-day funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Washington says it was responding to attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

US says 80 targets hit in latest round of attacks against Iran

US Central Command says its forces have completed the latest round of strikes against Iran after hitting more than “80 targets with precision munitions”.

It said US forces struck Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, as well as anti-ship missile capabilities.

More than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the Strait of Hormuz were also hit “to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor”.

CENTCOM again said the strikes were in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

Iran, however, has neither denied nor confirmed carrying out those attacks.

Most US strikes in Iran hit civilian areas, IRIB reports

The state broadcaster reports that “most of the attacks” by the US in southern Iran have “targeted civilian areas”.

This comes as the US claims its military hit Iranian missile and defense systems in its latest attacks.

US says its forces ‘remain prepared to hold Iran accountable’

More from the CENTCOM statement.

It identified the three vessels that came under attack on Tuesday as “Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity”.

It described the attacks as “unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces” and said they are “a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation”.

It added: “CENTCOM forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed.”

Iran’s military pledges ‘crushing response’ to US attacks

The Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has strongly condemned the US strikes in southern Iran, labeling them a “blatant act of aggression” that took place during the funeral procession of the former supreme leader’s body in Iraq.

In a statement, the military warned that Iran’s military will deliver a “crushing response” to the US actions.

The military said Iran will not allow any outside interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

“It is reiterated that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz is the route designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the military added.

Iran warns of ‘decisive actions’ to safeguard national security

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, in a post on X, denounced the US’s decision to revoke the waiver on Iranian oil exports and condemned the recent US attacks on the country.

He said the actions constitute “blatant violations” of Article 1, 2 and 10 of the Islamabad MoU between Tehran and Washington.

The US has repeatedly violated the MoU, “due to the actions of the Zionist regime in Lebanon and threatening statements against Iran”, he said, referring to Israel’s attacks in Lebanon.

“Iran, while issuing a serious warning regarding the consequences of America’s breach of the agreement, will take decisive actions to safeguard its national interests and security,” he added.

Iran promises to respond as US strikes on Sirik leave casualties

In response to the US attacks, Iran's joint military headquarters of Khatam al-Anbiya said that this is a sign of a lack of commitment by the US to the MoU. They say that the Armed Forces of Iran will give a crushing response to the aggression and terrorist act of the US, and will not allow them to interfere in the affairs of the Strait of Hormuz.

And also, they reiterated that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz is the route determined by Iran.

This statement came after we received reports about several strikes happening in different locations, at least three locations in the southern areas of Iran, including six sounds of explosions in Qeshm Island, which is the largest island in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.

Also, in the Sirik port, which oversees the strait, we’ve got reports of between seven and nine strikes taking place, leaving several people injured, who were taken to hospital in Minab. Also, in Bandar Abbas, we’ve got at least 10 explosions, with several wharfs targeted and a telecommunication tower that was said to be attacked.

Crude prices surge after US strikes Iran

Oil prices have jumped, and bond futures have slid after the US launched strikes against Iran and reinstated trade sanctions in response to tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.

US crude futures climbed 2.7 percent to $72.40 per barrel, while 10-year Treasury futures fell by seven ticks as market participants factored in the potential for increased inflation and higher interest rates.

Iran says renewed US sanctions violate MoU

Iran sees [the return of oil sanctions] as a violation of the MoU, and that’s something that we heard from the deputy foreign minister of the country, who called it a violation of clause 10 of the agreement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement condemning this course of action and criticized the US for its untrustworthiness and inconsistency in its positions pertaining to Tehran.

The ministry criticized the US for the continued breach of the agreement, not only when it comes to this recent decision, but also the attacks by the Israelis on Lebanese territories. This is another important aspect of the MoU that Iranians have been putting emphasis on, calling for the halting of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

The statement also puts emphasis on the necessity of Iran’s continued control and authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and they are also talking about the repercussions of this decision by the US, saying that Iran is going to take firm actions to safeguard their national and security interests in this complicated situation.

US sanctions on Iranian oil exports to snap back on July 17

US officials… say that the attacks on the three ships break the understanding that the US and Iran had, hence Washington is going to reimpose those sanctions on the export of Iranian oil.

The waiver of the sanctions was introduced with the signing of the MoU, but US officials have continuously said that it was dependent on the behavior of Iran, and that sanctions would be rolled back as negotiations proceeded and as Iran showed its good faith in committing to the terms of the MoU.

The US says Iran is not doing so, and hence, it has now reintroduced those sanctions on the export of Iranian oil. This will come into full effect on July 17, according to US officials.

".. US officials have continuously said that it was dependent on the behavior of Iran .."

There is no such condition included as Paragraph 10 of the Memorandum of Understanding reads:

The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU and until the termination of sanctions, U.S. Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.

The US is violating this paragraph because its Treasury is using the sanctions as a weapon, which de facto affects the global oil and gas markets then people in their wallets.
 

Ghalibaf accuses US of ‘major violations’

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has listed several “major violations” of the MoU by the US in a post on X.

He said these are: “violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait”, “persistent threats of further strikes”, “reinstating oil sanctions”, “attacks on southern Iran” and “continued Zionist aggression” in Lebanon.

US-Iran skirmishes likely without a ‘comprehensive political settlement’

Sina Azodi, director of the Middle East Studies program at George Washington University, says the MoU is a ceasefire, not a peace deal, and skirmishes between the US and Iran are likely until a final settlement is agreed upon.

“This MoU is not a comprehensive political settlement. Rather, it is really a cessation of hostilities between Iran and the United States on all fronts,” he said.

“So, as long as we don’t have that peace agreement, skirmishes like this, miscalculations – even accidental fires – have the potential to reignite the conflict between Iran, the US, and quite frankly, the entire region.”

The MoU has genuine spoilers working against it, Azodi noted, including in Tehran, where some protesters have called for the death of the top negotiators, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, some Republicans have also criticized US President Trump over the MoU, he said.

“Look, I criticized President Trump for many reasons, but I think this memorandum of understanding was a good decision. It was a wise decision to end the war that stops the killing and brings stability to oil markets,” Azodi added.

Ghalibaf says ‘the era of bullying and extortion is over’

In response to Trump's announcement at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that the MoU is over, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said:

“The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere,” he wrote on X. “We don’t fold.”

Recap of the US attacks on Iran

• US Central Command (CENTCOM) says the military operations began on Tuesday in response to attacks on three commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which Washington has blamed on Iran. Tehran has neither confirmed nor denied carrying out the attacks.
• CENTCOM says its forces hit more than 80 targets, including air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, and antiship missile capabilities. More than 60 IRGC small boats were also targeted, it said.
• Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across strategic locations in southern Iran, including the port city of Sirik, Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas, and Kharg Island.
• Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster said “most of the attacks” targeted civilian areas, and that shrapnel from a projectile at the Sirik commercial pier wounded several people.
• Iran’s Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Headquarters strongly condemned the strikes as a “blatant act of aggression” and warned that the military would deliver a “crushing response”.
• It also said it will not allow any outside interference in the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers is the route designated by Iran.

Air raid sirens activated in Bahrain

The Ministry of Interior has told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

Air raid sirens blare across Kuwait

The state-run KUNA news agency says air raid sirens have been activated across the country.

Kuwait says responding to ‘hostile missile and drone attacks’

The Kuwaiti army has announced that it is responding to “hostile missile and drone attacks” and has urged the public to adhere to the authorities’ safety and security instructions.

The military confirmed in a statement that any explosions heard across the country were the result of successful interceptions.

IRGC says it downed US MQ-9 drone over Bushehr

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohbi says the force’s air defence systems shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Khormuj in Iran’s Bushehr province, according to the Tasnim news agency.

Mohbi said the drone was hit and brought down following what he described as aerial aggression by the US military.

‘This is a very precarious moment’

Harlan Ullman, the chairman of the Killowen Group and a retired US naval officer, says the US-Iran strikes are a “very serious” development that could widen into a regional war.

