Iran Renews Red Lines In U.S. Talks, Demanding Control Of Strait Of Hormuz With Oman

Iran renewed its red lines in indirect negotiations with the United States through Pakistani and Qatari mediators, insisting the stance cannot skip stopping the war on all fronts in the Middle East and cannot relinquish Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz in cooperation with Oman.

Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff Brigadier General Seyed Majid Ibn al-Rida said, “Ensuring security, stability, and calm in Lebanon has always been a fixed principle and strategic doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” as he addressed the presence of a Lebanese government delegation led by Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mansi.

Al-Jazeera Net

The same account ties Iran’s negotiating posture to a popular demand described as vengeance against the killers of the Leader Ali Khamenei, while it also says the American-Iranian memorandum of understanding mentioned Lebanon three times and stressed a ceasefire and respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty.

The Al-Quds al-Arabi account also reports Iran raised warnings about the Strait of Hormuz targeting Britain and France, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi stating that guaranteeing security of the Strait “lies with the littoral states.”

The funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned into chants of “Death to America,” banners calling for revenge against Israel, and others opposing U.S. President Donald Trump, while his son Mojtaba Khamenei was absent from the funeral service, according to The New York Times as cited by Masrawy.

Masrawy reports that The New York Times quoted two IRGC members and an official involved in funeral arrangements saying security agencies refused to allow Mojtaba Khamenei to attend, fearing Israel might exploit the occasion to attempt his assassination or track his movements to his hiding place.

AP News

On the negotiations, Reuters reported that indirect talks in Doha ended without a breakthrough, focusing on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the release of Iranian frozen funds, while the nuclear issue was not raised despite Donald Trump’s assertion that “the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program is progressing well.”

Masrawy adds that sources familiar with the talks said the sides spent two days discussing shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the release of Iranian frozen funds in indirect talks mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, with the next round expected after the funeral and burial of Ali Khamenei.

Alongside mourning in Tehran, The Guardian says the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appeared to have started to plug a gap in monopoly control of the strait as ships used a US-backed southern route close to the shores of Oman to break free, leaving Iran controlling a less-used and more-mined northern route.

The Guardian reports that on Saturday at least eight ships turned around after direct IRGC warnings, and it says the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre also said a vessel in the Red Sea sent a distress signal after it was attacked by “unknown armed assailants” off the coast of the Yemeni port city Hodeidah.

The same account describes the memorandum of understanding signed digitally on 17 June by the US and Iran, saying Iran agreed it would not seek to impose tolls for 60 days and that the ceasefire would have to be renewed by mutual consent as the clock ticks toward the 60-day deadline.

It also quotes an Iranian army spokesperson saying, “We have repeatedly announced that we are using the ceasefire opportunity to enhance our combat capabilities and have not wasted a single moment nor been negligent,” as it frames the contest over the Strait of Hormuz as tied to global shipping and the global economy.