August 8, 2026
Stephen Quillen & Rached El-Moctar
Sardar Mohebi, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), says the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is not subject to the deal with Oman, adding that it is conditional on the US “fully accepting Iran’s conditions”.
Stephen Quillen & Rached El-Moctar
Sardar Mohebi, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), says the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is not subject to the deal with Oman, adding that it is conditional on the US “fully accepting Iran’s conditions”.
The United Arab
Emirates has expressed its “strong condemnation of the Iranian aggression”
against a tanker of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the Strait of
Hormuz.
The spokesperson of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran’s parliament says a general framework of understanding has been reached with Oman, pending final approval from a high level, according to our colleagues on the ground.
Meanwhile, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan have signed a mutual defence pact in Mecca, declaring that “any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”
Three Lebanese soldiers injured by unexploded ordnance, says army
The Lebanese army says three soldiers have been injured while trying to dispose of unexploded ordnance in the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyah.
One of the soldiers’ injuries was described as “moderate”.
Pentagon official says US has enough munitions ‘to execute war’
The principal deputy director at the US Defence Department’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) says the military has enough munitions for its war against Iran, following reports that stocks of vital air defence weapons, such as ballistic missile interceptors, have been diminished by the conflict.
“We have sufficient munitions for the task at hand,” Jarred Conley told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview. “The department has everything it needs today to execute a war.”
Gulf nations face ‘limited options’ as Iran, Oman hold talks to reopen Hormuz
Abdulla Banndar al-Etaibi, an assistant professor of international affairs at Qatar University, says that while Gulf nations are reacting positively to the finalisation of Iran-Oman negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, they have little recourse if Iran demands compensation for reopening it.
“Everybody is looking at it positively,” he told Al Jazeera. “They want something to come out of it, to let freedom of navigation be reaffirmed by both parties.
“Oman is coordinating with the US, with mediators, with regional countries as well, because this has to do with shared interests in the region,” he said.
However, he cautioned that Iran is “dealing with freedom of navigation as something they need to be exchanged with something else”. This represents a “red flag” for regional countries.
“At the end of the day, the regional countries have limited choices and options, because basically you don’t want to attack. You try to defend yourself, defend your sovereignty, your authority as well.”
Gulf states therefore have “limited options”.
Iran on Saturday said that it’s close to a deal with Oman on Hormuz, but added that the strategic waterway will only be reopened after the US accepts Tehran’s conditions, including compensation from Washington.
Gulf nations export most of their oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz.
‘No way for Hormuz to return to pre-war situation’
Iran and Oman are close to an agreement on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, with the main obstacle being US pressure on Oman to adopt a position more closely aligned with Washington’s, says Ali Akbar Dareini, a Tehran-based researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dareini said Iran views its future control of the strait as critical to its national security, after months of US attacks that Tehran says were launched from bases in the region.
Dareini said the ongoing negotiation process between Iran and Oman presents the US with a “good opportunity… to get out of this quagmire” by recognising Iran and Oman as the states that will “determine the future” of Hormuz.
“There is absolutely no way for the Strait of Hormuz to return to the pre-war situation,” he continued. “The geopolitics of the region have changed.”
Iran’s army spokesman says US ‘has no choice but to accept’ Iranian order in Hormuz
Iran’s army spokesman Amir Akraminia has said Iran’s new order in the Strait of Hormuz is “irreversible”, despite US wishes.
“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 comments carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
Iran views administration of Hormuz as ‘indispensable’
Cyrus Schayegh, professor of international history and politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute, says Iran and the US appear to have adjusted their positions on the Strait of Hormuz as Iran-Oman negotiations on the waterway persist.
Iran, for its part, still insists that it must hold a “key administrative role” in managing the waterway, Schayegh told Al Jazeera, which it sees as “absolutely indispensable” and “will not negotiate” on.
However, Tehran has indicated it may be willing to let go of the idea of collecting a fee for the waterway.
The US, on the other hand, appears to have become “more realistic about what it can do vis a vis Iran militarily and more accepting of an Iran-Oman deal” for the waterway, Schayegh said.
