Monthly Archives: July 2026

Fee fantasies and false openings: Trump’s Hormuz delusions continue

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A view shows a large billboard displayed at Vanak Square in Tehran, Iran, on April 12, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]


by Dr Binoy Kampmark

With the Iran-US ceasefire all but retired to the infirmary of international politics, Washington has conducted air strikes on Iran for a third straight night.  On early July 14, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported explosions in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and six explosions on Kish Island, with further blasts on Qeshm Island.

Prior to those strikes, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that, “We’re attacking them tonight, and we’re taking out all their capability for anything having to do with the Strait of Hormuz”.  That bit of wishful thinking was also accompanied by the hope that a diplomatic agreement with Tehran might still be reached, despite the latest mayhem.  US Central Command (CENTCOM) then posted a note confirming that a “third consecutive night of strikes against Iran” had been ordered at Trump’s direction.  “These strikes will continue to impose a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

In a reversion to old positions, CENTCOM also announced that it would “resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on 14th July at 4 p.m. ET.”  The US military would continue supporting “traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade.”  The previous blockade by US naval forces, lasting from 13th April to 18th June, saw the redirection, if we are to rely on CENTCOM’s figures, of over 140 compliant vessels, the disabling of nine recalcitrant ships, and the permitted transit of “over 50 commercial vessels supporting humanitarian aid”.

Trump, ever burdened by an estranged idea of the factual record, also took to Truth Social (it tends to be neither), his preferred medium of miscommunication, blustering that, “The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran.”  (This was at odds with the reporting of Iranian state media on 11th July, declaring that the Strait was closed “until further notice”.)  The president went on to announce a reinstituting of the blockade of Iran’s shipping and customers “from entering or leaving.  All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”  Never one to be shy about the matter of might, the president also bellowed that the US would be “from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20 percent on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.”

For students of maritime transit fees, Trump’s assertions remain pure babble.  A fee structure applicable for such transit ways as the Panama Canal or Suez Canal involve sophisticated structures of administration, billing and tariff schedules shaped by decades of practice. 

The Trump fee proposal is the stuff of ether, lacking any mechanism of collection, let alone enforcement.  His position also deliciously contradicts statements made by his own aides.  Consider these 23rd June remarks to the press by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made in Abu Dhabi: “No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway.  That’s existing international law. That’s the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that’s the way we expect it’ll be here.”

Correcting a mistake, not retreating: Why ending the war could restore Trump’s credibility

To Trump’s shouty remarks, Iran’s response was needling.  “POTUS is absolutely right,” chortled Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi.  “Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service.”  Reiterating the critically affirmed importance of the waterway to Tehran, the foreign minister went on to declare that “Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER.”  There would be some budging on a 20 percent fee, as it was “too much.  We will be fair.”

Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, that sternest of spokesmen for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, was more severe in reproaching “America’s repeated adventurism and malicious acts to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz”.  These had “seriously endangered regional security, international trade, and the passage of oil tankers and commercial vessels.”  With notable menace, Zolfaqari also rebuked “the cooperation of some regional countries” as an incitement to a further widening of the war.  “Regional heads of state are warned that any cooperation with America and any logistical support for its aggressive army will be considered an act of war against Iran’s sovereignty and national security.”

The Iranians, true to form, have continued their barrages against various Gulf states and various vessels.  On 13th July, they were accused by the United Arab Emirates of a “brazen” attack on two tankers in the Strait, killing an Indian crew member and wounding eight, four seriously.  This was, according to the UAE Ministry of Defence, “a serious violation and a clear breach of international law, threatening the security and stability of the region.”

While such claims are hard to dispute, they should be placed in the context of an imbecilic, illegal war that began on 28th February, conducted by two hubristic monomaniacs in the form of Trump and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu against an Iranian regime that promises to be more durable and ruthless than ever.

All bets, be it in terms of security for the Gulf states or any equilibrium in energy markets, are off.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Genocide denying former UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government's support for Israel's Gaza genocide and the UK government and military's active participation in genocide.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up

Continue ReadingFee fantasies and false openings: Trump’s Hormuz delusions continue

Second International Legal Conference launch initiative to defend the International Criminal Court

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Flag with the logo of the of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 29, 2022 in Den Haag, Netherlands [Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images]

The Second International Legal Conference, held under the theme “Crimes of the Israeli Occupation in Palestine: Between Legal Accountability and Achieving Justice,” concluded in Istanbul this week after bringing together judges, lawyers, academics, international law experts, representatives of bar associations, and legal and human rights organisations from around the world. The conference was jointly organised by the Istanbul No. 2 Bar Association, the International Legal Coalition for Palestine, and the Jordanian Bar Association.

