EconoTicker

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Iran has agreed to allow 20 more Pakistani-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with two ships permitted to cross each day. Dar described the move as a constructive step at a time when shipping through the waterway remains under heavy regional pressure.

The development suggests Islamabad is using its diplomatic channel with Tehran not only for broader de-escalation efforts, but also to secure practical relief for Pakistani maritime traffic. It also indicates that, despite the wider disruption in Hormuz, Iran is still selectively permitting passage for some countries it does not classify as hostile.

Source: Associated Press; Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the killing of six Iranians in Lebanon, calling it a “heinous crime” and blaming Israel for the attack. In the statement, carried by Mehr News, the ministry named the six as Mohammadreza Mousavi, Alireza Biat-Zar, Majid Hassani Kandsar, Hossein Ahmadlou, Ahmad Rasouli, and Amir Moradi, and said the attack was a clear violation of international law, diplomatic immunity, and the sovereignty of the host country.

The ministry described the six men as Iranian diplomats and called the strike an example of “organized terrorism.” The statement comes as Lebanon remains one of the main spillover fronts of the wider regional war, with Israeli operations there continuing to drive heavy casualties and displacement.

I have not independently verified the exact roles of the six men or the images circulated in domestic media.

Source: Iranian Foreign Ministry statement via Mehr News; Reuters.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington is working to secure an agreement to end the war with Iran and is hopeful that meetings with Iranian officials could take place within days. He said the United States has already put a 15-point proposal on the table and is waiting for Tehran’s response. Reuters previously reported that Witkoff confirmed the plan had been sent to Iran as a basis for negotiations, with Pakistan acting as a mediator.

According to reporting from Miami, Witkoff said the proposal includes a halt to uranium enrichment, the surrender of roughly 10,000 kilograms of enriched uranium, and international oversight. He also warned that Washington cannot allow the Middle East to face the emergence of another North Korea, underscoring how the Trump administration is framing Iran’s nuclear file as a non-negotiable security issue.

Source: Reuters; Wall Street Journal live coverage.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he is not convinced the United States and Israel have a clear strategy to end the war in Iran, while also stating that Germany is in principle ready to take part in an international stabilization mission after the fighting ends. Reuters reported this position alongside Merz’s earlier line that Berlin would support post-conflict stabilization efforts only under a United Nations mandate.

His remarks suggest Berlin wants to stay aligned with Western efforts on regional security, but remains cautious about the absence of a convincing political endgame for the conflict itself.

Source: Reuters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the latest Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear and industrial infrastructure run directly against the extended diplomatic window announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. In a post on X, Araghchi said Israel itself had stated the operation was carried out in coordination with the United States and warned that Iran would impose a “very heavy price” for what he called Israeli crimes.

The remarks came after Israel carried out fresh strikes on Iranian nuclear-related sites, while Trump had just extended by 10 days the pause on threatened U.S. attacks against Iran’s energy infrastructure to allow more time for diplomacy. The clash between continued military escalation and a still-open negotiating track is now becoming one of the central contradictions of the conflict.

Source: Abbas Araghchi on X; AP; The Guardian

Two Chinese container ships linked to COSCO turned back after trying to exit the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, despite earlier Iranian assurances that vessels from friendly countries such as China could pass. The episode highlighted how difficult and uncertain navigation through the waterway remains, even as Iran says some ships are still allowed through. Reuters reported that the incident suggested safe passage still could not be guaranteed, even though limited traffic has continued.

At the same time, Canada signaled it could join allied efforts to restore freedom of navigation if there is a ceasefire. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa is already talking with partners about how it could help, while an earlier joint statement from Canada and several allies said they were ready to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through Hormuz.

Source: Reuters; Prime Minister of Canada; The Canadian Press / Global News.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said there is no disagreement between Germany and the United States on Iran, stressing that Tehran must not obtain nuclear weapons and must not pose a threat to the region. His remarks came on Friday at the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France, where Iran and the economic fallout from the war were central topics.

Wadephul also said Europe is already feeling the conflict’s economic effects significantly, especially in Europe, a point that fits with the G7’s warning about disruptions to energy, fertilizer, and commercial supply chains. He added that the United States has made no request for German military participation, including before the end of the conflict.

Source: Reuters; Anadolu Agency.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he did not want to speak on behalf of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but added that Rubio had said the American objective is to destroy the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile capability. The remark came as G7 ministers met in France to discuss the Iran war, Russia’s role, and the broader security fallout in the region.

Barrot’s comment fits with the broader war aims described in recent reporting, which says neutralising Iran’s missile and drone capacity has become a central objective for both Washington and Israel as the conflict enters a deeper stage.

Source: Reuters; remarks by Jean-Noël Barrot.

Iran is expected to deliver its response later on Friday to a U.S. peace proposal aimed at ending the war in the Middle East, according to a source briefed on the matter. The source said President Donald Trump and senior White House officials were informed through intermediaries that Tehran’s counterproposal was likely to arrive before the end of the day.

The expected response could mark an important moment in the backchannel diplomacy now unfolding alongside continued military pressure. While no outcome is assured, the move suggests that indirect communication between Washington and Tehran remains active even as public positions on both sides stay far apart.

Source: Reuters.

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven on Friday called for an immediate stop to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in the war involving the Islamic Republic. The statement was agreed on during the second day of the G7 meeting in France, where ministers also stressed the need to reduce the conflict’s impact on regional partners, civilian populations, and critical infrastructure.

The ministers further warned about the broader economic fallout from the war, including disruptions to energy, fertilizer, and commercial supply chains, and reiterated the need to restore safe and toll-free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: Reuters; G7 foreign ministers’ joint statement.

The United States is weighing the deployment of at least 10,000 additional combat troops to the Middle East, according to Axios, while The Wall Street Journal and Reuters separately reported that the Pentagon is reviewing a similar increase in ground forces as Washington expands its military options in the region.

The buildup is unfolding at the same time as indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran continue. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is speaking with people who hold “the right” or “real” power in Tehran, while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Pakistan is acting as a mediator for a reported 15-point proposal. But the diplomatic track remains uncertain: Reuters reported that a senior Iranian official said no formal negotiations are currently planned, and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the opening for talks should be given a chance, with Pakistan or Turkey mentioned in reporting as possible venues rather than a formally confirmed meeting site.

At the same time, the maritime front is becoming more organized. Reuters reported that the UAE is willing to join a multinational maritime force aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while France has already consulted around 35 countries on a future post-war security mission for the waterway. Together, these moves suggest that Washington and its partners are trying to keep both tracks alive at once: military pressure on Iran and a narrow, still-fragile diplomatic channel.

Source: Axios; Reuters; The Wall Street Journal.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards escalated their public messaging on Friday by urging people in the region to leave areas near U.S. forces immediately and by repeating that movement through the Strait of Hormuz would face a harsh response. The statement signals a tougher Iranian tone as the war continues and regional military sites remain on alert.

The warning also matters for energy markets. Reuters previously reported that Iran had formally told the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization that only “non-hostile” vessels may transit Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, while shipping tied to the U.S., Israel, or partners in the war would not qualify for safe passage. That means the latest IRGC language adds to an already severe pressure campaign around one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints.

Source: IRGC statement, as reported by Iranian and regional media; Reuters