United News of Bangladesh

A foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly failing to follow a route approved by Iran, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday, as technical talks aimed at ending the Iran-US conflict got underway in Qatar. Iranian state media identified the vessel only as a foreign container ship and did not disclose its name, flag or cargo details. According to the report, the ship became stranded in shallow waters after choosing a route outside what Iran describes as its designated "Route of Authority" in the strategic waterway. Iranian state television said the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had repeatedly warned shipping companies and vessel operators against using routes not authorised by Tehran, claiming such actions could lead to serious incidents. The report appeared to reinforce Tehran's longstanding assertion of control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes during peacetime. The waterway is widely recognised internationally as an international maritime passage. Meanwhile, technical-level negotiations between Iranian and US representatives began in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, according to two regional officials familiar with the talks. The discussions are aimed at resolving outstanding issues and laying the groundwork for a broader agreement to formally end recent hostilities between the two countries. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are in Qatar for the negotiations, which are being mediated by Qatari officials. Although Iran has publicly denied scheduling direct talks with US representatives, officials have left open the possibility of indirect negotiations through Qatari mediators, a format previously used by the two sides. Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with the US delegation, with discussions focusing on the interim agreement as well as regional security and stability through dialogue and diplomacy. The negotiations are also expected to address broader regional issues, including tensions in Lebanon. Iran has insisted that all hostilities between the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and Israeli forces must end, while also calling for Israel to withdraw from territory it currently occupies in southern Lebanon. Israel has maintained that it will retain control of the area to counter Hezbollah attacks. Speaking to Iranian state television, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said efforts to reach a permanent agreement were continuing but warned that Tehran remained prepared for military action if diplomatic commitments were not honoured. "We are engaged in dialogue, but if they refuse to implement what has been agreed through dialogue, we are prepared for war," he said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz remains under Tehran's full control for the next 30 days, warning that continued US military action would further aggravate the already fragile security situation in the region. His remarks came as the United States reportedly carried out a second day of airstrikes on Iranian targets, hitting Qeshm Island and the southern cities of Sirik and Bandar-e Lengeh following a drone attack on a commercial vessel near the strategic waterway. Iran said it had launched retaliatory strikes against US forces stationed in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to the attacks and warned of a "crushing response" if further military action is taken against the country. The latest escalation has raised fears of a broader regional conflict, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes through which a significant share of global energy supplies passes. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating the memorandum of understanding reached between Washington and Tehran and threatened to "militarily complete the job" if Tehran continued its actions. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the reported strikes or casualties, and both sides appeared to be hardening their positions amid growing international concern over the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the Gulf region. Source: Al Jazeera

A tanker sailing through the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an unidentified projectile on Saturday, damaging the vessel's bridge, but all crew members were reported safe, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The vessel's captain reported the incident at around 0800 UTC, prompting UKMTO to issue a maritime warning. "The vessel sustained damage to its bridge, but all crew members are safe. No environmental damage has been reported so far," the agency said. The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's busiest shipping routes, carrying around one-fifth of global oil supplies. Shipping traffic through the strategic waterway had started returning to normal after the United States and Iran recently reached a memorandum of understanding. However, tensions in the region have risen again since Thursday. On Friday, the US Central Command said American forces carried out strikes on Iranian targets in response to an attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz the previous day.

More than 1,200 cargo ships carrying goods worth an estimated $125 billion remain stranded following the closure of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing a report by insurance company Allianz. According to the report, the disruption has significantly altered how insurers assess risks in major maritime chokepoints. “We used to discuss possible disaster scenarios, but now we are dealing with a real one,” Justus Heinrich, Allianz’s head of marine underwriting, told the newspaper. Shipping activity has started to recover after the United States and Iran announced an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil and trade routes. Data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence showed that 69 vessels departed the Gulf during the week ending June 21, compared with just 24 ships the previous week. It was the highest weekly shipping volume since the US-Iran conflict began in February. The conflict has also taken a heavy human and economic toll. The International Maritime Organization said at least 14 seafarers have been killed and more than 40 vessels, most of them oil tankers, have come under missile attack since the fighting erupted. Despite signs of improvement in shipping traffic, industry experts warn that the impact of the crisis on global trade, maritime security and crew safety could continue for some time.

