Russian President Vladimir Putin just held a high-stakes bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek. The optics and message were unmistakable.
Archiv: Außenpolitik / foreign policy
Oman and Japan call for political solutions to ease tensions
The Sultanate of Oman and Japan underlined the importance of reaching a final agreement and a political solution to reduce tensions in the region.
They also called for intensified international efforts to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law and to maintain the smooth flow of maritime transport and energy supplies.
This was stated during a joint press conference held at the Foreign Ministry by Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
Oman, Japan stress urgent need to open Strait of Hormuz
The Omani and Japanese foreign ministers have emphasised the need to intensify international efforts to ensure the freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law.
Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi met Motegi Toshimitsu in Muscat.
Canadian official condemns Israel’s ‘unlawful invasion’ and announces new aid to Lebanon
Randeep Sarai, Canada’s secretary of state for international development, visited Lebanon to announce new humanitarian aid to the crisis-hit country, where the U.N. says some 360,000 people remain displaced as a result of the latest conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“We have been working actively, I think, through diplomatic channels to do whatever possible to stop that and to allow Lebanese communities that are from those areas to be able to move back,” Sarai said in an interview with The Associated Press late Tuesday.
Reopening Strait of Hormuz is a humanitarian imperative
It is worth recalling that the conflict did not begin over disputes about the Strait of Hormuz. As recently as February 28, commercial ships transited the waterway without restriction.
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With the US maintaining the naval blockade during the ceasefire period, Iran responded by stopping and, in several cases, attacking vessels attempting to cross the Strait without its approval. Insurance rates spiked, shipping lines rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, and transit times increased by up to three weeks.
Wars of this nature benefit no party in the long term, and they rarely reach a logical conclusion. Their primary victims are innocent civilians who have no role in the conflict. Many civilians in Iran and Lebanon have lost their lives directly to strikes.
Zelenskyy has attacked an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor. A blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel‘s behest to drag Europe into its war. In calls with EU High Rep Kallas and FM Lavrov, made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.
(July 26, 2026)
Araghchi Says Ukraine’s Attack on an Iranian Ship in the Caspian Sea ‘Cannot Go Unanswered’
The Iranian diplomat added that in calls with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top foreign policy official, he “made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.”
The attack on the Iranian ship comes as Ukraine continues escalating its long-range drone attacks against Russia, which are carried out using intelligence provided by the US, and have been targeting Russian oil tankers and refineries, and have also been killing a significant number of civilians.
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Araghchi interview draws fire from Iran hardliners
Javan, a newspaper affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, wrote on Tuesday that confirming details surrounding the attacks, discussing the day the former leader was killed or revealing that the foreign minister had no contact with new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei were not matters that should have been disclosed publicly.
Beyond espionage: Araghchi says spies seek to shape Iran‘s decisions
Omid Memarian, an Iran analyst at DAWN, said one possible manifestation of the kind of influence Araghchi described would be officials advocating policies that prolong the war despite the damage continued conflict causes to the Islamic Republic‘s own interests.
„Some of the decisions they are making are exactly the things that Israelis might wish for,“ Memarian told Iran International.
„When it comes to Iran‘s national security and national interests, they don‘t make sense,” he added.
‚You can neither threaten us, nor bribe us‘, Iran‘s Araghchi tells US, Israel
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said during an interview that was released on Sunday that he resisted attempts by the United States and Israel to bribe his country.
Araghchi: Pre-Planned Scenarios Were in Place for Khamenei’s Death
Reiterating that he has not yet seen Mojtaba Khamenei, the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Araghchi described decisions to enter or end a war as “collective,” noting that negotiations with the United States were not his personal initiative. He emphasized that decisions on war and peace are made within the Supreme National Security Council.
Araghchi says security breach behind Khamenei assassination remains and affects decision-making
According to the Iran International website, Araghchi made the remarks during an interview on the programme The Story of the War. He said he was at Khamenei’s headquarters on 28 February when the site came under attack.
Araghchi said the attack on the headquarters was carried out through a security breach, adding: “That breach still exists, and it also affects the direction and mechanisms of decision-making.”
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He also said he had not met Mojtaba Khamenei during that period, adding that only a small number of people had been able to see him.
Iran to continue attacks until „calm returns to Strait of Hormuz“
The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, Seyed Majid Mousavi, announced that Iran will continue attacks „until calm returns to the southern coastline and the Strait of Hormuz”, according to Al Jazeera‘s reports of Iranian state media.
The statement comes as the IRGC has claimed responsibility for attacks on US military targets in Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, and Syria, Al Jazeera reports.
Musandam Governorate targeted by drones; Oman condemns attacks
Muscat: A security source reported that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones targeted sites in the Musandam Governorate.
The Sultanate of Oman condemned and denounced this attack and affirmed that it is taking all necessary measures to address these developments and safeguard the country and its residents, according to the official statement.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported an incident 9NM east of Oman.
