Tuesday, August 4, 2026

English

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, 13 Mordad, that his country’s forces would not withdraw from their current positions in the Gaza Strip until Hamas was fully disarmed. In a video posted on social media, Netanyahu said: “Trump and his team believe that Hamas can be completely disarmed and Gaza demilitarized; we are looking into this.” Referring to the U.S. proposal, the Israeli prime minister added: “They sent us a draft that we did not agree to, because it was not our draft. We have sent our responses.” He stressed that Tel Aviv’s views and responses had been delivered to the U.S. side before the matter became public. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

English

Qatar’s state news agency reported that Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke by phone on Tuesday with U.S. President Donald Trump about the latest regional developments, particularly efforts to ease tensions between the United States and the Islamic Republic and bring the two sides’ views closer together. According to the report, Trump praised Qatar’s role in supporting diplomatic efforts and facilitating dialogue between the parties to strengthen regional security and stability. The Qatari emir also stressed the importance of continuing dialogue, pursuing diplomatic solutions, and ensuring that all parties abide by the terms of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington. He also called for support for international initiatives to contain tensions. The two sides also discussed a number of issues of mutual interest and stressed the need to continue coordination and consultations on regional and international developments. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

English

India’s shipping minister announced on Tuesday, 13 Mordad, that a projectile struck an India-flagged vessel near Yemen, causing it to capsize and sink. Sarbananda Sonowal wrote in a post on X that all 14 crew members aboard, including 13 Indian nationals, were rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and taken to the port of Mokha. India’s Foreign Ministry also said the commercial vessel, named “MSV Faiz Noor Alia,” sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen on 13 Mordad, and that the ministry was coordinating with Yemeni officials regarding the incident. Since the Houthi attacks on several Saudi oil tankers, Indian refineries have shifted to receiving Middle Eastern oil shipments on a delivered basis. Shipping traffic in the Red Sea near Yemen’s coast has been disrupted by actions of the Houthis, who are aligned with Tehran. By disrupting Saudi oil exports, the Houthis have widened the scope of the conflict between the United States and Iran. Earlier, oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz had also been disrupted. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

English

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States could reach an agreement with Iran by Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an agreement that, he said, could stabilize energy prices. Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, he said: “We are negotiating with the Iranians, and I think there is a possibility that today or tomorrow we could reach an agreement to reopen the strait and move toward a more normal situation in this conflict.” Asked whether such an agreement would allow Iran to charge tolls to ships passing through, Bessent said: “I think the idea is freedom of movement.” @VahidHeadline U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday, 13 Mordad, that the ultimate goal of negotiations with Iran is to reach an agreement to denuclearize the country. He said the current agreement, which is the main focus, concerns guaranteeing the safe passage of ships through the strait. Referring to the continued passage of ships and oil shipments through the strait, Rubio said: “Ships are passing through the strait right now, and oil exports are continuing. The strait is open.” He added: “Denuclearizing Iran is the final agreement. The immediate agreement, which is now the main focus, concerns the strait.” Rubio also said that Oman and Iran are holding talks, with U.S. involvement, on enabling more ships to pass safely through the strait in the short term. According to him, the talks have made progress but have not yet reached a final outcome, and Washington hopes to reach a conclusion soon. @VahidOOnLine Qatar said efforts to reach a diplomatic solution between Iran and the United States are continuing, but no agreement has yet been reached and no direct talks between the two sides have been scheduled. Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Tuesday, 13 Mordad 1405, that Doha’s consultations with Iran and the United States are ongoing. According to him, the consultations are focused on reaching a “short-term solution” to pave the way for the resumption of talks and the full revival of the mediation process. The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s remarks came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran were underway and that Iran faced its “last chance” to reach an agreement. Trump said the talks were being held at the request of Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, adding: “This is their last chance to sign a good agreement.” In contrast, officials of the Islamic Republic have insisted that no talks with the United States are underway and that Iran’s current discussions are only with Oman and concern the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has also announced that no important meeting is scheduled for this week. @VahidHeadline Oil prices fell about 4 percent on Tuesday, 13 Mordad, reaching their lowest level in three weeks after remarks by Qatari officials and the U.S. Treasury secretary raised hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the Middle East conflict and improved tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. @VahidOOnLine —— Trump also posted several times in a row again, one of them linking to a Breitbart article from two days ago headlined: Trump: “Deal Imminent”; Talks with Iran on Denuclearization and Hormuz to Resume Monday. realDonaldTrump 📡 @VahidOnline