“This is a very precarious moment, and anything could happen, including an escalation,” he said.

“We’ll wait and see what happens in the next few days, but this is very, very serious. Yet, it’s in the interest of both sides to keep the lid more or less on, because a major regional war is in nobody’s interest.”

Ullman, who blamed Iran for the attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, said the assaults reflected a deliberate strategic calculation by Tehran. He noted they coincided with the multi-day funeral for the slain Iranian supreme leader as well as the NATO summit in Turkey.

“My view is that Iran is taunting the United States,” Ullman said, arguing that Tehran likely believes Washington will find itself limited in how it can respond, because any counterattacks could risk hitting funeral processions across the country, which would be seen as a war crime internationally.

“Iran is doing this for premeditated reasons, I believe, and that is to advance its position in negotiations by putting further pressure on the United States,” he said.

He added that the tensions will likely drive up global oil prices, which, in turn, “is going to exert further pressure” on Trump.

Events which have led to the latest US attack on Iran

• On June 23, Oman offers the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) an alternative route
• The United Nations, not the IMO, announced two new temporary corridors in the Strait of Hormuz, along the Omani coast, overseen by the US, for the evacuation of vessels stranded in the Gulf.
• Iran’s military immediately rejected the move, saying the route was announced without consultation, and warned ships to only use corridors approved by Tehran.
• Days later, two ships using the Omani route were attacked, forcing a halt to the IMO evacuation plan.
• The US responded with attacks on Iran’s southern coast on June 26 and 27, prompting Tehran to retaliate by firing missiles towards US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.
• The two sides halted hostilities on June 28, and held further indirect technical talks in Qatar on July 1.
• But on Tuesday, three more ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the US to launch more attacks against Iran. Iran retaliated with more strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait.
• Tehran insists that the MoU it signed with the US gives it the sole responsibility for overseeing and managing shipping in the strait, while Washington insists the agreement calls for Iran to facilitate toll-free and safe passage in the waterway.

Iran says targeted 85 US military sites in Bahrain, Kuwait

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says its naval and aerospace forces have carried out a joint missile and drone operation targeting 85 sites at “important US military facilities”.

The IRGC said the strikes targeted the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain and Ali Al-Salem airbase in Kuwait.

It said the operation was an “initial response” to what a US violation of the ceasefire and the Islamabad agreement, after US aerial attacks on coastal bases and nonmilitary stations in Hormozgan and Mahshahr earlier today.

The IRGC also linked the US attacks to the funeral procession for Iran’s slain supreme leader, saying Washington was trying to overshadow the “historical event”.

US reacting to Iran’s ‘violation of Article 5 of MoU’

David Des Roches, a former Pentagon director of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula affairs and a professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the US National Defense University, argues Iran has violated its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US by attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

He says that the relevant portions are Articles 4 and 5 of the MoU.

Under Article 4, “the US pledged to limit the reciprocal naval blockade of Iran and allow the sale of Iranian oil, which it did” while Article 5 states that “Iran will allow civilian shipping to proceed without fees and will make efforts to clear the shipping channels that have been blocked,” Des Roches said.

“So there was clearly a violation of Article 5 and it’s being met, first off, by a lifting of the waivers on sales of Iranian oil and then by attacks on the capability of Iran to attack shipping,” he said.

“What’s interesting, though, is that the United States has not reimposed the reciprocal naval blockade on Iran. So, this can be viewed as a limited retaliation for the attacks on the civilian ships.”

"..  will make arrangements,.."  describes only what the US expects from Iran, not how and with what Iran is supposed to do.

while

".. using its best efforts, for the safe passage of commercial vessels .." describes a quality of an achievement that the US demands.

So yes, Iran had made a arrangement

Sirens blare for the second time in Bahrain

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior says the “siren has been sounded” and has urged residents to “head to the nearest safe place”.

US attacks on Iran ‘mark largest strikes’ since truce in April

At least three cities, and multiple locations within them, were hit by US forces overnight.

Qeshm Island was one of the main targets, with at least seven locations hit. The city of Sirik, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz, was also struck, with six locations targeted. In Bandar Abbas, Iranian officials say 10 locations were hit, including telecommunications towers.

These were the largest US strikes on Iranian military assets since the ceasefire was agreed in April.

Iran’s chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the attacks as “major violations” of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Ghalibaf said the violations include what Tehran sees as US interference in Iran’s arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz, the continued threat of further US strikes, the reinstatement of sanctions on Iran’s oil sector and Israel’s continued violations of the memorandum in Lebanon.

He warned that “the era of bullying and extortion is over”, adding that such pressure “leads nowhere”.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Iran’s military response, saying it struck 85 key US military facilities across the region, including the US Fifth Fleet headquarters at Bahrain’s Salman Port and the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait.

The IRGC also claimed it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone over southern Iran.

Iran claims drone attack on Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base

The Iranian army says it launched a drone attack on US forces at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain following the US attacks on southern Iran.

“The consequences of the flagrant and repeated violation and breaking of the ceasefire with America are criminal, and all American bases in the region will be legitimate targets of military drones,” it said.

The statement came moments after Bahrain reported activating sirens for a second time this morning.

Earlier, the IRGC said it targeted 85 US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait over the attacks against Iran’s southern provinces.

‘The whole issue here is still the interpretation of the MoU’

The United States has retaliated on both the economic and military fronts in response to what it says are renewed Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Treasury Department issued a statement saying that it was reimposing the sanctions on the export of Iranian oil.

These sanctions had been waived with the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran, which was to provide the framework for negotiations on issues such as control of the Strait of Hormuz and the removal of the US naval blockade.

The department said that Iran has not met its obligations and, as such, will remove the waiver on those sanctions, imposing them again from July 17.

The US launched strikes at Iranian targets associated with control of the Strait of Hormuz. The US has been guiding ships to take the southern route which it says it protects. Iran is not granting passage to any ships that do not take the northern route, which is the one that it prefers. Meanwhile, ships cannot take the traditional route through the centre because it is believed to still be mined.

The whole issue here is still the interpretation of the MoU which each side says the other has broken.

paragraph 10

The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU and until the termination of sanctions, U.S. Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.

• There is no condition included.

".. to provide the framework for negotiations on issues such as control of the Strait of Hormuz (see what paragraph 5 says) and the removal of the US naval blockade." (see what paragraph 4 says)

Paragraph 4

Immediately upon the signing of this MOU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade, and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. 

Paragraph 5

The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.

Ex-MAGA figures slam US attacks on Iran

Some of the first criticism of the US’s latest attacks on Iran have come from former high-profile figures of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Republican lawmaker and Trump critic, questioned why the US was having to bomb Iran when it has claimed it has destroyed the Iranian military.

“We are back to bombing Iran during the ceasefire for the Iran war that is not a war because Iran bombed a vessel for crossing the Strait of Hormuz that they don’t control yet apparently control,” she wrote on X.

In a post laced with irony, she continued: “I’m so glad that Trump ran for president to end forever foreign wars otherwise I might start thinking this war that is not a war that we won like 40 times is starting to turn into another forever foreign war in the Middle East.”

Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said the attacks show the MoU with Iran “is effectively dead”.

“We are back to attempting to find a military solution to the SOH,” he wrote on X, referring to the Strait of Hormuz.

“The problem is we signed the MoU because there was no military solution & we needed the SOH open,” he said, adding, “Our best option is to walk away.”

NATO chief: ‘New attacks on Iran were absolutely necessary’

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has defended the latest round of US attacks on Iran, calling them “absolutely necessary” in light of what he described as Iranian violations of the ceasefire.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday before a NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Rutte said Washington’s forceful response was warranted given the circumstances.

“When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire, I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully react,” he said.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Bushehr, Mehr reports

Iran’s Mehr News Agency is reporting that several explosions were heard in the southern port city of Bushehr and its surrounding areas this morning.

The agency also denied reports of an attack on Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz, citing its correspondent based there.

