War returns to Iran with Israel, US strikes

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has discussed the latest regional developments, particularly in Lebanon, in a telephonic conversation with French foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot.

“During the call, they discussed bilateral cooperation relations and ways to strengthen them,” the statement by the Qatari foreign ministry said on X.

“They also discussed the latest regional developments, particularly in Lebanon, and diplomatic efforts to promote security and stability in the region following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as other issues of mutual interest.”

Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has reappointed the incumbent judiciary chief, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, as the head of the country’s judicial branch, Iran’s ISNA news agency reports.

Iranian army chief, Major General Amir Hatami, says that Iran will never abandon its quest for revenge over the assassination of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“Those who committed this crime must know that the nation of Iran and all of us will never cease in our pursuit of and demand for justice. We will not let go of them, and this is a definitive decision that we will follow through until we achieve results,” said Hatami.

Kuwait’s Oil Minister Tariq Al-Roumi has stressed on the importance of coordination and consultations between oil-producing countries to face changes in energy markets, Reuters reports, citing the Kuwaiti state news agency Kuna.

Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower today, as investor caution grew following a lack of progress in indirect peace talks between Iran and the United States, which concluded without a breakthrough.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index eased 0.3pc, hit by a 0.5pc fall in Al Rajhi Bank.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector saw stronger growth in June, driven by the fastest increase in new business in four months.

However, companies continued to face high costs and declining export demand, a survey showed. In Qatar, the index rose 0.3pc, with the region’s biggest lender Qatar National Bank gaining 0.2pc.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index advanced 1.2pc, led by a 1.9pc rise in Commercial International Bank.

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Bandar Abbas International Airport in southern Iran has resumed commercial flights after a four-month suspension, Al Jazeera reports.

The first passenger flight from Mashhad landed on Saturday afternoon, Fars news agency reported.

Bandar Abbas is the capital of Hormozgan province, about 1,000km (621 miles) south of Tehran on the Strait of Hormuz.

The airport was closed for reconstruction and repairs following damage sustained during the US-Israeli bombardment. Authorities expect a gradual return of flights to Tehran, Shiraz and Yazd in the coming days.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU)’s implementation was “difficult but possible,” ISNA reports.

In a meeting with a Hamas leader, Ghalibaf stressed that diplomacy and negotiation must “untie the military knot and preserve and consolidate the achievements of the fighters”.

“Today, the memorandum of understanding is being implemented, and its implementation is difficult but possible,” he was quoted as saying.

Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali says he wants to restore to this season’s calendar at least one of the two races in the Middle East which were cancelled because of the war in the region.

The two rounds scheduled for Bahrain and Jeddah in April were scrapped following the attack by the US and Israel on Iran, which spilt over to all the Arab Gulf states.

“If there is something that we can announce also related to the possibility of seeing if there is any space for what has not been done so far, we’re going to do it, in the right moment and the right conditions,” the Italian told UK broadcaster Sky Sport on Saturday evening.

“That is really the hope, because if all the conditions are right, we’re going to go ahead with our plan. If there is a chance, why not?” The F1 boss said he hoped they would go ahead.

“Our duty is to make sure we are ready to run our calendar as it is planned,” he said. “And we are monitoring the situation because it would be an incredibly positive message for sport, and also politically, that we are moving in this direction, because if this is happening, it is something we can say is behind us.”

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, says Iranians called for resistance and revenge during the farewell and funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, IRNA reports.

In a message issued today, Zolqadr said, “Keep your eyes fixed on Iran in the coming days. This is the very Iran you thought you could bring to its knees in just a matter of days!”

He added, “This overwhelming sea of people, who have come to bid farewell to and lay their Leader to rest, are loudly chanting two slogans: Resistance against the enemies and revenge for the blood of Iran’s martyred Leader.”

Israel’s military chief has visited forces deployed around Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon, vowing to push ahead with the campaign that it insists is targeted at Hezbollah, AFP reports.