English

Videos from unofficial government-affiliated channels show clashes between supporters of the Islamic Republic and followers of Sadegh Shirazi, a critic of the Islamic Republic among Shia religious authorities. The clashes during the Arbaeen ceremonies in Karbala led to the arrest of 140 people and left 54 injured. On Monday morning, 12 Mordad, Iraq’s “Al-Shaair” television network, a media outlet close to “Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi,” published a video of the clashes. According to the outlet, a group carrying pictures of Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei and flags bearing the slogans “O avengers of Hussein’s blood” and “O avengers of Khamenei’s blood” gathered outside Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi’s office in Karbala and chanted slogans against him. The outlet says that supporters of Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic’s former leader, and his son Mojtaba Khamenei chanted the slogans as they passed Shirazi’s office, prompting a response from supporters and followers of the religious authority. According to social media users, the clashes were initially stopped by Iraqi police. However, tensions and clashes later broke out between Islamic Republic supporters and Iraqi security forces as well, and Iraqi police eventually ended them by using force. According to published reports, 140 people were arrested and 54 injured in the clashes outside a procession site associated with Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi. These figures have not been independently verified so far. Some reports have also claimed that Hossein Sotoudeh, a government-affiliated eulogist, was among those present at the gathering and tried to link the ceremony to political issues. “Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi” is a critic of the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih. Islamic Republic media describe him and the movement associated with him as “British Shiites.” He holds that Velayat-e Faqih is limited to judicial matters and has opposed new interpretations of Islam and Shiism. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

English

Saudi oil company Aramco announced Tuesday that its net profit rose 44 percent in the second quarter of this year, as energy prices climbed amid the war in the Middle East. According to Aramco’s financial report, its net profit from April to June reached 122.6 billion Saudi riyals, equivalent to $32.7 billion, compared with 85 billion riyals in the same period last year. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said that despite an unprecedented disruption to oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the company had been able to continue operating by using the East-West Pipeline, storage capacity and export terminals. Aramco’s reported profit increase came as U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the high profits of oil companies. He said the companies were “making too much money” because of the oil shortage caused by the war. @ VahidHeadline British energy giant BP, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, said its net profit more than doubled in the second quarter of 2026, amid rising energy prices following the war between the United States and the Islamic Republic, reaching $3.91 billion. CBS, citing Agence France-Presse, reported that five major Western energy companies—BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies—recorded nearly $47 billion in combined net profits in the second quarter. @ VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

English

In a promotional teaser featuring excerpts from his remarks, which is set to air in several parts on Iranian television starting tonight local time, Masoud Pezeshkian rejected reports that he had resigned, saying: “I will not resign; I will stand firm. They want to create division, saying the Leader says one thing and they say another.” The remarks come one day after a widely viewed clip was released of Mohammad-Baqer Kharazi, secretary-general of a group called “Hezbollah Iran” and the brother of Masoud’s wife, the brother of Mojtaba Khamenei, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s third leader. In the clip, Kharazi spoke of “Pezeshkian’s 28 resignations” and “Mojtaba Khamenei’s threat to accept his next resignation.” The comments have drawn reactions from figures, groups, and media outlets that support or criticize the government. Among them was Hamid Rasaee, who had asked Mr. Pezeshkian to resign to verify Mohammad-Baqer Kharazi’s claims. In response to Mr. Rasaee’s taunt, Mojtaba Zarei, a member of Iran’s parliament and the National Security Commission, wrote: “Of 90 million Iranians, only one witness testified to Kharazi’s slander against Imam Seyyed Mojtaba: the head of Sharyan!” @VahidHeadline Half an hour ago, after Pezeshkian’s video was released, Hamid Rasaee also stressed that the claim had still not been denied: “After Seyyed Mohammad-Baqer Kharazi made a claim about how the Leader handled Pezeshkian’s resignation—which has not been denied so far—the president’s associates responded in various ways, sometimes insultingly. Imagine what would have happened if he had said the opposite of what he reported (for example, that the Leader told Pezeshkian, ‘You must carry on resolutely’).” rasaee 👈 Then, a few minutes ago, this report was published: The office of Mojtaba Khamenei, the Islamic Republic’s leader, issued a statement denying reports that Masoud Pezeshkian had been warned about resigning. The statement came one day after a video of Kharazi’s remarks was released. In it, he claimed that Pezeshkian had resigned or threatened to step down 28 times, and that Mojtaba Khamenei had said that if he did so again, his resignation would be accepted. @VahidHeadline The version from state-affiliated sources: Office of the Leader of the Revolution: A post circulating online in which someone makes a claim about the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s reaction to the president’s letter is entirely false and baseless. 🔹 Text of the statement from the public relations office of the Leader: In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful 🔹 As we commemorate Arbaeen and pay our respects to the lofty spirit of the martyred Leader of the Revolution, we inform the honorable and steadfast people of Iran that, in recent days, some remarks attributed to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution have circulated online, unfortunately causing public concern and division in society. We would therefore like to clarify a few points regarding news and information about the Supreme Leader. 🔹 The official sources for messages, news, and information concerning Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei are the information website of the Leader’s Office and the website for preserving and publishing the Leader’s works. Any material published outside these channels lacks authenticity and credibility. 🔹 In his messages, including his most recent one, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution has stressed the need to preserve sacred unity and respect dedicated officials and servants of the Islamic system, particularly the honorable government. Material that runs counter to the Leader’s emphatic guidance, fuels division and discord in society, and gives rise to false allegations against honorable officials serves the aims of ill-wishers and sworn enemies of the Iranian nation. 🔹 Accordingly, the post circulating online in which someone makes a claim about the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s reaction to the honorable president’s letter is entirely false and baseless. Public Relations Office of the Office of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution 13 Mordad 1405 📡 @VahidOnline