Iran reports strikes on two military bases in Bushehr

Two military bases in Iran’s southern Bushehr province were hit by enemy projectiles, a security deputy to the province’s governor said, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

One base was struck in Dashti county and another near the town of Choghadak, both in Bushehr province, early on Wednesday, the official said.

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far as a result of the attacks, Fars said.

IRGC Navy reports member killed in US drone attack on Bandar Mahshahr

A member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy was killed during a confrontation with US drones in the southern port city of Bandar Mahshahr, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Sirens blare in Bahrain for the third time

The Bahraini Ministry of Interior has urged people to take shelter, saying moments ago that sirens have sounded in the country once again.

Bahraini official says air defences intercepted projectiles from Iran

Air raid sirens have sounded in Bahrain for a fourth time since dawn, according to Nabil al-Ahmar, media adviser to the Bahraini king.

Air defenses were dealing with Iranian attacks in the skies over Bahrain, al-Ahmar said in a post on X, adding that the Iranian “aggressions” had been destroyed.

Kuwait slams Iranian attack as ‘flagrant violation’ of sovereignty

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has condemned “in the strongest terms, the repeated sinful Iranian attacks on the State of Kuwait, the latest of which occurred this morning”.

In a statement, the ministry denounced the incident as “a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, a direct threat to its security, stability, and the safety of its citizens”, as well as “a grave violation of the rules of international law, the United Nations Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817”.

The ministry warned that “the continuation of these blatant attacks” at a time when diplomatic efforts are under way “constitutes a systematic undermining of de-escalation efforts”, while emphasizing that Kuwait’s security and sovereignty “are a red line that cannot be compromised”.

“The State of Kuwait [has an] inherent and legitimate right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and protect its security and stability,” it added.

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

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

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

Kuwait condemns Iranian attacks on Bahrain

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has condemned what it called “heinous” Iranian aggressions against Bahrain, calling them a flagrant violation of Bahraini sovereignty.

In a statement, the ministry said Kuwait categorically rejected the attacks and the dangerous escalation they represented, saying they undermined regional and international efforts to de-escalate tensions.

The ministry reaffirmed Kuwait’s support for Bahrain’s security and stability.

Kuwait says a number of power transmission lines out of service after Iran attacks

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity said several power lines went out of service after they were damaged by shrapnel from Iranian attacks.

The ministry said this had not affected the continuity of their services and emergency teams have started working on repairs.

The Kuwaiti army said it had detected two ballistic missiles and 13 drones in Kuwaiti airspace at dawn today, all of which were successfully intercepted. No casualties were reported.

Egypt condemns Iranian attacks on Gulf states

Egypt has strongly condemned Iran’s repeated attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain and other Gulf states, describing them as a flagrant violation of sovereignty and an unacceptable escalation that threatens regional stability.

In a Foreign Ministry statement issued on Wednesday, Cairo said it rejected all actions that infringe on the security of fellow Arab states and called for restraint and de-escalation to preserve peace in the region.

Egypt expressed full solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain and affirmed its support for them in confronting threats to their security, adding that the stability of the Gulf was an integral part of Egypt’s own security and that of the wider region.

“There is no justification or excuse for these repeated and reprehensible Iranian attacks,” the statement said.

See previous comment.

Qatar criticizes repeated Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, which it called a blatant violation of the sovereignty of both countries and a flagrant breach of international law.

In a post on X, the ministry stressed the need to spare the region the consequences of what it described as unjustified attacks, to continue the path of dialogue and diplomacy, and to de-escalate tensions.

See previous comment.

Senior UAE diplomat condemns Iran attacks on Gulf states

Iran’s attacks on Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and repeated aggression against Bahrain and Kuwait, show Tehran remains incapable of committing to the requirements of de-escalation and “turning the page on war”, senior UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash says.

“The Gulf Arab states cannot remain a target for Iran’s wavering between the logic of escalation and the path of rationality, stability and peace,” Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said in a post on X on Wednesday.

See previous comment.

Oman condemns attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and commercial ships

Oman’s Foreign Ministry has released a statement condemning Iran’s attacks on sites in Bahrain and Kuwait as well as on two commercial ships from Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement affirmed Oman’s solidarity with its neighboring countries and said increasing military tensions in the region threaten Oman’s safety and security. It also said the attacks threaten global trade networks and energy supplies.

Oman urged all parties involved to exercise “self-control”, refrain from escalating the situation and return to diplomacy.

See previous comment.

GCC chief: Iran attacks undermine regional peace efforts

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, describing them as a flagrant violation of the two countries’ sovereignty and a continuation of Tehran’s efforts to undermine regional peace efforts.

Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the strikes represented a direct threat to the safety of citizens and residents and a grave breach of international law and the UN Charter, according to a statement from the Riyadh-based bloc.

“The attacks confirm Iran’s continued approach aimed at undermining international and regional efforts to establish security and peace and resolve the crisis,” Albudaiwi said.

See previous comment.

EU foreign affairs chief criticizes Iran’s attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz

Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, has said on X that Iran’s attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait are “unacceptable” and that its attacks on ships near the strait violate the MoU and “threaten to disrupt the resumption of energy supplies”.

Kallas added that next Monday, EU and Gulf foreign ministers will meet to discuss how they can “work together to support the implementation of the agreement and preserve freedom of navigation in the Strait as well as the Red Sea”.

Iran condemns air strikes, warns neighbors against aiding US

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the “aggressive attacks and gross violation of the Memorandum of Understanding” by the United States following military strikes in southern Iran.

The ministry said that in the early hours of Wednesday, “the terrorist US military, in clear violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter, committed military aggression against several monitoring and surveillance centers on the southern coasts of Iran.” It noted that these strikes “constitute a flagrant violation of Paragraph 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Termination of War, which mandates the cessation of military operations”.

The statement also highlighted “the international legal obligation of all governments, particularly neighboring countries located on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf, to prevent aggressor parties from utilizing their territory and facilities to conduct aggressive acts against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” It added that “any cooperation in committing the crime of aggression against Iran constitutes complicity and participation in the crime”.

While reminding the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General of their responsibilities, the ministry emphasized that Iran’s armed forces “will not hesitate in defending Iran’s territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and national security against US military aggression in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and will target the source and origin of the aggression”, according to the statement.

We attacked ‘the very dangerous people from Iran’, says Trump

The US president told reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, that “we attacked very powerfully last night, the very dangerous people from Iran.”

He added: “They’re sick, there’s something wrong with them.”

Trump on the MoU: ‘I think it’s over’

The US president has just told reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara that he thinks the memorandum of understanding with Iran is “over”.

“It’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” said Trump.

More lines from Trump

• We hit them [Iran] very hard last night.
• I told them that every time you hit, we hit, and, of course, they’re dirty players, so they go after everyone, probably including me.
• We don’t like them. I don’t like them. They’re evil people, and it’s the denuclearization of Iran. And we’re going to denuke it.
• I’m not happy with NATO because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the number one state-sponsored terror, that’s Iran.

Tough words from Trump as he declares MoU ‘over’

President Trump, who was somewhat complimentary about the Iranian leadership just a few weeks ago, had some really tough words this time.

“There’s something wrong with them. They are sick. They are bad people. They are dirty players,” he said.

You can’t get much stronger than that. The comment that we’re all going to fix on: “To me, I think it’s over.”

But there were other comments in there: “I might let my wonderful negotiators keep talking.” So, is this just tough talk from Trump, trying to put a line down and say, “this is unacceptable and I’ve shown you my response”? Or does this mean he is really tearing up the Memorandum of Understanding that was agreed on about three weeks ago?

Oil prices jump 6 percent as Trump says ceasefire with Iran ‘over’

Oil prices surged and stocks fell after US President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding underpinning the ceasefire with Iran “was over” following an overnight exchange of attacks between the two sides.

Trump made the remarks while speaking at a NATO summit in Ankara.

