U.S.-Iran talks near deal amid ongoing clashes around Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon

Iran Insists US Must Meet Stringent List Of Demands Before Hormuz Opens As expected, Iran is pressing hard to extract from Washington everything it can get - at a moment the Trump White House seems to be backing down from a heighted war over the Strait of Hormuz, given the serious risk of settling into a another years-long quagmire in the Middle East. The US administration, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, has appeared to back the Iran-Oman deal for the opening of the Strait, with President Trump and his officials having remained surprisingly quiet even as it has emerged that the deal outline is wholly favorable to Tehran's conditions. For example, as we've detailed Iran announced Friday that under the 'finalized' Oman-Iran scheme and 'deal' for management of the Hormuz Strait that "enemy countries" (read: US and Israel) may only transit the waterway after lifting sanctions and paying compensation for the war. US and Israeli-linked ships are currently banned and will be fired upon, Iran has warned. The White House stayed mum even after that, and didn't openly push back - nor did Trump fire off any angry Truth Social messages, but focused on some random domestic issues Friday. This even as there was a Friday story in Reuters saying that Washington even plans to lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports once the Oman deal is finalized: "There ​is progress between Oman ​and Iran on the Strait, and ‌we ⁠expect a deal soon," the official said. "Once the deal is announced to restore commercial ​shipping ​without ⁠impediments, the United States will lift the blockade ​of Iranian ports." And now the Iranians are piling on the demands even more, with on Saturday the NY Times reporting on the country's top Iranian national security official's remarks. The security chief has laid out a list of demands and stern set of further conditions. "Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued a statement carried by state media laying out multiple requirements for reopening the strait," reports the Times. "He called for the United States to lift its naval blockade and sanctions on Iran, withdraw the U.S. military from around Iran, pay war reparations and release frozen Iranian assets, as well as end attacks on Iran's allies in the region and threats against the country," While other Iranian officials have voiced similar demands, this could represent the ascendancy of the Islamic Republic's so-called hardline faction within the context of the Oman negotiations. Zolghadr stated "These are the demands of the Iranian people who have been shouting for it relentlessly in the squares and streets for one hundred and sixty days." Iran state media has listed them out as follows (machine translation): 1. Never threaten Iran with any language or insult the sanctities of this nation. 2. End the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq forever. 3. Lift the naval blockade and withdraw its military forces (naval and air) from around Iran. 4. Pay the damages of the two wars of aggression and imposition on Iran without any reduction or reduction. 5. Lift the cruel and illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation. 6. Unconditionally release the frozen and stolen assets of the Iranian people. The NY Times says there's been no immediate response from the White House when it requested comment; however, it must be remembered that the US was slapping yet more sanctions on Iran within only the last several days. While the dropping of sanctions seems realistic as part of a deal to end the war, getting the Trump administration to agree to pay compensation for the many billions of dollars in damage done is a very tall ask. But the Iranians no doubt now smell weakness and blood in the water, as the US bombs have fallen silent for over a week at this point, and after Trump reversed course (more TACO) last weekend on the planned 'harder' strikes. Bessent strongly suggested in an interview published Friday that the Hormuz Strait's reopening was imminent, delivered by a deal that would be finalized 'today or tomorrow'.  And yet, the Times underscores that: Even before Mr. Zolghadr’s statement, Iranian officials had hinted on Saturday that the reopening of the strait was not imminent. Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, said that reopening the strait was “not contingent on the Iran-Oman negotiations.” Iran is in essence saying this ain't over & wants to extract its pound of flesh, also to ensure it is never attacked again... Trump is not going to be able to walk away from his Iran war at his own choosing. He still has no idea the world of shit he’s in, unfortunately we’re all in. https://t.co/Gdd4FTpIDW — Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) August 8, 2026 Additionally, on Saturday Iran's army spokesman Amir Akraminia has been quoted by Al Jazeera as saying Iran's new protocols in the Strait of Hormuz are "irreversible" and shall not be thwarted by the US. "The United States has no choice but to accept the existing situation; otherwise, it will incur costs far greater than those it has faced in the past," Akraminia said. In perhaps a good cop, bad cop approach to Washington, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has meanwhile issued a more balanced, less maximalist statement. He expressed that "the war must end at some point, and that his country is determined to adopt the memorandum of understanding as a basis, provided the US abandons the atmosphere of distrust it has created." Tyler Durden Sat, 08/08/2026 - 15:45

