Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, warned countries helping the United States that they would face severe consequences if they did not change their conduct. The warning was reported on July 30, 2026, in an IRGC statement that said countries assisting what it called an aggressor would face a harsh response.

The IRGC also announced that it would further strengthen Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. It said the strait was Iranian territory and that sailors of the IRGC Navy had full control there. The statement said no outsider arriving from thousands of kilometres away would be allowed to intervene in the area.

According to the statement, the strategic waterway would not remain open as long as US authorities continued what the IRGC described as exaggeration, threats and interference with maritime traffic in the region. The report did not identify specific countries covered by the warning, provide a timetable for action, or detail the form of any response. Middle East Eye was cited as the source.

Tehran has blamed US and Israeli military actions for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and disruption to international shipping, while saying talks with Omani representatives are continuing in Tehran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the discussions began last week and remained under way, with a further meeting held on Thursday.

Speaking to the Iranian Labour News Agency, Baghaei said US measures and the insecurity he said Washington had imposed on the waterway were responsible for the strait’s current closure. He said international vessel traffic had been seriously damaged and disrupted as a result of US actions.

Baghaei also attributed the situation to what Iran describes as US and Israeli military aggression and continuing attacks beginning on March 28. He cited attacks on Iranian vessels, what he called illegal blockades of ports and transit routes, and continuing air strikes on Iran. The Foreign Ministry said engagement with Omani officials in Tehran was still ongoing.

A US strike on a residential building on Iran’s Qeshm Island killed three people, including a couple and their two-year-old child, according to Fars news agency citing Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences. The report was published on July 30, 2026.

Two other children, aged seven and nine, were injured in the attack and are receiving hospital treatment. Officials also said electricity supplies on the island were disrupted after the strike.

Semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that US warplanes carried out multiple missile strikes on Qeshm, Kish Island, and the outskirts of Kazerun city in Fars province. Explosions were reported on Kish Island, though airport, ferry and port operations there remained normal. The article cited Al Jazeera as its source.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the United States will not allow Iran to hold global trade hostage. He issued the warning in a post on X on July 30, 2026, after Washington imposed new sanctions on Tehran.

Bessent said the United States would not permit Iran to use the international shipping system to finance terrorism, aggression and repression by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. His statement framed the sanctions as part of Washington’s opposition to Iran’s alleged use of maritime commerce for IRGC-related funding.

Earlier, the US Treasury Department said it had sanctioned two entities closely linked to an IRGC-backed extortion network. According to Washington, the network forced commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to purchase maritime “insurance.” The US alleged that money collected through the arrangement was used to fund various IRGC activities.

The United States struck a residential building on Iran’s Qeshm Island, where at least three people were feared trapped beneath rubble, according to the report published on July 30. Two injured people were admitted to hospital, while rescue operations were under way. Officials also said electricity supplies on the island were disrupted after the attack.

Semi-official Tasnim news agency said US warplanes launched multiple missile strikes at dawn on Qeshm and Kish islands and near the city of Kazerun in Fars province. Explosions were reported on Kish Island, but airport, ferry and port operations there remained normal, the report said.

Iranian officials said the latest attacks resembled the United States’ previous 13-day military campaign. Those strikes were mainly focused on southern Iran, particularly coastal areas around the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The report did not provide further details on the people feared trapped or the progress of rescue efforts.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, said it will maintain military resistance as long as US threats continue. The force stated its position on Thursday while claiming attacks on several US military targets in Jordan. The IRGC said it had carried out what it described as successful operations against a US air base and a command center located in Jordan.

The IRGC urged US officials to refrain from using threatening language against Tehran. Its naval branch also said it attacked three oil tankers after they allegedly tried to move toward the strategic Strait of Hormuz using unauthorized routes. Separately, at least four IRGC members were reported killed in joint air strikes by the United States and Saudi Arabia, adding to the continuing regional crisis.

Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have intensified as Iran formally rejected Oman’s proposal on international shipping routes through the waterway. Tehran is considering tolls for vessels using the chokepoint and insists that mine-clearance work must be carried out only through Iran. It also rejected a proposal for Oman to manage mine clearance and warned European countries that independently conducting such operations could make their military or civilian vessels legitimate targets.

US Central Command said Thursday that it carried out simultaneous “devastating strikes” inside Iran in response to an attempted Iranian missile attack on US military forces. The statement, reported on July 30, 2026, said more than 12 important targets of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, were successfully damaged.

According to CENTCOM, the affected sites included IRGC military command centers, missile and drone manufacturing factories, coastal surveillance and defense systems, and facilities linked to maritime military capabilities. The command did not provide further details in the source about the locations of the targets or the scale of damage.

The US military said the strikes were intended to reduce threats posed by Iran and groups it supports against US forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf countries. CENTCOM also said that more than 50,000 US service members deployed across the Middle East were at the highest level of alert and were fully prepared to respond to any situation.

The United States Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions on eight Iranian oil tankers and 10 affiliated entities, seeking to intensify pressure on Iran’s energy sector. Information on the latest measures was published on the Office of Foreign Assets Control website, according to a report published on July 29, 2026.

The US administration said the action is part of its “maximum pressure” policy aimed at cutting revenue flows from Iran’s oil trade and its covert fleet. Washington alleges that Tehran has used proceeds from oil sales to produce weapons and finance regional allies or proxy groups.

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where reciprocal military strikes between the United States and Iran are continuing, the report said. Conflict has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting international shipping routes and severely affecting oil and energy supplies to global markets.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged citizens to stand firmly against “the enemy” amid continuing international and regional tensions involving Iran. The remarks were reported by the state news agency IRNA and published on July 29, 2026, according to the source.

