UMVA has learned that American and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative framework to extend the fragile cease‑fire by another 60 days, though the pact still awaits final approval.
The draft memorandum calls for unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran required to clear all naval mines within a month. In exchange, the United States would gradually lift its naval blockade in proportion to the restoration of commercial traffic.
Both sides also agree to launch fresh talks on Iran’s nuclear program, including a roadmap for disposing of its enriched uranium stockpiles and a firm Iranian pledge not to pursue a nuclear weapon.
Violence erupted again on Thursday, marking the most serious clash since the cease‑fire began in April. Iranian forces fired on four vessels attempting to navigate the strait, while U.S. jets struck a ground control station in Bandar Abbas, prompting Tehran to retaliate against an American air base it claimed was the source of the attack.
The exchange drew Kuwait into the fray, with the Gulf ally reporting that its air defenses intercepted an incoming missile, accusing Iran of violating the truce.
On the Lebanese front, Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah after declaring much of southern Lebanon a combat zone. Israeli jets bombed targets near Beirut, killing at least 14 people, including children, and striking an apartment building in the capital.
Hezbollah’s infrastructure around Tyre came under fresh Israeli bombardment, and the Israeli military warned residents to evacuate the southern city as fighting escalated.
Amid the turmoil, Iran voiced that any broader agreement must also address the situation in Lebanon, linking the two theaters of conflict.
Russia has urged both Washington and Tehran to keep diplomatic channels open, offering to assist with the removal of Iran’s enriched uranium but stopping short of presenting its own initiative.
In a parallel diplomatic ripple, Iran expressed solidarity with Oman after a U.S. official threatened to “blow them up” if they attempted to control the strait, condemning the hostile rhetoric and recent attacks on Iranian ports.
While the 60‑day extension remains pending, the latest skirmishes underscore the precarious balance between negotiation and renewed hostilities, leaving the region on edge as both sides test the limits of the fragile peace.
