Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized France and other Western countries for condemning Tehran’s handling of internal protests, according to a report published on August 13. In a post on X, Araghchi said countries such as France should stop lecturing the world about human rights and international law, calling their double standards clear and embarrassing.

He accused Western governments of speaking out about Iran’s human rights situation while taking no effective action over what he described as Israeli war crimes and human rights violations in the Middle East. Araghchi also said Western support for Israel’s alleged “genocide” in Gaza and aggression against Iran had undermined their claims to moral standing.

His comments followed a French announcement on Wednesday that the European Union and 20 other countries had issued a joint statement condemning death sentences for protesters in Iran. The statement urged Iran to take meaningful measures to respect human rights, end the use of the death penalty, and release people arbitrarily detained. The remarks came amid tensions between Tehran and Western countries over internal protests and the government’s response.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen until the war ends. Speaking during a meeting in Tehran with Chinese Ambassador Zong Peiyu on August 12, 2026, Rezaei blamed the United States for insecurity in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. He said the United States had put the wider region at risk by imposing what he called an illegal war on Iran.

Rezaei said the strait would remain closed until the United States changes its conduct and accepts Iran’s conditions. He called for an end to the war, the return of Iranian funds that he said were seized, and a halt to fighting across the region, including in Lebanon and Gaza. He added that Iran had conveyed further conditions to the United States through mediators.

He said any Iran-Oman agreement on a route for vessel movements in the strait would be separate from the issue of the blockade. Ambassador Zong reaffirmed China’s support for Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposed US and Israeli military attacks on Iran, and said China wanted to expand cooperation with Tehran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Commander Mohebbi has claimed that no United States warships are currently in the Persian Gulf. In a report published on August 12, 2026, he said the region had hosted about 30 to 40 US warships before the latest Iran-US war.

Citing Press TV’s report based on the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation, the article said Mohebbi described the situation as a severe decline in the US military presence in the Persian Gulf. He said that before the Ramadan war, the United States had 30 to 40 warships in the area, while there is now not a single American warship in the Gulf.

Mohebbi also said that any renewed threat against Iran could put long power transmission lines, thousands of power plants, American and non-American systems, and global infrastructure connected to the internet at risk. He further claimed that a reduction in US weapons during conflict with Iran has become a threat to Washington’s ability to confront Russia and China in the central Pacific.

Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is visiting Iran to discuss regional security, stability and recent developments, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that Naqvi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni on Tuesday night. During the visit, he delivered a message from Pakistan’s prime minister and army chief to Pezeshkian, according to the Iranian government’s website.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the meetings were addressing bilateral relations, security, regional security and stability, constructive engagement among parties in the region, and the recent regional situation. The content of the message delivered by Naqvi was not disclosed.

Naqvi had previously been involved in mediation efforts aimed at easing tensions between Iran and the United States. His visit comes as Iran has maintained its position on controlling the strategic Strait of Hormuz and has said it plans to charge fees to ships transiting the waterway. Tehran also said last week it had reached an understanding with neighbouring Oman on a route through the strait.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief commander Major General Ahmad Vahidi said the IRGC would serve as a model of resistance against what he called United States arrogance. In remarks reported on August 12, he also pledged to make maximum efforts to implement the directives of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces and supreme leader.

Vahidi made the comments in a message sent Tuesday to Major General Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of the armed forces. He said the IRGC would fully cooperate with the armed forces to strengthen the country’s defense and security capabilities.

According to Vahidi, the IRGC’s core policy will be resistance against “Zionist-American dominance” and the establishment of a strong and united Iran. He also congratulated Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari on his appointment as deputy chief of the armed forces, emphasizing the importance of improving defense capabilities and strengthening morale within the forces.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had shown the world that it is a “tough and unbeatable force.” Speaking at a televised news conference on August 11, 2026, he said the recent conflict had displayed Iran’s military and strategic capabilities, as well as its ability to build resistance under difficult conditions.

Araghchi said he had repeatedly heard from foreign ministers and officials in various countries that Iranians had performed a miracle and surprised the world. He said nobody had expected Iran to be able to mount resistance against the United States in that manner.

The foreign minister said the United States’ position against Iran was backed by Israel, the Western world and several other countries. Despite that support, he claimed Iran’s resistance had surprised the world. The report did not provide details about the timing of the conflict, specific military actions, or reactions from other parties.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States asked Iran for talks 20 days after initially demanding its “unconditional surrender.” He made the remarks at a news conference broadcast on Iranian state television on August 11, 2026, amid continuing tensions over war and possible negotiations between the two countries.

According to Araghchi, US President Donald Trump wrote only two words on social media at the start of the war: “unconditional surrender.” Araghchi said this was what the United States sought from Iran, but claimed that the same adversary later had to appeal for negotiations.

The senior Iranian diplomat argued that Washington’s initial hard-line position gave way to an acknowledgment of the need for dialogue. The report does not include a response from the United States to Araghchi’s assertions, nor does it provide details about any talks or a timetable for possible negotiations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “completely healthy” after a meeting lasting nearly seven hours. TRT World reported the statement on August 10, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency. Pezeshkian said the meeting addressed ongoing national problems and issues affecting people’s daily lives.

The president said he raised his concerns and problems with Khamenei, who listened normally and offered necessary advice. Pezeshkian said there was no reason for concern about the supreme leader’s physical condition. According to the state news agency IRNA, preserving national unity and cohesion was Khamenei’s most important advice during the discussion.

