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Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz for several hours as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missile fire as part of a large-scale naval drill, while Russia and China announced they would join joint exercises in what appeared to be a show of force against the US presence in the Persian Gulf.
Trump envoys meet Iranian officials Tuesday while regime leader warns American navy faces destruction. Tehran announced the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to all types of shipping for several hours due to an exercise being conducted by the IRGC Navy.
Dozens of Iranian protesters were shot at point-blank range with live ammunition during the regime crackdown, according to a series of X-rays smuggled out of the Islamic Republic and published by the British Guardian, proof of what doctors say was a deliberate policy of firing with the intent to kill.
A statement from the office of the Turkish president claimed that a meeting with the Emirati president was canceled due to his health condition. The statement was later deleted, but Abu Dhabi quickly moved to quash the rumor mill, issuing a series of announcements from the president.
The navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps held maneuvers along the key Persian Gulf shipping lane, with its forces practicing the takeover of vessels. In Tehran, officials boasted: “The exercise is a response to conspiracies against us in the region.”
Lebanese army chief will present his plan to centralize weapons under state control and brief ministers on his impressions from his visit to the US. Hezbollah opposes the move but may back a compromise formula to spare the government a “minefield.”
Ankara dispatched its drillship Cagri Bey to search for oil off the coast of Somalia, described as a historic first deployment of a Turkish drillship beyond the country’s territorial waters. Over the weekend, reports emerged of tanks being transported through the streets of Mogadishu to secure a Turkish missile launch facility, and in late January Turkey deployed F-16 fighter jets to the Somali capital.
Tehran believes that incorporating US companies into Iran’s energy, aviation and mining sectors would create a clear American interest in preserving a future agreement. Diplomatic sources assess that the move is a calculated attempt to appeal to the business instincts of President Donald Trump and the team around him.
Prince Turki al-Faisal accused Israel of harboring expansionist ambitions similar to Iran’s, and said Israel continues to violate the ceasefire in Gaza: “They blame Hamas who come out and shoots at them, but that is no excuse. Hamas has almost been destroyed.”
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi said in an interview that “the ball is in America’s court to prove that it seeks an agreement,” and while confirming that another round of talks will take place and describing the discussions as positive, he added: “If we feel it is an existential threat, we will respond accordingly.”