Gulf states wary of Iran’s compensation demand to reopen Hormuz
Regional states are concerned by Iran’s demand for compensation for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, says Abdulla Banndar Al-Etaibi, an assistant professor of international affairs at Qatar University.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said Iran was treating negotiations with Oman over navigation in the strait as part of wartime negotiations with the United States. “I think they’re identical for the Iranians … they want to be compensated for what they call American violations of the MoU.”
“What’s the price of reopening the Strait of Hormuz? Is it going to be giving more frozen assets to the Iranians for freedom of navigation? So, this doesn’t come actually as a principle, but as a bargaining chip the Iranians are deploying against the Americans and the region. This is a big concern for the regional countries.”
“If Iran is asking for money to open the Strait of Hormuz, then after one month or two months, they may come back and ask for more money to open it again. So, it will be a non-ending negotiations and this is something that is not helping trust in the negotiations and also the freedom of navigation,” the analyst added.
He said the best outcome requires returning to US-Iran negotiations, in addition to the ongoing Iran-Oman track. “And then, we need to find some way to compromise, when it comes to frozen assets and when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, to push things forward.”
Oman condemns ‘repeated attacks on ships in Hormuz’
Oman’s government has said it condemns the “repeated attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz”, calling such attacks a “violation of international law and the sovereignty of territorial waters”.
In a statement shared by the country’s official Oman News Agency, the country’s Foreign Ministry also said negotiations over arrangements for navigation in the Strait of Hormuz were progressing positively and stressed the need for all parties to avoid any actions that could jeopardise their success.
Iran wants to stop MoU violations from being ‘normalised’
Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, says Tehran is demanding compensation from the US over its alleged MoU violations in order to stop violations from being normalised and curb future violations.
Such compensation, Aslani told Al Jazeera, could come in the form of sanctions relief or access to frozen assets, which were outstanding issues in previous rounds of negotiations.
Iran “sees the [Islamabad] MoU as the only framework available”, he added.
Iranian mistrust of US hangs over Hormuz negotiations with Oman
Tohid Asadi
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
Based on what we heard today from Araghchi, as well as other Iranian officials over the past few days and weeks, the Iranians are saying the United States did not fulfil its commitments related to the memorandum of understanding.
In that regard, Iran is saying the memorandum of understanding was not fully implemented, that new maritime arrangements are needed, and that a revision is necessary. Last but not least, they are saying that neither the memorandum of understanding nor an agreement between Oman and Iran can necessarily reopen the strait, given Iran’s mistrust of the United States.
So, right now, they are saying any reopening of the strait comes down to practical arrangements.
If a deal is agreed between Oman and Iran, it could pave the way for both sides to return to the memorandum of understanding and resume talks. However, this prospect for diplomacy is overshadowed by a cloud of mistrust.
There is also a long list of other controversial issues that remain, such as frozen assets, sanctions and the nuclear issue – all of which require a certain amount of trust.
Araghchi says US must compensate Iran for MoU violations in order for Hormuz to reopen
We can now bring you more from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who says Iran and Oman are “very close” to agreeing on a new protocol for the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranians to stand ‘until the end’ with leadership’s decision: President
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the Iranians will stand “until the end” with whatever the leadership decides, according to the Fars news agency.
“The war commanders know better than you and me whether we should fight or not. They know their own power. The leadership decides, and whatever decision they make, we will stand until the end,” he said.
The president explained that they will stand “until our death”, adding, “I am not afraid of fighting and staying; not only am I not afraid, but we often put ourselves in danger by doing so.
“Now, they may assassinate us one day; well, let them,” he added.
Iran says reopening Strait of Hormuz ‘conditional, not automatic’
Tohid Asadi
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
Iran is trying to exercise a level of control and authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and has consistently said the situation in the strait is not going to return to what it was before the war.
We heard two important messages and statements, one from a spokesperson for the IRGC and the other from the foreign minister.
First, they are saying the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is conditional, not automatic – meaning that reaching a deal between Oman and Iran does not necessarily pave the way for the reopening of the strait.
A second point was the rejection of the TSS, the trajectory through which ships and vessels can transit through the strategically important waterway and chokepoint. The Iranians are saying there will be a new pathway, and that the geographical coordinates have been agreed upon between Oman and Iran.
Iran is saying this should be conducted bilaterally, firmly rejecting any intervention from third parties.
