• US President Donald Trump says talks with Iran are under way, warning that the negotiations are Tehran’s “last chance” to secure a deal and end the five-month conflict.
• Tehran denies talks with Washington, saying it is speaking to Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. It says progress has been made to provide a temporary safe route in the waterway.
• The US military says it is continuing to “strictly enforce” its blockade of Iranian ports and has so far redirected 44 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others.

Projectile strikes cargo vessel off Oman

A cargo vessel has reported being struck by an unknown projectile 20 nautical miles (37km) northeast of Khasab, Oman, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency says.

UKMTO said authorities are investigating the incident.

It advised vessels in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.

Trump confirms previous ‘massive’ US strike plan for Iran, but says he opted for restraint

The US president essentially confirmed what had been widely reported late last week – that he had been presented with a plan by the Pentagon that would entail a massive US military attack on Iranian targets, much bigger than anything seen so far in the war, which began on February 28.

However, the president told reporters [in the Oval Office] that after entreaties from countries in the region, he decided to exercise restraint and not authorise attacks that could have led to the deaths of possibly thousands of people inside Iran.

He reiterated that it is up to the Iranian government to do the right thing and agree to terms that would include not pursuing nuclear weapons, as well as not seeking singular control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran says talks with Oman focused on creating single route in Hormuz

Iran is publicly confirming that negotiations with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz are making progress, while firmly denying direct talks with the United States.

At the same time, regional mediators, including Qatar and Pakistan, remain active behind the scenes, suggesting that diplomatic channels are still open despite military posturing.

On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that talks with Oman are focusing on creating a temporary route for vessels by merging both the Iranian and the Omani routes in the waterway until a permanent agreement can be reached.

Creating a single, albeit temporary, route through the waterway could be the first step towards building trust between Iran and the US.

But Iranian officials maintain that there are no direct negotiations with the US pertaining to the Strait of Hormuz at this time.

Despite this diplomatic momentum, Iran says its military deterrence remains in place. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has announced that it’s ready to retaliate to any threats, as the US Central Command said American forces are fully prepared to protect commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

This is in line with Paragraph 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding it is to read:

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.

".. in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states .." may at hand as Iran has been in diplomatic engagements with countries in the region.

The only coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz are Iran, Oman and the UAE. The latter appears not taking part in the talks to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.

Gulf countries worry US war on Iran heading towards stalemate

At least three or four times since the war began at the end of February, the president has issued what sounds to many people as a sort of ultimatum.

But it does appear that once the president says that Iran’s leadership is not acting in good faith, is not acting seriously, is about to bring down “hell and damnation”, as the expression goes, on the Iranian people, interlocutors are still able to communicate between US and Iranian officials and try to find a way to calm tensions.

Now, whether or not this is another one of those situations – really, only time can tell.

But there is concern among parties in the region that this war is possibly heading towards some sort of stalemate, and they would like to see this positively resolved as quickly as possible, if not for their country’s citizens’ sake, then for the sake of the region at large.

Oil prices climb

Oil prices have ticked upward as tensions between the US and Iran dampened hopes for an immediate diplomatic breakthrough.

Brent crude futures gained 62 cents, or 0.7 percent, reaching $84.39 per barrel as of 00:55 GMT, recovering from a 7 percent slide that had dragged benchmark prices to a three-week low.

Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude advanced 61 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $80.95 per barrel, following a previous session plunge of more than 5 percent to its lowest point in almost a week.

US Senator Schumer slams Trump’s war over rising gas prices

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized Trump over the war on Iran, accusing him of benefiting campaign donors in the oil industry while everyday citizens face rising energy costs.

“Trump’s illegal war in Iran is a gift to his Big Oil friends who bankrolled his campaign with the promise of raking in profits,” Schumer wrote on X.

“Turns out it’s the one promise he actually delivered on,” he said.

“Meanwhile, Americans are paying over $4 per gallon at the gas pump and suffering from rising energy costs.”

Top Iranian official says Tehran will ‘not tolerate’ US’s naval blockade

Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, has warned the US over the continued naval blockade against Iranian ports.

“If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties,” Rezaei wrote on X.

“The U.S. must change its behavior – or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The US renewed its blockade of Iranian ports in July after the memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington in June unravelled over control of the strait.

The US military said it has since redirected at least 44 vessels, disabled two, and boarded two others.

Trump’s approval rating continues to fall

The latest public opinion survey by the Ipsos polling firm and Reuters suggests approval ratings for the US president have fallen to 35 percent.

