TOP STORIES
IRGC Attacks Commercial Vessel in Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Official Confirms | CBS News
“Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a Singapore-flagged commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official confirmed to CBS News. The cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an ‘unknown projectile’ on Thursday evening near the Oman coast, according to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations. The U.S.-approved route for ships to travel through Strait of Hormuz involves hugging the Omani coastline while Iran has called for ships to travel along a northern route. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the agency set up by Iran to manage transit through the Straight of Hormuz, said in a statement after the attack, ‘Any passage through routes outside the framework designated by PGSA will not be covered by safe passage guarantees and will not be entitled to insurance coverage or related liabilities.’”
Iran Insists on Right to Control Shipping in Strait of Hormuz After Ship Hit near Oman | Reuters
“Iran reasserted its right on Friday to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and warned Gulf states against siding with the U.S., a day after an attack on a ship near Oman highlighted the fragility of a preliminary deal to end the Iran war. Tehran was responding to what it called an ‘interventionist, irresponsible and provocative’ joint statement by the U.S. and six Gulf states that rejected Iran's insistence that it could charge tolls on vessels transiting the strait. ‘Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes or decision-making that does not take Iran’s role as a coastal state into account,’ Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on X.”
How Iran Devastated an American Naval Base—and Caused a U.S. Recalculation | Wall Street Journal
“When the Iranian missiles and drones came for the nerve center of America’s naval operations in the Middle East, some of them hit their mark. The U.S. Navy base in Bahrain was repeatedly targeted between late February and June. Strikes that got through caused extensive damage, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of satellite imagery, social-media footage and interviews with current and former servicemembers—damage that the Pentagon hasn’t publicly acknowledged. Hit hard were the command headquarters and at least a dozen other buildings, along with two satellite communications terminals. . . . The extensive damage done to America’s sole naval base in the Middle East—along with hits to at least 20 U.S. sites across the region, including military installations and diplomatic facilities—has the U.S. re-evaluating its entire footprint in the region, according to U.S. officials familiar with the deliberations.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
Interview of UANI Director of IRGC Research Kasra Aarabi | i24 News
“The reality is what happened during the war—the regime carrying out unprovoked attacks against the Gulf States, against the UAE, against Bahrain, against Saudi Arabia—has created a situation whereby we will not be able to return to the pre-war status quo. Those Gulf states know very well that this regime, so long as it exists, presents a threat. Now, whether we have an on the surface rapprochement is almost irrelevant because the regime has revealed its true face.”
DIPLOMACY
Iran’s Support for Proxies ‘Has to Be Discussed’ in MoU Talks, Rubio Says | Iran International
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Iran’s support for non-state armed groups, including Hezbollah, Houthis and Hamas, would have to be discussed under the memorandum of understanding, arguing that such activity interfered in the sovereignty of regional countries. Speaking in Bahrain, Rubio said the MoU covered peace in the region and non-interference in the sovereignty and interests of independent countries.”
Rubio, GCC Ministers Call for Curbs on Iran’s Missiles, Drones and Proxies | Iran International
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and GCC foreign ministers said in a joint statement on Thursday that ‘lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region.’ . . . The Ministers rejected any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control over the Strait [of Hormuz] and welcomed the Sultanate of Oman and the International Maritime Organization’s announcement on the launch of an evacuation plan for over 11,000 seafarers stranded in the region.”
Vance Says Direct IRGC-CENTCOM Channel Agreed in Switzerland Talks | Iran International
“US Vice President JD Vance said one of the biggest breakthroughs of the Switzerland talks with Iran was an agreement in principle to establish a direct military communication channel between the Revolutionary Guard and CENTCOM in Doha to help prevent future escalation. . . . Vance described the MOU as a ‘foundational document’ rather than a final nuclear deal, saying its basic logic was: ‘Let’s open the Strait, let’s stop shooting at each other, and let’s see if we can make a nuclear deal.’ He said Iran was offering terms ‘radically different’ from the 2015 JCPOA, including a tougher inspection regime and the ‘elimination’ of its existing enriched uranium stockpile, while also seeking a transformed relationship with the United States and the world. . . . Vance said Israel and ‘every other nation in the region’ had the right to self-defense, but added that Washington wanted that right exercised in a context of de-escalation. He acknowledged that the process remains uncertain, saying Iran is ‘talking differently than they have in the past,’ but that the question is whether Tehran’s actions will follow its words.”
Iran Deal Grants Access to Nuclear Inspectors, IAEA Chief Says | Reuters
“The interim U.S.-Iran peace accord gives U.N. nuclear inspectors access to Iran, the watchdog’s top official said on Friday, after Tehran indicated key sites would remain off-limits until a final deal with Washington was reached and sanctions lifted. . . . U.N. inspectors have already held an initial exchange with Iranian officials to discuss technical issues, [International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael] Grossi said. The first goal of any visit to Iran would be to check whether IAEA seals on previously inspected material remained intact and whether any material was missing, he said. ‘Intentions are not enough. We have to have a very strong verification system in place,’ he said.”
