Iran warns oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz as next US talks are delayed until after funeral

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, for the first time on Thursday, in a visit to Beirut.

Shaibani's visit comes as Damascus has insisted it does not want to intervene militarily in Lebanon, despite pressure from the United States to do so.

The Syrian minister, on his second visit to Lebanon, was received on arrival by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, before going on to meet Berri, according to local media.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the funeral of the late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei this week, the South Asian nation's foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

"The Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, will go to Iran and Turkey from 3-5 July... he will go to Iran first for (the) supreme leader's funeral," spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters.

Iran's joint military command warned Thursday that all oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must use its approved routes or face a "forceful response."

The statement from the Khatam al-Anbiya military command was aired on Iranian state television.

It wasn't immediately clear what sparked the threat from Iran.

"Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels," the statement said.

It also said the continued presence of U.S. fighter jets over the strait "causes insecurity in this waterway and threatens regional security."

Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on Thursday for massive turnout at Ali Khamenei's funeral to avenge the supreme leader's death in US-Israeli strikes at the start of the war.

"I invite all the Iranian people... to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence" at the funeral ceremonies starting Saturday, Ghalibaf said in a statement, adding: "The nation's call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world."

The next indirect US-Iran talks will come after the late Iranian supreme leader's funeral, mediators said Thursday, as diplomacy inches ahead on ending the Middle East war.

Following the foes' indirect discussions in Doha on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump as well as mediators Qatar and Pakistan offered signs that diplomacy was holding, despite exchanges of fire this week.

An interim deal was agreed to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities, but major questions still need to be tackled in talks, including Iran's nuclear programme.

"Qatari and Pakistani mediators concluded separate meetings with the US and Iranian negotiators in Doha (Wednesday), with positive progress made," Pakistan said Thursday.

Islamabad added the sides agreed to keep talking, "with the next meeting to be set at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader."

US and Iran negotiators made "positive progress" during indirect talks in Doha, with the next round expected after the late Iranian supreme leader's funeral, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman said.

"Qatar & Pakistan mediators concluded separate meetings with the US & Iranian negotiators in Doha today, with positive progress made on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, building on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit," foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said Wednesday on X.

"The parties agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader."

US President Donald Trump said that indirect talks with Iran in Qatar were "making progress", offering a tentative sign that diplomacy was holding after recent exchanges of fire threatened efforts to end the Middle East war.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who led Tehran's delegation, later said the talks had concluded and that the sides had agreed to establish a communication channel by Thursday to report and record violations of their initial memorandum of understanding.

Iran had insisted there would be no direct negotiations in Doha on the deal, which aims to end the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

"As far as things are going, the denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One.

US President Donald Trump said late on Wednesday that indirect talks with Iran in Qatar were making progress, a tentative sign that diplomacy was holding after recent exchanges of fire threatened efforts to end the Middle East war.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who led Tehran's delegation, later said the talks had concluded and that the sides had agreed to establish a communication channel by Thursday to report and record violations of their initial memorandum of understanding.

Iran had insisted there would be no direct negotiations in Doha on the deal, which aims to end the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

"As far as things are going, the denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One. "We hit them very hard... but we're getting along very well."

The Qatar discussions, held at a lower level and focused on implementing the memorandum, were meant to "build on the progress made at the Lake Lucerne Summit," a diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Tehran denied Trump's earlier claim that the talks would be direct, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei saying Iran had "no plans for negotiations with the American side at any level over the coming days."

Gharibabadi said the discussions also covered frozen Iranian assets, whose release Tehran has demanded as part of any settlement.

He said officials reviewed the use of part of an initial $6 billion and agreed that goods needed by Iran would be purchased and made available.

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were not taking part in the technical talks, the diplomat said, after meeting Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday.

Total US production of crude oil and petroleum products increased by 254,000 barrels per day in April to a record 21.84 million barrels per day, according to government data. Crude oil production alone rose by 216,000 barrels per day to 13.93 million barrels per day.

Year-over-year, total production surged by 1.01 million barrels per day or 4.9%. Since the 2008 financial crisis, total US petroleum output has quadrupled. Over the same period, crude oil production has soared +250%.

Global oil prices extended their decline on Thursday morning (July 2, 2026, 8:12 am Tokyo time) as easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the gradual reopening of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continued to ease concerns over supply disruptions.

According to OilPrice.com, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 58 cents, or 0.85%, to $68.00 per barrel.

Murban crude, the benchmark for Middle Eastern exports, posted the steepest decline, tumbling $3.37, or 4.88%, to $65.64 per barrel.

Trading Economics reported that Brent crude — the international benchmark — dropped $1.78, or 2.45%, to $71.162 per barrel as of 8.30am Tokyo.

Commercial shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz is gradually recovering, but traffic remains significantly below normal levels following the recent US-Iran conflict.

According to MarineTraffic vessel-tracking data, 34 ships transited the strait on Tuesday, marking a modest improvement from the near-standstill seen during the height of hostilities. Even so, the figure remains well below the pre-conflict average of roughly 100 daily crossings, underscoring the lingering caution among shipping companies, insurers and energy traders.

The Strait of Hormuz's reopening became one of the central provisions of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on June 17, which committed both sides to the immediate resumption of commercial navigation through the waterway as part of broader confidence-building measures aimed at de-escalating tensions.

While traffic is steadily recovering, the latest shipping data suggests the maritime corridor has yet to return to business as usual, highlighting continued concerns over regional security despite ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced on Wednesday the conclusion of talks in Doha on implementing the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington on ending the Middle East war, state media reported.

The participants agreed that "a communication channel would be established by tomorrow" (Thursday) to report and record violations of the memorandum, the IRNA state news agency quoted Gharibabadi as saying.

Iran's disappointed World Cup squad returned to a much warmer welcome at Tehran airport on Wednesday than they experienced on arrival in the US for their three group games.

"Iran, Iran!" a crowd of several hundred children, their parents and devoted fans chanted in unison.

Some waved the Iranian national flag while others sported bracelets with the national colours or wore the jersey of "Team Melli" as they feted the squad who had gone so close to reaching the knockout stages for the first time.

They finished third in the group, having drawn all three of their matches, but missed out as one of the eight best third-placed sides on goal difference. 

Day 124: Iran says Qatar talks with US on war MoU concluded

Day 123: Iran says US blockade stopped oil exports completely

Day 122: IRGC Navy spokesperson Akbarzadeh dies in car 'mishap'

Day 121: Iran warns against attacks from regional territory

Day 120: US–Iran ceasefire under strain as drones target Bahrain

Day 119: Lebanon, Israel, US sign trilateral deal in Washington

Day 118: Oil price spikes after IRGC strike on ship in Hormuz

Day 117: Iran-Gulf reconciliation talks expected in Saudi Arabia