Overview
- Iran says it is reviewing the latest U.S. proposal relayed by Pakistan after President Trump warned bombing would resume if Tehran rejects a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- Trump suspended Project Freedom on Tuesday, pausing the short-lived U.S. ship-escort effort while keeping a blockade of Iranian ports in place after only a handful of vessels transited.
- Following Thursday’s exchange near Hormuz, the U.S. military reported intercepting attacks, sinking six Iranian small boats and disabling an oil tanker, claims Iran disputed as the UAE reported drone and missile fire.
- Pakistan, the mediator, said it expects an agreement sooner rather than later and continues to pass messages between Washington and Tehran.
- Iran has created a Persian Gulf Strait Authority to vet and tax ship transits, a step maritime lawyers say conflicts with rules that guarantee innocent passage, with hundreds of ships and tens of thousands of seafarers still stuck in the Gulf.