Iran's government said it has no plans to negotiate with the U.S. unless Washington takes practical steps to meet Tehran's seven demands. The demands include lifting the U.S. blockade on Iran's southern ports, lifting sanctions, and additional stipulations on the future of the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. strikes continued on Iranian targets, including Qeshm, while mediators tried to prevent large-scale U.S. attacks. The war is more than eight months old.
Iran says its terms mostly amount to a return to the June Islamabad memorandum of understanding, but with added Hormuz-related demands. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have dismissed Iran's truce proposals as unrealistic. Washington's main objection, as analysed by experts, is that Iran is demanding the rewards of an agreement before offering the concessions to justify one.
Hegseth released a video defending President Trump's Iran war and criticising Democrats/critics; Fox News characterised his message as saying criticism of Trump's military operations is criticism of the troops.
A senior Iranian security official said Iran has no plans to negotiate with the U.S. unless Washington meets Tehran's seven demands — not a “seven-day plan.”
Axios reported that Uber's new parking feature has a robotaxi twist.
Sen. John Barrasso said Republicans “remain united in our purpose” as he announced a bid for whip.
Investors from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia launched a fund to boost bilateral trade and investment, Reuters reported. This is a politician's claim/stump-style statement, not a specific checkable factual claim.
TRT Afrika reported Spain returned more than a dozen Sub-Saharan African and Asian migrants from Ceuta to Morocco after asylum denials, the first such deportation since July. This is a headline/opinion piece about immigration politics, not a specific factual claim. This is an opinion/advocacy post, not a factual claim.
BHegseth just posted on X: criticize Trump's military operations, and you're criticizing the troops.
BFox News is running it. Hegseth calls the criticism partisan games.
BEight months into a war, morale matters. I get why he said it.
BMorale matters, but so does oversight. He's blurring a basic line.
BIf the mission is lawful, attacking the operation can hit the people flying it.
BNo, that's backwards. You can support troops and still call a plan bad.
BHe didn't say you can't. He said criticize the operations and you criticize them.
BHe's the defense secretary. He should answer 'was this right' without calling it disloyal.
BOh, come on. The Washington Post says calls are mounting for his removal. That's the noise.
BIf the calls are serious, ignoring them makes people wonder what he's hiding.
BHe's not hiding. He told troops 'stay the course' and 'ignore the noise.' That's a wartime secretary.
BThen give me the objective. Not loyalty tests. A clear endgame.
BRight on cue, a senior Iranian security official says no talks unless Washington meets seven demands.
BAl Jazeera English's X post said seven-day plan. Fars says seven demands. Big correction.
BFine. Seven demands: lift sanctions, lift what Iran calls a port blockade, add Hormuz terms.
BMost of that is the June Islamabad memo—the framework both sides have pointed to before.
BExcept the Hormuz part is new. Reopening the strait on their terms while war is on isn't a compromise.
BAndreas Krieg of King's College says reopening Hormuz quickly changes the timetable, not the substance.
BRubio called Iran's proposals 'outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic.' I'm with him.
BFine—but what's the alternative? Keep hitting Qeshm and hope Tehran caves?
BReports suggest Trump is unlikely to escalate. That's the opening. Iran answered with preconditions.
BIf we want the shooting to stop, someone has to answer Iran's list with a counter-offer.
BA counter-offer to 'give us everything first' is surrender. There's no deal there.
BThen say that clearly. But Hegseth's video isn't strategy either—it's making criticism unpatriotic.
BThat's where we part ways. I think he's holding the line while diplomats work.
BDifferent corner on X: TRT Afrika reports Spain returned more than a dozen migrants from Ceuta to Morocco.
BFirst time since July, right? After they were denied asylum.
BCeuta's been a flashpoint all summer, so the timing matters.
BFast returns after rejection sound good, but I worry the process is faster than appeals.
BThat's fair. More than a dozen isn't huge, but it sets a template.
BAnd Morocco may take them back because it wants cooperation on trade and migration.
BIt's realpolitik. Spain knows it. The question is whether asylum hearings were thorough.
BIf rejected fairly, a bus back is right. Rubber-stamping would be different.
BThat's the line. Ceuta can't absorb everyone, but shortcuts will come back.
BAt least Spain is enforcing its border. Parts of Europe still won't.
BSpeaking of trade and leverage: Reuters posted on X that Pakistani and Saudi investors launched a fund.
BPakistan needs capital, so on paper it's good news. But Saudi money comes with influence.
BYou say influence like it's dirty. Riyadh gets access, Islamabad gets jobs and foreign exchange.
BI'm not against it. I'm saying watch the terms. They can tilt policy without a vote.
BThat's all foreign investment. The alternative is Pakistan stays broke and dependent on emergency loans.
BLet's see the projects. Real infrastructure is great. Politically connected deals are not.
BThe announcement is thin. No numbers, no timeline. But the direction is right.
BAgreed to disagree on how fast to cheer.