English

Residents of several villages on Qeshm Island have been without piped water for about four months and have been forced to buy water tankers costing several million tomans or use unreliable sources to meet their needs. According to an on-the-ground report by Avash, a resident of the village of Tabal said: “The tap in our house hasn’t run for four months. Now we live entirely on tanker water. I was able to pay three million tomans for water, but many villagers can’t even afford that.” After a desalination plant was damaged during U.S. attacks on Iran’s southern coastal region in recent months, water supplies in parts of the island have become severely critical. The resident said piped water has almost completely stopped, and the amount of water distributed by tanker is not enough to meet residents’ needs. These comments come as Abbas Aliabadi, the energy minister, said on 29 Tir 1405, during a visit to Hormozgan, that all the region’s desalination plants were operational and that none of the country’s islands faced water shortages. He also said that despite damage to infrastructure in recent attacks, water and electricity services had remained stable and the situation was under control. Abdolrahim Rezvani, deputy head of Qeshm’s Central District Islamic Council, said residents of some villages wait more than three months for their water supply to be restored, and even then have access to the network for only a few days. According to Rezvani, a 4,000-liter water tanker now costs around 1.4 million tomans. Meanwhile, a Qeshm resident said some families who cannot afford to buy water use wells for everyday needs, despite not knowing whether the water is safe. Quoting one local, the resident said: “It isn’t clean water; even an animal dies in it, but at least it’s fresh water. We don’t use it for drinking, but we have no choice but to bring this water home for everyday tasks.” @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

English

As the wave of closures of businesses and cultural centers continues in Iran, at least three cultural and commercial establishments in Babol, Mashhad, and Tehran have been sealed in recent days by order of judicial authorities or oversight agencies. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that the Shahr-e Ketab complex in Babol County was sealed by order of the judiciary and by the Public Places Supervision Office. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Sakanj Architecture Café in Mashhad has also been sealed. The specialized cultural space was a gathering place for architects, artists, and students. No information has been released so far about the reason for the café’s closure. Khaneh Arghavan has also announced that it is suspending its activities until restrictions are lifted due to a “temporary sealing by the relevant authorities.” The establishment was located on Fereshteh Street in Tehran. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

English

The Iran Human Rights Organization announced that Mehdi Roshani, a protester arrested in connection with the 16 Dey 1404 protests in Malekshahi County, has been sentenced to death on security-related charges. On Monday, 12 Mordad 1405, the organization reported that Mehdi Roshani was arrested at his home on the first of Bahman and transferred to Tehran. According to Iran Human Rights, after his arrest he was held incommunicado for two months and subjected to severe torture to extract forced confessions—confessions that, the organization says, were used as the basis for his death sentence. Citing an informed source, Iran Human Rights claimed that someone who saw Mehdi Roshani after his return from Tehran had observed extensive signs of torture on his body. The person said: “You would have been horrified if you’d seen his body. There wasn’t a single uninjured spot. It was covered with marks from electric shocks and flogging, but he had refused to confess.” According to the report, Mehdi Roshani was released on bail in late Ordibehesht 1405, but about two weeks later security forces arrested him again. He has been held incommunicado ever since. The source also said that Mehdi Roshani’s family had been pressured and warned to remain silent about his case. According to the source, about a month ago his family was informed that he had been sentenced to death on charges including the murder of police officer Ehsan Aghajani. According to published reports, Ehsan Aghajani was killed during the 16 Dey protests in Malekshahi County. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

English

🔄 Update: Reversal of the earlier update: On Monday, the messaging app Telegram was suddenly removed from Apple’s App Store worldwide. According to social media users, searching for Telegram in the App Store returns no results, and the app’s official download pages show a “404 error.” Although Telegram continues to work without problems on devices where it was already installed, it is currently not possible to download it or reinstall it on an iPhone or iPad. So far, neither Apple nor Telegram has issued an official statement explaining the decision. It is unclear whether the removal is permanent or temporary, or whether it stems from legal and content reviews or a technical glitch. In 2018, Apple also briefly removed Telegram from the App Store over “concerns about the distribution of certain content that violated its rules.” The app returned after the necessary changes were made. @ VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

English

UKMTO: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman. A cargo vessel reported via VHF radio channel 16 that it had been struck by an unknown projectile. Authorities are investigating. UK_MTO 📡 @VahidOnline