Exit Narrative Begins: Trump's Muted Response To Hormuz Deal Suggests The 'Declare Victory & Leave' Moment Is Here President Trump's latest Iran comments came Thursday night, after a prior day wherein Iran and Oman unveiled their 'finalized' Hormuz management scheme, which most notably includes a ban on all US and Israeli vessels in the energy transit waterway.  As we reviewed earlier, the White House has appeared to genuinely be searching for an exit strategy, but this stipulation alone may be too hard a pill for Trump to swallow, if accurate - given that it obviously leaves Iran in de facto control of the strait. Many pundits have pointed out it even leaves Iran with more leverage and power in the region than before the launch of Operation Epic Fury. But this is why Trump's comments to reporters in the Oval Office Thursday evening are surprising, given that instead of reacting angrily and outright condemning the Iran-Oman plan, his reaction was somewhat muted and meager. Doves who see this war as disastrous and hope for quick exit will welcome the development. via Reuters "I think it's going to end pretty soon. I don’t think they can go much longer," the president said, while leaving his meaning ambiguous. Asserting once again that the US is involved in negotiations with Tehran (something the Iranians have been vehemently denying all along), Trump added that "I think we’re doing fine." The only thing Trump truly got angry about Thursday was related to the domestic side of the conflict, after US major media published several reports saying the Pentagon is perilously low on missiles and interceptors, which have been drained after nearly six months of war. He blasted 'treasonous' 'fake reporting' and even threatened to jail 'leakers' over the reports (the inherent contradiction says a lot here). But again, Trump's penchant for raging against 'dishonest' and 'evil' Iranian leaders has been curiously absent over the last several days as the US bombs have fallen silent - after he called off planned 'harder' strikes over the weekend (or the last big TACO moment, among many prior). This relative quiet at the White House comes even after Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf openly mocked the United States and Trump's theatrics and constant changes of course on X. He wrote Thursday: "Massive attack coming… wait, never mind, they want to negotiate." That’s theater diplomacy on loop. Using bullying + broken promises + fake news as leverage is a failed strategy. Acknowledge the facts and fulfill your commitments. We don’t need more theater. All of this change in Washington tone and posture suggests this could finally be the moment for a true offramp, as the US faces a 'go big or get out' realization, and as the prospect of slogging through months more of a developing quagmire becomes too politically and economically costly. This is potentially the declare 'victory' and get out moment. As former Congressman Ron Paul has put it: Just Walk Away! Trump: I think the war with Iran will end pretty soon. I don’t think they can go much longer. Q: Have you reached a deal to reopen the strait of Hormuz? Trump: It’s sort of open right now. pic.twitter.com/J3lcPyuVwM — Acyn (@Acyn) August 6, 2026 This is further evidenced in Trump's sudden realism, expressed late Thursday in the same Oval Office presser. When asked about the status of the Strait of Hormuz, he admitted that "it's easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close range missile somewhere along, or in, this Waterway, no matter how badly defeated they are." He further acknowledged:  "People don’t want" to risk ships worth billions of dollars and expose them to the possibility of accidentally hitting a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, he conceded. Trump also claimed Thursday that Hormuz is "sort of open right now," although fewer than 10 ships per day transited from Sunday through Tuesday, according to Kpler data. Of course, the US and Iran have been involved in several of these 'pauses' and cooling off periods before, which were later revealed to be the 'calm before the storm'. Tehran has since wised up and pointed out that the Pentagon used these interim periods of no fighting to just rearm, reposition, and ramp up military supply flights to the region. Joe Kent, a top national security official who resigned in protest of the Iran war upon the very start of the operation, is welcoming these signs that Trump is finally seeking to extricate the US from the conflict at all costs: Trump is messaging that he won the war— this is a good first step in extricating us from what would otherwise be a catastrophic mistake. The reality is, the best “deal” we can make with Iran at this point that works in our favor is to just leave—it’s the only case in which POTUS then holds the cards. He needs to “close the deal” now, before the Iranians force him back into a shooting war. We simply can’t assume that Iran will wait idly for us to make the next move. Alarmingly, it seems we are failing to account for just how aggressively killing the Ayatollah & bombing the girls’ school has radicalized