Rubio Insists US 'Will Not Tolerate' Deal Which Makes Iran Gatekeeper Over Hormuz

Rubio Insists US 'Will Not Tolerate' Deal Which Makes Iran Gatekeeper Over Hormuz

 TYLER DURDEN

Summary

• Putin tells FM Araghchi that he's been in contact with the new Supreme Leader, and says Iran fighting for 'sovereignty'

• After a weekend of stalemate malaise, Iran reportedly offers new proposal for opening ship traffic, while postponing the thorny nuclear issue; Rubio says 'will not tolerate' Iran control of strait

• Trump says peace could come via telephone rather than face-to-face meetings, also warning Iranian oil infrastructure could explode from within unless flow resumes; Tehran later says Trump has requested new talks

• Iranian FM has been sending written messages to US via Pakistani intermediaries 

• Israel strikes deep into Lebanon in Beqaa Valley for first time of 3-week ceasefire.

  
  

  
  

  The latest via WSJ on what Iran is proposing, centered on immediately lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports:

  Iran has presented regional mediators with a new offer to stop its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a full end to the war and a lifting of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, according to officials familiar with the matter. The proposal, presented by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his tour of the region and Pakistan over the weekend, is designed to break the deadlock in the conflict and set talks back in motion, the people said. It would see discussions about Iran’s nuclear program shelved. Washington hasn't responded to the proposal, one of the people said. Iran’s mission to the United Nations didn’t respond to a request for comment.

  But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Fox News on Monday that the US will not tolerate Iran controlling or establishing a toll system in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio further asserted that the strait would remain open either through international pressure or a coalition-led effort.

  Iranian Foreign Minister told Russia’s President Putin that US ‘destructive habits’, ‘unreasonable demands’ and frequent changes in positions are slowing diplomatic progress

  Just days ago Iran began declaring that the first toll passage funds had been successfully transferred to the Central Bank of Iran, after Trump stated the US won't allow a toll system. Rubio further said the US will not normalize the Iranians being essentially a gatekeeper, with countries seeking permission from Iran.

  
  

  Putin Says He's in Contact with Ayatollah in Araghchi Moscow Meeting

  President Putin, FM Lavrov, and Iranian FM Araghchi have been meeting in Moscow, after warm greetings and amid competing narratives over the future of the Strait of Hormuz. The Russian leader said something surprising right out of the gate, at a moment Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen since the US-Israeli war began: "Last week I received a message from the Supreme Leader of Iran," he told Iran's Araghchi

  Additionally Putin pledged, "The people of Iran are courageously and heroically fighting for their sovereignty." This certainly stands in sharp contrast from the US and Western consensus. Putin also stressed, "Russia will do everything that serves the interests of Iran and the region to achieve peace as soon as possible." 

  This after Tehran on Monday made clear that it sees the future of the Strait of Hormuz as being under Iranian military control - an earlier headline which pushed crude prices up, and within hours later on this as well:

  
  

  Hours prior, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described of Araghchi's arrival, "the importance of this conversation is difficult to overestimate in terms of how the situation around Iran and in the Middle East is developing." Araghchi to Putin: "It’s been proven to everybody that Tehran has friends and allies such as Russia... Allies that, in times of need, are standing next to Iran - and we are grateful to you for your support."

  
  

  The moment Putin greeted the Iranian top diplomat and his team (below), and where things stand on Iran's proposal...

  Iran has reportedly sent a new proposal to the U.S. that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but only after an end to the war and guarantees it will not resume, according to sources and regional reports. Under the plan, broader talks on the nuclear program and maritime navigation would come later.

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A World Preparing For War:

A World Preparing For War – Global Military Spending Surges

PNW STAFF

There are moments in history when numbers stop being abstract--and start telling a story. The latest report from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute does exactly that. At first glance, a 2.9% rise in global military spending might not sound like much. But step back, and the picture sharpens: nearly $2.9 trillion poured into defense in a single year, representing 2.5% of the entire global economy--the highest share since 2009. That's not just a budget trend. It's a signal.

And the signal is hard to ignore: the world is preparing, quietly but unmistakably, for conflict.

The raw numbers alone are staggering. The United States continues to dominate with $954 billion in spending, followed by China at $336 billion and Russia at $190 billion. But the more revealing story isn't just who spends the most--it's who is accelerating the fastest. 

Across Europe, defense budgets surged 14% in just one year, the sharpest increase since the early Cold War era. Countries like Belgium, Spain, and Norway posted increases nearing or exceeding 50%. Germany, long cautious about military expansion, now ranks fourth globally.

These are not routine adjustments. They are generational shifts.

Why now? Because the global order feels less certain than it has in decades. The war in Ukraine continues to grind on, consuming resources at a historic pace. Ukraine itself is dedicating an astonishing 40% of its GDP to defense--an economic posture that reflects not strategy, but survival. Russia, meanwhile, is committing 7.5% of its GDP, reinforcing the reality that this conflict is far from contained.

But Europe's surge isn't just about Ukraine. It's about something deeper: a growing realization that long-standing assumptions about security--particularly reliance on the United States--may no longer be guaranteed. NATO allies are rearming not just because they want to, but because they feel they must.

The same pattern is unfolding in Asia.

Japan, historically restrained in its military posture, has reached its highest defense spending as a share of GDP since 1958. Taiwan is boosting its budget at the fastest pace in decades. China, meanwhile, has increased military spending for 31 consecutive years, with a fresh 7.4% jump in 2025 alone. That's not just modernization--it's momentum.

And then there are the quieter, less headline-grabbing regions. Africa saw an 8.5% increase in military spending. India boosted its defense budget by nearly 9%, driven by tensions with Pakistan. Even in the Middle East, where spending dipped slightly in some areas, underlying realities--like Iran's off-the-books funding mechanisms--suggest the true numbers may be higher than reported.

In other words, this isn't isolated. It's global.

One of the most telling insights from the SIPRI report is what happens when you remove the United States from the equation. Without U.S. spending, global defense expenditures didn't just rise--they surged by 9.2%. That means the rest of the world is ramping up even faster than the headline figures suggest.

This matters because it points to a broader psychological shift. Nations aren't just reacting to current conflicts--they're preparing for future ones. Defense budgets are, in many ways, a reflection of fear, expectation, and anticipation. And right now, those expectations appear to be leaning toward instability.

Even more concerning is what lies ahead. The U.S. has already approved over $1 trillion in defense spending for 2026, with proposals reaching $1.5 trillion for 2027. Ongoing conflicts, including a costly war involving Iran, are accelerating that trajectory. According to projections, 2026 could see even steeper increases worldwide.

So what does this mean for the average person?

It means we are living in a time where governments--across continents, across political systems--are prioritizing military readiness at a scale not seen in years. That doesn't guarantee war. But it does suggest that leaders believe the risk of major conflict is rising, not falling.

History offers a sobering lesson: large-scale military buildups rarely happen in isolation. They tend to cluster in periods of uncertainty, rivalry, and shifting power balances. Sometimes they act as deterrents. Other times, they become preludes.

Right now, it's too early to say which path the world is on. But the direction is clear.

A world spending nearly $3 trillion on defense isn't just maintaining peace--it's bracing for what might come next.

Iran said to offer US deal to reopen Hormuz, end war and put off nuclear talks

Iran said to offer US deal to reopen Hormuz, end war and put off nuclear talks

 TOI STAFF and AGENCIES

Iran has proposed a deal with the United States to reach an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, while delaying negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program to a later stage, according to a report Sunday, after hoped-for talks in Pakistan over the weekend failed to materialize.

The Axios report, citing a US official and two sources familiar with the matter, was published as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi briefly returned to Islamabad after visiting Oman on Saturday, despite US President Donald Trump signaling that he did not plan to dispatch a negotiating team anytime soon.

Instead, after calling off a planned delegation to Pakistan at the last minute the previous day, the president said on Sunday that the Iranian team could reach Washington by phone if they wished to speak, and Araghchi departed Pakistan again, this time headed for Russia.

According to Axios, Iran’s attempt to kickstart negotiations again by solving the issues centered on the Strait of Hormuz was conveyed to the US by Pakistani mediators.

Trump was expected to discuss the Iranian proposal and other issues held up in the stalled negotiations during a Situation Room meeting with national security and foreign policy teams on Monday, Axios said.

But resolving the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US blockade and allowing Iran’s oil exports to flow again would leave Trump and Washington without much leverage for future negotiations.

It is also unclear whether Trump would agree to push off the nuclear talks to an unspecified later date, given that he has repeatedly insisted that he will settle for nothing less than Tehran’s commitment to ending its nuclear activities.

The status of Iran’s enriched uranium has long been at the center of tensions. Tehran has 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels, with no peaceful application.

Israel, which has not been involved in the negotiations in Pakistan, has also insisted that the US must put an end to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions as part of any deal to end the fighting. Pakistan, itself a nuclear power, does not recognize Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran’s top diplomat landed in St. Petersburg on Monday for the final leg of his regional tour.

Iranian state media reported that Araghchi would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues, including the war.

Araghchi said the consultations in Pakistan over the weekend had reviewed conditions under which Iran-US talks could resume, stressing that Tehran would seek to secure its rights and national interests following weeks of conflict.

Oil prices rise as hope dims

But his attempts to muster support for resolving the crisis in the strait appeared to have little effect, as oil prices were up more than 1% on Monday, with benchmark Brent crude futures rising $1.35, or 1.3%, to $106.68 a barrel, retreating from early session gains of over $2 a barrel.

New earthquake in Japan: magnitude 6.2 strikes Hokkaido

New earthquake in Japan: magnitude 6.2 strikes Hokkaido

Sweden Herald

An earthquake struck the island of Hokkaido in Japan early Monday local time.

The country has been hit by several earthquakes in recent weeks, and Monday's quake reached magnitude 6.2.

No tsunami warning has been issued after the quake, which struck about 200 kilometers east of the city of Sapporo. It is not yet clear whether anyone was injured.

According to Japanese authorities, the probability of more earthquakes in the area is high in the coming days. Last week, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 occurred off the coast of Iwate Prefecture.

Report: Iran submits new Hormuz-focused proposal to US

Report: Iran submits new Hormuz-focused proposal to US

Israel National News

Iran has transmitted a revised diplomatic proposal to the United States through Pakistani intermediaries, Axios reported on Sunday night. 

The proposal suggests that negotiations over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the current conflict be prioritized, while discussions on its nuclear program are postponed to a later stage, a US official and two sources familiar with the matter told Axios.

The proposal is viewed as an attempt to break the current deadlock in talks and manage internal divisions within Iran’s leadership regarding the level of nuclear concessions it is prepared to make in exchange for an agreement with the Trump administration.

However, US officials note that addressing the Hormuz issue first, including lifting the American blockade, could significantly reduce Washington’s leverage in future negotiations. Without that leverage, the US would face greater difficulty in pressing Tehran to relinquish its enriched uranium stockpile or agree to a long-term halt in enrichment activities.

President Donald Trump has made resolving Iran’s nuclear capabilities a central objective of his administration’s approach to the conflict, whether through diplomacy or military pressure.

Trump is expected to convene a Situation Room meeting on Monday with senior national security and foreign policy officials to assess the stalled negotiations and evaluate possible next steps, according to three US officials who spoke to Axios.

One of the officials said the meeting will focus on the breakdown in talks and available strategic options moving forward.

Trump on Saturday cancelled planned talks with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan. His senior envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had been scheduled to travel to Islambad for the talks.

“I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership,’" he continued. “Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Pakistan, where he met with local mediators, concluded without tangible progress.

Following the Pakistan talks, Araghchi met with officials in Oman in Muscat on Sunday, where discussions reportedly centered on the Strait of Hormuz. He then returned to Islamabad for additional consultations.

On Monday, Araghchi was expected to travel onward to Moscow for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Behind closed doors, sources familiar with the discussions say Araghchi and Pakistani officials explored a new phased approach aimed at bypassing the current impasse over Iran’s nuclear program.

One source said Araghchi conveyed to mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar over the weekend that there is no internal consensus within Iran regarding US demands for a prolonged suspension of uranium enrichment and the removal of enriched material from the country.

According to the sources, the revised Iranian-Pakistani framework prioritizes resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis and ending the US blockade first. Under the proposal, either an extended ceasefire or a permanent end to hostilities would be established.

Only after that stage, the proposal suggests, would nuclear negotiations begin.

Pakistani intermediaries have already forwarded the proposal to the White House, though it remains unclear whether Washington is prepared to consider it.