Trump:

The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran.

Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately “Open for Business,” we will conclude our lovely “stay” in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet “touched.”

This will be in retribution for our many soldiers, and others, that Iran has butchered and killed over the old Regime’s 47 year “Reign of Terror.”

Two Chinese-owned cargo ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday—the first major container vessels to do so since the conflict began, according to MarineTraffic.

The ships, bound for Malaysia, crossed after earlier delays, potentially signaling easing conditions after Iran restricted the key oil and gas route.

Source: NYT

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.

Egyptian President el-Sisi to Trump:

Please, please, please, help us stop the war, as you are capable of doing so.

Japan’s startup AirKamuy has introduced a low-cost “origami drone” made largely from cardboard.

The AirKamuy 150 is flat-packed, tool-free, and can be assembled in about 5 minutes. It’s designed as a simple, lightweight fixed-wing UAV for rapid deployment.

Reported performance figures suggest speeds of up to 120 km/h.

Marco Rubio on Iran:

They are making threats about controlling the Strait of Hormuz in perpetuity, creating a tolling system and the like. That's not going to be allowed to happen.

Trump has a number of options available to him if he so chooses to prevent that from happening.

Marco Rubio on Iran:

These people are lunatics. They are insane. They are religious zealots...

Marco Rubio on Iran:

There are clearly people there talking to us in ways that previous leaders in Iran have not spoken to us before.

Some of the things they’re saying they’re willing to do — we have to see if they can actually do them.

We have to test that very strongly.

Keir Starmer on Iran:

The Iran War is not our war, and we are not going to be dragged into it.

Energy Expert Oğuzhan Akyener (TESPAM):
 

If they expect Hormuz blockage to be longer, each country will start to make new alternative routes with millions of dollars of investment.
 
Saudi & Bahrain can use pipelines, may be increase the pipeline capacity with pumping stations
 
Turkey & Iraq have worked on routes from Basra that may be used in the future.
 
Qatar & Iraq can use routes from Basra with railways and highways to Kerkuk, Erbil, then Ceyhan. Others can also develop alternatives if the war continues.

FULL INTERVIEW

German Chancellor Merz warns:

If the Iran War develops into a major regional conflict, it could place an even greater burden on Germany and Europe, as heavy as we recently experienced during the COVID pandemic or at the start of the Ukraine War.

BIG: Satellite images show fires at two pumping stations on the Habshan–Fujairah oil pipeline, which carries crude from Abu Dhabi to the port of Fujairah, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran may be targeting alternative export routes used by U.S. allies to avoid Hormuz.

Source: Soar Atlas

BIG: Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Iran War:

I am forced to know things that no longer let me sleep.

For what could happen in the coming weeks, for the effects it will have on the economy and on our daily lives.

Source: la Repubblica

Iran continues to mock Trump:

Iran responded positively to Trump’s threats and reopened the Strait of Hormuz — though only for two Chinese oil tankers!

BIG: Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Iran War:

We did not support this war, and no one asked for our opinion.

The length of wars does not depend on the power of the strongest, but on the resistance of the weakest.

Iran is larger than Ukraine, has more people, and thousands of years of history.

Source: la Repubblica

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent:

Over time, the U.S. is going to retake control of the straits, and there will be freedom of navigation.

Iran-linked hackers have breached at least 50 Israeli security cameras and wiped data from 60 Israeli companies since the war began, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate says.

The camera hacks were likely used to assess missile strike damage and track Israeli troop movements.

Most company targets were small and mid-sized firms, with some data permanently destroyed.

Iranian cyber activity has also increased in the U.S. and Gulf states, as cyber warfare escalates on both sides.

Source: WSJ

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Iran War:

It carries very great risks to energy supplies and energy prices in the world, in addition to other potential risks in the future if this war develops and lasts and a formula is not reached for an agreement on a certain formula.

Targets against the Gulf states are certainly condemned.

The Gulf states did not enter this conflict spontaneously, but were subjected to attacks by the Iranians.

These attacks are reprehensible, and Syria sympathizes fully with the Gulf states.

Unknown Gunmen Attack a University in Nigeria Plateau State Killing 13

Nigeria’s Plateau state imposed a curfew in Jos North after unknown gunmen attacked a univeristy community, killing at least 13 in Angwan Rukuba, as authorities move to restore order amid ongoing Middle Belt violence.

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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Iran War:

Any disturbance in the Red Sea or in the Strait of Hormuz, Syria constitutes a safe haven for the safety of supply chains through its strategic location.

European countries will suffer from the interruption of energy supplies from the Arab Gulf.

Professor Robert Pape:

For 50 years, America’s number one goal in the Middle East has been to prevent an oil hegemon.

That means control over the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has never been an oil hegemon before. Now it is. Twenty percent of the world’s oil flows through Hormuz, more than the 16% the United States produces.

So now Iran has more influence over oil prices than anyone else. They’re leveraging that for geopolitical gain with countries like India and others.

They’re also making money, about $1.5 billion so far from this oil. The funds are sitting in Chinese banks, so we can’t seize them.

And if this continues for another six weeks, another six months, then Iran will not only be an oil hegemon but one with nuclear capability.

At that point, the balance of power will change dramatically.