Iran's newly appointed Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until Washington ends regional conflicts, unfreezes Iranian assets, and changes its behaviour. The former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander said Iran would not retreat before any threat to its rights and interests. In a message to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei following his appointment, Rezaei described the moment as pivotal and pledged to bolster deterrence and respond decisively to any aggression.
Tensions flared on multiple fronts as US forces struck a Panama-flagged cargo ship in the Sea of Oman on Tuesday for allegedly breaching an Iranian naval blockade. Separately, four people were killed when Houthi forces targeted a cargo vessel near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the deadliest such Red Sea attack since the group announced a Saudi naval blockade last month.
Pakistan's defence minister said recent signals suggested Iran and the US were nearing an agreement of some kind.