Brent crude rose 6 percent to $78 a barrel, while European stocks fell 1.6 percent on the day. The dollar strengthened and government bond yields climbed, as investors weighed the risk of a renewed flare-up in inflation.

Trump criticizes NATO members over lack of support during Iran war

The US president has railed against NATO members over what he described as their lack of support for the US during its war with Iran, at the NATO summit in Ankara.

NATO chief Rutte, who was sitting beside Trump, said “5,000 planes were taking off from European airports in support” of the US operations in Iran, adding that Europe was “one big platform of power projection for the United States”.

Trump shot back that the UK wouldn’t allow all of its bases to be used, and Italy was “very bad” at supporting the US with bases.

Recap about what Trump said about Iran at NATO summit

• Speaking to reporters in Ankara, the US president said he thinks the memorandum of understanding with Iran is “over” and that “it’s just a waste of time” dealing with Tehran.
• He frequently referred to Iran using derogatory language, labelling them “scum” and “cuckoo” before stating “they’re sick people, they’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it”.
• Trump said he would speak to US envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been dealing with Tehran, but insisted it was up to Tehran to return to the table.
• The president accused the Iranians of repeatedly misrepresenting what had been agreed in the ceasefire, stating: “Everyone’s agreed, no nuclear weapon.
• We make a deal. They go outside, joke to the press, they say we never even talked about it. There’s something wrong with them.”
• Trump said he was “not happy” with NATO because some of its members didn’t want to help the US during its war on Iran.

Trump statement is definitely going to have repercussions in Tehran

Trump's statement, that the MoU is 'over', will have repercussions in Tehran. Last night’s attack was the largest since the ceasefire was agreed on in April.

The speaker of the parliament and the chief negotiator, Mohamad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that reinstating oil sanctions on Iran, attacks on southern Iran, and Israel’s continued aggression on Lebanon are all violations of the Memorandum of Understanding. He also said that ‘the era of bullying and extortion is over, it leads nowhere’.

The head of the Iranian technical team, Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said that the MoU is being violated, particularly Article 10, as the US revoked Iran’s license to sell oil.

The IRGC statement says that in response to the US attacks, they have targeted 85 US military facilities across the region, particularly in Bahrain and Kuwait. It also said that in the coming days, they are going to retaliate in a harsher way.

So, all of these strong statements were already in place and now that Donald Trump was at the NATO summit saying that as far as he’s concerned, the MoU is over, this is definitely going to have repercussions in Tehran.

As of now, Iranians are talking about violations of the MoU, but none of them have said that it’s over yet.

Iran says US attacks kill one in Khuzestan

Iranian authorities say overnight US attacks hit areas in Khuzestan province, killing one person and wounding two.

The attacks struck locations in the cities of Mahshahr, Imam Khomeini Port, and Hamidieh in the southwestern province, according to a provincial security official cited by Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s embassy in Japan accuses US of undermining MoU on multiple fronts

Iran’s embassy in Japan says the US has systematically undermined the MoU signed with Tehran less than three weeks ago, citing alleged violations spanning shipping rights in the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and military operations.

In a post on X, the embassy said Washington was “actively seeking to undermine” the Islamabad MoU by imposing what it called a parallel shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, which it said eroded Article 5 of the agreement, a clause it said gave Iran authority over arrangements for the safe passage of commercial vessels.

The embassy said a similar pattern was playing out in Lebanon, where it accused the US of bypassing Article 1 of the agreement and using a separate conditional peace track in Lebanon to force the disarmament of Hezbollah, in effect neutralizing the article’s unconditional ceasefire guarantees.

It also said Washington’s revocation of oil export waivers for Iran breached Article 10 of the MoU and the resumption of US military operations against Iran violated Articles 1 and 2.

“Iran’s patience with US actions was already running thin,” the embassy said, adding that Washington was “significantly miscalculating” and “geopolitical leverage is not a unilateral privilege” but reciprocal and “Iran has demonstrated that options are equally available.”

Iran military says anyone supporting US forces is ‘legitimate target’

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says that any source of support for the US military, in connection with aggression against Iranian sovereignty, would be considered a legitimate target for the country’s armed forces.

In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the headquarters, a command unit within Iran’s armed forces, said: “The origin of any support for the aggressive US Army in its aggression against the sovereignty and territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be a legitimate target for the Armed Forces.”

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

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

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

Iran says no damage to Bandar Abbas airport

The Hormozgan provincial airports administration says no damage was caused to infrastructure or equipment at Bandar Abbas International Airport despite US attacks on the city on Tuesday night.

Bandar Abbas, a port city on the Strait of Hormuz, is the capital of Hormozgan province and home to a major Iranian naval base.

Iran MP says US needs to ‘recognise new Iranian regime in Strait of Hormuz’

A senior Iranian parliamentarian says that the United States must “recognise the new Iranian regime in the Strait of Hormuz”, after the Revolutionary Guards announced strikes on 85 US military facilities in the region.

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee, made the comment on the social media platform X in response to the Guards’ announcement of what they described as an “initial response” to US aggression, according to state media.

“There is no other way: recognize the new Iranian regime in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

We believe that the issue on the Hormuz is more complicated and doesn't reflect Iran's view.

Iran ‘wants to enforce a new status quo in the Strait of Hormuz’

Muhanad Seloom, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, says that although the US has signaled that its current attacks on Iran are “limited”, they are “wider geographically this time around, more intense and reportedly more precise”, and if these attacks continue, “the MoU would be dead.”

According to Seloom, Iran “want[s] to enforce a new status quo where everything that goes through the Strait of Hormuz would have to go under the control of Iran” and pay a tax. He added that although Iran said it wants to coordinate with Oman, Oman has not shown a willingness to participate in the imposition of taxes.

Seloom said that by revoking Iran’s oil sanction waivers, the US is trying to assert control over the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and show that if Iran continues to restrict movement through the strait, the US will cause damage to its oil infrastructure and economy.

He said that, ultimately, Iran will not be able to hold all its oil “on tankers and on land” and would resort “either to using military force to export its oil or submit to US demands”.

Saudi tanker safe after Strait of Hormuz incident

Saudi Arabia’s national shipping carrier, Bahri, says its crude carrier Wadiyan was involved in an incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, but confirmed all crew were safe, the cargo secure and the vessel seaworthy.

The statement came on Wednesday after US Central Command announced air attacks against Iranian targets in retaliation for attacks on the Wadiyan and two other commercial vessels, the M/T Al Rekayyat and M/T Cyprus Prosperity.

CENTCOM said US forces used precision-guided munitions to hit more than 80 targets, including Iranian air defense systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites and anti-ship missile capabilities. The attacks also destroyed more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast-attack boats operating in and around the strait.

The operation aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacks on international shipping along the vital trade corridor, CENTCOM said.

Bahri said it had notified all relevant authorities immediately and was maintaining communication with the Wadiyan’s crew while monitoring developments. The company said the safety of personnel, protection of the marine environment and safe management of the tanker remained top priorities.

No injuries were reported among the crew or personnel on board, Bahri confirmed. The Wadiyan is in serviceable condition with its cargo secure, it added.

Iran says Indian oil tanker turned back from Omani route through Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency says an Indian oil tanker has been turned back from the Omani corridor in the Strait of Hormuz.

On June 24, Oman and the UN’s International Maritime Organization announced a temporary corridor in the strait along the Omani coast that would be overseen by the US for the evacuation of vessels stranded in the Gulf.

Fars said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continues to warn ships intending to use the Omani corridor via radio communications, ordering them to use the corridor designated by Iran instead.

Fars said ship tracking showed all vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz this morning traveled along the corridor approved by Iran.

Trump’s rhetoric might not translate into ‘permanent actions’

The US president has changed the rhetoric of diplomacy completely, but his words do not necessarily translate to “permanent actions”, according to Zeidon Alkinani, founding director of the Arab Perspectives Institute.

Trump is “a very unusual character in the history of world politics, particularly someone in such a sensitive political position”, Alkinani said.