Lastly, Iran is trying to assert control over the strait, not just as a commercial waterway, but as a point of leverage, strategically speaking.
Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian attack on UAE tanker
Saudi Arabia has added to the condemnations, calling Iran’s attack on a UAE tanker an “assault on the security and safety of maritime navigation, and on the security of global energy supplies”.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed the kingdom’s strongest “condemnation and denunciation” of the attack, adding that it is a “grave violation” of international law.
“The Kingdom holds Iran responsible for the consequences of its continued aggression and demands that Iran immediately cease these violations to preserve the security, stability and safety of the region,” the ministry added.
“The Kingdom reiterates its full solidarity with the sisterly United Arab Emirates and its support for all measures taken by the UAE to preserve its sovereignty and resources,” it concluded.
US ‘credibility’ as ‘good faith ally’ suffered during war on Iran
Marlin Hardinger, a former US State Department official, says one of the losses the US has suffered is its “credibility” during the war on Iran, as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan sign a defence pact.
“This is what’s been feared from in Washington – if the region doesn’t see Washington as a good faith ally on the defensive capacity and really step in and protect it, it [Gulf states] always had the option of going out and forming its own alliance,” Hardinger told Al Jazeera.
“In the short term, if it brings some capacity to help out on immediate defensive issues against Iran, that’s fine. But, long term, it could be the beginning of challenging the US’s role in the Gulf, and that would be damaging to probably the Gulf states and the United States for years to come,” he explained.
Qatar condemns Iranian attack on UAE tanker in Hormuz
Qatar has condemned an Iranian missile attack targeting an Emirati tanker affiliated with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as a “flagrant violation” of international law and freedom of maritime navigation.
The ministry also rejected what it described as Iran’s use of the Strait of Hormuz as a “bargaining chip” and called for the waterway to be reopened without conditions.
It warned that the continued closure of the waterway threatens the “vital interests” of countries in the region and the global economy.
Iran says Hormuz agreement ‘very close’ with Oman, accuses US of violating memorandum
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran is “very close to an agreement” with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, while accusing the United States of violating a memorandum of understanding previously reached in Pakistan.
At a news conference alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian, Araghchi said Iran had been implementing Clause 5 of the memorandum and that traffic was supposed to return to normal within a month, adding it had reached “60 percent of normal conditions within two weeks”.
However, Araghchi accused the US of seeking to establish new routes through the Strait of Hormuz, despite warnings from Tehran.
Araghchi said negotiations with Oman were focused on establishing a temporary shipping route before a permanent route is agreed. “Before reaching a new route, a temporary route will be considered as the basis for the main route,” he said, adding that negotiations had been held between the two countries’ military and naval forces.
UAE says Iranian attack on tanker constitutes ‘flagrant violation’ of UN resolution
The United Arab Emirates has expressed its “strong condemnation of the Iranian aggression” against an ADNOC tanker while it was transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the country’s Foreign Ministry said the attack constituted a “flagrant violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which emphasises freedom of navigation and rejects the targeting of commercial vessels in international waters.
“The ministry stressed that targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of pressure or economic blackmail constitutes acts of piracy by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and poses a direct threat to the stability of the region and its people, as well as to global energy security,” it added.
IRGC says Hormuz reopening conditional on US ‘fully accepting Iran’s conditions’, not Oman deal
Sardar Mohebi, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), says the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to “specific mechanisms and conditions” of Iran, which has no connection to ongoing negotiations with Oman, Iranian state news agency Tasnim reports.
“For us, the Strait of Hormuz is not merely an economic waterway, but rather a component of geographical and strategic power,” Mohebi explained.
The spokesperson added that the opening of the waterway was conditional on the US “fully accepting Iran’s conditions and ceasing to interfere in the regional negotiations”.
“Whenever the US accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will definitely open,” he said.
Iraqi oil minister says oil exports down by 75% amid Strait of Hormuz blockade
Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair says exports of oil through the Strait of Hormuz have decreased by 75 percent since the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Khudair told a news conference that before the war, Iraq used to export about “3.4 million barrels per day”, stressing the need to “find future solutions to diversify export outlets”.
Currently, he said, Iraq “produces 2.7 million barrels per day and exports 1.5 to 1.7 million barrels”.
