Iranian cleric warns US risks consequences with threats during talks

A former head of Iran’s state broadcaster said authorities have failed to provide adequate information about last week’s explosion at Shahid Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas.

“There has not been proper information-sharing about this incident,” Mohammad Hashemi told Jamaran News. “People are still asking: what caused the explosion? What were the damages? What kind of help is needed?”

Hashemi added, “To this day, it’s not clear what really happened. Either they don’t know, or they don’t want to say — I don’t know which it is.”

A senior Iranian cleric on Friday criticized the United States for repeated delays in nuclear negotiations, accusing Washington of engaging in political showmanship.

“They say, ‘We’re not coming this week’ — such theatrics,” said Lotfollah Dezhkam, the Friday prayer leader in Shiraz and representative of the Supreme Leader in Fars Province. “It’s not important to us. They’re the ones insisting on negotiations.”

Dezhkam said Iran’s approach to the talks is guided by “wisdom, authority, and the Leader’s instructions,” and warned that Tehran would not forget past US breaches of agreements.

“We said, ‘If you say negotiate, very well — bismillah.’ But last time, didn’t they tear it up after negotiating?” he said. “Now again, they’re stalling.”

He added that Iran would continue on its path with confidence and is open to dialogue, but only under internationally accepted terms.

Iranian ships continue to provide support to Yemen’s Houthis, including intelligence sharing, US sources told Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned broadcaster reported on Friday.

According to Al Hadath, another Saudi network, US forces recently intercepted a smuggled shipment intended for the Houthis. Investigations are underway to determine its origin, the report said.

Iranian authorities have identified four additional victims from last week’s explosion at Shahid Rajaei port, bringing the number of confirmed identifications to 33, a senior judiciary official said on Friday.

Mojtaba Ghahremani, head of the Hormozgan provincial judiciary, said the latest identifications were made through forensic and police methods. “Efforts are ongoing with the full cooperation of the judiciary, forensic medicine, and law enforcement to identify the remaining victims,” he said.

Hormozgan governor Mehdi Dousti previously said the total number of fatalities in the Shahid Rajaei incident had reached 70, though it was not immediately clear how many had been formally identified at the time.

Authorities have not yet released an official cause of the explosion, which caused widespread damage at one of Iran’s busiest southern ports.

Proposals for a renewed nuclear agreement between the United States and Iran would cap uranium enrichment and expand international oversight, but stop short of dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, eight sources familiar with the talks told Reuters.

The framework under discussion largely mirrors the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was abandoned by President Donald Trump in 2018, but includes stricter inspections, extended timelines, and expanded sunset clauses.

“Essentially, the negotiations are shaping into a ‘JCPOA 2’ with some additions that would allow Trump to present it as a victory, while Iran could still keep its right to enrichment,” said a senior Iranian official.

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