TOP STORIES
Trump Briefed on All-Out War Options in Iran but Opts to Stick with Talks | Wall Street Journal
“President Trump has weighed a return to all-out war with Iran, holding multiple conversations in recent days with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on more strikes, but has decided to stick with diplomatic talks for now, according to U.S. officials familiar with the discussion. The conversations have centered on whether the U.S. should abandon negotiations and resume full-scale attacks on Iran, the officials said, a move some of them describe as ‘finishing the job.’ While not making a final decision, Trump has told aides he believes another round of full-scale attacks could derail diplomacy and hurt Washington’s chances of ultimately dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. Trump also has told aides that he is fine if negotiations with Tehran blow past an Aug. 18 deadline for a nuclear deal, the officials said, a decision that gives the talks more time to work.”
“Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Tuesday said Iran was unable to export any oil during the U.S. blockade on its ports, noting that exports have since surged. ‘From the day the blockade was lifted until today, we have exported more than 40 million barrels of oil,’ he said in an interview on state television. ‘By contrast, during the previous 50 to nearly 60 days, we were genuinely unable to export even a single barrel of oil.’”
Iran Insists on Keeping Control over Hormuz, Senior Iranian Sources Say | Reuters
“Iran is determined to win international recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz and ability to levy fees on ships entering or leaving the Gulf even if it has to do so by force, two senior Iranian sources said. . . . its negotiators will not move to other areas of dispute in ongoing peace talks with Washington until that has been agreed, the sources said.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
Top Iranian Military Official Dies in Crash, Fueling Mossad, CIA Speculation | Fox News
“The death of a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval official in a car crash has sparked speculation that it was more than an accident, with analysts pointing to possible foreign involvement or an internal regime power struggle. . . . ‘I think it’s suspicious. It could be any of the above,’ Jason Brodsky, [policy] director of United Against Nuclear Iran, told the outlet.”
“The death of a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval official in a car crash has sparked speculation that it was more than an accident, with analysts pointing to possible foreign involvement or an internal regime power struggle. . . . ‘I think it’s suspicious. It could be any of the above,’ Jason Brodsky, [policy] director of United Against Nuclear Iran, told the outlet.”
Interview with UANI Research Director Daniel Roth | NewsX
“In the early phase, when we were hearing that Iran was potentially laying mines, there was an impression that the Iranians didn't actually plot or map where those mines had been laid. So it’s very possible, because it’s such an incompetent regime, that they don’t even know where they are and this [rejecting external demining assistance] might be a way to save face. They may be so embarrassed that they don’t even know where they laid those mines initially that they’re now refusing French entreaties to actually clear the way.”
MILITARY MATTERS & STRAIT OF HORMUZ SITUATION
After U.S.-Iran War, Oman Said to Propose Hormuz Fee Plan | New York Times
“Iran and U.S.-allied Oman are moving forward with plans to collect payment for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, despite public American objections, according to an Iranian official and four diplomats with knowledge of the matter. . . . Oman recently delivered a formal proposal to the United States and other Western allies that outlined a plan in which shipping companies would pay service fees to use the strait, according to the Iranian official and a regional diplomat. A person familiar with the U.S. position said that American negotiators had received the Omani proposal and had concerns that they intended to discuss with Omani officials. That person and the regional diplomat both said that the proposal mentions voluntary fees, rather than a mandatory toll. The officials and diplomats cited in this article all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy.”
Ship Runs Aground in Strait of Hormuz, Iranian State TV Reports | Associated Press
“A ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz while using a route not approved by Iran, state television in Tehran reported Wednesday. The report identified the affected vessel as a foreign container ship, but offered no other immediate details.”
Strait of Hormuz Threat Level Raised to “Substantial,” Naval Advisory Body Says | CNN
“The maritime security threat level for the Strait of Hormuz has been raised to ‘substantial’ even as commercial traffic through the waterway remained steady over the last 48 hours, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) in a security report. . . . The JMIC also said navigation interference, hailing by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, drone activity and surveillance all continued in the area.”
Evacuation of Seafarers Trapped in Strait Requires Ceasefire Pledge, IMO Says | CNN
“Safely evacuating more than 8,500 seafarers still stuck in the Strait of Hormuz requires Iranian guarantees that no vessels will be targeted, the head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) said Tuesday. . . . The IMO was forced to halt the evacuation of ships and seafarers following an Iranian attack on a vessel in the strait on Thursday.”
Iran’s Flex in Strait of Hormuz Puts Trump on Back Foot | The Hill
“Iran is flexing its leverage in the Strait of Hormuz, putting the U.S. on its back foot as it looks to resume shipping through the key passageway and curb Tehran’s nuclear program. . . . ‘It doesn’t really matter how much the U.S. bombs back, because the real audience for Iran strikes is not the U.S., it’s shippers and insurers and crews who are equally threatened by Iranian attacks, no matter how much the U.S. responds,’ Harrison Mann, a former U.S. Army major and executive officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency Middle East/Africa Regional Center, said in an interview with The Hill. ‘Iran thinks that in the MOU it’s basically been given Hormuz, and it is testing that theory, not in the negotiating room, it’s testing it in reality to see what will be accepted over time,’ William F. Wechsler, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and combatting terrorism, said in an interview with The Hill.”
DIPLOMACY
Ghalibaf Says Iran Won’t Enter Further Talks Until MOU Terms Met | Iran International
“Iranian Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would not enter further negotiations until conditions set out in the memorandum of understanding are met, adding that current meetings were aimed at fulfilling its commitments.”