He added that there was dialogue with Iran to allow the export of Iraqi oil through the strait but it was not active yet.
“We reject any attacks on oil companies in Iraq and have agreed to provide compensation if they suffer damages,” he said.
Missile targets vessel of UAE’s ADNOC in Strait of Hormuz, no injuries
A vessel belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was targeted by a missile while crossing the Strait of Hormuz earlier today, according to the UAE’s WAM state news agency.
“The attack did not result in any injuries and the situation was brought under control,” it said.
Gaza ministry calls for immediate release of Dr Hussam Abu Safia from Israeli detention
Muneer al-Boursh, director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry, calls for Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safia to be saved before it is “too late”, as he continues to be held in an Israeli detention centre since December 27, 2024.
In a post on X, al-Boursh said that amid reports of Abu Safia’s injuries to his head, eye and chest, the ongoing detention and lack of medical care have made his health condition a “source of extreme alarm that demands urgent action – not postponed statements”.
“Dr Hussam Abu Safia, who stayed by his patients’ side at Kamal Adwan Hospital in the bleakest of circumstances, now finds himself behind bars, stripped of his freedom, as fears grow for his physical safety and detention conditions,” he wrote.
“We hold the occupation authorities fully responsible for his life and safety, and we demand an urgent, independent, and comprehensive medical examination for him, ensuring he receives the necessary treatment,” al-Boursh added.
The ministry chief also called on the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the UN, and medical and human rights groups to take action.
Prolonged disruption of Hormuz could erode Iran’s leverage
Mohammad Reza Farzanegan
Iran has turned its ability to restrict commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz into a potent economic weapon in the war imposed by the United States and Israel.
IMF PortWatch data shows that in the seven days ending August 2, an average of only about four ships per day passed through the strait, compared with about 90 during the corresponding week of 2025. Estimated transit volume fell from 3.5 million to about 143,000 metric tonnes per day. Both indicators declined by approximately 96 percent.
This was not a temporary collapse in traffic but a sustained disruption. Since February 28, both vessel traffic and estimated tonnage have remained far below their levels in the previous year, with only brief recoveries.
Tehran has therefore already demonstrated that it can impose severe disruption on commercial traffic. The question is no longer whether Iran can disrupt trade through Hormuz, but how effectively it can convert that disruption into political leverage, and for how long.
The spokesperson of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran’s parliament says a general framework of understanding has been reached with Oman, pending final approval from a high level, according to our colleagues on the ground.
Meanwhile, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan have signed a mutual defence pact in Mecca, declaring that “any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”
Three Lebanese soldiers injured by unexploded ordnance, says army
The Lebanese army says three soldiers have been injured while trying to dispose of unexploded ordnance in the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyah.
One of the soldiers’ injuries was described as “moderate”.
Pentagon official says US has enough munitions ‘to execute war’
The principal deputy director at the US Defence Department’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) says the military has enough munitions for its war against Iran, following reports that stocks of vital air defence weapons, such as ballistic missile interceptors, have been diminished by the conflict.
“We have sufficient munitions for the task at hand,” Jarred Conley told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview. “The department has everything it needs today to execute a war.”
Gulf nations face ‘limited options’ as Iran, Oman hold talks to reopen Hormuz
Abdulla Banndar al-Etaibi, an assistant professor of international affairs at Qatar University, says that while Gulf nations are reacting positively to the finalisation of Iran-Oman negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, they have little recourse if Iran demands compensation for reopening it.
“Everybody is looking at it positively,” he told Al Jazeera. “They want something to come out of it, to let freedom of navigation be reaffirmed by both parties.
“Oman is coordinating with the US, with mediators, with regional countries as well, because this has to do with shared interests in the region,” he said.
However, he cautioned that Iran is “dealing with freedom of navigation as something they need to be exchanged with something else”. This represents a “red flag” for regional countries.
“At the end of the day, the regional countries have limited choices and options, because basically you don’t want to attack. You try to defend yourself, defend your sovereignty, your authority as well.”
Gulf states therefore have “limited options”.
Iran on Saturday said that it’s close to a deal with Oman on Hormuz, but added that the strategic waterway will only be reopened after the US accepts Tehran’s conditions, including compensation from Washington.
