Strait of Hormuz shut until Tehran's conditions met, Ghalibaf says
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint with peace talks stalled.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.
Those talks broke down as the U.S. and Iran continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz as the primary flashpoint. Trump then said in August that the U.S. would launch a "crushing economic operation" to force Tehran into submission.
Key Headlines
- Strait of Hormuz won't open until Iranian conditions met, Ghalibaf says
- State Department advises Americans to 'seriously reconsider' travel in Middle East, citing Houthi hostilities in Saudi Arabia
- Iran’s security chief calls for end to Saudi-Yemen war, says future nuclear policy depends on US conduct
- Saudi Arabia confirms Houthis tried to attack Riyadh with a ballistic missile
'No engagement' in war for South Korea, president says as Seoul weighs Strait of Hormuz role
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday said that Seoul will not engage in the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, as the country weighs plans to contribute to future maritime security operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Let it be clear. There will be no dispatch of troops that will lead to involvement in a conflict. There will be no engagement or involvement in war," Lee said in a televised press conference, as quoted by the Yonhap News Agency.
"The principle of no engagement or involvement in war has been observed so far and will continue to be observed in the future," he added.
South Korea has faced pressure from President Donald Trump to provide active support for U.S. military operations against Iran.
Last month, Trump ordered the curtailment of planned joint U.S.-South Korean military drills, a decision he said was in part due to Seoul's refusal to join the conflict.
Tanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported that a tanker was "struck by an unknown projectile" in the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Friday morning.
The impact caused a fire onboard the vessel, which was later extinguished, the UKMTO said. All crew members were reported safe, the alert added.
State Department rejects UN report finding 'reasonable grounds to believe' it committed war crimes in Iran
The State Department is pushing back on a UN-commissioned report that found there is "reasonable grounds to believe" the U.S. committed war crimes in Iran, including during a strike on a primary school in Minab.
"The Trump Administration formally withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council following the Council’s consistent failures to uphold its own 'values' as it pushes anti-American rhetoric and antisemitism, all while it appeases repressive regimes, thus making a mockery of the very 'rights' it claims to protect,” a State Department official said. "As such, we do not give credibility" to the findings of the report.
The official continued: “The protection of civilians is of the utmost importance to the U.S. We refer to the Department of War with respect to specific questions on U.S. operations.”
In regards to Minab, the report—which relies on open source reporting—concluded the attack on the school “went beyond mere negligence.”
“Rather, the U.S. directed the strikes at the building of the school while being aware of a substantial risk of striking a civilian object and acting recklessly as regards the possibility that this would happen,” the report stated.
The report also notes that investigators sent a request for information to the U.S. government, as well as requests for meetings, but that their requests went unanswered.
The fact-finding mission also concluded that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity, saying the number of casualties caused by the regime’s crackdown earlier this year could not be verified, but that it was likely “significantly higher” than figures reported by Iran’s government (3,038 killed, 25,000 injured.)
-ABC News' Shannon Kingston
Trump says he has 'big decision' coming on whether to 'annihilate' Iranian regime
President Donald Trump told Axios in an interview published Thursday that he has a "big decision" coming up on whether to "go in and annihilate" the Iranian regime.
"I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them [the Iranian regime] or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me," Trump said, according to Axios.
According to Axios, during the interview "Trump declined to say whether he'll decide on the path forward before or after the midterms."
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart