Day 157 of the WarMonday, August 3, 2026
Day 157 — Tehran Says It Talks Only to Oman on Hormuz, Trump Calls It Duplicitous; Two More Executions for Alleged Espionage
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Tehran / Washington / MuscatStrait of HormuzTehranIranKyiv / Ottawa / Gaza
Rift at the Top — Experts Back Mojtaba, Zarif Warns, Pezeshkian Gets an Ultimatum
Iran- The Presiding Board of the Assembly of Experts demanded officials' 'complete practical commitment' to guidelines attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, calling trust in America 'nothing more than a mirage' and accusing Washington of violating the memorandum of understanding, per RadioFarda.source
- Former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned in a published note that a prolonged closure of Hormuz, or its short-term use, could create a global consensus against Iran even with China's support, Iran International reports.source
- Mohammad Bagher Kharazi, secretary-general of Hezbollah Iran and brother-in-law of Masoud Khamenei, said Mojtaba Khamenei has warned President Pezeshkian that if he asks to resign again, this time his resignation will be accepted, per Iran International.source
- Iran International says it obtained exclusive details of Pezeshkian's meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei: it took place in the back seat of a car at an undisclosed location, and the president could not see the leader's face — he only heard his voice.source
Two More Hanged, a Plea From Evin, and a City of Rubble
Iran- Iran's judiciary said it executed two prisoners, Omid Behzad and Pouria Safavat, at dawn on Monday on charges of 'espionage' for Israel by sending images of military and security sites, according to the judiciary outlet Mizan, per RadioFarda.source
- Mostafa Tajzadeh, a political prisoner and former deputy interior minister, issued an open letter from Evin Prison calling for a halt to the execution of 'protesting youth,' calling it 'playing with fire' that could plunge the country into devastating flames, per RadioFarda.source
- Rights group HRANA reports Branch 28 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced four Turkic civil activists to prison, including 15 years for Abbas Lisani and 10 years each for two others on national-security charges, per Iran International.source
- A Tehran Municipality report published by Etemad says more than 50,000 homes in the capital were damaged during the 40-day war, over 2,000 of them completely destroyed, leaving 10 million tons of war rubble, per RadioFarda.source
Blockade Tally — 44 Ships Turned Back as Oil Still Seeps Through the Southern Lane
Gulf & Naval- CENTCOM said U.S. forces continue to strictly enforce the blockade against Iran: as of August 3 they have redirected 44 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two.source
- Senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei warned that if the United States maintains its naval blockade, Iran will 'create serious risks for American warships,' Open Source Intel reports.source
- Citing shipping sources, CNN reported that despite sporadic drone attacks three to five million barrels of oil a day still pass through the southern route of Hormuz near the Omani coast; traffic is limited but ongoing, per Iran International.source
- Ship-tracking data from Kpler show two tankers carrying Saudi crude crossed Bab al-Mandab with transponders off, while traffic there fell to 18 ships on Sunday from 27 on Saturday; Hormuz traffic also dipped after reports of new attacks, per RadioFarda.source
Only Oman, Says Tehran — Duplicitous, Says Trump
Global- Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran has no negotiations with the United States; the only talks are with Oman on a temporary route for safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and nothing changes while the U.S. 'maritime siege' continues, per Iran International.source
- Baghaei described the proposal as a single shipping lane with designated entry and exit points negotiated through Oman, stressing that an agreement with Oman alone would not reopen the Strait, Open Source Intel reports.source
- President Trump called Iran's leadership 'unbelievably duplicitous,' saying Tehran asked for talks and now denies them, while the Strait is controlled by the U.S. Navy's blockade, which he dubbed 'The United States Wall of Steel' — nothing gets through without a deal or total surrender.source
- Trump later said he will not let Iran collect tolls in Hormuz — 'if anyone is going to receive a fee, it will be us' — and that talks continue, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar also in contact with Washington and the nuclear issue the main focus, Iran International reports.source
Beyond the Gulf — a Halted Strike on Ukraine and IRGC Links in Canada
Global- Mohsen Rezaei told state TV the Islamic Republic had been prepared to strike three points in Ukraine, but halted the response after Ukrainian officials called an attack on an Iranian ship a 'mistake,' pending an investigation, Iran International reports.source
- Canada's Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre told Iran International that the Liberal government let hundreds of IRGC-affiliated individuals into Canada and deported only one of roughly 700, adding he supports replacing the Islamic Republic with a democracy led by Iranians.source
- Hamas said President Pezeshkian phoned Khalil al-Hayya to congratulate him as the group's new leader, pledging that the Islamic Republic will keep supporting it 'despite the attacks we endure,' per Iran International.source