US envoy says Iran in ‘free fall’ and ‘desperate for deal’ over Hormuz

Iran issued a message to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday saying its ports are “fully prepared” to provide general maritime services and support, official news agency reported.

Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a military adviser to the supreme leader, told Al Mayadeen in an interview published on Wednesday that the standoff has entered a phase of direct military confrontation.

“They attempted a failed military coup in Iran, and we could have also halted all negotiations with the United States,” Rezaei said. “We are trying to remain within the framework of international rules and regulations, while the enemy operates outside of them."

“We and Saudi Arabia and Turkey must continue advancing together toward an independent regional framework," he added.

US President Donald Trump said Iran is “militarily defeated” but may not recognize it, adding that he believes Tehran ultimately understands its position as he deals directly with its leadership.

The remarks came in a preview clip of an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson set to be released later on Wednesday.

New satellite imagery analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security suggests Iran may have taken fresh “passive defensive measures” at the deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain underground complex south of the Natanz nuclear facility.

According to the institute, imagery from April 22 appears to show the two eastern tunnel portals partially blocked with grey earthen material. Earlier imagery from April 1 showed the entrances unobstructed.

The group said the material does not fully conceal the tunnel entrances but would significantly hinder rapid vehicle access and likely require heavy earth-moving equipment to clear.

The western tunnel portals do not yet appear to have undergone similar modifications, the institute added.

The analysts said the activity raises questions because the underground complex could potentially be used to protect sensitive equipment or materials.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott accused Hezbollah of attempting to “derail” peace efforts between Lebanon and Israel as renewed Israeli strikes and cross-border attacks cast doubt on a US-brokered ceasefire.

He claimed Hezbollah was seeking to undermine those efforts “both by launching attacks within Israel but also threats within Lebanon.”

“No one is downplaying the challenges ahead of us here. No one is saying this is going to be easy,” Pigott told Al Jazeera.

“But what the US is focused on is creating the conditions for good-faith conversations” between the Lebanese and Israeli governments, he said.