Despite repeated proclamations, the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, with Iran asking the US to accept new conditions, including the payment of war damages, and denying rumors about a Supreme Leader who is dying, who indeed recently met with the military and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Meanwhile, Tehran’s allies in Yemen, the Houthi rebels, are raising the level of the conflict by heavily attacking what they define as “Saudi objectives” in the Red Sea, in the aftermath of the Mecca Pact between Ankara, Islamabad and Riyadh which, according to Turkish sources, Cairo could soon join.
«Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei met with President Masoud Pezeshkian on the occasion of the beginning of the latter’s third year in office», was the announcement relaunched simultaneously by all the official Iranian media, including the English-language Press TV. The two “discussed at length the challenges the country faces, including the population’s livelihood needs, the ongoing third war of aggression, future prospects, military developments and economic collaboration with foreign partners.” A meeting which, if confirmed, would have taken place in recent days considering that the anniversary of Pezeshkian’s inauguration falls on July 30th. And that would not be compatible with the rumors spread by dissidents abroad that Khamenei is “very serious, on the verge of death”.
Shortly after the publication of the news accompanied by a scant combo photo, the Mizan agency, the official organ of the Iranian judiciary, published the statements of a deputy commander of the Basij, the Iranian voluntary paramilitary force subordinated to the Pasdaran, certain that a video of the Supreme Leader will be released in public and during meetings with military commanders. While waiting for the mystery to unravel, the situation in the Gulf remains intricate: «The talks with Oman are focused on the management of Hormuz, on the introduction of new routes and we are at the final stage, we could reach an agreement but this does not mean that traffic in the Strait will be open, because first the US must accept our conditions», reiterated Tehran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, confirming that at present there is no direct dialogue with Washington.
In the same hours, the Houthi rebels, at this point the most important group in the anti-Zionist “Resistance” galaxy of which Hamas and Hezbollah are also part, struck with missiles and drones on the coasts of the Red Sea both the oil plant of the Saudi giant Saudi Aramco in Jizan, setting off a fire, and the Yemeni area of Mocha, controlled by the government supported by Riyadh. Here, where the port of al-Makha was targeted in particular, the toll is at least 11 dead, 8 soldiers and 3 civilians, and 35 wounded, government forces announced. “It is certain and inevitable that Saudi Arabia will be forced to leave Yemen and pay compensation for every stone it has destroyed in the country”, claimed the Houthis, with several analysts convinced that the rebels could seize the moment to break the truce and conquer other pieces of territory, in particular the very area targeted today.