Iranian leadership & its people—it’s very likely that Iran will feel compelled to drag us back into the war in order to force the U.S. to retreat, bloodied, both for the sake of its national honor & for deterrence. Trump can end this by pulling our troops & ships out of the region now—deprive Iran of targets to hit and the leverage they need to escalate. Trump says we’ve won, therefore we can bring them home. So either Trump is indeed preparing to go bigger, or this is - belatedly - the final 'cut and run' moment that probably the majority of the American public has been hoping for. Another sign, via his Truth Social latest, that Trump could finally be willing to say 'mission accomplished' and get out, while letting the regional and oil transit 'chips fall': The deadly alternative to simply declaring an exit is an eventual introduction of ground troops and full-on regime change. Thankfully, Trump officials have continued to by and large condemn this as a legitimate scenario - given it would surely once again put US forces in a new 'forever war' that would last years or even decades. Read our: Visualizing Iran's Vast Size & Why Any Ground Invasion Means Years-Long Quagmire But in the meantime, the Iranians do smell weakness and blood in the water. Just before US markets closed Thursday, Tehran announced its forces attacked and struck 'hostile targets' at Qeshm island, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is remaining defiant, and even sees itself in the driver's seat with its ability to wage asymmetric warfare against a much larger US foe which is confused on what to do next. This was also on display with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian having asserted this week in an interview, "Our enemies expected the country to collapse due to the pressures they have exerted." He added that these pressures have "reached their maximum". Tyler Durden Fri, 08/07/2026 - 09:55

Yemen War Reignites As Houthis Intensify Saudi Shipping Attacks, Ground Assault, With Hormuz Deal 'Close' Yesterday witnessed at least the eighth Saudi oil tanker attacked by the Houthis since the maritime blockade began on July 22, which is being followed by reports the Yemeni rebel group backed by Iran could be preparing for all-out war with Saudi Arabia. The group struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday and coupled the action with a threat to intensify attacks in order to close "all access routes" to Saudi oil shipments. Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree confirmed that ballistic missiles were launched at a Saudi tanker called Wafa near the Saudi port city of Yanbu. A second oil tanker identified as Daisy was subsequently hit in the Gulf of Aden with a ballistic missile and "forced to turn back" - the spokesman said in a social media post. The Houthis are dubbing it a "blockade for blockade" strategy. via AFP But it seems the Saudis aren't ready to take this laying down, even if the ratcheting Red Sea region conflict threatens fragile Oman-sponsored talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as on Thursday its proxy the Yemeni Armed Forces - representing the official government whose seat is in Aden in the south - announced preparations for a large new military operation. This as Al Arabiya reports a fresh outbreak of ground fighting, in a renewal and intensification of the civil war that goes back to at least 2015 (and has an international proxy war aspect to it). The Arab publication says that a Houthi attack killed 45 government forces in Hadramawt and Marib in Yemen, areas which also happen to be home to the vast majority of the country's oil and gas fields. Separately Al Jazeera describes of the same event: The Yemeni Emergency Forces of the internationally-recognised government, have said that there have been material and human losses following attacks on its camps. Several causalities have been reported after a suspected Houthi rocket and drone attack targeted bases hosting the forces in Marib and Hadramaut. So now it seems that even if a grand Hormuz deal to reopen energy transit can be pulled off with some level of sticking power, there will have to be a separate ceasefire to contain the Yemen and Bab al-Mandab Strait crisis. To some degree, the Houthi closure of the Red Sea to Saudi shipping represents a good cop, bad cop approach to the United States and its Gulf allies. It is a way for Tehran to still maintain some serious tangential leverage over global energy, even as ships in Hormuz could finally get moving again. The Houthis launched ballistic missile and drone strikes on Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in Marib Governorate, targeting several military sites. According to preliminary reports, at least 45 personnel were killed and dozens wounded, with Saudi-aligned media confirming the attacks… pic.twitter.com/uThIgebcfe — Conflict Radar (@Conflict_Radar) August 6, 2026 As a reminder, the Houthis have been part of what Iran sees as the "axis of resistance" going back to when the Shia rebel group first seized power in September 2014: Saudi Arabia is now being squeezed from three directions in the widening U.S.