Vance, Rubio Strike Different Tone on Iran and Israel | Reuters
“President Donald Trump's administration has pushed hard to present a united front on the Iran war, but statements by his vice president and secretary of state have at times diverged over the past week, especially on the subject of Israel. Vice President JD Vance, speaking at the White House last week, lashed out against Israeli critics of the preliminary U.S.-Iran deal. He suggested that Israeli bombings of civilian infrastructure in Beirut—intended to weaken Hezbollah, which has been attacking Israel—were undermining U.S.-led peace efforts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who traveled through the Gulf this week, defended Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, repeatedly describing its actions as a justified response to Hezbollah attacks. Pressed on Vance’s criticism, Rubio deflected before recounting an assault by the Lebanon-based militia on an Israeli checkpoint earlier in the week.”
Noxious Language Infiltrated Trump’s Iran Deal | Elliott Abrams in the Washington Post
“Donald Trump once sought to liberate the Iranians. In the war’s early hours, the president told this paper, ‘All I want is freedom for the people.’ A month earlier, he instructed the country’s ‘patriots’ to ‘keep protesting’ and to ‘take over your institutions’ because ‘help is on its way.’ Fast-forward five months, though, and the United States has abandoned all such support. Worse, the administration has done so by accepting what was surely the regime’s rhetoric. The memorandum of understanding that the Trump administration signed last week affirms that Washington and Tehran will ‘refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.’ If the U.S. negotiators didn’t know the long and sordid history of that phrase, their Iranian counterparts almost certainly did.”
MILITARY MATTERS & STRAIT OF HORMUZ SITUATION
U.N. Agency Pauses Evacuation of Ships Through the Strait of Hormuz | CBS News
“A U.N. maritime agency has paused the evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after the British military said a vessel was hit Thursday by a projectile off the coast of Oman. The head of the International Maritime Organization said the plan to move stranded ships through the strait will be on hold until the agency can confirm safety guarantees for the ships on the evacuation list and in the region.”
“A trickle of marine traffic was passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday despite an attack on a ship in the vital waterway a day earlier, as Iran reiterated its warnings for ships to follow a Tehran-approved route. . . . At least 37 vessels had transited the strait or are in the process of doing so since Thursday’s incident involving a container ship from Taiwan-based shipping giant Evergreen Marine, an NBC News review of MarineTraffic data showed. Despite Iran’s threats, 20 of those ships had taken a route far south of Iran that hugs the coastline of the United Arab Emirates and bends along Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, avoiding Iranian waters.”
IDF Says 6 Hezbollah Operatives Who Posed Threat to Troops Killed in Strikes | Times of Israel
“The IDF says it struck and killed at least six Hezbollah operatives who posed a threat to troops operating in southern Lebanon today. According to the military, in one incident in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, troops of the Golani Brigade spotted five Hezbollah operatives near them. In another incident, in the Ali Taher ridge area, troops of the Commando Brigade spotted an armed Hezbollah gunman.”
France and Italy Seeking Post-UNIFIL Force for Lebanon | Al Jazeera
“France and Italy want to create a multinational coalition to replace the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, even as Israel continues to occupy Lebanese territory and carry out attacks across the country.”
IRAN’S PROXIES
Iraq’s New Leader Faces Resistance Trying to Bring Militias Under State Control | New York Times
“Iraq’s new prime minister has met with significant resistance as he attempts to bring the Iran-backed militias in his country under state control, after intense pressure from the Trump administration to rein in the armed groups. . . . [Prime Minister Ali] al-Zaidi, a political newcomer, ordered all armed groups last month to come under direct state authority. Some of the most powerful Iran-linked militias rejected the demand.”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Intensifies Internal Crackdown as US and Israel Wage War on Regime | Le Monde
“The Islamic Republic of Iran signed a memorandum of understanding with its sworn enemy, the US, on June 17, yet refuses to make peace with its own people. In Iran, executions related to political charges have continued, as have arrests under the pretext of ‘collaboration with enemy countries,’ especially Israel and the US.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Iran Negotiator Ghalibaf Rejects Claim Unfrozen Funds Will Buy US Goods | Al Jazeera
“Iran’s parliament speaker, who also heads the country’s negotiating team in talks with the United States, has rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that Tehran’s unfrozen assets would be funnelled exclusively into purchasing American agricultural exports. . . . On Monday, Iran’s central bank governor said funds released under the emerging agreement with the US will not necessarily be restricted to essential goods.”