“There’s been a massive transformation, a surreal transformation in the language and rhetoric of diplomacy, compared to what we’ve been used to,” Alkinani said, pointing to Trump’s February 2025 Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, whom Trump and his vice president criticized relentlessly in front of cameras.

“The Iranians, like many other countries engaging with the US as an ally or not, are fully aware that Trump is a very reactionary person and many of these comments don’t necessarily translate into permanent actions,” Alkinani said.

He added that Trump had previously called for regime change in Iran before later signaling openness to negotiating directly with “the very same regime he claimed he wanted to change”.

Israeli military says it is ‘prepared for any development in Iran’

Israel is closely monitoring developments in the Gulf, but is not surprised by the escalation as it believes that Iran will be unable to meet US demands, an Israeli military source has told the Israeli outlet Maariv.

“The IDF (Israeli army) is prepared for any development in Iran. We are at the same levels of alert and readiness as we were yesterday and the day before,” the source said. “If we are required to act whether in offence or defense, we are ready.

“At the moment, it is the Americans who are conducting the negotiations, and they are also the ones who acted in Iran last night,” the source added.

Iran ‘cannot tolerate’ military attacks on its infrastructure

Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies in Tehran, about Trump’s declaration that the MoU is “over”.

“Iran is not seeking war. Iran is the victim. The United States and Israel are the aggressors, and now you see Trump effectively killing the memorandum of understanding he signed himself,” Dareini said.

He added that US military actions have taken “the situation back to before the MoU” and escalations “beyond control” are now likely.

Dareini argued that Iran could “go for a horizontal war, meaning a wide geographical area throughout the Middle East,” because although “Iran doesn’t want war, it cannot tolerate these smaller-scale military attacks aimed at targeting the infrastructure that allows Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz”.

"Iran is not seeking war. Iran is the victim."

With the secret 1942 Manhattan Project, the nuclear militarization is a invention of the United States, and inflamed the rise of nuclear powers in the world, including the Israelis since 1956.

In 1968, and a year after they already possessed nuclear weapons, the then-Israeli PM Menachem Begin said during his speech at the UNGA that 'one' must make sure that no enemy has a reactor. But no nation had a nuclear enemy at that time.

Iran became the victim since 2010

IMO chief urges restraint as 6,000 seafarers remain stranded in Gulf

About 6,000 seafarers remain stranded on hundreds of ships in the Gulf, the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) says while calling on all sides to exercise maximum restraint and de-escalate.

In a statement, Arsenio Dominguez condemned the attacks over the past two days on several ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strikes had placed innocent seafarers in grave danger.

“No seafarer should have to risk their life simply for doing their job,” Dominguez said, urging flag states, shipowners and operators to avoid transiting the waterway as long as the safety of crews cannot be assured.

He said the attacks have deepened the fear, uncertainty and psychological strain already endured by the nearly 6,000 seafarers unable to safely leave the Gulf.

“The safety of seafarers must remain our foremost priority,” he said.

NATO would ‘need to change their philosophy entirely’ to join US in opening Strait of Hormuz

To Iran, “this war was an existential threat. As President Trump said, they came to end Iranian civilization, and Iran was able to deter such a war,” Alam Saleh, a lecturer at the Australian National University, has said.

Saleh said “NATO now is another failure for President Trump since he could not convince them during the war, and after the war, and he won’t be able to convince them to join the coalition in Ankara [because] NATO is defensive in nature and its collective security is regionally defined.

“Now, in order to join the United States in opening the Strait of Hormuz, they need to change their philosophy entirely to be offensive, and to be global actors, to shift into an organization with global missions, which is not possible,” he added.

Trump did not mention Spain or Iran MoU during NATO summit, source says

US ⁠President ⁠Donald Trump did not repeat his criticism ⁠of Spain or his ⁠declaration of the termination of an interim ceasefire deal with Iran ‌during an alliance leaders’ summit in Ankara on Wednesday, a source familiar with the talks told ⁠the Reuters news agency.

Earlier, Trump ordered ⁠a halt to trade with Spain over defense ⁠spending and its position on the war ⁠in Iran.

Iran’s Sirik port damaged, 4 people injured in overnight strike

A military strike on the strategic port of Sirik in southern Iran has injured four people and heavily damaged maritime infrastructure, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports.

The attack was part of a broader wave of overnight hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz region.

The Sirik attack, which occurred in two waves inside the port basin, severely damaged one of the facility’s primary floating piers, IRNA quoted Hamidreza Mohammadhosseini Takhti, head of ports and maritime affairs for eastern Hormozgan province, as saying. Local commercial vessels and nearby telecommunications towers were also hit, the report said.

One person sustained critical injuries and was evacuated to a hospital in Minab while three others were treated for minor wounds at the scene, Mohammadhosseini Takhti told the state news agency.

The incident followed reported overnight operations by the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) that targeted multiple locations across Hormozgan, including Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, after weeks of heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

While operations at Sirik have been disrupted, neighboring shipping hubs, including the ports of Jask and Tiab, remain functional under heightened security protocols, IRNA reported.

NATO chief: ‘New attacks on Iran were absolutely necessary’

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has defended the latest round of US attacks on Iran, calling them “absolutely necessary” in light of what he described as Iranian violations of the ceasefire.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday before a NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Rutte said Washington’s forceful response was warranted given the circumstances.

“When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire, I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully react,” he said.

NATO leaders say Iran should not possess nuclear weapons

NATO Alliance leaders have renewed their affirmation of the necessity that Iran not possess nuclear weapons at their meeting in Ankara.

NATO calls on Iran to respect Hormuz navigation

According to the NATO summit’s final statement issued in Ankara, leaders have agreed to develop the alliance’s military capabilities, including air and missile defense, and pledged to increase defence spending and expand military-industrial capacity.

The alliance called on Iran to respect freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and reiterated that Iran must not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon.

NATO leaders had gathered in Ankara for a summit already overshadowed by the escalating conflict between the US and Iran, with President Trump using the sidelines to declare the Iran ceasefire MOU “over”.

Trump on Iran: US will probably hit them again Wednesday night

The US president says he will likely engage in additional strikes on Iran on Wednesday night after attacks the previous day.

“I’ll give a little warning: We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump: Iranians ‘behaving very badly’

The US President has been taking questions from reporters alongside his Ukrainian counterpart in Ankara, Turkiye.

He also said that he is “not happy with what the Iranians are doing”, adding that he does not seek regime change but that the US does not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon.

Trump says US may ‘de-nuclearlise’ Iran ‘without a deal’

“It’s de-nuclearization of Iran”, the US president said of what the US’s goals are in Iran, expressing frustration with the Iranian negotiating team, saying that it “lied” about what was discussed during closed-door meetings.

“I don’t even know if we’re going to have a deal, we may just do it without a deal, because you know what? It’s easier”, Trump said, without elaborating how the US would achieve its aims outside of negotiation.

Trump says unsure if any future deal with Iran will ‘stick’

The US president cast doubt on the durability of any future nuclear agreement with Iran.

“I’m not sure it will with Iran. If we make a deal with Iran, I’m not sure that will stick, because I found them to be very dishonorable people,” he told reporters.

Trump: Iranian leaders were worried US was going to kill them at Khamenei funeral

The US president has blamed Iran for the recent escalation of attacks between the two sides, saying that they asked for a “timeout” during the week-long funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war.

“They asked for a timeout, they wanted to go to the funeral of Khamenei, and I said give it to them, and they start shooting missiles”, Trump said.

“I mean, it was a crazy thing. Now we did kill him, so I guess you have to look at it that way”, he conceded.

“They also asked that we not kill them, and we said we’re not going to kill you”, during the funeral, Trump added.

Trump says strikes on Iran had ‘tremendous impact’

The latest US strikes on Iran had “a tremendous impact”, Trump told reporters in Ankara, claiming they destroyed radar systems Tehran was rebuilding, providing no evidence for his claims.