-Iran war — Iraq to its northeast, Yemen to its southwest, and Iran to its east. (On July 18, Tehran struck Prince Sultan Air Base near Riyadh, its first direct hit on Saudi soil in nearly four months.) To understand why this matters beyond the price of oil, it helps to picture the crises as a set of nesting dolls. The innermost doll is Yemen’s own civil war: a decade-old fight between the Houthis (officially known as Ansar Allah), who rule the populous north from Sana’a, and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, formally led by a body called the Presidential Leadership Council. The roots of this war trace to the 2011 Arab Spring revolution, which toppled Yemen’s long-serving president and left a power vacuum the Houthis moved to fill, seizing Sana’a in 2014. Saudi Arabia and a coalition of partners intervened in 2015 with the explicit aim of reversing that takeover and restoring the internationally recognized government, and the war has continued in one form or another ever since. The middle doll is Saudi Arabia’s broader rivalry with Iran, a contest for regional leadership that has run since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Tehran’s new theocratic government began exporting a revolutionary, Shia-inflected challenge to the Gulf’s Sunni monarchies. In the meantime, Al Jazeera is reporting Thursday that the Saudi-backed government shot down a drone operated by the Houthis over the city of Marib. The country's official SABA news agency said the Houthi targeting of Marib "embodies their escalatory approach and their insistence on continuing their terrorist acts" and that "the air defenses engaged the drone as soon as it entered the city’s airspace and successfully shot it down." Over in the Persian Gulf region, Iran officials have said a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is "on the verge of being finalized" which entry and exit routes and protocols having been established. Iran continues to say that Washington has nothing to do with this, and warns against US military interference. The White House seems to be quite serious about ensuring an offramp from the conflict this time, as the bombs have fallen silent for several days now... 🇺🇸 US Vice President JD Vance said diplomatic negotiations with Iran are "going to be messy" and will "take some time," in an interview on Fox News, a more cautious tone than President Donald Trump, who claimed earlier this week that "a lot of progress" had been made. 🔹"That… — Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) August 6, 2026 But lots of unknowns and variables remain, as some international reports suggest a final deal could be signed as early as the close of Thursday, or at least by week's end. Al Jazeera notes: "For Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US must abide by the memorandum of understanding (MoU) it signed with Iran in mid-June, although that would not be enough on its own, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in comments carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has newly warned that "We're ready to ‌retaliate, but finding a diplomatic solution is the best way to avoid wider escalation and destruction ​across ‌the ⁠region." As for President Trump, he has freshly stated, "I'd rather make a deal because I don't want to kill people. But Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon." Tyler Durden Thu, 08/06/2026 - 09:00

Iran: Trump says he'd rather make deal than 'kill people' amid reports of weapons shortages Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 08/06/2026 - 11:11 White House denies report that president confronted Pete Hegseth over critical shortage of munitions during conflict US President Donald Trump made the comments at an event at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 5 August 2026 (AFP/Jim Watson) Off US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday evening that Washington is holding talks with Iran and would prefer an agreement rather than further military action against the country. Speaking during an event in Las Vegas, Trump said the US had been preparing to launch what he described as “the biggest attack since world war two before Iranian officials asked for negotiations. “I would rather make a deal with Iran because I don’t want to kill people,” he added, while reaffirming his commitment that Tehran would not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. It came as the Washington Post reported that Trump confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a critical shortage of munitions during the war on Iran. According to the newspaper, citing sources familiar with the matter, Trump demanded answers during a cabinet meeting last week, after finding out about a deficit in vital weapons, despite his understanding that the issue had been addressed.  The report cited the shortage in munitions as one of the reasons behind Trump's decision to pause large-scale strikes against Iran. During the meeting, Hegseth reportedly defended himself and instead blamed Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg for the shortages and "for not ensuring Trump was fully apprised" about the state of Washington's stockpiles. The White House denied the report, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling it "100 percent fake news", adding that Trump "has the utmost confidence" in Hegseth. "'Leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down" – President Trump on Truth Social The US army has used up nearly 80 percent of its interceptors for a key missile defence system, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing several sources familiar with the matter.  