US President Donald Trump was displeased with Iranian denials of his statements and wrote on his social media platform, Truth: “Iran has informed the United States that, despite false and provocative reports to the contrary, there are no tolls, insurance fees, or other charges of any kind on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. If this information were false, negotiations would immediately cease! Furthermore, the United States has not given money to Iran nor released funds from their country. We will release part of their funds, which are under our full control, for our farmers and ranchers to purchase corn, wheat, soybeans, and more. Iran is in desperate need of food, and we will purchase it for them exclusively from the United States. Thank you for your attention!”
The attempt to sabotage the peace memorandum between Israel and the United States continues. Meanwhile, the United States Senate voted 50-48 to adopt the War Powers Resolution against Iran, passed by the House of Representatives, which blocks military action against Iran unless President Trump first obtains congressional approval.
The resolution is non-binding and is not considered law. The U.S. House of Representatives had previously passed a similar bill, but neither of these resolutions creates a legal obligation for the U.S. president.
Responding to Trump once again, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei: “We have not had a meeting with Grossi, nor is there any plan for the agency to inspect the damaged Iranian nuclear facilities. Essentially, there is no protocol on this matter. As a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a country committed to safeguarding the agreements, we will continue with the current procedure, which I believe is very clear.” Regarding the unfrozen Iranian assets, we will decide in the way that best serves the country’s interests. There are no restrictions on this matter. We find it interesting that the philosophy and goal of the war, previously announced as the destruction and collapse of Iranian civilization, has been reduced to the enrichment of American farmers. The important thing is that the frozen Iranian assets be accessible, so that Iran can freely use them as needed to procure the goods the country desires. And again: “Iran’s defense and missile capabilities will never be the subject of negotiation with any party.” To begin negotiations on the nuclear issue and sanctions relief, we must review the implementation status of the commitments set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. The nuclear issue and sanctions relief are expected to be discussed within 60 days, according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Switzerland, but the text of the Memorandum clearly states that the start of negotiations on these two topics depends on the implementation of specific clauses. We are working to ensure that all these clauses are fulfilled, as they form the basis for starting negotiations. Some have already been fulfilled, and others are in the process of being implemented. However, at the meeting in Switzerland, aside from the general statements from the US side, we did not have a detailed discussion on the nuclear issue. Their positions were stated, we responded appropriately, and, regarding sanctions, they also raised the issue in general terms.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the press regarding the Middle East: “The fighting in the region cannot be stopped as long as pro-Iranian groups continue to launch missiles.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also spoke out on the Middle East: “We should all be ashamed” for failing to resolve the Palestinian issue. It would be a mistake for Arab countries to begin uniting against the Islamic Republic of Iran. We must not forget what is happening in the West Bank, where no effort is being spared to ensure that a Palestinian state is never established. “Netanyahu has spoken of a Greater Israel… If these plans were to succeed, a contiguous Palestinian state would become physically impossible.”
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett: “For the first time since Israel’s founding, the ‘Israel’ brand has a net negative impact in the United States. It’s a disaster. It’s a disaster!” He added: “Ben-Gvir tweets meaningless and stupid things to appear strong, and then I have to spend a dozen interviews on CNN and BBC trying to clean up the mess. We are the worst in the world at public diplomacy. If Israel were a public relations agency, I certainly wouldn’t hire us. Start working and stop being stupid!”
Israel’s Channel 13: “Contrary to promises, according to an Israeli official, ‘Israel’ is preparing for a partial withdrawal from southern Lebanon.”
June 24 also marked the final phase of testimony in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, which concluded after 98 hearings over a year and a half. At the end of the trial, Netanyahu stated: “After 10 years of hell, during which I tried to lead this country through perhaps its greatest challenges, this vile, false, and evil thing has come to infringe not only on individual rights, but also on the public’s right to choose.”
The fifth round of US-backed talks between Lebanon and Israel opened this morning in Washington on the night of June 23. Lebanese military personnel refused to participate in a photo op. The talks between Israel and Lebanon are focusing on a US-backed proposal that would require Israeli forces to surrender. The Lebanese army has agreed to hand over part of the territory it captured during the war with Hezbollah, according to Reuters.