The Iranian central military command announced on Saturday that it was closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel's deadly attacks in Lebanon, while the death toll from Israeli strikes across the country climbed to at least 32 amid renewed hostilities. In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz was a response to what it described as Israel's violation of commitments under Iran's agreement with the United States. "It is hereby announced that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic," the statement said, warning that further measures could follow if the attacks continued. The latest development came as Israel continued airstrikes across Lebanon despite international efforts to secure a ceasefire. According to Lebanon's National News Agency, an Israeli strike hit a house in Sohmor in the western Bekaa Valley, killing four members of a family and injuring another person. Rescue teams were continuing efforts to rescue a child trapped beneath the rubble. Lebanon's Health Emergency Operations Centre said another Israeli strike on Qanarit, in the Sidon district, killed at least seven people and wounded 13 others in a preliminary toll. The overall death toll from Israeli attacks across Lebanon since dawn has risen to at least 32, according to Lebanese authorities. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Hezbollah had fired more than 50 projectiles overnight toward Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon. The military also said its forces had struck dozens of Hezbollah targets, including rocket-launch positions, weapons storage sites and command centres in southern Lebanon. The renewed violence has heightened fears of a broader regional escalation and raised fresh concerns over the implementation of the recently signed US-Iran agreement aimed at ending hostilities across the region. Source: Al Jazeera

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations are exploring alternative routes for transporting global energy supplies as concerns grow over dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage for oil and gas shipments. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said discussions at the G7 summit in France included identifying other supply corridors that could help move energy resources from the Persian Gulf without relying heavily on the strategically important strait. Speaking to the Associated Press, Confavreux said leaders discussed ways to reduce long-term dependence on the waterway and improve energy security. He noted that proposals under consideration include financing and developing new infrastructure projects, particularly land-based transport routes, that could bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict involving Iran disrupted regional stability, roughly 20 percent of the world’s crude oil shipments passed through the narrow maritime corridor, making it one of the most critical energy transit routes globally. The discussions reflect growing international efforts to diversify energy supply chains and reduce vulnerability to disruptions in the Gulf region.

Several US allies are pushing for a naval security mission in the Strait of Hormuz to support the recently announced Iran ceasefire framework, aiming to restore confidence among shipping companies and insurers and ensure the safe movement of global oil and gas supplies. The proposed mission, led by France and the United Kingdom, would focus on clearing sea mines and could include military escorts for commercial vessels passing through the strategic waterway, one of the world's most important energy shipping routes. The idea was first raised by Emmanuel Macron in March when fighting between the United States and Iran was still ongoing. He suggested that naval forces could escort oil tankers and cargo ships once hostilities eased. At the Group of Seven summit on Monday, US President Donald Trump said he did not believe extensive international assistance would be necessary because the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen under the tentative agreement with Iran. However, he said having a small number of ships from allied countries in the area could still be useful. In a joint statement, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy and later Canada welcomed the ceasefire framework and expressed support for reopening the waterway with unrestricted freedom of navigation. The countries proposed what they described as a strictly defensive mission aimed at reassuring commercial shipping and carrying out mine-clearing operations. France already has significant military assets in the region, including the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Macron said French fighter jets could begin surveillance missions over the strait almost immediately, followed by frigates and the carrier group within days if requested. Mine-clearing vessels would search for and remove underwater explosives that could threaten commercial ships. Trump said some mines had already been found and removed, while efforts were continuing to locate others. He added that the strait had already been partially reopened. European allies have experience protecting commercial shipping in conflict zones. French, British and American naval forces have previously escorted merchant vessels through the Red Sea during attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. French warships successfully intercepted several missile and drone threats during those operations. One French frigate, the Alsace, shot down three ballistic missiles while escorting a container ship in 2024.   Security experts say a naval presence could help discourage renewed conflict and reassure shipping firms and insurers. However, analysts caution that the mission's role would be more limited if the ceasefire remains in place. According to Max Bergmann of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a French-British naval deployment could strengthen regional security and demonstrate support for Gulf nations, though its overall impact should not be overstated. Planning for the mission has involved a broad coalition of countries, including Australia, South Korea, Japan, Bahrain, Qatar, Canada and more than a dozen European nations. A meeting organized by France and Britain last month brought together representatives from 38 countries to discuss the proposal and possible contributions to the operation.

The United States and Iran have reached a tentative agreement aimed at extending their fragile ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, though major uncertainties remain as Israel continues military operations and refuses to pull back from occupied territory in Lebanon. Details of the understanding were not immediately made public. The deal is expected to allow the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global energy supplies. Iran, however, said the agreement would only take effect after it is formally signed, which Pakistan, acting as a key mediator, said would happen on Friday in Switzerland. Despite the announcement, the agreement quickly faced obstacles. Israel’s ongoing fighting with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon continued, including Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday. Israel joined the US in launching the war on February 28. In its first response after the deal was announced, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would not withdraw from territories it has seized in Lebanon under any interim arrangement. He said Israel intends to remain in occupied areas in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip indefinitely. Iran has linked progress on the deal to an end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Katz also warned that any Iranian attack in response to Israeli strikes would trigger a strong Israeli retaliation. Over the past two and a half years, Israel has taken control of roughly 1,000 square kilometres of territory across Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, an area slightly smaller than New York City. The agreement between the US and Iran also sets a 60-day timeline to address Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and its nuclear programme, a long-standing point of dispute. The issue had earlier been addressed in the 2015 nuclear deal, from which the US withdrew during President Donald Trump’s first term, worsening tensions that later escalated into conflict. Trump, celebrating his 80th birthday, announced the development on social media and said the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened and a US naval blockade lifted. He later clarified that the opening would depend on the signing scheduled for Friday. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also confirmed the agreement on state television, saying Tehran would not begin implementing it until it is signed. He said the talks involved mediation by Qatar. The announcement was welcomed by several world leaders, including those in China and Europe, who said reopening the Strait of Hormuz was crucial for stabilising global energy prices and trade. Chinese officials urged both sides to proceed with signing the memorandum as planned. France said the agreement could help end hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon, while urging all parties to respect the deal. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed hope that the signing would go ahead and said reopening the strait was essential for global stability, although some leaders, including Luxembourg’s foreign minister, remained cautious about the outcome. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the breakthrough, calling for efforts to restore free navigation in the strategic waterway and to build lasting peace in the region. Pakistan announced the agreement first, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying both sides had agreed to an immediate halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Pakistani officials said broader technical negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme would continue over the next 60 days, with the possibility of an extension if needed. Iranian state media, citing the Supreme National Security Council, said the war would end immediately once implementation begins and that the US blockade would be lifted in full. Qatari mediators later left Tehran after lengthy talks, while further preparatory meetings are expected in Doha this week. It remains unclear who will sign the agreement on Iran’s behalf. US Vice President JD Vance said preparations were still underway for Friday’s signing, adding that President Trump could also attend. However, some Republican lawmakers in the US expressed concern, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who said Iran’s interpretation of the deal appeared to differ from that of US negotiators.

