Day 130 | Funeral procession for Iran's supreme leader continues

Iranian state media reported that an oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly attempting to transit the strategic waterway via a route supported by the US Navy.

According to the IRIB state broadcaster, which cited anonymous sources, the vessel was "planning to pass through the Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz with the support of the US Navy" when it came under attack after "ignoring repeated warnings."

IRIB said no Iranian officials had yet confirmed or denied the report.

The reported incident comes as Iran has warned commercial vessels against using the southern transit route through Omani waters, insisting that all ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz coordinate with the Iranian military.

According to a UK maritime security agency, a southbound vessel was hit on its port side by an unknown projectile near Limah, Oman.

While a fire broke out, there are currently no reported casualties or environmental damage. Vessels in the area are urged to proceed with caution.

The US said Monday that China's "rapid and opaque" nuclear weapons buildup "is of great concern" after Beijing test-fired of a missile from a submarine into the Pacific Ocean.

"At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite," US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

A fierce diplomatic row has erupted between Germany and Iran following demands from Berlin that Tehran foot the bill for clearing underwater mines from the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

The proposal drew a scathing rebuke from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused Germany of historical hypocrisy and complicity in war crimes.

Germany: "Iran ought to foot the bill"

The dispute began after German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul firmly rejected offering Iran economic incentives to secure permission for an international mine-sweeping mission.

“We do not need to offer Tehran anything at all; quite the contrary: Iran has unlawfully mined an international shipping lane,” Wadephul stated. “In principle... it would be justified, and Iran ought to foot the bill, since we would be remedying damage caused by the regime.”
While Germany remains open to contributing to a multinational mission to restore safe passage, Wadephul noted that any active deployment of the German military (Bundeswehr) would require a secure environment and the consent of littoral states.

Iran strikes back with literary fury

Tehran reacted swiftly, with Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei blasting the demands on social media by invoking a famous piece of German literature.

"The German Foreign Minister’s rhetoric on the Strait of Hormuz is utterly shameful — a grotesque distortion of reality that reeks of Mephistopheles in Goethe’s Faust," Baqaei wrote, comparing Berlin’s stance to the devilish antagonist.
Baqaei turned the financial and legal accusations back on Berlin, asserting that Germany must be held "fully accountable for its complicity in military aggression against Iran" and should "bear the heavy costs of its active participation in the crime of aggression."

The Strait of Hormuz remains the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, normally carrying over 35% of global seaborne crude oil trade. While international efforts are underway to resume safe shipping following recent military escalations, Iran has consistently rejected Western military involvement in the Gulf, maintaining that security should be handled exclusively by regional states.

For coverage of the previous day, visit the link below.

Read more: Day 129 | 'Israel' strikes Lebanon as Iran mourns Khamenei