Barbara Queen

🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran is saying "no, no!" to any allegation of enriched uranium trade with the U.S.: “No enriched uranium will be sent to the US. Not open for discussion.” Deputy FM Khatibzadeh says Trump’s demands are excessive and a total non-starter. Talks stalled. Back to square one. Source: Al Jazeera

🚨🇮🇷 The confusion over Hormuz reveals something deeper: Iran has a power struggle in real time... The contradictions make sense when you understand who's speaking for Iran right now. Foreign Minister Araghchi, representing the elected government and the diplomatic track, said Friday the Strait was open. Earlier today the IRGC Navy said the opposite: closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade. Two Iranian institutions publicly contradicting each other within 24 hours. The deeper issue is that nobody is clearly in charge. Ali Khamenei was killed on day one. The clerics appointed his son Mojtaba, but he hasn't appeared in public since. It isn't even clear what role he plays in daily governance. The supreme leader who traditionally made final calls on national security is either unable or unwilling to resolve the split between his diplomats and his generals. The IRGC has always been the real power in Iran, with its own navy, ground forces, intelligence, and economic empire. With the traditional religious authority fractured, the Guards are increasingly making decisions that the Foreign Ministry then has to explain to the world. Monday's talks in Islamabad walk into this reality. Vance will be negotiating with representatives who may not speak for the people actually making military decisions. Agreements reached at the table could get contradicted by the IRGC before the delegation even lands back in Tehran. This is the hidden cost of decapitation strikes. The U.S. and Israel eliminated Iran's leadership hoping moderates would emerge. Instead, they created a vacuum where hardliners run operations while diplomats try to negotiate peace for a country that doesn't have one clear voice right now. Source: WSJ

🚨🇮🇷 🇺🇸 How Hormuz went from "completely open" to "we'll destroy you" in 24 hours... -Friday morning: Iran's Foreign Minister declares the Strait "completely open" to all commercial vessels. -Friday, 1 hour later: Trump posts on Truth Social that Iran "has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again." Shippers scramble. -Friday afternoon: Analysts at Kpler say Hormuz remains "effectively closed" despite the statements. -Friday evening: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps contradicts its own foreign minister. Says ships can only pass with IRGC permission. State-linked media attacks the FM publicly. -Saturday morning: Iran's military spokesman says the Strait has "returned to its previous state." 20 ships lined up to cross turn back toward Oman. -Saturday afternoon: At least three Iranian attacks reported on commercial ships. One vessel fired on near Oman. Another struck by a projectile inside the Strait itself. -Saturday evening: IRGC declares the Strait closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade and warns it will "destroy" any vessel attempting to cross. The Strait clears out completely. Trump's response: "They can't blackmail us." The takeaway: Iran's diplomats and its military are running two different foreign policies. The IRGC just vetoed the foreign minister live in front of the entire world.