- The US has demanded Iran publicly commit within 24 hours to cease attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure all shipping lanes remain open without tolls.
- Washington warned of "serious consequences" and has contingency plans if Iran fails to comply, conveying the message directly and via regional mediators.
- The US Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions targeting Ali Ansari, an Iranian banker accused of financing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards.
- Ansari, previously sanctioned by Britain, is alleged to have diverted public funds into an extensive overseas portfolio for personal enrichment and to benefit government elites and the IRGC.
- Further sanctions were placed on three Iran-based exchange houses and foreign "front companies" for moving billions of dollars on behalf of sanctioned Iranian banks, following renewed attacks on oil tankers.
IN FULL