US Sanctions Entities, Individuals In China, Russia, India, And Iran For Supporting 'IRGC's Airline Of Choice'
The United States has sanctioned six entities and individuals in China, India, Russia, and Iran for actions including serving as sales agents for and providing support to Mahan Air, a sanctioned Iranian airline.
Washington imposed the new Iran-related sanctions on July 30, accusing Mahan Air, which is sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union, of transporting personnel from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as weapons and drones.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott called Mahan Air the IRGC's “airline of choice” and warned international companies against “doing business with Mahan Air or any other sanctioned Iranian carrier” because of “the serious risks raised by continuing such engagement.”
“The United States will continue to expose and disrupt entities providing the IRGC with the tools and information it uses to threaten American personnel, our partners, and regional stability,” Pigott wrote in a statement.
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
US Central Command Says 24 Vessels Redirected Amid Maritime Blockade Of Iran
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said on July 30 that its naval forces had redirected 24 commercial vessels, disabled two, and boarded two others in Middle Eastern waters amid Washington's resumed maritime blockade of Iran.
Saudi Arabia Establishes Maritime Defense Alliance To Secure Navigation Through Bab al-Mandab Strait
Saudi Arabia said it had established a maritime defense alliance to secure navigation through the key Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea amid attacks on Saudi vessels by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The development comes after the Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia last week and targeted the country's oil tankers and oil infrastructure, actions denounced by US President Donald Trump and European leaders.
On July 30, Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry issued a joint statement on behalf of 14 countries, including several US partners -- Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar -- saying that the alliance was "aimed at enhancing maritime security."
It was also aimed at "safeguarding freedom of navigation, securing international trade routes and energy supply lines, and protecting shared maritime interests in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden," the statement said.
Notably, Oman and the United Arab Emirates are absent from the alliance, despite sharing some of Saudi Arabia’s security objectives amid the broader conflict in the Middle East.
Although the Houthis have said they intend to blockade only Saudi Arabia, recent incidents in the Red Sea have raised the risk of a second chokepoint threatening global oil supplies, with threats to the Bab al-Mandab Strait compounding Iran’s continuing efforts to control the key Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, Trump threatened Iran and the Houthis with "major military punishment" if their attacks continued.
With reporting by AFP and DPA.
US Sanctions Entities, Individuals In China, Russia, India, And Iran For Supporting 'IRGC's Airline Of Choice'
The United States has sanctioned six entities and individuals in China, India, Russia, and Iran for actions including serving as sales agents for and providing support to Mahan Air, a sanctioned Iranian airline.
Washington imposed the new Iran-related sanctions on July 30, accusing Mahan Air, which is sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union, of transporting personnel from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as weapons and drones.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott called Mahan Air the IRGC's “airline of choice” and warned international companies against “doing business with Mahan Air or any other sanctioned Iranian carrier” because of “the serious risks raised by continuing such engagement.”
“The United States will continue to expose and disrupt entities providing the IRGC with the tools and information it uses to threaten American personnel, our partners, and regional stability,” Pigott wrote in a statement.
Iranian Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence For Iranian MMA Fighter
Iran's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence issued against Benjamin Naghdi, a 26-year-old mixed martial arts fighter and kickboxer who was arrested during nationwide protests in January, his defense lawyer said.
According to a July 30 report by the US-based rights group HRANA, Naghdi's lawyer, Mustafa Nili, announced that the court had rejected the appeal and upheld the death sentence issued against Naghdi by the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz in June on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth.”
“The ruling was formally served on the defense lawyers yesterday, and we will soon file a request for a retrial,” he said.
According to Nili, Naghdi was arrested in Shiraz on January 3 for allegedly discharging a fire extinguisher and directing it toward law enforcement officers as massive demonstrations across Iran entered a sixth consecutive night.
Before his arrest, Naghdi was active in martial arts and had won championship titles, HRANA says.
Naghdi's case comes amid growing concern from human rights organizations over Iran's increasing use of the death penalty.
Iran is one of the world's leading executioners, according to human rights groups, who say Tehran is using using the current war with the United States to justify its increased use of capital punishment and spread fear among Iranians.
According to the Iran Human Rights group, at least 430 people have been put to death in Iran so far this year.
Pakistan Says US-Iran Negotiations Ongoing
- By Daud Khattak
As the United States and Iran resumed strikes against each other after a calm of roughly 48 hours, Pakistan says the two sides are negotiating to normalize the situation.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told journalists in Islamabad on July 30 that “negotiations between the parties are ongoing to normalize the situation, particularly the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Expressing his country’s concern over the resumption of strikes, Andrabi said “Pakistan is engaged and will continue to play its role” in bringing the two sides back to negotiations.
“Amid the prevailing tension and hostilities, Pakistan reiterates that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path forward,” he said while voicing his country’s support for “all efforts” that may lead to peace and stability in the region.
Andrabi said Pakistan is doing its “utmost to bring the parties back" to the Islamabad Memorandum f Understanding. He added that Pakistan has been encouraging the parties to exercise maximum restraint and fully adhere to their commitment to resume technical-level talks.
Pakistan hosted the US and Iranian delegations in April for their first publicly declared talks since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The two sides later signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June as part of efforts to move toward a lasting peace in the Middle East.
That framework agreement has since unraveled.
Iranian Strike Kills 1 In Kuwait, Jordan Says It Downed 5 Missiles
An Iranian strike hit a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait on July 30, killing one worker and causing extensive damage, Kuwaiti authorities said.
The victim's nationality was not immediately disclosed.
In a statement, the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry described the incident as "heinous Iranian aggression" and said it caused "severe material damage" to the building.
Elsewhere, Jordan's military said its air defenses intercepted and shot down five missiles "launched from Iran" earlier on July 30, with no casualties reported.
Kuwait, Jordan and other countries hosting US military facilities have faced repeated Iranian attacks since the outbreak of the war in the Persian Gulf in late February.
With reporting by AFP and dpa
Egypt Says Fire At Mediterranean Port Caused By Drone
The Egyptian cabinet said on July 30 that an initial investigation found a fire aboard two vessels at the key gas port of Damietta the previous day had been caused by a drone of unknown origin.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the suspected attack, and authorities said investigations were continuing to "determine the circumstances" and safeguard national security.
The fire, which broke out on a regasification ship and a storage vessel during cargo unloading operations, caused no injuries or fatalities.
The incident comes amid escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran.
With reporting by dpa
US Carries Out 'Heavy Wave' Of Strikes On Iran In Response To Attacks On Gulf State Sites
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces carried out a "heavy wave" of strikes against Iranian targets in what it described as a response to Tehran's attempted missile attacks on US forces in the Persian Gulf. (Video by RFE/RL's Radio Farda and Will Tizard)
US Military Completes 'Heavy Wave' Of Strikes Against Iran
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on July 30 that its forces had completed "a heavy wave" of strikes against Iranian targets in what it described as a response to Tehran's attempted missile attacks on US forces in the Gulf.
"CENTCOM assets struck dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities," the US military said in a post on X.
A senior US official had earlier confirmed to RFE/RL that the military was carrying out strikes inside Iran.
Iranian state media reported hits on several cities in the southwestern Khuzestan Province, as well as on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf.
According to CENTCOM, IRGC forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran on July 28 in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East, adding that all the Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted.