Calling the Faithful to Freedom!

“A U.S. aid worker said that the Afghans, who were evacuated to Qatar, would face a choice between moving to the Democratic Republic of Congo and living under the Taliban”: Trump Is Said to Be in Talks to Send Afghans Who Aided U.S. Forces to Congo (NY Times) Iran quagmire updates: Iran Fires on 3…

“Vice President JD Vance, who’d planned to fly to Islamabad, remained in Washington over the impasse”: Iran Talks on Hold over Trump’s Blockade (Politico) “The president said he will not launch new strikes on Iran at the request of Pakistani officials” … Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire, Blockade amid Uncertainty over Peace Negotiations (Politico) … yet…

“Israeli soldiers have damaged other mosques and historical religious sites as part of their invasion of south Lebanon, but Israeli officials made no statements about the destruction of these places of worship”: “Israeli Army to Launch Criminal Investigation After Soldier Strikes Jesus Statue in Lebanon (The Guardian) Iranian officials have threatened to forgo negotiations even…

“U.S. forces have been preparing for the possibility of seizures for days”: Trump Says U.S. Seized Iranian Ship Trying to Bypass Blockade of Strait of Hormuz (Washington Post) U.S. and Iran can’t even agree on whether peace talks are taking place: Vance Heads to New Talks With Iran. At Stake: Peace and His Own Standing…

The blockade war escalates: Iran Doubles Down on Closing the Strait of Hormuz as the Ceasefire nears Expiration (AP) India Protests Iran Fire on Two Vessels in Strait of Hormuz (Deutsche Welle) Iran Hormuz Reversal Exposes Potential Rift Between Regime Leaders and Hard-liners (i24 News) The U.S. Is Ready to Seize Iran-linked Ships with Boarding…

“Virtually nothing has changed yet, and the markets overreacted to the announcements” … Iran and White House Say the Strait of Hormuz Is ‘Completely Open.’ But It Definitely Isn’t—at Least for Now (Fortune) … “Tehran put limits on the Strait of Hormuz’s opening, as the United States issued a new sanctions exemption on the sale…

“My speculation is you would have a different vote count after 60 days” — Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee: House Narrowly Rejects Resolution Directing Trump to End ‘Hostilities’ in Iran (Washington Post) “Hezbollah said the Lebanese people have ‘the right to resist’ if Israeli forces remained in Lebanon”: Israel Agrees…

“GOP lawmakers are anxious for the conflict to end, and some are eyeing future votes that could become an important test for the president if the war drags on. And the outcome of a war powers vote in the House, expected this week, is uncertain”: Senate Republicans Reject Effort to Halt Iran War, but Some…

The “American-born Kuwaiti citizen … is reportedly being prosecuted by a new specialized court overseeing crimes involving state security and terrorism set up by official decree by Kuwaiti authorities on March 31”: Prominent Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin Has Been in Jail for Six Weeks in Kuwait, Faces Trial in Special Tribunal (Drop Site) “Defense officials inside…

“Will the second order blockade trigger a third order blockade? Trump Orders Naval Blockade of Iran After Failed Talks, Iran Threatens Retaliation in Gulf (Democracy Now!) “[S]ecret documents … reveal the extent to which Pakistan is committed by treaty to potentially become a participant in the war it was attempting to mediate”: Leaked Documents Reveal…