According to the report, senior US military officials warned that the Pentagon’s munitions stockpile is "dangerously low", with key air defence systems particularly depleted during the war on Iran. The US military exhausted nearly four-fifths of its THAAD missile inventory compared with pre-war figures. Half of its Patriot interceptors have been used up since the start of the war.  One source familiar with recent internal Pentagon reports noted that the army used "virtually all" of its highly accurate long-range, surface-to-air weapons in the same period. Trump hit back against media reports of depleted munitions, insisting that the army had large stockpiles and was expanding manufacturing.  "The US has massive amounts of 'munitions', especially of certain types," he said in a post on social media platform Truth Social, adding that "large amounts" are being manufactured and shipped over to the Middle East "as needed". “Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history,” Trump said.  He also threatened that "'leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down" and wrote that "long term jail sentences will be sought". Fresh wave of Israeli attacks on Lebanon Meanwhile, eight people have been wounded in an Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese town of Burj Shemali, the country's health ministry reported on Thursday. Earlier, Israeli forces escalated attacks on southern Lebanon, with state media reporting a "wide-scale aggression" on the city of Tyre. As a result of the strikes across several areas in the city, four people were wounded and transferred to nearby hospitals. Residents in these areas were also displaced.  The fresh wave of attacks comes as Lebanese-Israeli peace talks entered a third day in Rome, in the seventh round of US-brokered negotiations. Israel's army to set up polling stations in occupied Gaza, Lebanon and Syria Read More » Lebanese negotiators are demanding that Israel cease bombardment and withdraw from around 60 villages and towns occupied in its latest onslaught, which began in March.  Meanwhile, Israel wants the Lebanese army to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure. Israeli reports have suggested that additional military attacks in Lebanon are being considered, as the army prepares for further escalation. Israel's public broadcaster said that the army's response to what it described as Hezbollah violation "has not ended", with "sensitive operations" likely under way.  Channel 12 reported that the army is calling on the political leadership to approve a "stronger and more decisive" response in Lebanon. Elsewhere in the region, a tanker nine nautical miles southeast of the village of Kumzar in Oman reported hearing two explosions while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said early on Thursday. According to the UKMTO advisory, the vessel and its crew were reportedly safe, with no environmental damage indicated. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come as early as Wednesday, as Iran and Oman inched toward an agreement on the critical waterway that could ease pressure on the global economy and potentially help bring an end to the war.The U.S., along with Israel, launched the war on Feb. 28, citing various goals including toppling Tehran’s government and ending its nuclear program. But the conflict has devolved into a fight over the strait as Iranian threats and attacks on shipping ground traffic through the waterway to a halt.Closure of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas once passed, has driven up the price of fuel and basic goods far beyond the region, roiling the global economy. Trump is also under mounting pressure to end an unpopular war ahead of midterm congressional elections. Trump says a deal to reopen the strait is close The U.S. president was asked by reporters traveling with him in California about a report on the Axios news site that an announcement on the Strait of Hormuz could be made on Wednesday.“It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day,” he said, speaking Tuesday evening California time. “A lot of progress has been made.”Oil prices initially eased on hopes of a deal that would allow shipping to resume but later inched upward. Brent crude, the international standard, was around $80 per barrel on Wednesday — still well below the levels it hit at the height of the conflict.The U.S. and Iran reached a deal to open the strait in June, only for attacks to resume. In recent days, Trump has again alternately threatened massive strikes and voiced support for diplomatic efforts. Regional officials tell AP negotiators have finalized the draft of a deal Iranian and Omani negotiators have finalized the draft deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and are awaiting a final approval from Iran’s supreme leader, two regional officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.The officials, who were briefed on the negotiations, portrayed the potential deal as a temporary solution to the U.S.-Iranian dispute over vessels’ transit through the Strait of Hormuz.They said it is tied to the agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran in June that aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but which ultimately collapsed.