Middlemen Offer Iranian Oil to Indian Refiners After US Waiver, Sources Say | Reuters
“Several middlemen have offered Indian refiners discounted Iranian oil as Tehran looks to expedite sales after Washington's temporary sanctions waiver, Indian refining sources said. . . . The approaches to Indian refiners have come directly from National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) and through intermediaries saying they have been allocated oil by the Iranian state producer, the sources said.”
CYBERSECURITY MATTERS
Montenegro Police, FBI Arrest Iranian Wanted by US for Hacking | Reuters
“Montenegrin police and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested an Iranian national suspected of hacking attacks that damaged U.S. infrastructure to the tune of $3.4 billion, Montenegrin police said. The 39-year-old man, with dual Iranian and Turkish citizenship, is sought by the Southern District Court in New York on charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, and identity theft.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran Lawmaker Urges Military Response over New Hormuz Route | Iran International
“A hardline Iranian lawmaker said the new Hormuz route defined by Oman in coordination with the United States and the International Maritime Organization challenges Tehran's dominance over the strategic waterway and sets a ‘dangerous precedent.’ He claimed the new route, along with what he described as repeated violations of the recent memorandum of understanding, required an immediate military response.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
Rep. McCaul Says Vance Faces ‘Uphill Battle’ in Iran Negotiations | Fox News
“Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, expressed skepticism Thursday about Vice President JD Vance’s Iran negotiations, urging caution before offering concessions to Tehran. ‘We don't know what the final deal is,’ McCaul told reporters. McCaul said Iran must first meet key conditions, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and ensuring it cannot build a nuclear weapon. ‘You don't reward them first and then hope they meet our conditions. That's not a good negotiation,’ he said. McCaul added that he respects Vance’s effort to pursue peace in the region but warned the U.S. must go in ‘eyes wide open’ when dealing with Iran, which he called ‘a sponsor of terror.’ When asked whether Vance can reach a deal in 60 days, McCaul said he has ‘an uphill battle’ and is ‘a bit skeptical given Iran’s track record.’”
NATO, EUROPE & IRAN
NATO’s Rutte Gave Confused Account of Italy’s Involvement in Iran War, Meloni Says | Politico
“Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday accused NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte of giving a muddled account when he described her country as offering ‘massive’ support to U.S.-Israeli attacks against Iran. . . . Meloni pushed back on Thursday, saying Rutte was incorrectly implying that flights from Italy were used in direct attacks on Iran in his eagerness to convince Washington that NATO was playing a significant role. ‘In his—let's call it enthusiastic—account, the secretary-general has lumped together things that are actually quite different from one another, confusing the types of authorized flights,’ Meloni told reporters during a Franco-Italian summit in southern France. ‘We did not participate in the conflict with Iran. By the way, if we had participated in the Iran conflict, there would be no explanation for this disappointment that the U.S. president keeps reiterating very often,’ Meloni added.”
GULF STATES & IRAN
Rubio Wraps up Gulf Tour as Allies Share Concerns over Iran Peace Accord | Reuters
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Gulf allies on Thursday that any deal with Iran would take their interests into account, as he wrapped up a Middle East trip aimed at winning over regional partners with deep reservations about the preliminary accord. Speaking at a meeting of Gulf Arab foreign ministers in Bahrain—home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet—Rubio said Washington was seeking an enduring peace with long-time foe Ian that would not come at the expense of the security of allies in the oil-rich region, many of whom see the deal as too soft after coming under Iranian attack during the conflict.”
Iran Estimates $40 Billion Windfall from Reopening Hormuz with Gulf States | Wall Street Journal
“Iran is pushing to make billions of dollars from the Strait of Hormuz as the regime positions itself to manage the global oil artery it severed at the start of the war. The Islamic Republic estimates that charging for security, safety and environmental services in the strait would bring in $40 billion a year in revenue for states involved, according to officials familiar with the matter.”
Gulf Cooperation Council Voices Support for U.S. Objectives in Iran | CBS News
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio's final stop in the Gulf region Thursday came at a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which released a lengthy joint statement with the U.S. agreeing on all points with the American objectives in Iran.”
Iran, Oman to Conduct Talks ‘To Define Future Administration’ of the Strait of Hormuz | Fox News
“Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that Iran and Oman will hold talks ‘to define [the] future administration’ of the Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi made the announcement following a phone call with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.”
MISCELLANEOUS
FIFA Clashes with Iran, Egypt over Rainbow Symbols at World Cup Pride Match | The Athletic
“The Iran Football Federation wants FIFA to prevent any ‘ceremonies or promotional activities’ in support of the LGBTQ+ community at a much discussed ‘Pride Match’ between Egypt and Iran on Friday in Seattle, as well as restricting symbols or representations of the Pride movement at Lumen Field.”