He warned the US could escalate further. “Their electric manufacturing facilities, electric plants… if we have to, we’ll take them out,” and added, “Desalinisation plants … we’ll take them out if we have to. I hate to do that.”

He also said that the US could “take over” Kharg Island, a strategically important island off Iran’s coast, and that there would be “nothing” Iran could do about it.

Trump says US may re-impose blockade on Iran

“We may put down the blockade, … and it’ll only be a blockade for Iran,” he told reporters.

“Anybody else can have whatever they want, of course. They’ll [Iran] drop some mines if they can … but it’s hard because we’re taking out those little boats now with the same weapon we use to take out the drug lords.”

He also said that the US’s allies in NATO would send minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz.

IRGC has struck nearly 85 locations in Bahrain, Kuwait after US attacks

Trump’s statements have drawn sharp criticism from both military and civilians leaders in Iran. Parliamentary leader Ghalibaf posted on social media earlier that Trump’s statements will get a reaction from Iran. President Masoud Pezeshkian has also condemned Trump’s threats.

Iran’s foreign ministry, pertaining to the latest spate of attacks, said that this is a clear violation of the MoU with the US and a major handicap moving forward.

The IRGC, concerning the military reaction to these latest attacks by the US in southern Iran, said it has struck close to 85 locations in Bahrain and Kuwait in response, including the US Fifth Fleet and the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. Iran’s military leadership has promised a crushing response.

Iranian officials have maintained that the management of the Strait of Hormuz is a monopoly and will only be managed by Iran and the corresponding states, such as Oman in the Gulf.

The other concern is the US ending the waiver on Iranian oil, and this has exacerbated the situation for the Iranians. We also see people rallying behind their leaders during this attack, especially as it has come during the funeral ceremony for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed by the US war coalition.

Macron says Iranian strikes violated MoU with US

French ⁠President ⁠Macron said Iranian strikes on US ⁠bases were in violation of the interim accord between the two countries.

He also said that Iran’s decision to carry out these attacks was a “mistake”, but that negotiations between Iran and the US would continue.

"..  will make arrangements,.."  describes only what the US expects from Iran, not how and with what Iran is supposed to do.

while

".. using its best efforts, for the safe passage of commercial vessels .." describes a quality of an achievement that the US demands.

So yes, Iran had made a arrangement in its own way because no detailed specification was added in which the US explains how it would see Tehran should make an arrangement.

" .. Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman .."

Oman offered on June 23rd, and without Iran's consent, the IMO an alternative route, where the US was behind that move. This is the cause, not Iran.

‘Unclear how latest round of US-Iran violence will play out’

It’s not the first time President Trump has done this during this war between the US and Iran; it was two months ago when he threatened renewed violence during a round of negotiations between the two countries as they tried to negotiate this ceasefire period and then there were attacks on Iranian targets.

So it is not uncommon for hostilities to resume between the two sides during negotiations. We don’t know what shape or form this round of violence might take.

US CENTCOM isn’t giving reporters specifics or details about looming attacks, but this is not the first time the US government has given a clear signal that it is planning to launch strikes again, against Iranian targets.

The US public has been growing increasingly opposed to the war against Iran. It is not exactly at the top of people’s minds or high in the public discourse, because of other issues that are preoccupying the public.

Iran signals defiance as Trump fumes over Strait of Hormuz strikes

Iran has insisted on exercising control in the Strait of Hormuz after another flare-up of attacks that prompted the US president to lash out against Iranian leaders.

Trump, in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for a NATO summit, told reporters he considers the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that Tehran and Washington signed last month to be over and called Iranian authorities “sick” and “scum” after several ships were hit with drones in the waterway.

The US military attacked southern Iran on Wednesday morning – 20 times harder than Iran’s strikes, according to Trump – and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army launched projectiles towards Bahrain and Kuwait while shooting down a US drone.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Washington of violating provisions of the MoU dealing with the cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and parts of the agreement relating to respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Trump says oil prices to raise ‘a little’ as a result of Iran attacks

“Any time we hit [Iran], the price goes up a little bit, $2”, the US president says of the result of the US’s strikes on Iran over the last day.

He agreed with a reporter who asked if renewed violence between the US and Iran might cause the price of oil to rise, insisting that the rise will be limited to $2

Gulf states don’t want any blockades in Hormuz

This all started after those tankers were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman. A Qatari LNG tanker was hit; a Saudi crude oil tanker was hit. This summary showed the condemnation from across the Gulf.

In Qatar, the Foreign Ministry summoned the deputy Iranian ambassador and handed him a protest note, condemning the attack and calling for an explanation for why the tanker was hit and also demanding that Iran immediately cease all practices that undermine regional security and violate international maritime navigation.

For Gulf states, the Strait of Hormuz needs to have free-flowing access. They’ve been saying from the start of this war that no country, including Iran, can impede that waterway.

US ‘adventurism will be met with immediate response’: Ali Akbar Velayati

Senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, has blamed the US for the resumption of hostilities in the Gulf region.

Velayati posted on his X account that Trump’s “verbal admission” of canceling the US-Iran MoU had once again “driven the region towards fire”.

“We had previously warned that the region is not a place for the political gambling of small countries, and we have repeatedly proven that adventures are met with an immediate response”, he wrote.

The advisor further stated that Iran had “its finger on the trigger”, and would not remain “silent against humiliation and adventurism”.

Erdogan hopeful on US-Iran MoU but warns against ‘provocations’

Turkish President Erdogan has expressed hope that the US-Iran MoU would help bring peace to the region.

“Turkiye remained optimistic but cautious”, he said while addressing a news conference at the NATO Summit in Ankara alongside French President Macron.

But Erdogan warned that measures “must be taken against provocations”.

Iranian officials condemn US strikes, warn of retaliation

There are no public signs confirming that another round of US air strikes is imminent, at least for the time being.

Khatam al-Anbiya has threaten with what they describe as a crushing response if Iran comes under further attack by Washington.

Senior Iranian officials have accused the US of violating the memorandum of understanding (MoU), namely the Foreign Ministry and the speaker of parliament and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says the attacks violate Article 1 of the MoU relating to the ceasefire, Article 5 – related to the management of the Strait of Hormuz, which states that Iran is responsible for managing passage through the waterway – and Article 10, which pertains to a waiver on Iranian oil exports.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a lifeline for Iran, with more than 90 percent of the country’s energy exports passing through it. So far, officials have strongly condemned the US attacks, while the IRGC has also vowed to retaliate.

Eight Iranian troops reportedly killed in US attacks

Iran’s state news agency IRNA says eight members of the country’s armed forces were killed in US strikes on southern Iran.

According to IRNA, the personnel from the Iranian army’s air and naval forces were killed in Bandar Abbas and Bushehr.

More than 20 warships patrol waters ‘across the Middle East’, US army says

US Central Command (CENTCOM) says more than 20 US Navy warships are currently operating “across the Middle East” as part of efforts to maintain regional security.

In a post on X, CENTCOM added that recent naval movements demonstrated “unmatched American military strength and firepower”.

These warships are only in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.

Iran must speak to Trump ‘in his own language’, deputy foreign minister says

Kazem Gharibabadi says Trump’s latest remarks on Iran reflected the failure of Washington’s policy toward Tehran.

In a post on X, Gharibabadi said Trump’s comments, including threats of further attacks, were “not a sign of strength, but rather an admission of the failure of a policy built on brute force, sanctions, and threats for years”.

He added that Iran must respond to Trump in “his own language … apparently, he understands the language of force better.”

Not even a single American soldier will return alive: Iran parliamentary spokesman

Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesman of the Iranian parliament’s Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, has issued a warning to US military personnel on his X account after Trump threatened to invade Iran’s Kharg Island.

Rezaei wrote that “not even a single American soldier will return alive”, responding to Trump’s threat during the NATO summit in Ankara.

“Come on, we’re waiting for you”, Rezaei said.

India ‘deeply concerned’ about recent Iran-US attacks

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has expressed deep concern about the recent US – Iran violence in the Strait of Hormuz.