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said the potential deal will pave the way for the U.S. and Iran to resume negotiations to reach a final deal on Tehran’s nuclear program.Earlier, they had said the possible agreement between Iran and Oman calls for ships to enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman. Service fees would be charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, the officials said.Oman and Iran have not officially commented.The Trump administration has previously ruled out any deal that would give Iran control over the strait, which was an open international waterway before the war, but has seen traffic reduced to a trickle.Trump has reiterated his public opposition to tolls being charged. “I’m not going to let them charge,” Trump said on Monday. “Anybody’s going to charge, we’ll charge.” US and Iranian officials say progress is being made Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tuesday that Tehran’s talks with Oman were focused on “establishing safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes,” routes that “uphold sovereign rights while also addressing the national security considerations of both Iran and Oman.”“The final results of these negotiations will be announced once concluded,” he added, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed progress had been made in those talks — but said they were not final.Rubio has previously ruled out any deal that would give Iran control over the strait, saying last month that would create a “very dangerous precedent.” Attacks on shipping continue Even as hopes increased that a deal on the Strait of Hormuz could be imminent, attacks on shipping in the region continued.The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed Wednesday they had fired ballistic missiles toward a Saudi oil tanker called the Wafa in the Red Sea. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, said in a prerecorded statement that the vessel was targeted off the Saudi port city of Yanbu. He didn’t provide evidence.There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.The attack is part of a recent escalation between the rebels and Saudi Arabia that threatened to reignite Yemen’s civil war, which pitted the Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition supporting the country’s government.In July, the Houthis announced they were closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that leads to the Red Sea for Saudi-linked shipping. That puts additional pressure on international shipping since the Red Sea became a key alternative route for Saudi oil exports during the war.On Tuesday, an Indian-flagged commercial ship sank in the Red Sea off Yemen after being struck by an explosive-laden boat, Yemeni and Indian authorities said. Yemen’s coast guard rescued the crew, which included 13 Indians and a Yemeni. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.Earlier Tuesday, a cargo ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” about 37 kilometers (23 miles) northeast of the Omani port city of Al Khasab in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center. UN criticizes executions in Iran Separately, the United Nations’ human rights chief, Volker Türk, criticized what he said was an increase in executions and death sentences in Iran since March.Türk said capital punishment is being used to instill fear and suppress dissent.At least 56 people have been executed since March 19, he said, including 27 who were convicted in cases linked to anti-government protests that occurred across the country at the start of the year. Türk said that more than 100 more were at risk of execution on similar charges.“Persistent lack of fair trial and due process guarantees are deeply troubling,” Türk said, alleging that confessions have been obtained under torture and ill-treatment, while saying some executions have reportedly been carried out in public and some only weeks after the suspect was arrested. Amer Madhani and Matthew Lee also contributed. —Elena Becatoros, Samy Magdy and Darlene Superville, Associated Press

Iran Set To Emerge With More Hormuz Leverage Than Before The War Under Draft US-Oman Deal President Trump said late Tuesday that talks with Iran are "moving along very nicely" - in a highly fluid and ambiguous situation where it appears the two sides are only interacting indirectly at best. But the Iranian side has continued to insist that there are currently no peace or ceasefire talks happening, but only the Iran-Oman negotiations which focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and setting terms of how it will be managed. Consistent with this narrative, Al Jazeera freshly cites Iran's state broadcaster IRIB which reports that talks between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz "have nothing to do with the United States". But Washington is presenting it as a US-Oman deal for the strait's reopening, even if it fundamentally remains an Iranian-Omani proposal. WANA/Reuters/AP images Trump in his latest comments echoed his Treasury Secretary from the day prior, saying, "It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day." This was on the heels of traveling to Los Angeles yesterday for a fundraising event hosted by the Republican National Committee. "A lot of progress has been made." He told Fox that the White House is now having "very good discussions" with Iranian officials as part of an "all-day negotiation" and that the Strait of Hormuz reopening "is going to