In a speech, Pezeshkian said Iranians must continue their fight against their enemies and remain strong in front of them so they do not bow to injustice or oppression. He described Iran’s position around the world as evidence that the country has been able to establish a unique example of struggle and resistance.

The president also addressed his government’s responsibilities toward citizens. He said that, in the same way, the government cannot commit any form of injustice or oppression against people in the country. His comments paired a call for resistance to external opponents with a stated rejection of mistreatment of Iranian citizens by the authorities.

Iran seriously considered retaliating against Ukraine after an alleged Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial cargo vessel in the Caspian Sea, but has stepped back from action for now following urgent diplomacy, The New York Times reported, citing Iranian and Western sources. The report, published July 29, said an Iranian civilian sailor was killed in the attack last Saturday.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the incident a violation of the UN Charter and said it could not go unanswered. Western intelligence sources indicated Iran might have considered a symbolic response using ballistic missiles with low-yield warheads against Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea. Analysts said any missile strike from Iran directly into Ukrainian territory could have expanded existing tensions into a major war.

The situation shifted after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha spoke by phone with Araghchi on Tuesday. Araghchi said Sybiha described the vessel attack as an unintentional incident, while Iran demanded appropriate compensation. Araghchi also discussed ways to reduce regional tensions with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Tehran-based analyst Mehdi Rahmati said some Iranian officials opposed opening a new military front against Ukraine.

Iranian officials said there has been no formal ceasefire following the recent conflict with the United States and that Tehran is not in a hurry to resume direct talks. The comments came after several days without reported sounds of explosions or airstrikes in Iranian skies, according to a report published on July 29, 2026. Iran says it currently holds a strategically strong position.

Iranian military leaders have highlighted what they describe as battlefield successes, while diplomats rejected the US assertion that Tehran is desperate to return to negotiations. Former military spokesman Ramadan Sharif claimed the United States had suffered strategic defeats at every stage. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the present situation cannot be described as a ceasefire.

Analysts cited in the report said Iran sees the uncertain condition, neither full peace nor full-scale war, as advantageous. They said Tehran seeks recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a position the United States has not accepted. Experts warned that renewed full-scale conflict involving the United States and Israel could become unmanageable, while war, economic instability and a US naval blockade could further weaken Iran's economy.

Iran is expected to receive its first shipment of 300 to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defense missile systems within the next few weeks, Reuters reported, citing three sources. The report, published on July 29, 2026, said the deal is valued at about $60 million to $70 million and includes QW-12 and FN-16 portable air-defense systems.

According to Reuters, the agreement was concluded with a Hong Kong-based company named Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. China’s Foreign Ministry called the report “completely groundless.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the matter.

Reuters said Iran has moved to strengthen its short-range defensive capabilities after its air-defense system was weakened during recent conflict with the United States and Israel. The mobile missile systems can be deployed quickly and are capable of countering drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft. Reuters also reported that Iran is discussing the acquisition of other Chinese military equipment, particularly anti-ship missiles.

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said the country is prepared to confront any threat and that its defense capabilities became stronger during the recent war. Speaking at a meeting with deputy ministers at the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade on July 28, he emphasized industrial modernization, artificial intelligence, and development of domestic technology-based industries.

Aref said the opposing side deliberately targeted Iran’s industrial sector during the recent conflict, but that the damage was overcome through rapid, high-quality reconstruction. He described recent wars as technology-driven and said Iran’s young scientists prevented the opponent from achieving its objectives despite the use of advanced capabilities.

He said Iran’s industrial policy since the Islamic Revolution has aimed to move from assembly-based production toward domestic knowledge-based industry, supported by research, development, and university-industry coordination. Aref also stressed expanding economic cooperation with neighboring countries and regional blocs, and called for a two-year strategic plan and practical solutions to challenges facing the automobile industry.

Iran’s domestically developed transport and cargo aircraft, Simorgh, is in the final stage of obtaining an operational certificate. Authorities hope to begin commercial operations in the next Iranian year, 1406, around 2027, after required standards and licensing procedures are completed. The report was published on July 28, 2026.

Shokri, secretary of the aerospace, transport and urban development headquarters at Iran’s Vice Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, told Mehr News that the government continued full support for the project last year. He said coordination is progressing well among the implementing company, Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company, and the Civil Aviation Organization. He also expressed hope that the project would advance through obtaining an STC or TC certificate quickly.

Built on the Iran-140 platform, Simorgh is intended to develop domestic cargo transport capacity and strengthen Iran’s aircraft design, testing, quality-control and production capabilities. The project is viewed as strategic amid international sanctions and restrictions on parts supplies. Shokri said some unexpected disruptions last year could cause a slight delay, while the implementing company and Civil Aviation Organization will set the specific certification and commercial-operation timetable.

Iran said it will not allow the United States to determine the timing of either peace or war. The position emerged from remarks by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson at the country’s weekly press conference on July 28. Tehran also said it is fully prepared for any future conflict situation.

Iran’s army chief delivered a similar warning, saying that if the United States launches any attack, Iran’s response would be more destructive than before. At the same time, Iran has not completely closed the door to diplomacy, presenting a position that combines readiness for confrontation with limited openness to talks.

The Iranian government said it has not requested any formal meeting with the United States. However, indirect communication continues through mediation by Qatar, Pakistan and other countries in the region. Iran says the path to negotiations is neither fully open nor fully closed, but remains partially open. Its senior leadership is seeking what the report describes as a cautious and pragmatic position while maintaining deep distrust over improving relations with Washington.