Reuters said the figure marks a drop from the 37 percent recorded last month and comes amid anger over Trump’s handling of the economy, including rising petrol prices resulting from the war on Iran.

According to the news agency, the poll – conducted online ⁠and nationwide – shows voters picking Democrats over Republicans as better stewards of the economy for the first time in nearly a decade. This could weigh on the party’s chances in the upcoming midterm elections that could determine control of Congress for the next two years.

Trump, however, claims he has the “best” ratings ever.

“My REAL Polling Numbers, not those made up by the Fake News Media, are the best they have ever been,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier.

Iraq hopeful of reaching ‘significant understanding’ with Iran on Hormuz

Iraq’s Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair says talks are under way with Iran on “the smooth flow of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz”, according to state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Khudair expressed hope “of reaching significant understandings in the coming days that will contribute to the protection and ease of passage of shipments and tankers”.

Iran cancelled plans to strike Ukraine after apology, official says

Mohsen Rezaei, the military adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, told state television that Iran scrapped an operation to strike three sites in Ukraine after the country’s government offered an “apology” for a July 25 strike on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea.

Rezaei said Iran’s armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the operation was called off.

Rezaei also warned that Iran would not allow any maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz outside Iran’s designated route, saying any hostile naval vessel attempting to use an “illegal route” would be hit.

According to Iranian authorities, one crew member was killed in the Ukrainian strike. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed last week he had been assured by his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, that the attack on the Iranian ship was unintentional and that Kyiv did not seek escalation.

Iran’s president says Tehran does not seek to expand war

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says his country will defend its borders but does not seek to expand the war, according to the IRIB state broadcaster.

Speaking at the launch of Phase Two of the Family Medicine and Referral System National Plan, Pezeshkian also said the nation must focus on internal strength and unity.

“In these circumstances, we must strive to build a society where the enemy cannot harbor greed, cannot infiltrate and cannot tear apart and destroy this social community,” he was quoted as saying.

The current state of stalled US-Iran talks

Pakistan has urgently invited top Iranian negotiators to Islamabad in what appears to be a renewed push to restart the stalled Iran-US talks.

Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Ishaq Dar late on Monday invited Iran FM Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad over a phone meeting. Dar requested Araghchi’s presence at his “earliest convenience.”

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has similarly invited Tehran’s chief negotiator Bagher Ghalibaf to the country this week, a government source told Anadolu.

It’s unclear what the response of the Iranians is, or when a meeting might take place.

Iran has repeatedly said it is not in direct negotiations with the US, although Trump claims talks are happening.

But Pakistani and Qatari negotiators are currently working to secure a meeting date and venue with both sides, sources told Anadolu.

Islamabad was key to securing a fragile ceasefire between the two sides in April, as well as as the failed MoU signed in June.

How Trump’s backtracking has weakened US leverage

President Trump probably wants some sort of a deal with Iran as early as “this week”, Paul Musgrave, a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, said.

But a key issue – outside the Strait of Hormuz or a nuclear deal – remains whether the US might be able to off-ramp while also saving face, and whether the two sides can reach an agreement that’s acceptable to Trump himself.

“The Iranian president has an American president basically in its grasp, and President Trump wants to wiggle out, but he’s not going to be able to do that easily,” he said.

“It makes him look like a loser.”

Trump is facing mid-term elections, high gasoline prices, and the fact that the war on Iran is highly unpopular. There’s hardly any way to turn around the narrative before the November elections, Musgrave noted.

And while the Iranians are also hurting on the economic front, they know making it hurt for the US will mean they get a better deal, he added.

Ultimately, the US’s bargaining power is the threat of escalation and Iran’s access to global capital and markets, but Trump’s repeated backtracking on his threats has weakened that leverage, he concluded.

Goldman sees Brent at $80-$90 until Iran deal clarity or significant escalation

Goldman Sachs says it expects Brent crude to remain in an $80 to $90 per barrel range until there is either confirmation of a new US-Iran deal or a significant escalation in attacks.

The bank also assumes a fair value of Brent spot prices at about $80, suggesting the market prices only a moderate risk premium.

International benchmark Brent crude was about $84.90 per barrel as of 07:55 GMT.

Vessel struck in Strait of Hormuz

A vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Liberia-flagged dry bulk ship, Minoan Pioneer was struck while sailing close to Oman’s coast, Reuters news agency is reporting.

At least one seafarer is missing after the crew abandoned the vessel, maritime security sources told Reuters.

British risk management group Vanguard separately said a projectile reportedly struck the vessel’s engine room and that a fire broke out in the accommodation area.