Lebanese troops deployed in those areas would be trained and subjected to US vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in a border buffer zone. The proposal is being discussed as a “pilot” project during the latest round of talks in Washington. A final agreement is expected to be considered at the end of today’s talks.
On June 24, gunfire was reported at the US Embassy in Beirut. The Lebanese army fired warning shots at a vehicle containing two undocumented Syrian migrants; the situation is under control.
Lebanese Christian lawmaker Elias Jaradeh credits Iran with changing “the course of history.” “Otherwise, we would all have been taken prisoner and enslaved.”
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Jawlani) on Hezbollah: “If it were necessary to sit down at the table with Hezbollah, I believe in dialogue, yes. Even between opposing sides, dialogue should remain open and continue even during war, conflict, and confrontation, because the alternative is war.”
Omani Foreign Minister: “In the meeting with Ghalibaf and Araqchi, we had constructive discussions on the memorandum of understanding, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz.” On June 24, a slow recovery in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz occurred, causing a backlog of merchant ships in the Persian Gulf. According to the Financial Times, citing estimates from insurance company Allianz, more than 1,200 ships carrying approximately $125 billion worth of goods and raw materials are currently unable to pass through the strait.
On June 23, an Iranian delegation traveled to Pakistan led by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and was welcomed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He told his Iranian counterpart: “We express our deepest condolences for the killing of innocent Iranian brothers and sisters, including children, whose number has reached thousands. Under his visionary leadership, Iran will soon transform into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: “There are saboteurs around the world who want to derail this peace agreement. They do not want the Iranian nation, a great nation, to rise from the ashes of war and reach the pinnacle of glory. There cannot be double standards, where some countries may have ballistic missiles and Iran does not. This kind of duplicity cannot be tolerated.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Islamabad: “Iran extends the hand of friendship to Islamic countries, including Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey, with the aim of promoting mutual understanding and laying the foundation for a new regional security architecture. This is because the unity and solidarity of the Islamic Ummah are essential to addressing common challenges.” He also said: “If we did not have our missiles, which serve our self-defense, Israel and America would have overwhelmed Iran as they overwhelmed Gaza, and would have shown no mercy to either the young or the old. They talk about human rights. This is a big lie. If we were unable to defend ourselves, they certainly would have shown no mercy to our country and would have destroyed our power. Therefore, we will never, under any circumstances, negotiate with anyone on our defensive capabilities.”
And now a look at the military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia, updated at 3:00 PM on June 24. “The Pentagon has begun reducing the presence of tanker aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport at Israel’s request, in order to increase capacity for the summer,” two sources familiar with the details reported. This is not a reduction in American forces in the Middle East: the aircraft have been transferred elsewhere and remain in the region, and the number of US military aircraft remains unchanged (in case the United States decides to attack Iran in the absence of an agreement).
Israeli forces opened fire on a civil defense team from the Islamic Health Organization in Lebanon and on several civilians while they were recovering martyrs from the rubble in the town of Nabatiyeh Al-Fouqa. Two people were killed and several were wounded. Hezbollah responded: “The Islamic Resistance warns that what the enemy has done constitutes a flagrant violation of the ceasefire to which the Resistance has adhered until now.”
Military aircraft belonging to the international coalition were spotted in the town of Deir. ez-Zor, Syria. Israeli forces have again violated Syrian territory. Local sources in Syria have reported a new ground incursion by the Israeli army into Syrian territory and house searches in the southern countryside of Quneitra province. Al-Mayadeen, citing local sources in Syria, said that four military vehicles belonging to the Israeli army headed towards the village of “Ain Ziwan,” located in the southern countryside of Quneitra, and illegally entered the area.
Oman News Agency: Muscat is working in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to allow all vessels to use the temporary maritime corridor. Muscat has called on ships intending to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to “coordinate their actions” with the IMO. In the last 24 hours, approximately twenty merchant ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz — MarineTraffic. This is a drastic drop from the pre-war average of around 110 crossings per day.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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