India urged all sides to “exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and ensure protection of civilians as well as the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies and commerce”.

The ministry said the attacks risked undermining regional peace, security and stability.

US violated MoU terms through unilateral actions and attacks: Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has lashed out at the US for violating the terms of its MoU with Iran.

Baghaei wrote in a post on X, “The United States… violated the agreement’s structure through its unilateral actions and aggressive attacks against Iran” by going against the MoU’s fifth clause, “which emphasizes the Islamic Republic of Iran’s responsibility in determining arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz”.

Baghaei said Iran will defend its national interests and exercise sovereignty.

UN chief urges US-Iran de-escalation

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants the US and Iran to de-escalate tensions and resume talks, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric has told a briefing.

“The secretary-general calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid any further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to de-escalate”, Dujarric said.

‘We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action’: Iranian FM

Iran’s foreign minister has responded to Trump’s remarks at the NATO Summit in Ankara in a post on X.

Araghchi said Iranians “do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valor”.

Pakistan urges Iran, US to uphold MoU commitments

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on the US and Iran to uphold commitments as part of the MoU signed last month.

In a statement issued on X, the ministry urged all parties to exercise restraint and “refrain from any actions that may further undermine regional peace and stability”.

Pakistan and Qatar jointly hosted the so-called Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony held in Switzerland in June.

Meloni reiterates Italy’s refusal to engage in attacks on Iran

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy will not take part in military operations against Iran, reiterating Rome’s position amid escalating tensions in the region.

“We have had a very clear line from the beginning of the conflict in Iran … we will not participate in attacks against Iran,” Meloni told reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara.

In March, Italy denied permission for US military aircraft bound for the Middle East to land at the Sigonella ⁠air base in Sicily.

Unclear if the US will carry out second night of strikes on Iran

The US military has said that while the blockade it had been imposing is not in effect, it does reserve the right to defend the right of commercial shippers to transit the Strait of Hormuz without any outside interference.

Iran, of course, has been trying to say that it controls the waters through the Strait of Hormuz, and thus has the right not only to delay or to deny passage, but to charge tolls as well, something the US objects to now.

Whether the US military is going to carry out a second night of strikes is really anyone’s guess at this point. But the last time that the US president telegraphed this sort of action would happen, it did happen a couple of months ago.

Iran and US entering ‘volatile’ phase of diplomacy and deterrence

Tehran and Washington have entered a “volatile phase of parallel diplomacy and deterrence” following the end of immediate fighting, according to Iran analyst Negar Mortazavi.

The memorandum of understanding “ended the immediate fighting, but it did not settle the core disputes”, Mortazavi, Center for International Policy senior fellow and host of The Iran Pod cast, said.

She added that both sides are now “testing its limits on the ground”, as the US and Iran seek to shape the future of the agreement.

Moreover, Mortazavi said Tehran remains committed to negotiations but is seeking to maintain leverage through military pressure.

“The negotiating channel remains open because Tehran still sees value in pursuing a broader agreement,” she said, adding that Iran’s strategy is “diplomacy backed by leverage”.

Mortazavi said there is deep skepticism in Tehran about Washington’s intentions, with some officials viewing the current agreement as “less a pathway to peace than a pause”.

She warned the coming months could see “recurring flare-ups rather than either lasting peace or all-out war”.

Oil prices surge, stocks down after Trump says Iran ceasefire over

The price of oil is rising worldwide after Trump’s remarks on ending the ceasefire with Iran at the NATO summit in the Turkish capital.

The price of a barrel of Brent crude rose 5.8 percent to $78.43.

Meanwhile, global stock markets witnessed marginal losses, with the S&P 500 index down 0.3 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 1 percent in afternoon trading on Wednesday.

The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 index ended down 1.66 percent and Europe’s Stoxx 600 fell 1.61 percent.

Germany’s DAX lost 2.3 percent and France’s CAC fell 2.18 percent at closing.

Vance threatens Iran over Hormuz closure

US Vice President Vance has threatened Iran with a military response if it attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz.

“If Iran tries to close the strait down, there’s going to be a response for the American military. That’s the deal,” said Vance.

“The basic deal that we cut was, we’ll lift our blockade if you stop shooting at ships, but if you shoot at ships, we are going to punch back.

“They can either follow it, or they can have exactly what happened last night. It’s just gonna keep on happening until they open up that lane and stop shooting at ships,” Vance told a news briefing in Washington, DC.

Two fishermen reportedly killed in US strikes

The CEO of the Hormozgan Cooperative Companies Union says two fishermen were killed and two wounded by a US strike on the Kohstak pier in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, Mehr news agency is reporting.

Iran, Qatar stress diplomacy to prevent regional ‘escalation’

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani have discussed in a phone call the latest regional developments, with a particular focus on the recent events in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, the two officials “exchanged views on regional developments, especially the recent events in the Strait of Hormuz, and some issues of concern to the parties”

The ministry said both sides “emphasised the importance of using diplomatic capacities to pursue regional issues” and agreed on “continuing contacts and coordination to prevent the escalation of tensions in the region”.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Bandar Abbas, Sirik, state-linked media reports

Iran’s Mehr and Fars news agencies are reporting the sounds of explosions in the two locations in southern Iran, near its Gulf coast.

Iranian forces deploying air defenses against ‘hostile targets’

Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reports air defenses are engaging what it described as “hostile targets” near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

The news agency is also reporting explosions near Konarak and Chabahar.

US confirms conducting another wave of strikes on Iran

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) says on X that, at President Trump’s direction, its forces “have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.

This comes after explosions were reported by Iranian semi-official media in southern coastal Iran.

In its X post announcing the current wave of strikes on Iran, the US’s Central Command says that these attacks are meant to hold Iran “accountable” for its recent “aggression”.

“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” CENTCOM said.

Attacks come shortly after Trump’s threats in Turkiye

The semiofficial local news agencies are reporting sounds of explosions in Bandar Abbas and on Sirik island in southern Iran. The source of the explosions has not yet been identified.

This comes shortly after threats made by Trump during the NATO summit in Ankara earlier today. It also comes less than 24 hours after the latest wave of US strikes targeted several locations in southern Iran, including military facilities, radar systems and other sites.

The headquarters, which serves as the central command of the Iranian armed forces, has vowed to retaliate, saying there will be a “strong response” against US forces.

US-Iran ceasefire in jeopardy as Trump shifts to military retaliation

While the US president said that the war is over and he doesn’t want to deal with Iran anymore, he essentially shut down any future opportunity to negotiate with that memorandum of understanding.

Something the framework created was a ceasefire that would lead to broad negotiations, but with his language, which was extremely derogatory towards the Iranians – that they were “cuckoo” – the US president certainly leaned towards the military option, which the US is exercising as we speak.

But again, the US insists that this is retaliatory.

Since the signing of the memorandum of understanding opening that 60-day window to allow for broader negotiations, the US has insisted that any uptick in conflict and military clashes is the result of Iran exercising sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, which the White House insists is an international waterway and necessary for the global economy.

Power cuts in Chabahar after reports of explosions

Iran’s IRNA is reporting power cuts in Chabahar after reports of explosions from the area.

Explosions reported from Bushehr province

Explosions are now being reported from Iran’s southwestern Bushehr province, according to the country’s Mehr news agency.

Eight blasts reported in Iran’s Bandar Abbas

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB says eight explosions were heard in the southern port city, with air defense systems activated as a result.

Trump had threatened Iran with ‘hard strikes’ ahead of latest attacks

Before the latest US strikes on Iran, Trump had threatened the country earlier today while attending the NATO summit, stating that he would likely engage in additional strikes on Iran on Wednesday night.

“I’ll give a little warning: We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Turkiye.

This morning, the US president also told reporters that the MoU with Tehran was “over” before firing off a series of insults.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”

More explosions reported in Iran

Explosions have now been reported on Iran’s island of Abu Musa, according to Press TV.

