Iran has demanded compensation from the US as a condition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The head of Iran’s supreme national security council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, said the Strait will remain shut until the US meet six conditions, including ending the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq forever.
It comes as the US is pushing for defence companies to “dramatically” accelerate weapons production as the Iran war drains through their missile supplies, it is understood.
Deputy defence secretary Steve Feinberg gave companies three weeks to lay out how they would “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities.”
“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Mr Feinberg added in the memo, which was obtained by The Washington Post.
“We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.”.
'We're low-keying it on Iran', says Trump
Donald Trump told Axios on Sunday that he’s “low-keying it” on Iran with talks to end the war still on ice.
The US president signalled that he preferred to allow economic pressure on Iran to mount, as opposed to ordering a new military offensive, with both sides still held at an impasse.
Iran, aware of the impact of delaying the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, has indicated it is also willing to maintain the status quo until the US concedes to its demands.
“We're only semi-negotiating with them. We're just watching Iran with its huge inflation & the fact they have no money,” Trump told Axios, adding: “It will work out. It always works out. It's like a chess game.”
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi earlier ruled out a resumption of negotiations with the US until Washington ends its violations of the so-called memorandum of understanding to end the war, according to Iranian media.
Trump foe vows he’s ‘prepared to support a bad deal’ to end war in Iran
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy tore into Donald Trump’s ongoing inability to reach an agreement to permanently end the war with Iran on Sunday and said that it was increasingly obvious that Trump would be forced to take a “bad” deal to extract the U.S. from the conflict.
But Murphy, speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, told host Kristen Welker that he’d support any effort to end the war at this point — even a “terrible-bad deal” — as traffic continues to be heavily restricted through the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. has so far been unable to pressure Iran to accept any deal reopening the strait and addressing its nuclear program.
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US military pushes companies to ‘dramatically accelerate’ weapons production as Iran war burns through supply, memo says
The US is pushing for defence companies to “dramatically” accelerate weapons production as the Iran war drains through their missile supplies, it is understood.
Deputy defence secretary Steve Feinberg gave companies three weeks to lay out how they would “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities.”
“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Mr Feinberg added in the memo, which was obtained by The Washington Post.
UAE oil tanker attacked by missile in Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates condemned an Iranian missile attack on its carrier as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz today, accusing Tehran of "acts of piracy".
State news agency WAM initially reported ADNOC as saying one of its vessels had been targeted by a missile early on Saturday and that the situation was under control.
The UAE Foreign Ministry later condemned what it called "the hostile Iranian attack" on an ADNOC vessel.
Neither statement gave details on the tanker, its cargo or possible damage. No injuries were reported.
The ministry said the attack violated a U.N. Security Council resolution on freedom of navigation and accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of "acts of piracy" by targeting commercial shipping and using the waterway as a tool of economic pressure.
Netanyahu rejects Trump's Gaza peace plan
Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, insisting Israel will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms.
The US president claimed last month that there had been a breakthrough in his plan to end the war, which both Israel and Hamas agreed to last year and which started with the ceasefire.
Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Gaza since agreeing to the ceasefire last October.
The peace deal put forward by the US last year would have seen Hamas relinquish its weapons, Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza as the disarmament progresses, and an international stabilisation force work with a new Palestinian police force until a new Palestinian government takes over in Gaza.
Trump ignores questions on Netanyahu's Gaza snub
President Donald Trump ignored shouted questions about Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the Gaza peace agreement at Morristown airport on Sunday, per POLITICO.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel rejected Trump’s Board of Peace 15-point plan for Gaza and will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms.
Watch: Trump says ‘we may have to’ send oil prices 'up again' as Iran war continues
Yemen's Houthis resume attacks on Mocha port
Yemen's Houthis have resumed attacks on the Red Sea port city of Mocha, a Yemeni military spokesperson told Reuters.
Footage shown by Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV showed the launch of several ballistic missiles and drones, which Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a post on Telegram targeted Saudi troop concentrations and weapons depots.
What compensation does Iran want from the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
The head of Iran’s supreme national security council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, has said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain shut until the US meets six conditions.
In comments carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency on Saturday, Zolghadr laid out his terms.
Included in full, in his words, these were:
- Never threaten Iran with any language or insult the sanctities of this nation
- End the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq forever
- Lift the naval blockade and withdraw its military forces (naval and air) from around Iran
- Pay the damages of the two wars of aggression and imposition on Iran without any reduction or reduction
- Lift the cruel and illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation
- Unconditionally release the frozen and stolen assets of the Iranian people
Pentagon urges defence industry to hurry up making weapons
The Pentagon has asked the US defence industry to ramp up production of weapons amid reports of depleted stockpiles due to the war in Iran, according to a memo.
The Washington Post reports that secretary Steve Feinberg told industry leaders on Wednesday that they had 3 weeks to bring together plants to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities”.
“We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now,” he was reported to have said.