A container ship has sustained damage to the rear of the vessel, which has caused a fire on board, UKMTO said.
IRGC Strikes Targets in Oman, Blasting Key Mediator’s Territory
(today)
The IRGC described the strikes as part of a “retaliatory operation” and claimed that the Strait of Hormuz remains “under the complete control” of its naval forces. The military branch also declared that these operations would continue.
The attack comes despite Oman serving as one of the primary mediators between Tehran and Washington in recent months, and follows previous assertions by Islamic Republic officials emphasising cooperation with Muscat regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
2026 Iranian strikes on Oman
From 28 February 2026, as part of the 2026 Iran war, Iran began launching a series of drone strikes on sites in Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, targeting the Port of Duqm and the Port of Salalah, which are used by the United States. Separate drone strikes targeted ports and industrial zones in Sohar, Bukha, and Mina Al Fahal, along with attacks in the Omani territorial waters of the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The attacks killed 19 people and injured 26 others.
Iran risks its most valuable Arab partner over Hormuz
(July 14, 2026)
Iran‘s attack on facilities supporting US naval operations in Oman has plunged relations with one of Tehran‘s closest regional partners into their deepest crisis in decades, turning a dispute over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz into a direct military confrontation.
Relations deteriorated sharply after Iran‘s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they had launched a „heavy and surprise attack“ on logistical support facilities and aircraft carrier refueling infrastructure at the Omani port of Duqm on Sunday.
Oman condemned what it described as „irresponsible acts“ and summoned Iran‘s ambassador in protest, marking a dramatic deterioration in relations between the two countries.
Iran criticises Oman over announcement of southern shipping corridor in the Strait of Hormuz
According to Iranian officials, Tehran considers itself responsible for managing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz under its interpretation of the memorandum of understanding with the United States and maintains that it has the authority to designate approved shipping routes.
Oman’s announcement that vessels could use a southern corridor within Omani territorial waters prompted criticism from Tehran.
According to the report, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that it could take action against vessels using routes outside those designated by Iranian authorities.
Iraq welcomes US vote to repeal war authorizations
The ministry added that the move “sends a clear signal to the international community that Iraq has become a secure and attractive destination for investment.”
On counterterrorism, the ministry stressed that the repeal does not weaken ongoing efforts, noting that the 2001 authorization—enacted after the September 11 attacks to confront al-Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups—remains in force.
Iraq welcomes US Congress vote to repeal war authorizations
Iraq on Wednesday welcomed a US Congress vote to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Baghdad, included within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026.
The Foreign Ministry said it views “with great pleasure” the vote by the House of Representatives and the Senate, noting that the repeal awaits ratification by President Donald Trump.
Ukraine‘s top negotiators to again meet Trump‘s envoys after Moscow talks, Zelensky says
After their visit to Brussels, the two Ukrainian officials will begin preparations for talks with Trump‘s envoys, Zelensky said, without providing additional details.
Donald Trump Faces Growing Republican Backlash Over Foreign Policy Moves
Some conservative and libertarian-minded Republicans have broken with Trump over his approach to Venezuela. Many Republicans have embraced an “America First” view of foreign policy and oppose regime change in other countries if they do not believe it benefits Americans.
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Trump’s proposal for a peace deal on the Russia-Ukraine war has also drawn scrutiny. Critics have raised concerns that the deal may be too favorable to Russia, pointing to proposals that Ukraine would give up the eastern Donbas region and shrink its army to end a war started by Russia more than three years ago.
Australian FM says Netanyahu ‚isolating Israel‘ amid escalating diplomatic showdown
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday criticized Israel, saying the Netanyahu government is isolating Israel after it revoked visas for Canberra’s diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority.
The move came a day after Australia denied entry to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman and former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. The visa denials followed Canberra’s announcement that it plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state next month.
Iranian foreign minister accuses Netanyahu of duping Trump into ‚mother of forever wars‘
In a post on X, Araghchi said Netanyahu was „a con man who has duped successive US Presidents into fighting his own wars for almost three decades. By all indications, the purpose of Netanyahu‘s criminal attack on Iran – killing hundreds of innocent civilians, including women and children – is to scuttle a DEAL between Iran and the US, which we were on the right path to achieve.
Araghchi also accused Netanyahu of „playing“ President Donald Trump and American taxpayers „for absolute fools“. He said if Trump was serious about diplomacy, it would take „one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu“. He also warned that an absence of a negotiated solution would have untold consequences for regional security and the global economy and get the US „mired in the Mother of Forever Wars“.
Israeli Media Reports Alarm Over Trump’s Removal of Pro-Israel Officials
The moves come amid deepening tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly over a potential Israeli strike on Iran and the ongoing war in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly opposed Washington’s nuclear negotiations with Tehran and has hinted at launching a solo attack against Iran.