“The IDF will continue to operate decisively to remove threats from Lebanese territory and is prepared to transition rapidly to offensive operations should the ceasefire be violated,” Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir told soldiers during the visit, according to a statement issued by the military.

“Our troops’ activities at the Beaufort Ridge and throughout southern Lebanon are being carried out in accordance with the framework of the agreement and the mechanisms established under it,” Zamir claimed, referring to the recent US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon intended to permanently halt hostilities.

But Zamir said that “any threat directed at our troops or the Israeli civilians will be struck immediately and eliminated”.

He called on the Lebanese Armed Forces to “fulfil their commitments under the historic agreement that was signed” and clear the area of Hezbollah fighters.

Tehran’s Mosalla is at full capacity, with crowds spilling into nearby streets, reports Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.

“Organisers are urging attendees to keep their stay short to allow others to enter the farewell site,” it said on X.

“Today, the proud and invincible nation of Islamic Iran unanimously bore witness for their mujahid martyr Imam,” says Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, referring to the turnout at the funeral of late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Opec+ has agreed a further increase in output targets from August, the group said in a statement, adding to global supply at a time when oil prices are falling due to the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports, Reuters reports.

The oil-producing group agreed during an online meeting to increase quotas by 188,000 barrels per day from August, on top of similar increases for June and July.

Seven core members of Opec+, which groups Opec and allied producers including Russia, have hiked their output quotas from April through July by almost 800,000 bpd.

Yet the increase has remained largely on paper because of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which closed the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic for some of the most important Opec+ members, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

Hormozgan Governorate has said citizens may hear loud, controlled explosions in Bandar Abbas today as planned operations to neutralise unexploded “enemy projectiles” are underway, IRIB reports.

Maritime trade between Iran and Qatar has resumed after a roughly five-month suspension, Iran’s commercial attaché in Doha told state media, Reuters reports.

Abbas Abdolkhani said shipping between Iran’s Dayyer port and Qatar’s Al Ruwais port had resumed following coordination between the Iranian embassy in Doha and Qatari authorities.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives at Grand Mosalla to lead prayers over the bodies of the late supreme leader and his slain family members.

President Pezeshkian also offered his condolences to Khamenei’s sons who were in attendance at the funeral prayers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed Pakistan’s mediation between Iran and the US after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, Al Jazeera reports.

“The entire world has breathed a sigh of relief,” Erdogan said, according to a statement by the Turkish presidency, in reference to the memorandum of understanding that was signed last month by Tehran and Washington.

Erdogan said Turkiye would continue to support initiatives aimed at reducing regional tensions, adding that it was also closely monitoring what he called Israeli provocations.

“The current Israeli government, which has become addicted to war, should never be allowed to once again plunge our region into the smell of gunpowder and blood,” Erdogan said.

Calls have rung out for the killing of US President Donald Trump in the crowd of hundreds of thousands of mourners in Iran’s capital, Al Jazeera reports.

Posters and graffiti at the Grand Mosalla called for the killing of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mohammad Rasouli, a poet who emceed the event before the funeral prayers, drew out calls of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”.

Speaking to the crowd over loudspeakers, Rasouli asked, referring to Trump: “Why is the most b*****d man in the world still alive?” The question drew cheers from the crowd.

Brigadier-General Mohammad Akraminia says the army is using the ceasefire period to strengthen its combat capabilities, warning any “enemy mistake” would be met with a “decisive response,” Al Jazeera reports.

Akraminia said Iran is using the halt to hostilities to strengthen its armed forces. “We will not waste a single moment or neglect this,” he said.

“If the enemies make a mistake they will definitely face a crushing and decisive response from the Iranian armed forces,” he said.

The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre says that a cargo vessel 30 nautical miles off Yemen has triggered a distress alert over an attack by unknown armed assailants.

“Authorities are investigating,” it says.

Qatar says that maritime activities will resume with immediate effect, according to a statement by its ministry of transport.

This reverses a June 29 advisory that had urged all vessels to suspend sailing and maritime activities until further notice.

“Maritime navigation activities can now resume normally for all types of maritime vessels and ships,” the ministry said on X.