Israel and the US jointly attacked Iran on February 28th. Iran responded with counterattacks on Israel and US military bases in various states in the region.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader for more than three decades, was killed in the attacks. Moschtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, is the new political and spiritual leader of Iran.
Iran and the US agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 8th. The US stopped its attacks on the condition that Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz. The US military has been blockading Iranian ports on the Strait of Hormuz since April 13.
On April 21, US President Donald Trump announced that he would extend the ceasefire until Iran submits a proposal to end the war.
On June 15, Iran and the US agreed on a framework agreement to end the war.
The US resumed attacks on Iran on July 7 after attacks on several tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran continues to close the Strait of Hormuz
Iran does not want to reopen the important Strait of Hormuz for the time being. According to Iranian chief negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, the strait will remain closed until the US meets certain demands.
According to him, the demands include "the lifting of the naval blockade, the release of frozen assets, the lifting of oil sanctions, the end of threats and military operations on all fronts."
US Senator wants to prevent possible attack on Oman
According to Fox News, US President Donald Trump is said to have threatened Oman with bomb attacks if the country prevents the Strait of Hormuz from being fully opened.
US Senator Tim Kaine wants to prevent a possible military operation. After the summer recess of Congress, the Democrat wants to introduce a resolution against such an operation.
Trump's threats against Oman are particularly problematic because the US has diplomatic and economic relations with the country, Kaine said. This could benefit opponents of the USA such as China and Russia, who would “ruce their hands” about it.
Journeys through the Strait of Hormuz remain rare
The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz is in the single digits. Six cargo ships passed through the strait on Monday, preliminary data from tracking service Kpler showed. Three of them left the Gulf, three went into the Strait.
According to Kepler, the average over the last ten days has been eleven transits per day. On Saturday three ships passed through the strait, on Sunday there were two. Recently there were no large crude oil tankers or tankers carrying liquefied natural gas.
Authorities report incident in Strait of Hormuz
According to the British Maritime Authority (UKMTO), there was shelling in the Strait of Hormuz during the night. As the authority announced, a ship was said to have been hit by an unidentified projectile while passing through the strait. One person was injured, the remaining crew members were supported by the Omani Coast Guard, according to UKMTO.
Erdoğan calls for direct talks between the USA and Iran
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on US President Donald Trump for a direct exchange with Iran in a telephone call. Turkey hopes for a continuation of the talks and will continue to support peace efforts, the Turkish presidential office said. Erdoğan said that diplomacy must be used in the best possible way.
Trump again talks about the Strait of Hormuz as a possible US territory
US President Donald Trump has repeated his statement about making the Strait of Hormuz a US territory. “I like the idea of declaring it a territory,” Trump said, without giving further details. During a speech in New York, he had previously said that he wanted to declare the important waterway a US territory “pretty soon.” However, the statement led to further tensions with Iran.
Trump does not want to extend framework agreement with Iran
According to President Donald Trump, the USA is not seeking an extension of the ceasefire framework agreement with Iran. Trump answered no to a question from a reporter. Monday would have been the deadline by which Iran and the United States were supposed to reach a final peace agreement under a memorandum of understanding signed in June.
In his own words, Trump does not expect Iran to agree to an agreement that is acceptable to the United States. "They're not going to make the kind of deal that I think is necessary," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We are here for one reason: Iran must not have nuclear weapons,” Trump continued.
The paper signed on June 17th provided a deadline of 60 days for this to happen. An Iranian insider said last week that there were no talks about an extension because a deadline had never even begun.
Donald Trump is said to have threatened Oman with bomb attacks
US President Donald Trump has apparently threatened Oman with bomb attacks if the Gulf state "stands in the way" of a possible US agreement with Iran on the future of the Strait of Hormuz. As Fox News reported, Trump made the threat in response to a question from reporter Trey Yingst. He said: "I asked the President about the (...) parallel talks that are being held between Iran and Oman about control of the Strait of Hormuz." Trump responded: "If Oman gets in the way, we will bomb them into the ground." Trump also demanded Iran's surrender.
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is declining sharply
After attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, shipping traffic there has fallen sharply. According to data from the analysis company Kpler, only five ships crossed the strait on Saturday and none at all on Sunday. The weekend before there were 31.
Bounties placed on US soldiers
The Iranian military has placed a $30,000 (26,000 euros) bounty on US soldiers captured in Iran and handed over to authorities or killed. "Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an act will receive double the reward," said army chief of staff Amir Hatami, according to the state news agency Irna.
Hatami did not provide any information about where or when such a capture of US soldiers might occur. There has been no known deployment of US ground troops in Iran since the beginning of the Iran War.
Iran's parliament bans contact with foreign media
The Iranian parliament has approved a draft law that would criminalize contacts with foreign media and institutions. This includes US or Israeli media as well as broadcasters financed by these countries. Violators face prison sentences of six months to two years, according to a report in the Iranian newspaper Shargh. Conversations with other foreign media should in future be reported to the Ministry of Intelligence.
Saudi Arabian authorities give the all-clear
The Saudi Arabian Civil Defense Authority has lifted the warning for Jasan province. She announced this on the online network X. Accordingly, the danger in the border province has been averted.
Saudi Arabia warns of “possible danger” on the border with Yemen
After several attacks by the Yemeni Houthi militias on the south of Saudi Arabia, Saudi authorities have warned of "possible danger" in the border province of Jasan. As the civil protection authority announced, there was a warning from the national early warning system for Jasan. The Iran-backed Shiite Houthi militia in Yemen has attacked energy and oil infrastructure in Jasan several times in recent weeks.
Iran demands access to Qatar to search for detained fighter pilots
Iran has called on Qatar to allow representatives of the Iranian army into the country to search for three fighter pilots allegedly detained in the Gulf emirate. A team of experts from the Iranian Air Force has been waiting for months to be allowed to travel to Qatar, said General Mohammed Baghersadeh, according to the state news agency Tasnim.
The three Iranian Air Force fighter pilots have been officially missing since an attack on a US military base in Qatar in March. At that time, Qatar announced that it had shot down two Iranian SU-24 bombers; there was no information about the pilots at the time.
Qatar denies capturing Iranian pilots
Qatar has rejected Iran's claim that it is holding three Iranian pilots captive. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Majid al-Ansari, spoke of “misleading statements” on Platform X and expressed surprise that they came at a time of diplomatic efforts.
Iran had already said in June that it had no information about the whereabouts of the pilots. At the time it was said that the Iranian SU-24 fighter jets were intercepted by Qatari jets during an Iranian attack on the US military base Al Udeid.