It added that three explosions were also heard near Tahrouyi village in Iran’s southern city of Sirik.

More attacks target port area in Chabahar

Iran’s Mehr news agency is reporting that US air strikes targeted two marine piers and a maritime traffic control tower in the Iranian port city of Chabahar.

The news agency also says that separate US attacks on Bushehr province in southern Iran did not cause damage to the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Iran warns of ‘crushing response’ after US strikes

This is the second consecutive night of escalation in southern Iran, where several port cities and islands have come under what Iranian officials describe as US air strikes.

Last night, explosions were reported in Kish, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr province and the important port city of Sirik. Tonight, similar reports are emerging, but the geographical scope appears to have expanded.

Air defense systems were activated on Kish island, where explosions have also been reported, although there is still no confirmed information about the exact locations that were targeted. Kish is Iran’s largest island near the Strait of Hormuz and plays what Tehran sees as a critical role in maintaining its control and authority over the strategic waterway.

There are also reports of explosions and power cuts in Chabahar, one of Iran’s key ports in the southeast. Unlike last night, Chabahar had not previously been reported among the areas targeted.

Both diplomatically and militarily, Iran has responded with strong warnings. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran would take firm action to safeguard the country’s national security. Iranian officials also describe the strikes as a violation of the MoU.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Joint Military Headquarters has warned there will be repercussions, saying Iran’s armed forces will deliver a “crushing response” to the latest round of US strikes.

Power being restored in Chabahar after attacks: Iranian media

Iran’s ISNA news agency reports that two of the three power lines cut off by US air strikes on Chabahar have now been restored.

The report says the third power line will soon be operational.

Eight explosions heard in Bandar Abbas: Iran’s state TV

Iran’s state TV is reporting eight explosions to have been heard in the port city of Bandar Abbas.

Its reporter said two projectiles hit Sirik port and two also exploded in the vicinity of Jask port.

Explosions heard in Iran’s southeastern city of Iranshahr

Iran’s Mehr news agency reports that explosions have been heard in the southeastern city of Iranshahr.

Attacks on Chabahar targeted maritime traffic control and a depot: Iranian media

Iran’s Fars news agency, quoting a local official, says attacks on the southeastern port of Chabahar targeted maritime traffic control and a depot.

Vehicles evacuated from Chabahar Free Zone after US attacks

The head of the Chabahar Free Zone Organization, which operates Iran’s only oceanic port – that serves as a critical global trade hub – says authorities have begun evacuating vehicles stored in warehouses following the US attacks on areas in Chabahar, according to Iran’s state broadcaster.

He said about 300 vehicles had been removed from the warehouses as of midnight, with the operation set to continue until dawn to release and transport another 100 vehicles.

Firefighter killed in attack on Iranshahr airport: IRNA

A firefighter has been killed after an attack on facilities at Iranshahr airport in southeastern Iran, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA.

The deputy governor of Sistan and Baluchestan province and governor of Iranshahr said four loud explosions were heard across the city at about 12:30am local time (21:00 GMT, Wednesday).

After field inspections, he said projectiles were found to have hit the airport’s flight facilities building and meteorological station, damaging both structures.

The official said emergency teams arrived at the site immediately, but that Khaled Qaderi, a firefighter who was on duty, was killed in the attack.

Iran supreme leader’s adviser warns enemies will be ‘severely punished’

Mohsen Rezaee, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, has posted a Quranic verse on X, which states: “So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he assaulted you.”

He added that “the aggressor enemy and its accomplices will be severely punished”.

US bombing to ‘get much worse’ if Iran doesn’t halt attacks: Trump

Trump says the latest strikes were carried out in retaliation for what he described as Iran’s bombing of ships a day earlier.

“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” Trump wrote on social media, where he also published photos and videos claiming to show the aftermath of the attacks on Iran.

US strikes retaliation to Iran attacks on ships: Ex-Pentagon official

The US strikes were likely launched in response to the Iranian attacks on neutral civilian ships that were transiting Omani territorial waters, says David Des Roches, former Pentagon NATO operations director.

“The MoU required the US to lift its reciprocal blockade of Iran’s ports – which it did – [and it] required the US to waive sanctions for the Iranian sale of oil – which it did – and it required Iran to not interfere with civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” Des Roches said.

When Iran attacked these ships, Tehran was trying to instill a new normal beyond the terms of the MoU, in which ships had to go through Iranian waters, and Iran would attack them if they did not, he explained.

“That’s unacceptable to President Trump. So these strikes are a retaliation to that action,” said Des Roches.

He said the Iranian response will be “typical”.

“It’s also quite possible that the attacks on the neutral civilian ships were launched by a Revolutionary Guard faction that was trying to derail the diplomatic process,” he added.

Iran MoU a ‘glaring indictment of US failure’ in Iran campaign

Trump has dragged the US and its regional allies into “an impossible situation” vis-a-vis Iran, according to retired Lieutenant General Tariq Khan, the former commander of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps.

Khan said the latest violence had a lot to do with Trump’s inability to “force his will on the outcome of the negotiations”.

“The MoU with Iran stands out as a glaring indictment of a massive US failure,” said Khan. He said it was one reason for “Trump’s erratic, spontaneous and odd behaviour because a political solution to this war has not been achieved”.

Speaking on the renewed violence between the US and Iran, Khan said Trump had run out of options. “The US has tried the air campaign and failed, and now Trump is foolishly implying a ground invasion. For that to happen, assembly and concentration of at least 300,000 or so troops would be needed.”

During a news conference earlier today in Ankara, Turkiye, Trump implied that he is considering ordering a “takeover” of Iran’s strategically important Kharg Island, saying that there would be nothing Iran could do to stop it.

“Trump may want to walk away from this conflict, which is the only solution to immediate peace, but he cannot,” he said.

“Has Trump been played by Israel, has he been intimidated, blackmailed and coerced into doing what he now knows is not a winnable situation? We do not know,” Khan added.

Trump trying to contain strikes to maintain political support

The majority of polls tend to show that the majority of Americans are not in favor of a prolonged conflict.

But these strikes are somewhat different – at least that is what the White House is arguing – in that these are limited in scale and scope and are, as the US president put it, retribution for the attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Politically, as long as the US president frames this as a limited action with the MoU still intact, there is likely to be better support for the president and his actions.

But at the same time, the US president has also intimated, as well as the vice president, JD Vance, that if Iran continues to strike, there will be further military air strikes by the US in so-called retaliation.

So, it is a very dangerous precipice the US president is on, given he is trying to contain these strikes.

Global economy resilient to war shock but impact lingers, international agencies say

The global economy has been “broadly resilient” to the shock from the US-Israel war on Iran, but some effects of the conflict could linger, according to a joint statement from the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group and World Trade Organization.

“Overall, the impact has been highly uneven, affecting energy supplies, food security, various commodities, and economic activity across many countries and regions and creating deeper concerns about growth and price stability,” the statement read.

The organisations pushed for further progress toward a resolution to the conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

While fuel and fertiliser prices have dropped since June, uncertainty remains high, with energy markets and transit of goods still facing strains, the organisations said.

“Governments and the international community should remain vigilant and continue to work together to uphold the principle of freedom of navigation in the Strait and globally, support economic recovery, protect jobs and livelihoods, strengthen energy and food security, including through improving port infrastructure and trade facilitation, and increase broader resilience to future shocks.”

Recap of today

• US forces have launched “additional strikes” on Iran, with the US military’s Central Command saying the attacks were designed “to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.
• Iranian media reported explosions in Sirik, Bushehr, Konarak and Chabahar, with air defense systems activated in several areas.
• President Trump says the latest strikes were carried out in retaliation for what he described as Iran’s bombing of ships a day earlier. “If it happens again, it will get much worse!” Trump wrote on social media.
• This morning, the US president also told reporters that the MoU with Tehran was “over” before firing off a series of insults.
• In response to Trump’s comments at the NATO summit, Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi said Iranians “do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valor”.