IRAN HITS THREE TANKERS IN THE STRAIT, DEMANDS PAYMENT FOR PASSAGE

The targets were chosen carefully: Qatar's LNG carrier Al-Rekayyat and Saudi tanker Wedyan were both using the Omani corridor the US and UK have been promoting as an alternative to Iran's designated lane. 2FOX Iran attacks ships in Strait of Hormuz days after Trump gave Tehran 'a week off' for Khamenei funeral The Al-Rekayyat's captain put out a distress call reporting a drone strike on the engine room while it was on fire. 12CRD Saudi, Qatari-flagged tankers damaged near Hormuz after US threatens Iran Iran's foreign ministry called it Washington's fault for "opening new routes" in breach of the MoU, and a spokesperson cited the English Channel pilotage model as the template for charging vessels a passage fee. 6GDN Qatar: Iran is legally responsible for hits on three tankers in strait of Hormuz Qatar, which has been mediating the US-Iran talks, called the attack on its flagship carrier a "serious and explicit violation of international law" and said it holds Iran fully responsible, which is not nothing given how central Doha has been to keeping the diplomatic track alive. 6GDN Qatar: Iran is legally responsible for hits on three tankers in strait of Hormuz

Foreign Minister Araghchi said paragraph 13 of the MoU is clear: no final-deal negotiations if threats continue. 3TTM Iran FM: Talks on final deal with US will not begin unless threats end The Supreme National Security Council secretary told Trump to address Iran "with respect" or face a "different response." 3TTM Iran FM: Talks on final deal with US will not begin unless threats end The kinetic action in the strait and the formal diplomatic demand delivered the same day are coordinated, not coincidental. Iran is running a squeeze: hit the corridor Washington is promoting, then hand Washington a face-saving legal framework for backing off. The White House, Pentagon, and CENTCOM all declined public comment through Tuesday evening. 2FOX Iran attacks ships in Strait of Hormuz days after Trump gave Tehran 'a week off' for Khamenei funeral That silence is, tentatively, a signal that the administration is absorbing the strikes rather than escalating over them.

At the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump called the alliance a "paper tiger," said he had been "testing" allies by asking for Iran support, and named Italy, Germany, and France as failures. 5CRD Trump calls NATO 'paper tiger,' berates allies ahead of Ankara summit Turkey backed the US position and is now being rewarded with sanctions relief and the prospect of F-35 jets. 8AJE Trump says will lift sanctions on Turkiye, ‘consider’ selling F-35s Netanyahu immediately went on CNN to warn the sale would "upset the power balance in the Middle East" and called Erdogan "not exactly a model ally." 1JPO Netanyahu: Turkey not 'friendly state' to US, F-35 sale would disrupt Mideast power balance The Israel-Turkey-US triangle is now publicly fractured, which complicates any post-war regional architecture considerably.

The Financial Times estimated up to 12 million people in Tehran alone for the funeral. 13GDN Tehran teemed with Khamenei mourners, but divisions, and demands for change, remain Iranian state media ran a consistent "resistance and revenge" message throughout. 15BBC Resistance and revenge - Iran wanted to send a message with its farewell to Khamenei Mojtaba Khamenei is expected to be formally confirmed as supreme leader after the burial in Mashhad on Thursday, but he has still not appeared publicly, which is its own story if that continues even through the burial. The political reading inside Iran is split between those who see the turnout as a mandate for confrontation and those who see a population exhausted by war. 13GDN Tehran teemed with Khamenei mourners, but divisions, and demands for change, remain

Craig and Lindsay Foreman are now nine and eight weeks into hunger strikes respectively. 11BBC British hunger strike couple detained in Iran 'denied medical care' Lindsay has lost over 14kg and is suffering severe vertigo and tremors. Medication sent by the British Embassy has been withheld, which the family calls a direct violation of a formal guarantee given to the British ambassador. 11BBC British hunger strike couple detained in Iran 'denied medical care' Their son is meeting UK MPs on Wednesday. This is the kind of case that becomes a full diplomatic flashpoint fast, especially if one of them dies in custody while peace negotiations are still nominally active.