Economic bodies warn of fuel security risks if Hormuz disruption continues

The top US general overseeing forces in Latin America held a rare meeting on Friday with senior Cuban military officials at the perimeter of US Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the US military said, confirming a Reuters report.

US General Francis Donovan, head of US Southern Command, briefly discussed operational security matters with the Cuban delegation, which included Cuban General Roberto Legra Sotolongo, first deputy minister of the chief of the General Staff, SOUTHCOM said on X.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X on Friday that Special Envoy Tom Barrak’s title for Syria expires, but he will continue as US Ambassador to Turkey.

"Ambassador Tom Barrak has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria. While that title is expiring, he will continue to play a leading role for the Trump Administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda will continue to deliver wins on behalf of our great country," Rubio said.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, said on Friday that negotiations should be conducted quietly, warning that “chaotic assessments and public comments” could undermine diplomatic efforts.

"Negotiations must be conducted quietly. Chaotic assessments and public comments, which can change several times a day, create an unhealthy backdrop for diplomatic efforts," he posted on X.

A satellite image shared by Bloomberg energy analyst on Friday shows a tanker being loaded at Iran’s Jask oil terminal, according to open-source analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-2 data, as Iran continues to use alternative export infrastructure outside the Strait of Hormuz.

The image indicates activity at the Gulf of Oman terminal, which Iran has developed as a secondary export outlet to reduce reliance on its main loading hub at Kharg Island.

One of the final obstacles to a tentative US-Iran peace deal is the phased unfreezing of roughly $6 billion in Iranian funds held in Qatar, according to The New York Post.

The Qatar-held funds, originally released during a 2023 prisoner swap under former President Joe Biden, would not be transferred directly to Iran. Instead, they would be used for humanitarian purchases such as food and medical supplies for delivery to the country.

An administration official said disbursement would be conditional on Iranian compliance with benchmarks, including reopening and de-mining the Strait of Hormuz, the report said.