Gulf nations export most of their oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz.
‘No way for Hormuz to return to pre-war situation’
Iran and Oman are close to an agreement on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, with the main obstacle being US pressure on Oman to adopt a position more closely aligned with Washington’s, says Ali Akbar Dareini, a Tehran-based researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dareini said Iran views its future control of the strait as critical to its national security, after months of US attacks that Tehran says were launched from bases in the region.
Dareini said the ongoing negotiation process between Iran and Oman presents the US with a “good opportunity… to get out of this quagmire” by recognising Iran and Oman as the states that will “determine the future” of Hormuz.
“There is absolutely no way for the Strait of Hormuz to return to the pre-war situation,” he continued. “The geopolitics of the region have changed.”
Iran’s army spokesman says US ‘has no choice but to accept’ Iranian order in Hormuz
Iran’s army spokesman Amir Akraminia has said Iran’s new order in the Strait of Hormuz is “irreversible”, despite US wishes.
“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 comments carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
Iran views administration of Hormuz as ‘indispensable’
Cyrus Schayegh, professor of international history and politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute, says Iran and the US appear to have adjusted their positions on the Strait of Hormuz as Iran-Oman negotiations on the waterway persist.
Iran, for its part, still insists that it must hold a “key administrative role” in managing the waterway, Schayegh told Al Jazeera, which it sees as “absolutely indispensable” and “will not negotiate” on.
However, Tehran has indicated it may be willing to let go of the idea of collecting a fee for the waterway.
The US, on the other hand, appears to have become “more realistic about what it can do vis a vis Iran militarily and more accepting of an Iran-Oman deal” for the waterway, Schayegh said.
Gulf states wary of Iran’s compensation demand to reopen Hormuz
Regional states are concerned by Iran’s demand for compensation for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, says Abdulla Banndar Al-Etaibi, an assistant professor of international affairs at Qatar University.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said Iran was treating negotiations with Oman over navigation in the strait as part of wartime negotiations with the United States. “I think they’re identical for the Iranians … they want to be compensated for what they call American violations of the MoU.”
“What’s the price of reopening the Strait of Hormuz? Is it going to be giving more frozen assets to the Iranians for freedom of navigation? So, this doesn’t come actually as a principle, but as a bargaining chip the Iranians are deploying against the Americans and the region. This is a big concern for the regional countries.”
“If Iran is asking for money to open the Strait of Hormuz, then after one month or two months, they may come back and ask for more money to open it again. So, it will be a non-ending negotiations and this is something that is not helping trust in the negotiations and also the freedom of navigation,” the analyst added.
He said the best outcome requires returning to US-Iran negotiations, in addition to the ongoing Iran-Oman track. “And then, we need to find some way to compromise, when it comes to frozen assets and when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, to push things forward.”
Oman condemns ‘repeated attacks on ships in Hormuz’
Oman’s government has said it condemns the “repeated attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz”, calling such attacks a “violation of international law and the sovereignty of territorial waters”.
In a statement shared by the country’s official Oman News Agency, the country’s Foreign Ministry also said negotiations over arrangements for navigation in the Strait of Hormuz were progressing positively and stressed the need for all parties to avoid any actions that could jeopardise their success.
Iran wants to stop MoU violations from being ‘normalised’
Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, says Tehran is demanding compensation from the US over its alleged MoU violations in order to stop violations from being normalised and curb future violations.
Such compensation, Aslani told Al Jazeera, could come in the form of sanctions relief or access to frozen assets, which were outstanding issues in previous rounds of negotiations.
Iran “sees the [Islamabad] MoU as the only framework available”, he added.
Iranian mistrust of US hangs over Hormuz negotiations with Oman
Tohid Asadi
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
Based on what we heard today from Araghchi, as well as other Iranian officials over the past few days and weeks, the Iranians are saying the United States did not fulfil its commitments related to the memorandum of understanding.
In that regard, Iran is saying the memorandum of understanding was not fully implemented, that new maritime arrangements are needed, and that a revision is necessary. Last but not least, they are saying that neither the memorandum of understanding nor an agreement between Oman and Iran can necessarily reopen the strait, given Iran’s mistrust of the United States.
