Iran-US war latest: Foreign diplomats honour Khamenei as Tehran warns Trump against attacks during funeral – UK Times

A widening rift has opened up between Saudi Arabia and the United States because of the war in Iran, a report claims.

Officials told the Wall Street Journal the partnership between Washington and Riyadh is souring over disputes on how President Donald Trump has handled the war, which began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran in February.

The US is reportedly now considering reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia and instead putting its forces in countries it feels were more supportive during the war, including Israel and Jordan, according to the WSJ.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has reportedly deployed special forces along Iran’s Persian Gulf coastline to identify vessels transiting the Oman-side route through the Strait of Hormuz before they enter the waterway.

According to the sources, the Guard operatives are also attempting to obtain, through Omani sources, the schedules and transit coordination details of ships using the southern route through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran International reported.

The sources said the Guard special forces are equipped with land-based, naval and aerial intelligence-gathering systems and have recently been assigned to identify in advance any vessel planning to use the southern route and issue warnings about its passage.

Iran’s joint military command has warned that all oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must use its approved routes or face a “forceful response.”

The statement from the Khatam al-Anbiya military command was aired on Iranian state television.

It wasn’t immediately clear what sparked the threat from Iran.

“Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels,” the statement said.

It also said the continued presence of US fighter jets over the strait “causes insecurity in this waterway and threatens regional security.”

A powerful general who leads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged from hiding as Tehran prepared Friday for the dayslong funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Photos published online by Iranian state media showed Gen Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting about the funeral of Khamenei, 86, then sitting alongside his casket as Iran’s theocracy held a smaller service for him Thursday night near the supreme leader’s former home in downtown Tehran.

Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United States, experts say.

He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes that killed his father, the elder Khamenei.

Vahidi himself hasn’t been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the Iran war began.

Video published by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony for Khamenei near the husseiniyah at his compound in Tehran.

Oil prices rose slightly today before a long holiday weekend in the U.S. as wary optimism held ​over efforts to make peace in the Middle East ‌between the US and Iran.

Brent futures were up 17 cents, or 0.24 per cent, to $72.10 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate was up 14 ​cents, or 0.20 per cent, to $68.83 a barrel.

US markets will close on ​Friday ahead of the US Independence Day holiday on ⁠Saturday.

A widening rift has opened up between Saudi Arabia and the United States because of the war in Iran, a report claims.

Officials told the Wall Street Journal the partnership between Washington and Riyadh is souring over disputes on how President Donald Trump has handled the war, which began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran in February.

The US is reportedly now considering reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia and instead putting its forces in countries it feels were more supportive during the war, including Israel and Jordan, according to the WSJ.

The White House, meanwhile, has insisted relations between the US and Saudi are still strong.

Polymarket, a prediction market, has reported that some European leaders are saying that a toll in the Strait of Hormuz is now seen as “inevitable”.

It was not immediately clear which leaders believe this or what the reports were based on, in the short post shared on their social media page on X.

It speculated that there is now a 44 per cent chance that Iran will implement such a toll by the end of August.

President Donald Trump has insisted that he will now agree to the imposition of a toll over the vital shipping route. But reports have suggested that Iran and Oman may seek to implement a charge for commercial ships.

Polymarket, a prediction market, has reported that some European leaders are saying that a toll in the Strait of Hormuz is now seen as “inevitable”.

It was not immediately clear which leaders believe this or what the reports were based on, in the short post shared on their social media page on X.

President Donald Trump has insisted that he will now agree to the imposition of a toll over the vital shipping route. But reports have suggested that Iran and Oman may seek to implement a charge for commercial ships.