be open very soon." "If they back out again, they are going to get hit really hard," the president told the outlet. He had said the same by close of last week, but by the weekend reversed course and decided to refrain from attack Iran again. According to Bloomberg, "The US, Iran and Oman are preparing to announce a 60-day agreement on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz" - but the Iranian side has not affirmed this. So as it stands, Tehran says it is driving the Oman talks and that Washington has been sidelined, while the White House claims that it has directly involvement in shaping the outcome. But all sides do seem in agreement that the technical details and mechanics of the deal are currently being worked on. According to the latest outline of what this is expected to look like via CBS: Under the current proposal, ships entering the Strait would use the channel closest to Iran, with Iran coordinating inbound traffic, while vessels leaving the strait would use the Omani side, with Muscat managing outbound traffic. The proposal also includes a "service fee," with the revenue split between Iran and Oman. According to the source, the broad outlines have largely been agreed upon, with the remaining discussions focused on implementation and timing. Axios reported something similar, in which the US is nearing a Hormuz deal. Axios added that no tolls or fees would be charged during the 60-day period and the parties would work on clearing naval mines from the median lane of the strait within 30 days. As for the claim of 'no tolls', this could once again be just semantics, given the Iranian and Omani sides have consistently signaled the need for fund collection under the headers of safe navigation, logistics, and environmental protection. There has also been some progress on agreements for third-party demining operations. But as Rubio reminded the world yesterday, Washington still insists resolving the nuclear issue - something which the Iranians still say can only be broached after the conflict is ended and there is peace. Below is the version of where things stand via Axios: All inbound traffic of ships through the strait and into the Gulf would go in a northern lane through Iranian waters. All outbound traffic through the strait and into the Arabian Sea would go in a southern lane through Omani waters, in coordination with Iran. No tolls or fees would be charged during the 60-day period. The parties would work on clearing naval mines from the median lane of the strait within 30 days. After the median lane is cleared, it would be used for inbound and outbound traffic under the terms of a permanent arrangement to be negotiated between Oman and Iran. More regional commentary serves as a reminder of the significant obstacles that remain toward reaching a final peace, much less the full reopening of Hormuz Strait: But while Iranians are saying that, at this point, talks are limited to Iran and Oman, it goes without saying that the US is a key factor. We’ve got a report from state TV today citing an informed source who said that even if a deal were reached today, the breach of the Memorandum of Understanding agreement by the US means there won’t be a reopening of the strait. One of the key points of concern for the Iranians regarding the strait is the removal of the naval blockade by the Americans. They have been constantly saying that this is one of the pre-conditions. If Axios and some other major MSM reports are to be believed, the scheme is advancing on the Iranian side. "Two regional sources said Araghchi agreed in principle over the weekend but still needed approval from Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and the Supreme National Security Council," writes the publication. "A U.S. official and a regional source said Iranian leadership completed its approval process on Tuesday." An interim maritime arrangement, inside a Memorandum of Understanding, within a ceasefire. It's a diplomatic turducken. https://t.co/WpXke2brda — Ali Vaez (@AliVaez) August 5, 2026 If all the above comes into force, it will widely be seen as a victory for Iran. It will leave Iran with greater control over energy transit than before the war. Simultaneously this would be Trump essentially cutting and running in order to finally extricate American forces from the deepening quagmire, while approaching the six-month mark since Operation Epic Fury started. For example, even the NY Times admits, "Iran and Oman are closing in on an agreement to reopen shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian and American officials, but if the accord goes into effect it could come at a high price — ratifying Tehran’s control over what, before the war, was an open, international waterway." While markets would breath a sigh of relief, Tehran would be in the driver's seat geopolitically. US officials cited in the same report have only said the Hormuz scheme would the "temporary" - and so the ongoing contrasting interpretations suggest another tenuous and shaky agreement in the works. "But if, ultimately, Iran asserts continued control over the passageway, the opening might come with a geopolitical cost. Iranian officials say they are designing the accord to ratify their capacity to control the strait and therefore retain strategic leverage that they did not employ before the war," the NYT also wrote. Tyler Durden Wed, 08/05/2026 - 09:20