IAEA Chief Grossi Calls For 'Very Strong' Verification System For Iran
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi said that a "very strong" verification system is needed in Iran to ensure the country does not develop nuclear weapons and complies with any US-Iran peace accord.
"I think the objective of this agreement is to ensure that there is no development of nuclear weapons in Iran," Grossi said on June 26, referring to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the United States and Iran signed last week.
"The government of Iran has clearly stated that this is not their intention," Grossi told reporters in Japan.
"But of course, intentions are not enough. We need a very strong verification system in place as soon as practicable," he added.
"There is an agreement and to comply with that agreement, the IAEA will have to have access and inspect," Grossi said after Tehran indicated that key sites would remain off-limits until a final deal with Washington is reached and sanctions are lifted.
According to the provisions of the memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iranian presidents on June 17, Iran reaffirmed that it would not procure or develop nuclear weapons. It also agreed that its stockpiled enriched uranium would be downblended on-site under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran continues to deny any intention of developing nuclear weapons, while insisting on its right to maintain a full civilian nuclear program.
With reporting from AFP and Reuters
Tehran, US Open Direct Communication Channel On Hormuz, Says Iranian State Media
Press TV, the English-language broadcaster of Iranian state television, has reported that Iran and the United States have established a "communication line" on the Strait of Hormuz to help prevent incidents that could escalate into military confrontation.
The report published on June 26 came one day after US Vice President JD Vance said Washington and Tehran planned to establish such a channel in Qatar.
Speaking to the website UnHerd, Vance said Iran had agreed to "send somebody from the [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps] to go hang out in Doha with somebody from [US Central Command]" and indicated that this was "how we're going to settle a lot of these disputes."
Citing what it called an informed source, Press TV said the line of communication had been established in order "to prevent incidents in Strait of Hormuz that might lead to military confrontation and to implement the provisions of paragraph 5 of Islamabad MoU."
Article 5 of the Pakistan-mediated framework agreement between Tehran and Washington calls for Iran and Oman to discuss the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in consultation with the other Persian Gulf littoral states.
Tehran claims this requires coordination with Iran before alternative shipping arrangements are introduced.
Earlier on June 26, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz "cannot be guaranteed" without coordination with the Iranian government, warning that designated shipping routes could be suspended if such coordination does not take place.
Iran Warns Hormuz Passage Requires Coordination With Tehran
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has warned that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be ensured without coordination with Tehran, as tensions persist over control of one of the world's most important shipping lanes.
"Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran's considerations as a coastal state," Gharibabadi wrote on X on June 26.
He added that "any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding," warning that otherwise "the designated parallel route will be suspended."
Article 5 of the June 17 framework agreement between Tehran and Washington calls for Iran and Oman to discuss the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in consultation with the other Persian Gulf littoral states. Tehran claims this requires coordination with Iran before alternative shipping arrangements are introduced.
Gharibabadi's comments came after Oman announced on June 24 a temporary shipping route through the strait in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN's maritime agency.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said on June 25 that safe passage would be possible only through routes approved by Tehran.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Iran Says US-Gulf Council Statement Was 'Provocative' And 'Belligerent'
Iran's Foreign Ministry has criticized a recent joint statement by the United States and member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), saying it contained "interventionist, irresponsible, and provocative positions" and warning against what it called the continuation of "belligerent and interventionist behavior in the region."
In a statement published on June 26, the ministry urged the Arab Gulf states not to align themselves with the US in what it called the "portrayal of Iran's nuclear program as a threat."
The statement also reiterated the Islamic republic's claim that the Strait of Hormuz lies "within the territorial waters" of Iran and Oman, adding that this would remain "the basis for managing shipping in the strait."
A statement published on June 25 after a ministerial meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and GCC foreign ministers in Bahrain stressed that any lasting agreement must prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and address what they called the "full spectrum" of Iranian threats, including its ballistic missile and drone programs, as well as support for armed groups across the Middle East.
The statement said future trade and investment with Iran would be "conditional and reversible," depending on Tehran's compliance with the US-Iran memorandum of understanding and any final agreement reached in ongoing negotiations.
The ministers also called for unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting any attempt to impose tolls or fees on shipping in the waterway.
The GCC consists of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. All six countries were targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks during the recent US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Alex Raufoglu, and Reuters
Vessel Hit In Hormuz Strait 'Unharmed,' Says Ship Operator
A container ship operated by Taiwan's Evergreen Marine was struck by an "unidentified object" while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on June 25, but the crew, vessel, and cargo were "unharmed," the company said.
Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) identified the vessel as the Singapore-registered Ever Lovely, saying it sustained minor damage to the bridge area from an unknown projectile while leaving the strait. The authority said the ship had "since completed its transit through the Strait of Hormuz and is proceeding on its voyage."
Evergreen said the vessel was sailing off Oman and following the route recommended by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping security in the region, when it was hit. A preliminary inspection found damage to the bridge superstructure and windows, but the ship remained seaworthy.
The UKMTO had previously reported that a cargo vessel had been struck by a projectile near Oman on June 25, and two US officials told Reuters they believed Iran was responsible for the attack. There was no immediate public comment from Iran on the matter.
The incident prompted the UN's maritime agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to suspend an operation to evacuate thousands of seafarers from the strait as the United States and Iran seek to negotiate a lasting agreement following their recent conflict.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Suspected Iranian Hacker Linked To Revolutionary Guards Arrested In Montenegro
Montenegrin police have arrested a 39-year-old man wanted by the United States over organized hacking attacks, computer fraud, and identity theft, who is alleged to have links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
A statement by Montenegro’s Interior Ministry said that the man, identified as A.B., was arrested after a joint operation with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Local media named him as Amir Barati. He is believed by Washington to be responsible for billions of dollars of damage with “hacking attacks on US infrastructure, including 150 universities,” according to a police statement.
