Rubio Says Trump's Iran Policy Is 'A Head For An Eye'
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi's declaration on July 22 that Tehran's doctrine was an "eye for an eye" after President Donald Trump warned the United States would strike Iranian infrastructure each time Iran fired on commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.
"The president's policy is a head for an eye," Rubio told reporters told reporter on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Manila on July 23. "They will pay a very heavy price for the things they're doing. They're already paying a very heavy price."
Turning to the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, which Washington has long sought to curb, Rubio cast doubt on Iran's willingness to negotiate a durable agreement, saying Tehran repeatedly sought talks but had a history of reneging on commitments.
"I just don't think they're serious about making a deal," Rubio said, adding that President Trump had increasingly reached the same conclusion.
He said Iranian officials were using intermediaries to signal interest in negotiations but repeatedly altered or violated agreements after reaching them.
"The problem with these guys...is they make a deal, they agree to something, and then they decide, 'Let's change it,'" Rubio said, adding he believed Iran would eventually become more willing to negotiate as economic and military pressure mounted.
Rubio said the United States was not pursuing regime change in Iran, describing Washington's primary objective as preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"The US is seeking a denuclearized Iran that will never have a nuclear weapon," he said.
Asked about reports that Moscow was helping Iran target US forces after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings, Rubio declined to discuss intelligence matters, saying he would not comment publicly even if such reports were accurate.
He said that Iran had spent years building missile and drone capabilities independently and that nothing currently being done by outside actors was materially increasing Tehran's ability to target Americans.
Ukraine Says It Struck Russian Warship, Iran-Linked Vessels In Caspian Sea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian warship as well as vessels used to transport military cargo linked to Iran in the Caspian Sea.
Writing on Telegram on July 25, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had achieved "very good results" in overnight long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea, including against vessels used to transport military cargo "with the participation of Iran." He did not provide further details about the warship or the vessels that were struck.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) also said on July 25 that Ukrainian drones had struck the Filanovsky offshore oil platform, operated by Russian oil company Lukoil, in the Caspian Sea.
According to the SBU, two cargo vessels -- the Port Olya 2 and Begey -- were also targeted. It said the ships had been used to transport military cargo between Russia and Iran.
Neither Russia nor Iran has commented on the reported strikes, and Ukraine's claims have not been independently verified.
On July 24, President Donald Trump said on social media that his Chinese and Russian counterparts had assured him they were not selling weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them -- Certainly not in their best interests," he added.
China, Russia and Iran maintain close strategic ties. Russia has relied on Iranian-designed drones in its war against Ukraine, while Beijing has deepened economic ties with Tehran.
Reuters recently reported, citing four sources familiar with the matter, that US intelligence analysts are examining whether Russia played any role in Iran's recent drone attacks on facilities linked to the CIA.
Pakistan Leads Fresh Push For US-Iran Talks Amid Widening Conflict
- By Daud Khattak
With the US-Iran conflict escalating in recent weeks, there have been reports of a fresh push by Pakistan to bring the warring sides to the negotiation table.
Islamabad has sought to mediate between Washington and Tehran since the conflict erupted, a role that has won public backing from China.
“I’m not privy to precise information as what is happening right now, but I can tell you that engagement did not stop even during active hostilities,” a senior official in Islamabad told RFE/RL on July 25.
Asked if Pakistan is driven by concerns that the conflict may escalate to such an extent that it would affect its own border security and its economy, the official said, “it is the Gulf countries who are more concerned as they bear the brunt of the Iranian strikes…even more than Israel now that Israel is not an active participant in the war.”
On July 24, Reuters reported that Pakistan was trying to find a path to a resumption of the stalled talks between Tehran and Washington. The report said Islamabad was being backed and encouraged in this new push by Beijing, which is a close ally.
Quoting three Pakistani sources, Reuters said the resumption of talks was discussed during a visit to Islamabad last week by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
Momeni is considered close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). He met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s powerful army chief, Asim Munir, during his two-day stay in the Pakistani capital on July 20–21.
Tehran also appeared to indicate its readiness for a cease-fire and resumption of talks during a recent meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers’ gathering in Kyrgyzstan on July 24.
Araqchi claimed his country did not want the conflict to continue and would negotiate with the United States to resolve it.
Iran's state news agency, IRNA reported that Wang expressed “deep concern” over the recent escalation in the Middle East and urged the two sides to return to talks as agreed upon in a frame-work cease-fire agreement, which was signed in June, but has since unraveled.
"The door to negotiations, once opened, should not be closed, and as long as there is hope for peace, it should not be given up," Wang was quoted as saying during his meeting with Araghchi.
The Pakistani official, who spoke to RFERL on condition of anonymity said, “China has stakes in a stable Iran and the region” and it has been backing Islamabad’s efforts to mediate between the two sides without taking on an overt and active role.
In a separate meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, on the sidelines of the SCO meeting, the Chinese foreign minister voiced “firm support” for Pakistan in its efforts to achieve a lasting cease-fire.
Elsewhere, US President Donald Trump said that Washington and Tehran were still conducting negotiations to end their conflict -- even as attacks continued throughout the region by both sides -- while cautioning that there was no guarantee the talks would succeed.
"We are talking to them. I think they're being serious. I think...they are being by far the most serious that we've seen them, but that doesn't mean we get there," Trump told reporters at the White House on July 24.
The diplomatic efforts came as military tensions still remained high.
On July 24, the IRGC issued a warning to people in the Persian Gulf region, telling them to move at least 500 meters away from the US military bases in their respective countries, IRNA reported.
Houthis Claim Strike On Saudi Arabia After Riyadh Hits Yemen Targets
Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed a missile strike on Saudi Arabia on July 25, hours after vowing to retaliate for Saudi air strikes on military targets in Yemen the previous day.
The Houthis' Ansarollah media said a "Yemeni missile strike" sparked fires in the southern Saudi city of Jizan, while Riyadh issued and quickly lifted civil defense warnings for Jizan and Yanbu but made no immediate comment on the claim.
The escalation followed Saudi strikes on July 24 against Houthi military sites in Hodeida, including a naval base at Ras al-Kathib, a military camp on Kamaran island, and a telecommunications building near the port, according to a Yemeni security source.
Houthi media said two civilians were wounded. Riyadh said it had targeted sites threatening commercial shipping after the Yemeni rebels announced a blockade of Saudi shipping and attacked vessels in the Red Sea.
On July 20, the Houthis warned that they would target ships "belonging to (the) Saudi enemy" that ignored the blockade.
Earlier this week, they claimed attacks on two Saudi ships. On July 24, Saudi Arabia confirmed one Saudi-owned vessel, NCC MASA, sustained minor hull damage in the Red Sea but continued its voyage.
The escalation has sparked concerns about oil supplies, with Saudi Arabia increasingly reliant on Red Sea export routes with the war in Iran disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest exchange also raises the prospect of renewed cross-border fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, jeopardizing a de facto cease-fire that has largely held since a UN-brokered truce between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government expired in October 2022.
Saudi Arabia has backed Yemen's government against the Houthis since leading a military intervention in 2015, although cross-border hostilities have largely subsided in recent years.
With reporting by AFP
US Fires On, 'Disables' Vessel Seeking to Evade Blockade Of Iranian Ports
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces struck a tanker early on July 25 attempting to reach an Iranian port in violation of the US blockade of the country's ports.
Spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said the tanker was struck after attempting to evade the blockade multiple times.
"We disabled the tanker after the crew attempted to run the blockade at least four times prior," Hawkins told AFP.
"The crew was repeatedly warned, didn’t comply, and US forces on scene disabled the ship after firing into its engine room," he said. "The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.”
CENTCOM did not immediately disclose the specific type of tanker, the location, or its country of origin.
US forces earlier this month resumed the blockade of Iranian ports earlier this month, preventing ships from entering or leaving the country's ports and coastal areas.
A similar naval blockade was initially imposed in mid-April before it was lifted in mid-June as part of an interim framework agreement with Tehran.
The number of oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz on July 23 reached the lowest level in nearly seven weeks, according to data from oil tanker traffic monitoring companies.
Only one giant oil tanker, called the New Giant and carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil, left the Strait of Hormuz and headed for China on July 23.
On July 21 and 22, three and eight oil tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz, respectively.
Before the US-Iran war began, up to 150 vessels passed through the strait per day.
With reporting by dpa and AFP
Saudi-Led Forces Strike Houthi Sites In Yemen After Ships Hit In Red Sea
Saudi-led forces targeted Iran-backed Houthi rebel military sites in Yemen that were threatening Red Sea shipping, Saudi authorities said early on July 25, as the fears of a widening Middle East war further intensified.
"The terrorist Houthi military...targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea," military spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on X.
He added that the coalition had "carried out a decisive and strong response" targeting Houthi military sites used to threaten Red Sea shipping and that the "military response is now over."
The attacks come after the Houthi rebel group said it was imposing a maritime blockade on Saudi-flagged ships in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea.
The Houthi rebels struck two Saudi tankers on July 23, then reportedly hit another late on July 24.
A Saudi statement referred to a "coalition" of forces carrying out a "proportionate military response operation" on targets linked to the Houthi, although it did not specify members of the coalition.
The US-ally said it would continue to take necessary steps to protect the kingdom's ships and other interests.
Prior to the latest attack on shipping, US President Donald Trump said Iran would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
"If they do this again, the US will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis," he wrote in a Truth Social post on July 23.
