GOLD/FOREX
DUBAI 34°C
PRAYER TIMES
WORLD
WORLD
World /
Mena
LIVE

US declares Hormuz mine-cleared as Qatar, Iran seek de-escalation and new carrier heads to Middle East

Mine-cleared Hormuz tests Iran’s leverage as Gulf states and Washington recalibrate

Last updated:
Jay Hilotin, Senior Assistant Editor ; Surabhi Vasundharadevi, Social Media Reporter and Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor
Donald Trumpiran nuclear programmeIsraelIranIran Israel conflictUS-Israel-Iran warus-israelus-iran
Add as a preferred source on Google
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) transits the Pacific Ocean while conducting a tailored ship’s training availability off the coast of Southern California on April 30, 2017. The Sailor assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the US Naval Hospital Guam April 9 died of COVID-related complications reported by the US Navy on April 13, 2020.
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) transits the Pacific Ocean while conducting a tailored ship’s training availability off the coast of Southern California on April 30, 2017. The Sailor assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the US Naval Hospital Guam April 9 died of COVID-related complications reported by the US Navy on April 13, 2020.
AFP
Regional tensions remain high as US Central Command declares the Strait of Hormuz cleared of mines laid by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, reopening a lifeline for global oil shipping. In Tehran, Qatar's Prime Minister met President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday in the latest push for de-escalation, while Washington signalled a tougher line, with President Donald Trump hinting at sanctions on Chinese banks over their Iran dealings and a fresh US aircraft carrier preparing to sail for the region. Follow all the latest developments here:

Hormuz 100% cleared of mines: CentCom chief Admiral Cooper

US Central Command's chief Admiral Brad Cooper, confirmed the removal of mines laid by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, calling it a major "milestone" that keeps key oil shipping lanes open. The operation supported over 1,500 vessels carrying 750 million barrels of oil, with more than 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft involved. While commercial traffic remains low compared to normal levels, the effort highlights ongoing US military presence amid tensions with Iran, though some note the strait isn't fully mine-free.

Qatar PM meets Iran President Pezeshkian in Tehran efforts to de-escalate tensions

Tehran: Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran on Thursday as Doha stepped up diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating regional tensions and creating conditions for dialogue.

The Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a post on X, said the two sides discussed "regional developments, their impact on security and stability, and ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions and foster a conductive environment for dialogue."

New US aircraft carrier to deploy to the Middle East: report 

A new US aircraft carrier will deploy to the Middle East to relieve another carrier that recently sailed to the region as the war with Iran drags on, the US Naval Institute (USNI) reported.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group is expected to sail from San Diego, on the US west coast, in the coming weeks, for a more than seven-month deployment, USNI said Wednesday. It will relieve the USS George Washington, which deployed from Japan and arrived in the Middle East last week, replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln, amid reports of grim conditions on that carrier that has been at sea since November 2025.

Iran’s Hormuz leverage risks becoming a 'strategic liability' — will ultimately backfire, says Saudi Prince 

In a sharply worded opinion piece, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former head of Saudi intelligence and a prominent royal family voice, warned that Iran’s attempts to weaponise the Strait of Hormuz as diplomatic blackmail will ultimately backfire. 

“What Tehran regards as leverage could, over time, become a strategic liability,” he wrote, arguing that Iran must abandon revolutionary ideology in favor of conventional state behaviour.

“Iran must conduct itself as a nation-state rather than as an international revolutionary movement.”
The article, titled “Strait Diplomacy: Where Is It Heading,” published Wednesday in the Saudi Gazette and the Arab News, comes amid stalled US-Iran talks following the collapse of a June 17, 2026, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Get Updates on Topics You Choose

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Up Next

Related Stories

US Admiral Brad Cooper

Hormuz cleared of mines: CentCom chief Admiral Cooper

38m ago8m read
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) transits the Pacific Ocean while conducting a tailored ship’s training availability off the coast of Southern California on April 30, 2017. The Sailor assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the US Naval Hospital Guam April 9 died of COVID-related complications reported by the US Navy on April 13, 2020.

New US aircraft carrier to deploy to Mid-East: report

2m read
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier

USS George Washington joins US carriers in Middle East

3m read
Vehicles drive past a large billboard reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" as people gather in Tehran's Revolution Square after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, on April 8, 2026.

Iran rejects new ceasefire, demands end to war

3m read