Iranian MP demands Hormuz control or return to war

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty spoke by phone on Monday night and discussed regional developments, Iran’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The two sides reviewed tensions in the Persian Gulf, including what Iran described as “provocative and illegal US measures” in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

They also discussed ongoing Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, according to the statement.

Iran has raised the issue of damage from a strike on the Bushehr nuclear power plant with international bodies including the UN nuclear watchdog, a government spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Fatemeh Mohajerani said Iran had begun discussions with organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency over the incident.

“In any case, this is one of the issues that Iran has begun to raise with international organizations, including the IAEA,” she was quoted as saying by state media.

US President Donald Trump reposted an op-ed, saying the ceasefire had allowed Washington to gain control over the Strait of Hormuz and shift the balance against Iran.

The op-ed, published by the Washington Post and shared by Trump on Truth Social, said the US naval blockade of Iran had produced results similar to a military operation to seize Kharg Island.

“What a difference a week makes. Last Tuesday, Donald Trump’s critics were crowing that Iran had achieved a strategic victory in its war with the United States, leveraging control of the Strait of Hormuz to force the president to accept a ceasefire and return to the negotiating table. Now Trump has flipped the script — by using the ceasefire to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz,” read the op-ed.

A Chinese tanker sanctioned by the United States passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite Washington’s blockade on the strategic chokepoint, shipping data showed.

The vessel, Rich Starry, appears to be the first tanker to transit the strait and exit the Gulf since the blockade began, according to tracking data from LSEG, MarineTraffic and Kpler.

The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, were previously sanctioned by the United States for dealing with Iran.

More than 1,000 hours of internet shutdown in Iran is crippling small businesses and startups, with officials estimating losses of at least $35 million per day.

The disruption has cut off companies that depend on global connectivity, from e-commerce retailers to freelance service providers.

With access largely limited to domestic platforms, many users cannot reach essential global tools such as search engines, email services and widely used social media networks.

Iran’s digital economy accounts for an estimated 5% to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product.

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