US Says Witkoff, Kushner Had Positive Talks in Doha on Iran Deal | Bloomberg
“US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held positive discussions in Qatar and progress is being made on technical talks with Iran, according to a senior administration official, as the countries seek to turn an interim peace deal into a permanent end to the war. . . . Talks between US and Iranian officials via mediators are continuing on Wednesday, AFP reported, citing a diplomat it didn’t identify. Witkoff and Kushner aren’t taking part, the news agency said.”
Qatar Says US-Iran Technical Talks Continue—Without High-Level Meetings | CNN
“Qatar said Tuesday that technical talks between Iran and the United States are continuing, but there are currently no high-level meetings between the two sides under the existing negotiation mechanism.”
Iran Prioritizing Diplomacy but Also “Prepared for War,” Chief Negotiator Says | CBS News
“Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday that Iran was prioritizing diplomacy with the United States, but remained ready for war.”
Iran Says Qatar Talks Tomorrow Will Cover US Deal and Frozen Assets | CNN
“Iran-Qatar talks on Wednesday will cover the implementation of Tehran’s agreement with the US, as well as its frozen assets, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tuesday. . . . He added that Iran’s negotiating team had no plan to meet with the American delegation in the coming days.”
PROXY WARS
Netanyahu Visits Occupied Southern Lebanon, Says Israel Won’t Leave Yet | Reuters
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday visited Lebanese territory occupied by the Israeli military, telling soldiers that Israel would not withdraw from the country's south as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah continued to pose a threat.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Bessent Says Only China Buying Iranian Oil, Others Are Wary | Bloomberg
“Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that most nations aren’t yet ready to purchase Iranian oil, wary over the potential of the US reimposing sanctions, and that this is an incentive for Tehran to negotiate with Washington. ‘The Iranians thus far have not been able to sell their oil, because the buyers are a little wary of, will it be re-sanctioned,’ Bessent said on Fox News Tuesday. ‘No one other than China, who was already buying it when it was sanctioned, has bought it, so it’s still trading at a discount.’”
“Iran has exported more than 40 million barrels of crude oil since the U.S. removed its naval blockade of Iranian ports, and is now selling oil at prices roughly 20% higher than before the war, parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday.”
US and Gulf Nations Add Hezbollah-Linked Financial Entities to Terror Designations List | CNN
“Arab nations of the Persian Gulf, in coordination with the United States, on Tuesday added multiple Hezbollah-affiliated financial institutions and officials to their list of terrorism-related sanctions designations.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran’s Diverging Priorities Are Jeopardizing U.S. Peace Talks | Wall Street Journal
“A power struggle inside Tehran is threatening U.S.-Iran peace talks, with civilian leaders seeking billions in frozen assets and hardline military officials pressing for control of the Strait of Hormuz, said officials familiar with the negotiations.”
Khamenei to End Eje’i’s Judiciary Tenure After One Term | Iran International
“Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei plans to remove judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje'i at the end of his first five-year term and appoint a new figure to lead the judiciary, sources familiar with the matter told Iran International. . . . The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision is not aimed at judicial reform but is part of a broader reshaping of power after the recent war. They said the new supreme leader is seeking to replace key officials in major state institutions with figures more closely aligned with him.”
INTELLIGENCE
Iran Among Top Foreign Espionage Threats to Germany, Security Report Says | Iran International
“Iran was among the main foreign powers carrying out intelligence activities against Germany in 2025, targeting opposition groups, pro-Israeli and pro-Jewish targets and the Iranian diaspora, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency said in a security report published Tuesday.”
US Citizen Arrested in Israel on Suspicion of Spying for Iran | CNN
“An American citizen was arrested in Israel earlier this month on suspicion of spying for Iran, Israel’s police and internal security agency said Tuesday, accusing the suspect of offenses that included endangering Israel’s security. In a statement, police said the 20-year-old suspect had been in touch with Iranian intelligence operatives over the past several months. The suspect photographed and documented sensitive sites in Israel, police said, and received payments of tens to hundreds of dollars per assignment.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
Johnson Backs New 60-Day Clock If Iran Fighting Flares Up | USA Today
“House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hopes the Iranians ‘come to their senses’ amid a flare-up in fighting, but if a tenuous ceasefire continues to break down, he suggested President Donald Trump should get a fresh start on the legal deadline to receive approval for the military conflict from Congress.”
GOP Rebels Threaten Iran Spending Bill over Poland Troop Fight | Politico
“A splinter group of moderate House Republicans is threatening to derail an $88 billion Iran war spending bill unless American troops are returned to Poland.”
CYBERSECURITY MATTERS
Major Cybersecurity Failure: Four Largest Iranian Banks Face 3rd Week of Outages | IranWire
“It has been more than 14 days since network disruptions began crippling the service infrastructure of several major Iranian banks, including Bank Saderat, Bank Tejarat, Bank Melli, and the Export Development Bank of Iran. The technical issues remain unresolved, severely hindering the delivery of day-to-day banking services.”
EUROPE & IRAN
“‘Europe can’t join a war when it is uncertain of the consequences for international law,’ German politician Max Lucks, the rapporteur on Iran for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday when asked whether greater international involvement would have given Europe more influence over the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran. Calling it a ‘crazy war’ that lacked a clear strategy, Lucks said he believed ‘it was the right decision not to join this war.’”