Iran has issued strong warnings to the United States regarding attacks on its oil tankers and commercial vessels. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy warned that any attack would be met with a “heavy assault” on a US base in the region and enemy ships, even as a tenuous ceasefire appeared to be holding.
These warnings came after the United States struck two Iranian oil tankers, actions the US military attributed to the tankers attempting to breach its blockade of Iran’s ports. This development has cast doubt on the month-old ceasefire that the US has asserted is still in effect. Meanwhile, Washington is awaiting Iran’s response to a latest proposal for a deal that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, and address Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
Parallel efforts are underway for de-escalation. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow’s proposal to take enriched uranium from Iran to aid negotiations remains available. Separately, Egyptian and Qatari top diplomats reiterated that diplomacy is the sole path to finding a solution.
In separate developments, Bahrain reported arresting 41 people affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard. The country’s interior ministry stated that investigations confirmed these individuals were in contact with the Guard and had collected funds with the purpose of sending them to Iran to support what they described as “terrorist operations.” Iran issued a warning to Bahrain regarding the arrests, stating that “siding with the US-backed resolution will bring severe consequences” and emphasizing that the Strait of Hormuz is a vital lifeline that should not be risked. The source for this warning was Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission of Iran’s parliament.
Military preparations and regional actions are intensifying. Britain’s defense ministry announced the deployment of a warship to the Middle East. This warship will join a potential mission to protect commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities cease. France also announced it is moving its aircraft carrier strike group into the Red Sea in preparation for this potential security plan. Both nations are leading discussions with several countries on a coalition to re-establish freedom of navigation, but they stressed this effort would only begin following a sustainable ceasefire and reassurance that the strait is safe for ships.
Diplomatic channels continue to operate intensively. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif noted his country has been in constant contact with both the US and Iran to extend the ceasefire and negotiate a peace deal. Additionally, Russian foreign ministry representatives, along with Saudi Arabia, have called for diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a “sustainable, long-term agreement” to conclude the conflict.
While the conflict remains active, speculation surrounds Iran’s future leadership. Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been publicly seen since the war began. A top Iranian official commented that Mojtaba is in “complete health” and is expected to appear in public eventually. This comment came from Mazaher Hosseini, who is affiliated with the office of the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and reportedly made the comment at a pro-government gathering.