Iran Says Hormuz Route Deal With Oman Near Final
Iran says a Hormuz shipping route deal with Oman is in the final stages, with a temporary corridor for two to four months. US and Oman have not commented.
Rezaei Named SNSC Secretary as Gulf Energy Sites Hit
On August 9, Pezeshkian named Mohsen Rezaei SNSC secretary after Mojtaba Khamenei's order. Anadolu reported Jubail gas facilities hit; Houthis claimed a Jizan Aramco fire.
Strait of Hormuz: War, Fees, and a Thin Reopening Path
Hormuz still carries a fraction of pre-war traffic as Iran, Oman, and the US fight over fees, routes, and the blockade. August 2026 picture.
Trump Open to Ending Iran War Without Nuclear Deal if Hormuz Reopens
WSJ reported on August 9 that Trump privately floated ending the war without a nuclear agreement if Iran fully reopens Hormuz, as Tehran raised maximum reopening conditions.
RSF Threat to el-Obeid Leaves Sudanese With Nowhere Safe
Thousands who fled to army-held el-Obeid face a new RSF threat as food runs short under a functional siege. UN and G7 warn of another el-Fasher-scale atrocity.
Houthi Strikes Kill Dozens as Red Sea Blockade Widens
Houthi missiles and drones hit Yemeni army camps in Marib and Hadramawt, with tolls of 30 to 58 reported, as a Red Sea embargo on Saudi ports squeezes shipping.
Iran Lists Hard Conditions for Reopening the Strait of Hormuz
On August 8, Iran's SNSC secretary set public conditions for reopening Hormuz, including ending the war, lifting the blockade, compensation, sanctions relief, and frozen assets.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Sign Mecca Joint Defense Pact
On August 7 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement treating an attack on one as an attack on all, calling it purely defensive and open to others.
Iran and Oman Agree Framework for Temporary Hormuz Reopening
By early August, Iran and Oman had a 60-day framework for dual shipping corridors through Hormuz, still needing SNSC approval, while indirect US-Iran talks continued.
US and Iran Pause Strikes for a Second Day as Talks Get Room
On July 26, neither the US nor Iran launched strikes for a second straight day after two weeks of nightly exchanges, amid Omani mediation and stockpile concerns.
Trump Threatens to Bomb Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Nuclear Site
In late July, Trump repeatedly threatened the under-construction Pickaxe Mountain site near Natanz, buried deep enough that even bunker-busters may not fully destroy it.
US Strike Wave Continues as Blockade Enforcement Hits Tankers
After the mid-July blockade restart, US forces disabled tankers running to Iranian ports and kept nightly strikes going, while Iran hit US-linked sites around the Gulf.
Trump Reimposes Iran Blockade and Claims Hormuz Guardianship With 20% Toll
On July 13, Trump restarted the Iranian naval blockade, called the US the guardian of Hormuz, and demanded 20% reimbursement on cargo. IMO rejected mandatory strait tolls.
Khamenei Funeral Processions Draw Huge Crowds as Mojtaba Stays Absent
In early July, Iran staged multi-day funeral rites for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, including a major Najaf procession, while successor Mojtaba remained out of public view.
Qatari LNG Tanker Hit Near Hormuz as Post-MOU Shipping Crisis Returns
On July 7, the Qatari LNG tanker Al Rekayyat was hit near Hormuz with an engine-room fire. A Saudi-flagged tanker was also damaged as the June MOU's safe-passage promise frayed.
Hormuz Reopens After June MOU but Traffic Stays Far Below Normal
PortWatch data show only 513 ships in the first 18 days after the June 17 MOU, about 28 a day versus roughly 100 before the war, as dual corridors and mine risk keep traffic depressed.
Hormuz Ship Attacks Trigger US-Iran Strikes Then a Stand-Down
Late June attacks on Ever Lovely and tanker Kiku led to US coastal strikes and Iranian hits on Gulf bases, before both sides agreed to hold talks again.
US and Iran Sign 14-Point MOU to Halt War and Reopen Hormuz
A 14-point memorandum signed around the G7 summit ends military operations on paper, lifts the US blockade on a 30-day clock, reopens Hormuz traffic, and starts a 60-day final-deal window.
US and Iran Reach Tentative 60-Day Ceasefire Extension Deal
Negotiators craft a preliminary MOU to extend the Iran war ceasefire by 60 days and open nuclear talks. Trump still must approve. Hormuz traffic and uranium remain the hard points.
As Qatar Hosts Iran Talks, US Strikes Southern Iran Gulf Coast
Hours after Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha, CENTCOM hit missile launch sites and mine-laying boats, calling the strikes self-defense during an ongoing ceasefire.
Trump Says Iran Deal Including Hormuz Reopening Is Largely Negotiated
On May 23, Trump said a peace memorandum with Iran covering Hormuz was largely negotiated after calls with regional leaders. Iran called it a framework, not a final deal.
US Disables Iranian Tankers Trying to Break Hormuz Blockade
CENTCOM says F/A-18 Super Hornets disabled M/T Hasna, then M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, as Washington enforces a naval blockade while talks on ending the Iran war continue.
Iran War Day 66: US Launches Project Freedom in Hormuz, Iran Claims Strike on US Warship
Trump unveils Project Freedom escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Fars Agency claims a US warship was hit near Jask, CENTCOM denies. UKMTO reports tanker struck off UAE coast as Brent breaks $110.
Two Chokepoints, One War: Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb
How the 2026 Iran war weaponized the world's two most critical maritime chokepoints, Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, drawing Yemen's Houthis into a Gulf-centered confrontation.