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No Talks, Defense Focus
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said negotiations would only be possible with an understanding of an “Iranian arrangement” in the Strait of Hormuz, and he said Iran is in an “essential and existential war with America.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghae said, “We have no plans for negotiations at the moment and are focused on defense,” while also saying Iran would not comply with any agreement if the United States violates its commitments.
A separate report said Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told journalists, “At the moment, we have no plans to hold talks. We are focused on defending the country,” and that Tehran believes Washington failed to observe the ceasefire from the very beginning.
The same set of comments tied Iran’s stance to the memorandum of understanding, with Baghaei saying Iran no longer considers itself bound by its terms after Washington’s repeated violations of commitments under the agreement.
In parallel, Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran “must always be prepared” for war while stressing the need to “use the tools of diplomacy” to advance national interests.
Strikes, Death Toll Disputes
The dispute over Iran’s response to U.S. actions unfolded alongside claims about casualties, with NewsNation saying Iran says 30 people have died in the strikes.
Türkiye Today reported that Iranian Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said the death toll from the latest U.S. attacks had risen to 35, and that the number of injured had exceeded 300.
NewsNation also described U.S. Central Command observing Curacao-flagged M/T Belma transiting international waters toward Kharg Island, and said a U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel after firing hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack.
In the same reporting, U.S. Central Command said it launched precision munitions during a 90-minute wave against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island, and that the strikes “further degraded Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran’s position on negotiations remained linked to the MoU, with Baghaei saying Iran abandoned its commitments under the memorandum of understanding after the U.S. failed to uphold its side of the temporary agreement.
Hormuz Management Bill, Stakes
As the U.S.-Iran confrontation intensified, Iranian lawmakers tabled a plan for the management of the Strait of Hormuz, with the hardline-dominated parliament reconvening after nearly five months of confrontation with the United States.
Al Jazeera quoted Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission of parliament, writing, “We remain steadfast in defending our red lines, particularly regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz,” and saying, “This is the first step; subsequent measures are forthcoming.”
The same Al Jazeera report said the plan’s official text had not been publicly divulged, but it described an earlier draft that would have barred vessels flying a US or Israeli flag and required permits, cargo disclosure, and fees.
It also said the May draft threatened blocked passage and confiscation of up to 20 percent of cargo value, with revenues going to the military and infrastructure reconstruction, and it noted that US President Donald Trump said Washington intended to take 20 percent of vessels’ cargo value in fees as the new “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz.
Beyond Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported that Iran hinted at shutting down Bab al-Mandeb through assistance from the Houthis in Yemen, while also describing US reimposition of a naval blockade of Iran’s southern parts and rescinded waivers for Iranian oil exports and transactions.