So, right now, they are saying any reopening of the strait comes down to practical arrangements.
If a deal is agreed between Oman and Iran, it could pave the way for both sides to return to the memorandum of understanding and resume talks. However, this prospect for diplomacy is overshadowed by a cloud of mistrust.
There is also a long list of other controversial issues that remain, such as frozen assets, sanctions and the nuclear issue – all of which require a certain amount of trust.
Araghchi says US must compensate Iran for MoU violations in order for Hormuz to reopen
We can now bring you more from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who says Iran and Oman are “very close” to agreeing on a new protocol for the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranians to stand ‘until the end’ with leadership’s decision: President
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the Iranians will stand “until the end” with whatever the leadership decides, according to the Fars news agency.
“The war commanders know better than you and me whether we should fight or not. They know their own power. The leadership decides, and whatever decision they make, we will stand until the end,” he said.
The president explained that they will stand “until our death”, adding, “I am not afraid of fighting and staying; not only am I not afraid, but we often put ourselves in danger by doing so.
“Now, they may assassinate us one day; well, let them,” he added.
Iran says reopening Strait of Hormuz ‘conditional, not automatic’
Tohid Asadi
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
Iran is trying to exercise a level of control and authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and has consistently said the situation in the strait is not going to return to what it was before the war.
We heard two important messages and statements, one from a spokesperson for the IRGC and the other from the foreign minister.
First, they are saying the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is conditional, not automatic – meaning that reaching a deal between Oman and Iran does not necessarily pave the way for the reopening of the strait.
A second point was the rejection of the TSS, the trajectory through which ships and vessels can transit through the strategically important waterway and chokepoint. The Iranians are saying there will be a new pathway, and that the geographical coordinates have been agreed upon between Oman and Iran.
Iran is saying this should be conducted bilaterally, firmly rejecting any intervention from third parties.
Lastly, Iran is trying to assert control over the strait, not just as a commercial waterway, but as a point of leverage, strategically speaking.
Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian attack on UAE tanker
Saudi Arabia has added to the condemnations, calling Iran’s attack on a UAE tanker an “assault on the security and safety of maritime navigation, and on the security of global energy supplies”.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed the kingdom’s strongest “condemnation and denunciation” of the attack, adding that it is a “grave violation” of international law.
“The Kingdom holds Iran responsible for the consequences of its continued aggression and demands that Iran immediately cease these violations to preserve the security, stability and safety of the region,” the ministry added.
“The Kingdom reiterates its full solidarity with the sisterly United Arab Emirates and its support for all measures taken by the UAE to preserve its sovereignty and resources,” it concluded.
US ‘credibility’ as ‘good faith ally’ suffered during war on Iran
Marlin Hardinger, a former US State Department official, says one of the losses the US has suffered is its “credibility” during the war on Iran, as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan sign a defence pact.
“This is what’s been feared from in Washington – if the region doesn’t see Washington as a good faith ally on the defensive capacity and really step in and protect it, it [Gulf states] always had the option of going out and forming its own alliance,” Hardinger told Al Jazeera.
“In the short term, if it brings some capacity to help out on immediate defensive issues against Iran, that’s fine. But, long term, it could be the beginning of challenging the US’s role in the Gulf, and that would be damaging to probably the Gulf states and the United States for years to come,” he explained.
Qatar condemns Iranian attack on UAE tanker in Hormuz
Qatar has condemned an Iranian missile attack targeting an Emirati tanker affiliated with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as a “flagrant violation” of international law and freedom of maritime navigation.
The ministry also rejected what it described as Iran’s use of the Strait of Hormuz as a “bargaining chip” and called for the waterway to be reopened without conditions.
It warned that the continued closure of the waterway threatens the “vital interests” of countries in the region and the global economy.
Iran says Hormuz agreement ‘very close’ with Oman, accuses US of violating memorandum
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran is “very close to an agreement” with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, while accusing the United States of violating a memorandum of understanding previously reached in Pakistan.
At a news conference alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian, Araghchi said Iran had been implementing Clause 5 of the memorandum and that traffic was supposed to return to normal within a month, adding it had reached “60 percent of normal conditions within two weeks”.