It added that stolen data and compromised university profiles were used for the benefit of the IRGC.
The suspect, who also holds Turkish citizenship, now faces extradition to the United States.
In response to an inquiry from RFE/RL’s Balkan Service, the FBI said it would not comment on the case.
The Montenegrin Interior Ministry said it had worked with the FBI to apprehend seven people over the last three years.
“These individuals were wanted by the FBI and the judicial authorities of the United States. All of them were located and arrested…on our territory in a very short period of time, based on precise intelligence-sharing,” the statement said.
IAEA Chief Grossi Calls For 'Very Strong' Verification System For Iran
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi said that a "very strong" verification system is needed in Iran to ensure the country does not develop nuclear weapons and complies with any US-Iran peace accord.
"I think the objective of this agreement is to ensure that there is no development of nuclear weapons in Iran," Grossi said on June 26, referring to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the United States and Iran signed last week.
"The government of Iran has clearly stated that this is not their intention," Grossi told reporters in Japan.
"But of course, intentions are not enough. We need a very strong verification system in place as soon as practicable," he added.
"There is an agreement and to comply with that agreement, the IAEA will have to have access and inspect," Grossi said after Tehran indicated that key sites would remain off-limits until a final deal with Washington is reached and sanctions are lifted.
According to the provisions of the memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iranian presidents on June 17, Iran reaffirmed that it would not procure or develop nuclear weapons. It also agreed that its stockpiled enriched uranium would be downblended on-site under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran continues to deny any intention of developing nuclear weapons, while insisting on its right to maintain a full civilian nuclear program.
With reporting from AFP and Reuters
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
Talks Between Israel, Lebanon Extended In US
Talks between Israel and Lebanon, which were scheduled to end on June 25, will be extended for another day, the US State Department said.
The talks will resume early on June 26, US officials said. Washington is hosting and mediating the negotiations.
"Israel and Lebanon talks remain ongoing as we continue to facilitate," the State Department said in a statement.
The talks take place amid a shaky cease-fire between Israel and Iran-allied Hezbollah. The conflict is an offshoot of the US and Israeli war with Iran, which is also under a cease-fire.
Iran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, is considered a terrorist organization by the US, while the EU has blacklisted its armed wing but not its political branch.
Israel has continued to pound Hezbollah-linked sites in southern Lebanon and in the capital, Beirut, saying the attacks are in defense against the militant group's missile launches into Israel.
With reporting by AFP
FIFA Says Pride Flags To Be Allowed In Stadium For Iran-Egypt Match
FIFA, the world soccer governing body, has reiterated that LGBT rainbow flags will be allowed inside Seattle's Lumen Field for the World Cup match between Iran and Egypt, despite objections from both countries' soccer federations.
The June 26 game, part of city-wide events to celebrate Pride in the northwestern US city, was designated as the "Pride Match" by local officials before it was known which teams would be involved.
Officials from both Iran and Egypt have raised objections to the Seattle Pride celebrations involving their match.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran under Islamic law and can be punishable by death.
In Egypt, homosexuality is often penalized under vaguely worded laws prohibiting "debauchery."
FIFA said the LGBT rainbow flag would be allowed inside the stadium.
"The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event. Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome," a spokesperson said.
With reporting by AFP
Trump Again Insists US 'Soon' To Buy Farm Goods With Unfrozen Iranian Funds
President Donald Trump continued to insist that the US would "soon" buy wheat, soybeans, and corn from American farmers using Iranian assets that have been frozen for years under US sanctions.
Trump said Iran is facing food shortages and that the US would use "some of Iran's money" to buy the farm goods for the country from American farmers.
"We have a new market coming up, and that's called the lovely country of Iran," he said in comments at the White House on June 25.
"It's a beautiful place -- would anybody like to go there? The Islamic republic of Iran."
"They're having a hard time with food, and we're going to be taking some of their money, and we'll spend it, and we're going to be buying wheat, soybeans, and corn, a lot of it, and that process is going to be starting soon. It's going to be pretty big," he added.
Tehran earlier pushed back against similar US claims that any unfrozen assets released under a framework deal would be used to buy US agricultural products, although it stopped short of ruling it out, as the proposal sparked a sharp backlash from the Iran’s hard-liners.
The release of billions in Iranian funds held abroad is part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Tehran and Washington on June 17 that aims to end months of war between the foes.
Trump on June 23 said any unlocked Iranian funds would be used to purchase American corn, soybeans, and wheat. The money, he said, would be held "in escrow, controlled by" Washington and spent "exclusively" on American food and medical supplies.
Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati swiftly denied there was such an obligation. "Based on the signed memorandum, we have no requirement to purchase agricultural inputs from America," he said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran would decide how to use any released assets "in whatever way is in the country's interest."
"Therefore, there are no restrictions in this regard," he said.
In a news conference in Switzerland last week, US Vice President JD Vance said the administration is looking to use unfrozen Iranian funds to buy US agricultural products.
Bloomberg News quoted StoneX chief commodities economist Arlan Suderman as saying: “I remain skeptical of Iranian purchases of US ag commodities, but the possibility must be respected. That may end up being an area that Iran gives on in order to get what it wants in another area of the talks.”
US sold large volumes of corn, wheat, and rice prior to Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Since then, however, Iran has established agricultural trade flows with other countries.