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Hormuz tied to war end
Iran’s leaders acknowledged the economic toll of six months of war with the United States, with President Masoud Pezeshkian telling state media that exports and imports had slumped nearly 35 percent because of sanctions and the blockade of Iranian ports.
“exports and imports had slumped nearly 35 percent because of sanctions and the blockade of Iranian ports”
Pezeshkian said Iran had nonetheless managed to sell about 90 million barrels of oil during the short-lived Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Washington in June, when oil sales were briefly permitted.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani linked reopening the Hormuz strait to ending the war in the region, describing it as one of Tehran’s conditions for resuming navigation through the strait.
In parallel, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani discussed with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi the regional situation and its implications for security and stability, alongside efforts to create favorable conditions to resume dialogue.
On the ground, Akhir khabar said southern Lebanon saw a new escalation as Israel launched a series of airstrikes on several towns while Hezbollah was accused of launching drones.
Diplomacy vs pressure
While Tehran signaled it would withstand U.S. pressure and pursue diplomacy, the Trump administration pressed economic isolation, with the AP reporting a new rule proposed by the Treasury Department to sever Banque Misr’s Emirati branches from access to the U.S. financial system.
The AP said the rule would be subject to a 30-day public comment period before it takes effect, and it quoted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warning that “Iran’s enablers cannot continue to enjoy access to the U.S. dollar and the global financial system.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected the approach, with the BBC reporting a Friday statement that all countries are obligated to refrain from enforcing U.S. sanctions against Tehran, threatening that participating amounts to “collusion in imposing an illegal will of a specific state on independent countries.”
In the same BBC report, Trump told reporters at the White House that Washington is not in talks to end the war and that the naval blockade remains in effect, while Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Akbar Velayati said Tehran had prepared a list of conditions for fully reopening the Hormuz Strait.
The BBC also said Trump described Iran on Truth Social as a “failed state,” adding that Tehran “is begging” to strike a deal, while insisting he does not want to meet with Iranian officials.
Shipping, sanctions, and stakes
As diplomatic efforts focused on reopening the Hormuz Strait, the El Periodista report said the International Maritime Organization warned that about 6,000 mariners remain trapped in the strait and the Persian Gulf six months after hostilities began.
“cerca de 6.000 marineros continúan atrapados en el estrecho de Ormuz y el golfo Pérsico”
El Periodista added that the IMO confirmed at least 70 attacks against international vessels since the crisis began, with 19 mariners dead, and it said up to 400 vessels had not been able to leave the area safely since hostilities began on 28 February.
The same report framed the stakes for global energy and shipping, saying the strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean and that disruptions have implications for oil and shipping markets, insurance costs, and global supply chains.
In parallel, Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s government described diplomacy and defence as “two complementary, coordinated and inseparable wings” for protecting national interests and territorial integrity while it pursued both in a balanced manner.
Al Jazeera also said the government’s economic focus included curbing inflation, creating jobs, and gradually reducing dependence on the dollar, after annual inflation hit 66 percent last month.