Iran vowed to push back against new US "economic D-day," sanctions saying key trading partners would resist US pressure. Meanwhile, Pakistan reports progress in US-Iran mediation efforts.
This blog is has been closed. Here are the latest developments from the Iran war and the Middle East on Tuesday, August 25:
Iran says it is ready to respond to new US sanctions
China says its cooperation with Iran should not be disrupted
Pakistan reports progress in talks aimed at ending US-Israeli war with Iran
Ship disabled by attack in Strait of Hormuz
IMO records 68 maritime incidents since Iran war began
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, dissolved
Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced the dissolution of the group and said it would be fully integrated into Syrian state institutions.
"Today, circumstances have changed, and the country has entered a new phase, one of peace and participation in building a new Syria," Abdi said.
Abdi said the Kurdish Autonomous Administration in north-eastern Syria — established during the country's civil war — would also be dissolved.
The government and the SDF agreed in January to a phased integration of Kurdish fighters into the state in a plan Washington called a "historic milestone."
Abdi said that the announcement followed an agreement with President Ahmed al-Sharaa after the integration of the group's forces into the army.
The SDF was established in October 2015 and became the primary US-backed force in the fight against the so-called "Islamic State" in north-eastern Syria.
Iran and Oman discuss Hormuz corridor, mine-clearing project
The foreign ministers of Iran and Oman issued a joint statement saying they discussed a framework for a temporary transit corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
They also said they discussed a mine clearing project in the waterway. The Strait separates the coastlines of Iran and US ally Oman, hence the pair discussing the issue.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi "discussed a phased framework that could provide a practical and implementable basis for moving forward" in the talks, the statement said.
The framework "includes the establishment of a joint temporary navigational corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and an agreement to implement a joint project to clear the Strait of mines," it said.
Al-Busaidi later said on social media that he hoped the two countries would "soon announce" the temporary corridor.
"Future management of the strait and a permanent solution will follow in due course," he said.
The statement left some of the most contentious questions, like the conditions or potential costs for using any such transit corridor, open.
US Secret Service aware of video targeting Barron Trump
The US Secret Service said it was aware of a video aired by an Iranian state broadcaster that appeared to threaten Barron Trump, President Donald Trump's youngest son.
"The US Secret Service is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees," Secret Service spokesman Nate Herring said in a statement.
The three-minute segment reportedly reveals the location of Trump's university, the route of his escort vehicles, and the positioning of his Secret Service detail, while alleging that his movements were being "fully monitored."
The Secret Service declined to discuss specifics, citing "concern for operational security."
Qatar calls US sanctions on Iran a unilateral move
Qatar described new US sanctions on Iran as a unilateral move. The country's Foreign Ministry said it is focused on finding a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Qatar, Pakistan and Oman are working closely to facilitate negotiations and exchange draft proposals between Washington and Tehran.
Al Jazeera reported that the ministry also said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz should return to what it was before the start of the war.
The ministry also rejected Iran's attempt to drag regional countries into the war.
US plans to send evacuated diplomats back to Middle East — report
The New York Times has reported that the United States is preparing to send diplomats evacuated before the start of the war with Iran back to the Middle East.
According to the report, US missions in the region could begin scaling back emergency measures and bringing Foreign Service officers back as early as this week.
Staffing levels were expected to increase at US missions in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait.
The US State Department told the newspaper it was adjusting staffing based on its latest security assessment, "to ensure we can continue advancing US foreign policy objectives while protecting the safety and security of our personnel."
Strait of Hormuz sees lowest daily vessel count since May
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, with just two commodity tankers transiting the vital energy chokepoint on Monday, the lowest daily total since early May.
Shipping data from Kpler showed both vessels entered the Gulf, well below the recent daily average of 14 crossings. Some ships may not have been counted after switching off navigation transponders.
Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz carried about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
Iran said it had blacklisted 45 tankers for violating passage rules and threatened action against vessels involved in ship-to-ship transfers with them.
Analysts said it remained unclear how Tehran would enforce those measures, but warned that any escalation or attack in the waterway could further disrupt traffic.
In a sign of how dangerous the crossing can be, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Monday an oil tanker was hit by an "unknown projectile" off the coast of Oman.
The vessel was disabled but the crew was reported safe. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack.
China vows to protect interests after new US sanctions on Iran
China's cooperation with Iran complies with international law and should not be disrupted, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
"China has already stated many times that it firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian said.
"China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests," he added.
His statement comes after the United States on Monday targeted Iran's economic ties with the rest of the world.
"The new sectoral sanctions determinations issued today target five of Iran's most vital lifelines that it exploits in other countries: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
China is Iran's biggest trading partner and, according to the US, the primary buyer of Iranian oil.
Gulf maritime casualties reached 20 dead, 35 injured — IMO
At least 20 seafarers and port workers were killed, 35 were wounded, and one remained missing in the Gulf and nearby waters, including the Strait of Hormuz, since the start of the Iran war, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said.
The United Nations agency said 68 incidents had been confirmed, the equivalent of roughly one every two-and-a-half days.
About half the incidents involved oil tankers, while container ships and bulk carriers were also affected.
The rate of incidents eased after a mid-June agreement established a framework for peace talks, but rose again after those talks collapsed in early July.
Since then, four people were killed, 16 were injured, and one was reported missing as attacks and other incidents continued across the region.
Iran vows retaliation over expanded US sanctions
Iran vowed to retaliate against expanded US sanctions, saying it was "fully prepared" to respond to what it called an economic attack.
Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran had its, "own tools and know how to play the game."
His statement came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced fresh sanctions targeting 60 individuals, entities, and vessels linked to Iran.
Washington warned countries that continued trading with Iran could risk losing access to the dollar-based financial system.
Pakistan notes progress in mediation talks
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said "significant progress" has been made in talks focused on the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and efforts to secure a path to peace.
"We remain hopeful that this momentum will help pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region," Naqvi wrote on social media.
Naqvi's statement came after he and Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, a key mediator in the conflict, visited Iran. There, they held separate meetings with the president, the chief negotiator and the head of the country's highest national security body.
Pakistan's military said discussions in Tehran centered on preventing further escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and bringing the conflict to an early end.
"The Iranian President candidly shared his government's perspective, and we had a very constructive exchange on the issues involved," Naqvi said in a post on social media.
The visit came after Munir spoke with US President Donald Trump. The White House and State Department did not immediately comment on the talks.
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator, conveying messages and coordinating positions between Washington and Tehran.