Throughout its sessions, the conference addressed the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip, war crimes and crimes against humanity, settlements and forced displacement, violations against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC), universal jurisdiction as a tool of accountability, and the legal status of the so-called “Peace Board” and its implications for the rights of the Palestinian people.

The conference adopted the “Istanbul Declaration for the Defence of the Rights of the Palestinian People,” reaffirming the international legal community’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian people’s rights to freedom, independence, and self-determination, holding perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity accountable, combating impunity, and defending the independence of the International Criminal Court and its judges against political pressure and unilateral sanctions.

The participants also approved the Final Conference Declaration, which sets out key legal principles and recommendations, including reaffirming the universality of international law, rejecting double standards, condemning settlement expansion, annexation, and forced displacement, rejecting any form of guardianship imposed upon the Palestinian people, promoting the effective use of universal jurisdiction, holding companies complicit in the occupation accountable, and establishing a permanent international legal network to coordinate legal eff orts in support of justice and accountability.

READ: Washington considers new measures to isolate the International Criminal Court and limit its operations

One of the conference’s most significant outcomes was the launch of the International Initiative to Defend the International Criminal Court and Its Judges, aimed at safeguarding the Court’s independence, responding to unilateral sanctions and political interference targeting its judges and officials, and building a global coalition of lawyers, legal experts, and human rights organizations to strengthen legal protection for the Court and uphold international criminal justice.

The participants emphasised that international justice must remain independent of political interests and power politics, warning that continued impunity undermines the credibility of the international legal order and encourages further violations of international law. They called upon bar associations, universities, legal professionals, academic institutions, and civil society organizations worldwide to join the Istanbul Declaration and the International Initiative to Defend the International Criminal Court, and to unite their eff orts in defending the rights of the Palestinian people, protecting the independence of international justice, and ensuring accountability for serious violations of international law without selectivity or double standards.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Genocide denying former UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government's support for Israel's Gaza genocide and the UK government and military's active participation in genocide.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up

Continue ReadingSecond International Legal Conference launch initiative to defend the International Criminal Court

Israeli prison guard shoots Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in the leg, family says; prison service denies incident

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Palestinian artists work by a mural shows jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on April 13, 2023. [Nidal Al-Wahidi/Apaimages]

The family of imprisoned Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti revealed that he was shot in the leg by an Israeli prison guard with a rubber-coated bullet while in custody.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Fadwa Barghouti, his wife, said that a prison guard shot Barghouti in the leg last week, causing bleeding and a painful injury. She described the incident as part of what she called a pattern of ongoing assaults against him.

Barghouti’s son, Arab Barghouti, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the incident occurred at Ganot Prison in Israel’s Negev region and said his father had not received medical treatment for the injury.

According to the family, they learned of the alleged incident through Barghouti’s lawyer, Avigdor Feldman, who said in a letter to the Israel Prison Service that his client had reported being shot in the leg during a recent prison visit.

The Israel Prison Service rejected the allegations, describing them as “false and baseless.” It said its personnel operate in accordance with Israeli law and under judicial oversight.

Barghouti, 67, has been imprisoned by Israel since 2002. He is serving five life sentences after being convicted by an Israeli court of multiple counts of murder and involvement in attacks during the Second Intifada. Israel considers him responsible for directing or participating in terrorist attacks, while many Palestinians regard him as a national leader and political prisoner. His supporters often refer to him as the “Palestinian Mandela.”

In September 2025, Barghouti’s family said he was severely beaten during a prison transfer, resulting in broken ribs and a head injury.

The Arab League has called for the establishment of an international commission of inquiry into repeated attacks against Barghouti and urged accountability if violations are confirmed.

Barghouti was re-elected to Fatah’s Central Committee in May 2026, receiving the highest number of votes, and remains one of the most prominent figures in Palestinian politics despite his continued imprisonment.

‘Palestine is disappearing’: Church backs genocide report despite Chief Rabbi’s bid to block debate

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Genocide denying former UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government's support for Israel's Gaza genocide and the UK government and military's active participation in genocide.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up

Continue ReadingIsraeli prison guard shoots Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in the leg, family says; prison service denies incident

Trump Admin Finally Hands Over Evidence on Good and Pretti Killings to Minnesota Prosecutors After Withholding It For 6 Months

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Article by Stephen Prager republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). 

People walk by signs memorializing Renee Good and Alex Pretti on February 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said it “should never have taken this long.”

