Reports related to demonstrations and public protests
U.S. Navy warships and aircraft continue to enforce a blockade against Iran, redirecting 136 vessels and disabling nine to ensure compliance, according to CENTCOM.
According to Bloomberg, citing senior U.S. and Iranian officials, a final agreement between the two countries is expected to be reached on Sunday in Geneva, Switzerland, potentially including an accord to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump announced in a televised rally on Thursday, May 21, that the United States has ended the war with Iran, and Iran has agreed never to possess nuclear weapons, a condition the US insisted upon.
The U.S. Central Command stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for transit.
U.S. Central Command stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for transit with safe pathways established for commercial vessels, and U.S. forces are positioned to defend against potential Iranian aggression in the waterway.
On Thursday, CNN reported that U.S. military plans to seize the Iranian island of Kharg, south of Iran, which have been prepared for "months," were shelved due to extreme risk, according to a Pentagon official and two U.S. government sources. President Donald Trump threatened that the U.S. military would launch severe attacks on Iran for the third consecutive night.
Iran has reportedly spent months reinforcing Kharg Island against a potential U.S. operation, deploying additional troops, air defenses, MANPADS, and minefields. Kharg Island handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports and is considered one of Tehran’s most vital economic assets.
In an interview with Fox News, President Trump stated that the U.S. is delivering heavy blows to the Islamic Republic of Iran, with American planes flying over Tehran, and claimed that less than 20 percent of the regime's missiles remain. Trump also expressed interest in seizing Kharg Island, though he is uncertain about public support for a prolonged operation.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military would launch severe attacks on Iran again that night and revealed plans to gain control of Iran's Kharg Island. Trump posted on Truth Social: "The United States will strike Iran with great force tonight; a country whose naval, air force, radar systems, air defense, and most of its offensive capabilities have been eliminated!"
On Thursday, May 21, 2025, the U.S. military shot down another oil tanker, the MT Galavir, flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, in the Gulf of Oman with missile strikes, according to CENTCOM. The tanker was attempting to transport Iranian oil and breach the U.S. maritime blockade against Iran. All 20 Indian crew members on the tanker were reported safe after being evacuated.
A video sent to Iran International shows a child in Basij forces uniform controlling a checkpoint for vehicles in the Shahrara neighborhood of Tehran at night. Concurrently, a government gathering with fewer than 200 attendees was held nearby, where participants received vouchers for goods and fruit.
On Thursday morning, unconfirmed reports from Iranian media indicated explosions heard in multiple locations across the country, including cities near Tehran such as Abiyk, Qarchak, Minab, Nojehabad, and Karaj, as well as Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, and Kharak Island. In Tehran province, three people were injured in the incidents related to the US attacks.
