Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, called on Muslim nations to unite against the United States and Israel as regional shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained restricted. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces evacuated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s oldest son from the U.S. amid a confirmed threat.
Six months after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes killed his father and other senior leaders, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a letter addressed to religious figures attending a conference in Tehran. The communication, reported by the official IRNA news agency, marked another high-level message from the Iranian leader, who has not been seen publicly since the February strikes.
In his letter, Khamenei urged rulers of Muslim nations to identify their real enemy and confront it. The ongoing conflict has created noticeable divisions across the Islamic world, particularly after Iran launched strikes against targets in neighboring Gulf Arab nations and moved to restrict maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Strait of Hormuz Shipping Restrictions and Regional Diplomacy
Commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz continues to face severe disruption. According to data cited by Reuters from Kpler, just seven commodity vessels navigated the key trade corridor on Thursday, a decline from seventeen vessels the previous day and below the ten-day average of fifteen.
The International Maritime Organization reported that up to 400 ships carrying roughly 6,000 seafarers remain unable to depart the Gulf safely. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called for renewed political will and practical measures to restore freedom of navigation.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi noted that Iran had established a tentative understanding with Oman regarding a temporary maritime route, though its rollout hinges on Washington honoring commitments made under a memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June.
“The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Implementing this understanding requires the other side, particularly the US, to fulfil its commitments. Whenever these commitments are implemented, Iran will also take its measures.”
Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister
Sanctions Pressure and Economic Impact on Tehran
The maritime restrictions and broader conflict have placed immense strain on Iran’s domestic economy. Annual inflation reached 66 percent last month, while President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged that imports and exports had dropped nearly 35 percent due to naval blockades and international sanctions.
Washington has simultaneously expanded its economic enforcement measures. The U.S. moved to restrict dollar transactions involving the branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr in the United Arab Emirates over alleged financial dealings with Tehran.
Despite mounting financial pressure, President Pezeshkian emphasized that reviving the June interim agreement remains a viable path forward for resolving trade bottlenecks and easing economic isolation.
Security Evacuations and West Bank Violence
Security concerns extended far beyond the Persian Gulf over the weekend. Israel’s Shin Bet security agency confirmed that it urgently evacuated Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister’s oldest son, from the United States following a significant threat against him.
The prime minister previously stated that Iran had attempted to target one of his sons. Yair Netanyahu had resided in Miami since 2023, operating largely outside Israel during the ongoing multi-front conflicts.
In the West Bank, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare condemnation following a wave of settler violence.
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