Tehran denies the rumours about Khamenei and keeps the Strait of Hormuz shut

The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. Iran is asking the United States to accept new conditions, including payment for war damage, and is denying rumours that the Supreme Leader is close to death.

All Iranian state media, including English-language Press TV, simultaneously carried the same announcement: «L’Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ha incontrato il presidente Masoud Pezeshkian in occasione dell’inizio del terzo anno di mandato di quest’ultimo» (Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei met President Masoud Pezeshkian at the start of the latter’s third year in office). The two, agencies report, «hanno discusso a lungo delle sfide che il Paese deve affrontare» (discussed at length the challenges the country faces), among them the population’s subsistence needs, the ongoing war, future prospects, military developments and economic cooperation with foreign partners.

The anniversary of Pezeshkian’s inauguration falls on 30 July, so the meeting would have taken place in recent days. That date is not compatible with rumours spread by dissidents abroad according to which Khamenei is in an extremely serious condition. Shortly after the news was published, accompanied by a single photograph, the Mizan agency, an organ of the Iranian judiciary, published statements by a deputy commander of the Basij: a video of the Supreme Leader in public and at meetings with military commanders will be released.

On the diplomatic front, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi explained that «i colloqui con l’Oman sono incentrati sulla gestione di Hormuz, sull’introduzione di nuove rotte e siamo alla fase finale, potremmo raggiungere un accordo ma ciò non significa che il traffico nello Stretto sarà aperto, perché prima gli Usa devono accettare le nostre condizioni» (the talks with Oman focus on managing Hormuz and on new routes, we are in the final phase and could reach an agreement, but that does not mean traffic in the Strait will be open, because the US must first accept our conditions). Araghchi confirmed that there is currently no direct dialogue with Washington.

The Houthis strike in the Red Sea

At the same time the Houthi rebels raised the level of confrontation. With missiles and drones they hit the oil facility of the Saudi group Saudi Aramco at Jizan, starting a fire, and the Yemeni area of Mocha, controlled by government forces backed by Riyadh. The main target there was the port of al-Makha: government forces report at least eleven dead, eight soldiers and three civilians, and 35 injured.

The attacks came a day after the Mecca Pact between Ankara, Islamabad and Riyadh, which according to Turkish sources Cairo could soon join. The Houthis claimed the operations, saying it is certain and inevitable that Saudi Arabia will be forced to leave Yemen and to pay compensation for every stone it has destroyed in the country. Several analysts believe the rebels could seize the moment to break the truce and take further territory, starting with the area struck.