Iran makes new strait demands, the UAE says a ship was targeted and other Middle East news
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
There was no immediate comment from the U.S., which has wanted an acceptable deal first on the strait before ending the blockade. According to the interim deal signed in June, a schedule to end sanctions and plan on compensation would be part of the final deal, and negotiations would address frozen assets.
The end of a 60-day period to negotiate a final deal will end in just over a week but could be extended.
Iran has said it was close to reaching a separate deal with Oman to manage the strait, which runs between the two countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier Saturday said they were close to reaching an agreement on navigation, "specifically the determination of a transit route." But the waterway's reopening is contingent on other conditions, he said in remarks shared on social media, and blamed the situation on what he called the U.S. violation of the interim deal.
Oman, a mediator Gulf Arab country which has said relatively little on the talks, said in a statement Saturday that the discussions were ongoing "in a positive and constructive atmosphere," and condemned attacks on ships on the strait.
The strait, crucial to global supplies of oil and natural gas, had been considered an international waterway before the war. Ship transits remain low.
Iran attacks a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, UAE says
A vessel owned by Abu Dhabi's state-owned ADNOC oil and gas company was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Emirati authorities said earlier Saturday. The Foreign Ministry said Iran fired the missile as part of attacks on commercial shipping.
ADNOC in a statement said there were no casualties following the attack early Saturday. The company said over a dozen of its vessels have been attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran in February. One crew member has been killed and 20 others wounded, it said.
ADNOC didn't elaborate on the attack's location or any damage.
Later, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said a vessel east of the town of Khasab, Oman, had been struck by a projectile that caused a fire that was put out, with the vessel and crew safe. It was not clear whether this was the ADNOC incident.
Yemen's military attacks Iran-backed Houthis
The attacks were in response to the Houthis' recent strikes in central and eastern Yemen. Col. Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen's military, said the attacks targeted the rebels' "sites and capabilities" on multiple front lines, without elaborating.
The escalation between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government and its backer, a Saudi-supported coalition, threatens to reignite Yemen's civil war following a 2022 truce.
Turkey's Kurdish peace bill wins approval in parliament
A Turkish draft law aimed at advancing a peace effort with the country's Kurdish insurgents passed its first hurdle in parliament on Saturday. A committee approved the measure. It is expected to be approved in the general assembly next week.
Last year, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, declared its decision to disarm and disband as part of the peace initiative aimed at ending the decades-long conflict with the Turkish state.
The draft legislation defines the procedures for the group's disarmament and rehabilitation of some PKK members. The measures would come into effect once Turkey's National Security Council confirms that the group has disbanded and surrendered all weapons.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since it began in the 1980s. Turkey and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization.
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I guess the MoU is effectively dead. Maybe Trump should just sit back until after the midterms.
It would be best if Trump would go into hibernation. He has demonstrated that he damages most everything he touches.
Remember MAGA celebrating, "Trump's Victory In Iran"?
... the involuntary and permanent kind.
People are saying that he has "The Reverse Midas Touch".
Starting the war was obviously a bad idea.
Here's an idea: maybe he should start talking more about The Epstein Files as a way of taking peoples' attention off the war?
With billions more in the public coffers to be had, surely you jest. Add to that the bone he has to pick with the 'nasty' Republican Party, two years of the blame game will be his cadeau to the ever hoodwinked nation.
Going to break one of my rules and make a prediction: neither Rubio nor Vance will be the chosen one, however, oodles of fun will be had pitting them against each other.
if he's still alive by '28, after his failure to get a 3rd term, trump will endorse one of his defective spawn for the office ...
Why not try picking someone new for VP.
Hey, here's an idea-- why not get behind Jeanine Pirro for Veep? Initially she did a great job with uncovering all the sinister terrorist plots against the Reflecting Pool!
Or, how about Tulsi Gabbard?
Or... Kash Patel?
And then there's always
RFK . . .
Portrayed by Tina Fey or Julia Dreyfus?
the dwarf on fantasy island ...
That does seem to be how Trump governs while his MAGA base continues to cover for him. Personally, I'd prefer a leader who did more than 'guess' and actually did the hard work, the research, the listening to experts and advisors. But no, the poorly educated bible thumpers just had to put an inept convicted felon reality show host clown in charge to try and prove they were smarter than everyone and it was everyone else who was really crazy and they were going to 'fix' America.
I bet america could get the obama treaty with iran back if we handed trump, hegseth, and bibi over to them ...
After the midterms, that's all he'll be able to do.
One can hope.
He has no clue.