South Korean court orders new arrest of former president Yoon Suk Yeol

Mediators led by Qatar and Pakistan made concrete progress toward getting Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table, according to regional officials who requested anonymity. Both sides paused attacks for three consecutive days — a respite after two weeks of bombing that escalated after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia shot down drones from pro-Iran groups launched from Iraq against its oil facilities, while the Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility for a similar attack. Jordan also reported two drones intercepted, with no casualties. In Iraq, two drone strikes hit an Iranian Kurdish dissident group.

President Donald Trump said Iran has asked to extend talks and that there is a “good chance” of an agreement. But Tehran denies direct negotiations. A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, clarified that “mediators can transmit messages”, but there is no direct dialogue.

The trigger for the escalation: the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Oman discussed a mechanism to manage maritime transit, respecting Iranian sovereignty and security. The Iranian spokesman stressed that the objective is to “guarantee safe navigation,” but the route remains closed to commercial traffic, which fell to its lowest level in three weeks, according to an organization supervised by the US Navy.

The United States imposed a naval blockade that has rerouted 17 ships, disabled two and boarded two others. The 60-day provisional agreement reached in June is already advanced but without progress on the Iranian nuclear program, the central point of tensions.

Analysts question the ability to maintain the attacks. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Trump that missile and interceptor stockpiles are under pressure, and that “air power has its limits.” Trump said the reserves are in “very good shape,” although he admitted he would like to have more.

In parallel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump in Washington. Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel at the start of the war, killing top Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Talks between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States, will continue in Rome with a focus on pilot areas for the Israeli withdrawal.

The Houthis threaten to block Saudi traffic in Bab al-Mandeb, increasing pressure on global energy supplies and gasoline prices.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a whirlwind visit to London on Monday. There he met with the new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, the fifth tenant of Downing Street since the beginning of the conflict with Russia. Burnham ratified “unwavering” support for kyiv and announced the transfer of intellectual property for advanced electronic warfare technology.

The Stone Cloak System

The main agreement was to share Stone Cloak technology, a portable electronic jamming system designed to protect Ukrainian drones. London presented the device as a tool to increase the effectiveness of unmanned vehicles, not just as a defensive shield. The meeting took place at the Portsmouth naval base, where both leaders boarded the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.

Zelensky also met with Ukrainian military personnel participating in the Sea Breeze exercises. The meeting occurs before another key meeting with Donald Trump, and in the midst of an escalation of attacks with Russia that has increased the number of civilian deaths in the last month.

British support seems solid despite changes in government. Zelensky highlighted that the strategic agreement signed last year made bilateral relations “the strongest in history.” For future cooperation, he mentioned three priorities: air defense, maritime security and joint weapons production.

Milei’s accusations

The Argentine president, Javier Milei, accused the governments of Brazil and Mexico, as well as the Democratic Party of the United States, of financing an alleged campaign against Argentina. He did so during an interview with Radio Miter, without providing evidence.

According to Milei, the Brazilian government would have contributed 25% of the resources for that campaign. “Who invested the most money in this anti-Argentine campaign? The Brazilian government,” he stated. “And then they talk about interference,” he added.

Diplomatic tension on the rise

The statements occur in a climate of growing bilateral friction. Hours earlier, Brazil called its ambassador in Buenos Aires for consultations, in response to what it described as “offensive statements” by Milei. The Brazilian annoyance originated from comments by the Argentine president during an event in support of Flávio Bolsonaro, ahead of the presidential elections in October.

Milei also mentioned Mexico and the United States Democratic Party as alleged funders of the campaign, but did not offer concrete evidence. The episode deepens the distance between Argentina and Brazil, two key partners in Mercosur.