After being shut out of the investigations by the Trump administration, Minnesota prosecutors announced on Monday that federal investigators finally turned over reams of unseen evidence related to shootings by immigration agents that killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti and injured Julio Sosa-Celis in January.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that after “six months of relentless collective effort,” state and local prosecutors had “obtained hard drives of previously withheld evidence” about the killings, which took place during the administration’s aggressive surge of immigration agents in and around Minneapolis and sparked a wave of protests.

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Moriarty added that prosecutors had also obtained some physical evidence that was “previously withheld” by federal investigators. This includes the SUV that Good, a 37-year-old US citizen and mother of three, had been driving when she was shot through her driver’s side window by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross as she appeared to be leaving the scene of an enforcement operation.

Attorney Antonio Romanucci and the legal team representing the family of Good said in a statement that turning over the vehicle and other evidence was “an important and meaningful step towards justice and accountability,” and that they were “grateful for the resumption of regular investigatory protocols, which is not only important for the families impacted in these cases, but it is essential for the community and the country.”

Shortly after Good was shot, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin portrayed her as a “violent rioter” who had attempted to run over Ross with her car, which then-Secretary Kristi Noem claimed was an “act of domestic terrorism.” But video evidence showed that her wheels were pointed away from the agent, indicating that she was attempting to leave.

Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller similarly described Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, another US citizen, as a “would-be assassin” while DHS said he showed up at a protest against ICE attempting to “massacre law enforcement” based on the fact that he was carrying a legal firearm when he was shot by two Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.

Videos showed that Pretti had intervened to stop agents from harming another protester and only held his phone during the confrontation, never reaching for his gun.

Sosa-Celis, a 24-year-old Venezuelan national, was called a “violent criminal alien” by DHS, which accused him and his two roommates of having attacked agent Christian Castro with snow shovels, leading Sosa-Celis to be shot in the leg through the door of the home.

Assault charges against him and his roommate were dropped by federal prosecutors after video and medical evidence showed that Castro had not been attacked. ICE Director Todd Lyons acknowledged that the agents had lied about the incident, and Castro has since been arrested after being charged by Moriarty’s office as part of an independent investigation.

Neither Ross nor the two CBP agents who shot Pretti—Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez—have been charged.

Federal authorities have repeatedly rejected demands from Minnesota officials to cooperate with investigations into the three shootings and grant access to evidence and the ability to interview witnesses.

In the case of Pretti, agents blocked investigators with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from entering the shooting scene after the BCA had obtained a search warrant and removed physical evidence before Minnesota investigators could document it. This included Pretti’s gun, cellphone, and body camera footage, and other physical and digital evidence.

In March, Minnesota sued the Trump administration over its refusal to cooperate with the investigations, a lawsuit that was still ongoing as of Monday.

The federal government did not explain its sudden change of direction. The Associated Press described it as part of an agreement in which Minnesota agreed to share evidence it had collected in Castro’s case if the federal government shared evidence it was withholding about the shootings of Good and Pretti.

Moriarty thanked the federal officials for “their willingness to consider changing course to share evidence and promote public trust.”

But Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison emphasized that it “should never have taken this long.”

“I remain deeply troubled that the federal government spent more than half a year attempting to conceal this evidence from state investigators,” he said in a statement. “And I hope this is the beginning of a major course correction on the part of the federal government.”

US Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) agreed that “this took way too long” and said, “It’s not enough.”

“Minnesotans’ trust has been fundamentally broken,” she said. “There’s a long way to go before we get true justice for ICE killing two of our neighbors.”

The federal government’s decision to turn over evidence to Minnesota officials came less than a week after an ICE agent shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican father in Houston, whom DHS claimed had attempted to attack officers with his car, only to once again be undermined by video and witness accounts.

DHS has acknowledged that it was not attempting to target Salgado for removal and had mistaken his van for someone else’s.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare has said that, just like in Minnesota, the federal government was refusing to share evidence with local officials.

“The federal government has not invited us in,” Teare said. “The federal government is not collaborating with us with this investigation.”

On Monday, ICE agents killed another man in Maine, 26-year-old Colombian father Joan Sebastian Guerrero, who was reportedly shot several times after stopping his vehicle, according to video footage.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said Guerrero “weaponized” his vehicle and attempted to ram officers. One eyewitness told Reuters they saw a federal SUV ram Guerrero’s car.

According to Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), Mullin said that Guerrero, who was authorized to work in the US and had a Social Security number, was not the target of the warrant agents were executing.

Article by Stephen Prager republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). 

Continue ReadingTrump Admin Finally Hands Over Evidence on Good and Pretti Killings to Minnesota Prosecutors After Withholding It For 6 Months