Pakistan's interior minister arrived in Tehran on Sunday in a renewed effort to help revive talks between Iran and the United States, as the US military said it shot down two more Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz after they posed a threat to international shipping. The latest development comes as Washington continues to push Tehran toward an agreement aimed at ending the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has put pressure on the global economy and raised concerns about worsening hunger in some of the world's most vulnerable countries. Although the most intense phase of the fighting ended with a preliminary ceasefire on April 8, the parties have yet to reach a lasting agreement to formally end the conflict. At the same time, clashes between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah continued despite the extension of a US-brokered ceasefire announced last week. Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is visiting Tehran to deliver a message from Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA. Khamenei has not appeared in public since becoming Iran's leader after the death of his father during the opening day of the war on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched a major bombardment campaign against Iran. Naqvi met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni on Saturday and held talks with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, Iranian media reported. Officials did not disclose details of the message. Pakistan has previously said it is working with regional countries including Qatar, Turkey and Egypt to help narrow differences between Washington and Tehran, reduce tensions and support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, hopes for a sustained ceasefire in Lebanon appeared uncertain. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has rejected the US-mediated proposal and instead supports Tehran's position that any agreement to end the broader conflict should also include Lebanon. Israel said it carried out strikes on more than 150 Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon over the weekend, including rocket launchers and command centres. On Sunday, the Israeli military said at least five projectiles were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel. The projectiles were either intercepted or landed in open areas. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility but said it had attacked Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said two soldiers were killed during fighting in southern Lebanon on Saturday. The ongoing violence in Lebanon threatens efforts to secure a broader regional truce and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies. Disruptions in the waterway have already shaken international energy markets. Iran insists that any long-term ceasefire must also cover Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that military operations will continue until Israel believes Hezbollah no longer poses a security threat. In a related development, Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haikal travelled to Pakistan on Saturday at the invitation of Pakistan's army chief. Lebanese authorities did not provide further details about the visit. The US military said on Saturday it intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones heading toward the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf Arab states, and later struck Iranian coastal radar sites used for surveillance. US Central Command said the drones posed an immediate threat to maritime traffic in the region. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, where US forces are stationed, as well as the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, according to IRNA. The US military said there were no reports of casualties among American personnel. Earlier this month, Iranian drone attacks heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait's main airport, killing one person and injuring dozens more. Washington has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports in response to Tehran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy exports. The conflict has driven up energy prices, creating political challenges for US President Donald Trump's Republican Party ahead of congressional midterm elections later this year.

President Donald Trump increasingly appears to be boxed in. U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement a week ago to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump, however, has called for unspecified changes, and Iranian officials have shown no public sign of agreeing to the deal. The fighting in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have seized large swaths of the south while saying it targets the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, also challenges efforts to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has demanded that any lasting truce extends to Lebanon. The Trump administration has touted the latest ceasefire agreed to earlier in the week by the Lebanese government and Israel after U.S.-brokered talks in Washington. However, Hezbollah has rejected the agreement. Meanwhile, Iran fired ballistic missiles and drones toward Bahrain and Kuwait that were intercepted early Saturday, Bahrain’s government said, and called on Tehran to halt attacks on Gulf neighbors that test a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. Iran said that it targeted American military assets in both countries, after the U.S. attacked surveillance facilities on Qeshm Island and near Sirik that Iran said were used to protect borders and “ensure the security of navigation in international waters.” Tehran called the attack a ceasefire violation. Later Saturday, U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces had shot down two Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz. The latest exchanges came as the Trump administration presses Iran to make a deal to end the war, which has strained the global economy and threatened a hunger crisis in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries.