Iran's Strait of Hormuz gambit faces new bypass route
Oman and the IMO announce a shipping lane that sidesteps Iranian waters, as Iran attacks a vessel on the new route.
Iran's Strait of Hormuz gambit faces new bypass route — Oman and the International Maritime Organization announced a new shipping route that bypasses Iran's territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz.[^1] The move directly challenges Tehran's longstanding control over the strategic waterway, which Iran views as its most important strategic asset. Iran attacked a Singapore-flagged container ship sailing on the new route, signaling its determination to enforce its dominance.[^1] Iranian state news agency FARS reported a decrease in maritime traffic in the strait, though it is unclear whether this is due to the new route or other factors.[^2] France's President Macron confirmed that France will participate in demining the Strait of Hormuz, adding a European military dimension to the effort.[^3] Oman has also reiterated its opposition to any toll for passage through the strait, aligning with the new route's goal of reducing Iran's leverage.[^4] The diplomatic landscape remains confused: US President Trump claimed Iran requested a meeting and that talks will be held on June 30 in Doha, but Iran's foreign ministry denied reports of resumed negotiations.[^5] Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharib Abadi stated that technical working group meetings are not scheduled for this week.[^6] Meanwhile, over 60 members of Iran's Assembly of Experts published a political statement without coordinating with the leadership, and the Assembly's leadership issued a denial that the document is official. This rare public rift suggests internal unease as Iran faces both external pressure on the strait and internal dissent. The coming days will test whether the new route can operate safely under Iranian threats, and whether the US-Iran talks materialize despite Tehran's denials. IDF marks 1,000 days of war as Zamir convenes assessment — IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir convened an intelligence, operational, strategic, and multi-scene situation assessment on Monday to mark the 1,000th day of Israel's war with Hamas.[^1] Zamir stated that the memory of the fallen sharpens the IDF's responsibility and prepares it for the future, and credited the combat leadership and heroism of