Day 123 of the WarTuesday, June 30, 2026
Day 123 — The War Becomes a Fight Over Hormuz as Oman Rejects Tolls; Tehran Sets Khamenei's July 4 State Funeral With Succession Still Open; a Hormuz 'Mastermind' Dies in Kerman and IRGC Men Are Gunned Down in Paveh; U.S. Port Blockade Bites as India and the UAE Stockpile Oil
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Strait of HormuzTehranKerman
A State Funeral for Khamenei — Set for July 4 at the Grand Mosalla
Iran- Visegrád 24 reports the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set for July 4, with the public farewell beginning at 6:00 AM at the Tehran Grand Mosalla — the date coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States.source
- Aliakbar Pourjamshidian, director of the burial ceremony stadium, tells reporters at the Shi'a Stadium that a possible presence of Mojtaba Khamenei at the ceremony is 'not decided in our seminary,' leaving the succession question hanging over the mourning.source
A Hormuz 'Mastermind' Dead in Kerman, IRGC Men Gunned Down in Paveh
Iran- Iranian media report Mohammad Akbar-Zadeh, a senior Revolutionary Guards Navy officer described as one of the 'masterminds' behind Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy, was killed in a car accident in the city of Kerman.source
- The IRGC's Kermanshah public relations office says two local Guard personnel, named as Burhan Krisani and Khaled Khalidi-Nia, were killed and two wounded in an armed attack 'at the doors of their homes' in Paveh County.source
The War Moves to Hormuz — Muscat Rejects Tolls as Tehran Digs In
Gulf & Naval- Iran International reports the Tehran-Washington war is no longer merely one of missiles but a struggle over managing the Strait of Hormuz — the Islamic Republic insists on entrusting the strait to the IRGC.source
- A floated Omani plan would have ships pay voluntary service fees with Iran and Oman jointly managing the strait; but Oman FM Badr bin Hamad rejects transit fees as prohibited under international law, calling free lanes 'Iran's responsibility.'source
Ports Choked, Oil Rerouted — The Economic Aftershocks
- Iranian MP Mohsen Zangeneh of the Budget and Planning Commission says the U.S. blockade of Iran's ports after the ceasefire announcement was 'far more severe than the economic sanctions,' underscoring how peace on paper still strangles trade.source
- Bloomberg reports India and the UAE have agreed to store up to 30 million barrels of oil in strategic reserves to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz — a hedge against Tehran turning the chokepoint into leverage.source