Trump Says Iran 'Far More Serious' In Talks, Even As Attacks Intensify, Widen In Region
US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran were still conducting negotiations to end their conflict -- even as attacks continued throughout the region by both sides -- but he cautioned that Iran was not yet ready to make a deal.
"We are talking to them. I think they're being serious. I think...they are being by far the most serious that we've seen them, but that doesn't mean we get there," Trump told reporters at the White House on July 24.
"We'll see what happens," he added.
Trump has often spoken of negotiations between the US and Iran, occasionally claiming a peace deal was imminent, only to have talks falter and military action to resume.
Asked if he had made a decision about resumption of full-scale attacks amid media reports that he was meeting with advisers on the subject, Trump responded, “No, I haven’t”
"Look, we're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason," he said.
"We're locked and loaded and ready to go. But we're talking to them, so I think while we're talking, we'll see what comes of it. I believe...They're very serious. They should be," Trump said.
Read more here.
Omani Diplomatic Team Arrives In Tehran
As tensions continue over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a diplomatic delegation from Oman arrived in Iran on July 24.
Iran's state news agency, IRNA, wrote that the delegation traveled to Iran "to arrange appropriate mechanisms for managing ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz." Officials from the two countries have met and discussed the issue multiple times previously.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Badr Al-Busaidy, his Omani counterpart, spoke by phone on July 24.
Al-Busaidy, who traveled to Manila to attend the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, wrote on X on July 24 that Oman emphasizes the vital importance of international law, freedom of navigation, and responsible cooperation of coastal states, as well as all countries benefiting from sea lanes.
Oman had previously proposed an alternative route for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said that Oman and the International Maritime Organization had determined the new route for ships without consulting Tehran, and warned vessels not to use it.
Located along the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman has a strategic location at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The country has historically played a mediating role in regional disputes while maintaining diplomatic relations with the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and Iran.
Trump: 'It Would Be Very Bad' For Russia, China If They Gave Iran Weapons
US President Donald Trump said "it would be very bad" for Russia and China if they were supplying weapons to Iran, but added that the leaders of both countries had assured him this would not happen.
"Chinese President Xi told me, during our recent Meeting in Beijing, that he would not be giving or selling Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran, under any circumstances, and that includes Chinese Companies," Trump wrote on July 24 in a Truth Social post.
The US president said Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a similar commitment, writing that "Putin, despite the Horrible War going on with Ukraine...told me that he would not be selling Weapons to Iran either."
"[Putin] knows that I am not selling Weapons to Ukraine, but am selling them to NATO, and NATO is paying 100% of the cost. They can then do whatever they want with them," he said, concluding: "Therefore, in my opinion, the two Major Countries, often spoken about in conjunction with Iran, are not involved."
"If they were, it would be very bad for them, and certainly not in their best interests," Trump added.
The comments came as China, Russia, and Iran maintain close strategic ties and are often described as pragmatic strategic partners.
Recently, Reuters reported, citing four informed sources, that US intelligence analysts are investigating whether Russia played a role in recent Iranian drone attacks on CIA facilities in the region.
Houthis Say Group's Maritime Blockade 'Only Affects Saudi Side'
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they do not seek to block traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, adding that their proclaimed blockade "only affects the Saudi side."
"There is no closure of Bab al-Mandab as some are suggesting," senior Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam said. In recent days, the group have attacked Saudi oil tankers in the area after announcing a blockade on July 20.
The development sparked condemnation from US and European leaders, with US President Donald Trump threatening Iran and the Houthis with "military punishment" if the attacks continue.
While Iran continues to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea risked disrupting traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
According to AFP, at least nine ships have changed course since Houthis announced the blockade.
With reporting by AFP
EU Sanctions 5 Iranian Judges, Cyber Hacker
The Council of the European Union has placed five judges of Iran's Revolutionary Courts on its sanctions list for their "responsibility for serious human rights violations."
The council said these judges "have presided over trials targeting religious minorities and political dissidents, including the Nobel Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi, on the basis of vaguely defined national security and religious charges. In those instances, they have imposed death sentences and long prison sentences, flogging, fines or supplementary punishments on political dissidents and human rights activists, including in connection with the 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests following the death of Mahsa Amini."
The Council of the European Union also announced that it has sanctioned Nima Salehi, a key figure in a Ashiyane cyber group it says has helped the Iranian government suppress the free flow of information.
"Ashiyane Digital Security cooperates closely with the EU-listed Cyber Police (FATA) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is responsible for intensive cyber-attacks on both domestic opponents and reformists and foreign institutions, thereby assisting the regime’s crackdown against the opposition," the EU said.
In the official document of the Council of the European Union, five Iranian judges who have been sanctioned for "serious human rights violations" are introduced, stating their positions and the reasons for their inclusion on the sanctions list.
"As Tehran intensifies its domestic crackdown, the EU will continue to hold those responsible to account," Kallas said in a statement on X.