Iran warns Hormuz ships as Khamenei funeral approaches
Iran issued a warning to vessels in the Strait of Hormuz while indirect US-Iran technical talks in Doha showed progress, Al Jazeera reported.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Iran’s joint military command warned ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to use designated routes or face a forceful response, Al Jazeera reported. The warning came as Qatar said indirect technical talks between US and Iranian officials in Doha had made positive progress.
The developments added to a tense moment in the region ahead of the funeral in Tehran for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A photo distributed by AFP and cited by Al Jazeera showed motorists in Baghdad passing a large billboard bearing Khamenei’s image before the funeral, which was due to begin Saturday.
Iran criticizes US role in Gulf
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized a US military-led meeting of 12 nations in Bahrain, Al Jazeera reported. Araghchi said peace in the region could be sustained only without outside interference, according to the report.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations also criticized the US military presence in the Gulf during remarks to the UN Security Council, Al Jazeera reported. The ambassador said US bases in the region bring “nothing but insecurity.”
Qatar, which hosted the indirect US-Iran technical talks in Doha, reported positive progress after officials concluded the discussions, according to Al Jazeera. The report did not provide further details on the substance of the talks or any next steps.
Israel faces pressure over October 7 failures
In Tel Aviv, demonstrators gathered to demand an independent inquiry into the government’s failure to prevent the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, Al Jazeera reported. The protest marked 1,000 days since the attacks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected calls for an independent inquiry and has instead offered to create a political commission, according to Al Jazeera. The report did not say how many people attended the demonstration.
The Israeli military also verified that a video circulating on social media was genuine, Al Jazeera reported. The video showed a person tied to a bed with their eyes covered and a pole attached to their back; Israeli officials said the incident was under review.
Gaza toll and West Bank settlement warning
The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s war in Gaza has risen to 73,074, with 173,537 people wounded, Al Jazeera reported. The outlet did not specify in the update which authority provided the casualty figures.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate rejected Israeli allegations that Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza were not media workers, according to Al Jazeera. The syndicate said journalists killed since the start of the war had been carrying out documented journalistic work.
The Jerusalem Governorate warned that Israel’s approval of 13 new settlements in the occupied West Bank would expand illegal Israeli settlement activity and further cut Jerusalem off from its Palestinian surroundings, Al Jazeera reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.