However, Araghchi accused the US of seeking to establish new routes through the Strait of Hormuz, despite warnings from Tehran.
Araghchi said negotiations with Oman were focused on establishing a temporary shipping route before a permanent route is agreed. “Before reaching a new route, a temporary route will be considered as the basis for the main route,” he said, adding that negotiations had been held between the two countries’ military and naval forces.
UAE says Iranian attack on tanker constitutes ‘flagrant violation’ of UN resolution
The United Arab Emirates has expressed its “strong condemnation of the Iranian aggression” against an ADNOC tanker while it was transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the country’s Foreign Ministry said the attack constituted a “flagrant violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which emphasises freedom of navigation and rejects the targeting of commercial vessels in international waters.
“The ministry stressed that targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of pressure or economic blackmail constitutes acts of piracy by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and poses a direct threat to the stability of the region and its people, as well as to global energy security,” it added.
IRGC says Hormuz reopening conditional on US ‘fully accepting Iran’s conditions’, not Oman deal
Sardar Mohebi, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), says the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to “specific mechanisms and conditions” of Iran, which has no connection to ongoing negotiations with Oman, Iranian state news agency Tasnim reports.
“For us, the Strait of Hormuz is not merely an economic waterway, but rather a component of geographical and strategic power,” Mohebi explained.
The spokesperson added that the opening of the waterway was conditional on the US “fully accepting Iran’s conditions and ceasing to interfere in the regional negotiations”.
“Whenever the US accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will definitely open,” he said.
Iraqi oil minister says oil exports down by 75% amid Strait of Hormuz blockade
Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair says exports of oil through the Strait of Hormuz have decreased by 75 percent since the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Khudair told a news conference that before the war, Iraq used to export about “3.4 million barrels per day”, stressing the need to “find future solutions to diversify export outlets”.
Currently, he said, Iraq “produces 2.7 million barrels per day and exports 1.5 to 1.7 million barrels”.
He added that there was dialogue with Iran to allow the export of Iraqi oil through the strait but it was not active yet.
“We reject any attacks on oil companies in Iraq and have agreed to provide compensation if they suffer damages,” he said.
Missile targets vessel of UAE’s ADNOC in Strait of Hormuz, no injuries
A vessel belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was targeted by a missile while crossing the Strait of Hormuz earlier today, according to the UAE’s WAM state news agency.
“The attack did not result in any injuries and the situation was brought under control,” it said.
Gaza ministry calls for immediate release of Dr Hussam Abu Safia from Israeli detention
Muneer al-Boursh, director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry, calls for Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safia to be saved before it is “too late”, as he continues to be held in an Israeli detention centre since December 27, 2024.
In a post on X, al-Boursh said that amid reports of Abu Safia’s injuries to his head, eye and chest, the ongoing detention and lack of medical care have made his health condition a “source of extreme alarm that demands urgent action – not postponed statements”.
“Dr Hussam Abu Safia, who stayed by his patients’ side at Kamal Adwan Hospital in the bleakest of circumstances, now finds himself behind bars, stripped of his freedom, as fears grow for his physical safety and detention conditions,” he wrote.
“We hold the occupation authorities fully responsible for his life and safety, and we demand an urgent, independent, and comprehensive medical examination for him, ensuring he receives the necessary treatment,” al-Boursh added.
The ministry chief also called on the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the UN, and medical and human rights groups to take action.
Prolonged disruption of Hormuz could erode Iran’s leverage
Mohammad Reza Farzanegan
Iran has turned its ability to restrict commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz into a potent economic weapon in the war imposed by the United States and Israel.
IMF PortWatch data shows that in the seven days ending August 2, an average of only about four ships per day passed through the strait, compared with about 90 during the corresponding week of 2025. Estimated transit volume fell from 3.5 million to about 143,000 metric tonnes per day. Both indicators declined by approximately 96 percent.
This was not a temporary collapse in traffic but a sustained disruption. Since February 28, both vessel traffic and estimated tonnage have remained far below their levels in the previous year, with only brief recoveries.
Tehran has therefore already demonstrated that it can impose severe disruption on commercial traffic. The question is no longer whether Iran can disrupt trade through Hormuz, but how effectively it can convert that disruption into political leverage, and for how long.
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