Those are international waterways. We cannot tolerate a system in which Iran decides who gets to use them.
Military Operations
The USS SPRUANCE intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman on April 28. The vessel runs nearly 900 feet long. Its crew refused inspection. The guided missile destroyer then blew a hole in the engine room before Marines took custody. TOUSKA was already under US Treasury sanctions.
An internal Pentagon email indicates Washington is weighing suspension of Spain from NATO, according to OSINTdefender. The proposed punishment follows Madrid’s refusal to grant access to military bases and airspace for US operations against Iran. Such a move would mark the deepest alliance fracture in decades.
Diplomatic Developments
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and said all military operations must stop and negotiations on mutually acceptable agreements must begin. President Vladimir Putin told Araqchi that Russia would do everything in Iran’s interest to establish peace.
Rubio told Fox News that Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict Iranian coordination and payment requirements is not acceptable. Washington has indications Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, he said, but questioned whether the new Supreme Leader holds independent political authority. Key decisions, Rubio added, may be coming from a narrower circle around him.
Talks collapsed in Pakistan without a second round. Yet the US and Iran are not as far from a deal as they appear, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the mediation. The opening step under discussion would return both sides to pre-war conditions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions or fees. Nuclear program questions are pushed to a later phase.
President Donald Trump is not satisfied with Iran’s latest proposal and called it a denial of reality, the New York Times reported. Trump is frustrated that Khamenei has not authorized the Iranian delegation to make concessions on the nuclear program.
Araqchi confirmed Tehran has received another request from Washington for a new round of negotiations. Iran is reviewing the proposal, he said.
Humanitarian and Economic Impact
Thailand’s foreign minister said Bangkok asked China for help getting 8 Thai ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing replied it was struggling to free 70 of its own vessels. Betting markets place just 38% odds on the Strait returning to normal traffic by the end of next month.