The meeting gave special attention to living standards, employment, housing and problems caused by international sanctions. It took place amid renewed tensions between Iran and the United States following earlier conflict, a ceasefire and the collapse of a memorandum of understanding. Pezeshkian’s public comments on Khamenei’s health were viewed as an important message amid speculation about Iran’s internal situation and leadership.

Former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Iran is in an advantageous position in the war, citing its negotiating stance and control of the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with ABC News reported on August 10, 2026, Esper, who served during the first Trump administration, said Iranian leaders appear confident about the leverage they have gained.

Esper said Iran’s new conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring shipping to its pre-war status demonstrate that confidence. He said the conditions show Iranian leaders believe they are in a favorable position and are winning, adding that, in his assessment, they are in fact winning.

He also said the new conditions indicate Iran has become bolder and more confident about its position in the world. According to Esper, Tehran is demonstrating power in the region through proxy forces. He additionally discussed reduced US stockpiles of some munitions during the Iran war. The Trump administration is trying to reduce the impact of those shortages by increasing production, he said, while noting that some weapons take a long time to manufacture.

The United States said it redirected 55 commercial ships traveling toward Iran as part of an operation to enforce sanctions imposed on Iranian ports. The US military announced the claim on Monday, according to a report published and updated on August 10, 2026.

US Central Command, the body coordinating US military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement on X that the ships’ routes were changed to ensure compliance with the sanctions. CENTCOM described the action as part of ongoing US efforts to enforce restrictions involving Iranian ports and trade connected to the country.

CENTCOM also said two additional vessels were disabled during the operation, while two ships were searched. The statement did not provide further details on the identities of the vessels, their cargoes, their locations, or the circumstances in which the ships were redirected, disabled, or searched.

US President Donald Trump said the United States is holding limited discussions with Iran, according to an interview with Axios reported on August 10, 2026. Speaking on Sunday, Trump described economic pressure on Iran as Washington’s main tool and said the contacts were only partial.

Trump said the United States was monitoring Iran’s high inflation and whether the country had access to money. His remarks framed Iran’s economic conditions as a central element of the US approach while describing the scope of discussions as restricted.

Iran has repeatedly said no direct talks with the United States can take place until Washington implements the terms of an interim agreement signed in June. Iran is, however, continuing discussions with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. The report cited CNN as its source.

Former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohsen Rezaei has been appointed secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the president’s office announced on Sunday. President Masoud Pezeshkian issued the decree after the resignation and reassignment of outgoing secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, according to a presidential communications official.

Shortly before the announcement, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Rezaei as his representative to the council. The appointment cited Rezaei’s role and experience during the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988. Rezaei previously led the IRGC for an extended period and is currently a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council.

The council helps settle disagreements between Iran’s parliament and the Guardian Council. The Guardian Council reviews legislation and vets candidates for public office. As part of the leadership changes, Khamenei appointed Zolghadr as his political adviser.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran will not resume direct talks with the United States until Washington provides compensation for violating a memorandum of understanding signed between them. In remarks reported on August 9, 2026, he said there are currently no direct negotiations, with messages instead being exchanged through intermediaries.

Araghchi said mediators are still seeking a way to restart negotiations, but Tehran does not believe talks can resume before the memorandum violation is resolved. He said efforts are under way to create conditions for negotiations, while maintaining that Washington must correct its violations before any resumption is possible.

The foreign minister’s comments set compensation and corrective action by the United States as conditions for renewed direct engagement. The report did not specify the memorandum, the alleged violations, the amount or form of compensation sought, or identify the intermediaries involved. Al Jazeera was cited as the source of the report.

Iran has said the strategic Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States changes its policies and conduct. Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued the warning in a message for Journalists’ Day on August 9, 2026. According to Press TV, he said Iran would not move from its position in either war or negotiations while discussing the regional situation.

Iran listed several conditions for reopening the waterway. It said the United States must stop threatening Iran and cease insulting the Iranian people’s sacred values. Tehran also demanded a permanent end to war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq.

Other demands include lifting the maritime blockade and removing all US military presence, including naval and air forces, from areas around Iran. Tehran also called for full compensation for what it described as two past aggressions and imposed wars, the removal of all sanctions, and the unconditional return of frozen or seized Iranian assets. Zolghadr said ordinary Iranians had raised these demands continuously for 160 days, and said the council would not compromise on securing these rights.

Iran is seeking to end what President Masoud Pezeshkian described as a situation of “neither war nor peace” with the United States through discussions with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. The report, published on August 9, 2026, says shipping through the strategically important waterway remains heavily restricted. Iran and Oman are discussing a possible temporary route for vessels through the strait.

Tehran and Washington remain in a state of severe dispute and tension, with neither side clearly moving toward a long-term settlement. Iran is examining whether diplomacy can create an opportunity to break the impasse. Pezeshkian said the ongoing talks with Oman could help end the deadlock between Tehran and Washington.

Iran has presented demands including the lifting of US sanctions and compensation for wartime damage before reopening Hormuz. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said reopening the strait depends on several conditions. Security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said navigation would not resume until the United States changes its conduct, including ending threats, lifting a naval blockade on Iranian ports and releasing blocked Iranian assets. The United States says talks with Tehran have resumed to seek a permanent end to the war.