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Notable ahead of Japanese PM meeting with POTUS – Japan joins UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands in joint statement expressing “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts” to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz (see more below) - It comes as Fox News can confirm via a European diplomat that the UK is involved in an effort to build support to reopen Strait and provide freedom of navigation to enable shipping. The UK reached out to Rubio, and PM Starmer spoke with POTUS on Sunday – letting the US know UK is taking the lead on building support among Europeans to partner with GCC to answer the question of ‘diplomatically, who could sign up for this?’. I’m told Italians were supportive, and France has engaged with EU. “Once you have the political commitment, you determine who has command and control, who has ships, etc,” this source said. On Sunday, UK + GCC put out this statement: gcc-sg.org/en/MediaCenter… I’m told there has been a lot of back and forth on when it would be appropriate to start these efforts, given military analysis that if this goes into place during a hot war, you inject high value military targets into the conflict. At the moment, there no consensus about when to begin. UK sent a delegation to CENTCOM (in addition to their regular footprint) to go over these options– they are meeting again today. A White House source tells me the US sees UK talks w/ Europe + GCC as an effort to demonstrate commitment after POTUS was critical of UK PM Kier Starmer – but military to military, they continue to coordinate. “The Gulf countries are much more eager to help,” this WH official said.

Like the Democrats, our European allies are enjoying the fruits of a mission they freely admit is in the world’s best interest—ridding the world of the threat of a nuclear Iran—but want the privilege of freeloading off the benefits of that mission while complaining about it. My latest: batyaus.substack.com/p/europes-last…

Today, in Iran, in the middle of a war, the regime executed a 19-year-old national wrestling champion for the crime of joining January protests. 💔 After signaling to the world, including President @realDonaldTrump, that they would halt executions of protesters, the regime has done the exact opposite. Three young protesters, Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi, were hanged in Qom after a sham trial. Reports indicate torture. Forced confessions. No access to chosen lawyers. Closed-door proceedings. No right to appeal. I call on @GlobalAthleteHQ to stand with Iranian athletes who are being silenced, imprisoned, and executed simply for raising their voices. This is not just about sports. This is about human dignity.

Today, in Iran, in the middle of a war, the regime executed a 19-year-old national wrestling champion for the crime of joining January protests. 💔 After signaling to the world, including President @realDonaldTrump, that they would halt executions of protesters, the regime has done the exact opposite. Three young protesters, Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi, were hanged in Qom after a sham trial. Reports indicate torture. Forced confessions. No access to chosen lawyers. Closed-door proceedings. No right to appeal. I call on @GlobalAthleteHQ to stand with Iranian athletes who are being silenced, imprisoned, and executed simply for raising their voices. This is not just about sports. This is about human dignity.