Qatar says efforts under way to find diplomatic solution

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari says efforts are ongoing to seek a diplomatic resolution to the US-Iran conflict, and that mediators including Qatar, Pakistan and Oman are coordinating closely to facilitate negotiations and exchange drafts between both sides.

Qatar calls for return to normalcy in Hormuz Strait amid ongoing diplomatic efforts

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari says “the state of Qatar has a clear position” and that is “to go back to the normal situation in the Strait of Hormuz”.

In a news conference moments ago, al-Ansari said there is currently no clear timeline for when an agreement could be reached but the Foreign Ministry hopes to reach an agreement “as soon as possible”.

He also commended Pakistan’s and Oman’s mediation efforts and said Oman has “been taking a very important and significant role in the past couple of weeks”.

US’s Bessent says deal with Iran on Hormuz Strait may happen ‘today or tomorrow’

The US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says there could be a deal reached with Iran on the reopening of the Hormuz Strait within two days.

“We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.

Asked if Tehran would be allowed to charge a toll, Bessent said the deal would allow freedom of movement in the strait.

“It would be freedom of movement,” he said. “Even though things are still a little dicey there over the past few days, we saw quite a few ships coming out even now.”

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the current goal is a resumption of talks

Al-Ansari says mediators’ “focus right now is on avoiding escalation, reopening the strait and reopening the door for diplomacy between the parties. What we do not want to see right now is a major escalation in our region.”

“We are working very closely with our partners in the region and with the parties of the conflict to reach a diplomatic resolution,” he told reporters during a news conference.

US’s Bessent expects energy prices to settle back down after Hormuz deal

Treasury Secretary Bessent has given upbeat messages on the impact a possible deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz would have on energy prices, saying hundreds of ships are waiting to go out.

“Even though things are still a little dicey there over the past few days, we’ve seen quite a few ships coming out even now,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.

“So, you know, I’d expect the energy prices to settle back down, which, as I said, will be good for the entire world.”

Qatari and Russian FMs discuss latest regional developments

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has held a phone call with Sergey Lavrov, according to a statement by the Qatari Foreign Ministry.

“They reviewed the relations of cooperation between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them,” the statement said.

They also discussed “the latest regional developments, particularly the diplomatic efforts undertaken and the joint coordination to reduce escalation and promote security and stability in the region”.

The Qatari top diplomat expressed the necessity for all parties “to adhere to dialogue and diplomacy, and to implement” the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

“His Excellency renewed the State of Qatar’s full support for all efforts aimed at defusing tensions and reaching a comprehensive agreement that achieves lasting peace in the region,” the ministry added.

Qatar hopeful agreement between US, Iran will be reached in coming hours, days

In his weekly news conference, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said Qatar continues to call for de-escalation and dialogue.

He added that Qatar is in particular supporting Oman’s mediation efforts and is hopeful that an agreement will be reached in the coming hours or days.

Al-Ansari confirmed that no direct talks are happening but that mediators are speaking to each other, adding that drafts of agreements are being passed around just as they have been since this conflict began in February.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, he said Qatar’s position was that the strait had to reopen and had to operate in the same way that it has always operated. Basically, that there has to be freedom of navigation in the strait, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies usually pass through. At the moment, only a couple of vessels a day are getting through.

The Iranians have said they want some kind of toll to be paid for vessels to pass through the strait, something the Americans have said they would not accept.

Al-Ansari said Qatar believes this issue should be decided by the region.

‘Trump trapped in a war he started’

Negar Mortazavi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, says that Iran put up a “feirce fight” against the US, quickly dispelling US President Trump’s belief that his war would be an “easy win”.

Iran’s “strategic position over the Strait of Hormuz has given it significant leverage to raise the costs for the United States and its allies”, she said.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that this war is not winnable on Trump’s terms, and polls show that a majority of Americans now want it to end”, Mortazavi continued. “Yet Trump finds himself politically unable to walk away without claiming victory. The longer the war continues, the higher the costs become, but ending it without something he can present as a win would be an admission of failure.”

‘Trump trapped in a war he started’

Trump didn't start the war on Iran. He joined the war that was started by in June 2025, and resumed on February 28th both by Netanyahu. He joined the war because Netanyahu had promised that the war on Iran would bring the Iranian regime to a collapse. The latter is the root of Trump's initial motive to bring regime change in Iran, which has swiftly adopted by what we call "Pahlavi Iranians."

When Trump declared war on Iran on February 28th, this doesn't mean that he started the war. Because, he issued the declaration while Netanyahu was bombing the building where the Iranian Supreme Leader, making the assassination an spillover to Lebanon because he knew that Hezbollah would respond.