Iran said Monday that ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon are hindering efforts to reach an agreement between Tehran and Washington. “The main factor in the failure to reach an agreement in the region is the Zionist regime and the attacks on Lebanon, an attempt to prevent the improvement of the situation in the region,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference, according to state broadcaster IRIB. Baqaei also blamed the US, arguing that Washington bears responsibility because of its support for Israel. “The US is also responsible,” he said, claiming that “every action” taken by Israel is “the responsibility of America, which supports it.” READ: Netanyahu orders attacks on Beirut’s Dahiyeh despite Lebanon ceasefire He stressed that diplomacy should not be viewed as a substitute for power and said negotiations do not necessarily imply mutual trust. “When the other side issues contradictory statements and conflicting media messages, it prolongs the negotiation process,” Baqaei added. Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February. Tehran responded with attacks targeting Israel and US allies in the Gulf, as well as by closing the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took effect April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to secure a lasting agreement. Since then, the two sides have continued exchanging proposals and counterproposals in an effort to resume direct negotiations and end the conflict. READ: Residents flee Beirut’s Dahiyeh area after Netanyahu orders strikes
Iran said Monday that ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon are hindering efforts to reach an agreement between Tehran and Washington. “The main factor in the failure to reach an agreement in the region is the Zionist regime and the attacks on Lebanon, an attempt to prevent the impr…
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.
Iranian officials reported strikes on US radar and air defense sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, along with the interception of two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States conducted strikes on Iranian targets following the deaths of three US soldiers, with the Pentagon stating the actions aimed to degrade capabilities affecting shipping.
Houthi forces in Yemen announced plans to blockade Saudi ports, while both US and Iranian leaders issued statements on further escalation.