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Israel rejects Trump's Gaza plan, more details emerge on the Strait of Hormuz and other Mideast news
Israel on Sunday rejected a deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump for Gaza. Details emerged on the potential deal between Iran and Oman on managing the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran suggested that vessels linked to "hostile countries" would be barred. Iran also shuffled its top security post. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters that negotiations with Oman about "new maritime routes" on the Strait of Hormuz were in the final stages but "this, however, does not mean that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen." That step requires conditions that "have been conveyed through intermediaries." The Supreme National Security Council on Saturday said the strait will not reopen until the U.S. "corrects its behavior." It demanded that the U.S. never threaten Iran again, a permanent end to the war with Iran and its armed allies, a lifting of the naval blockade of Iranian ports and a withdrawal of the U.S. military from the area. The U.S. also must "completely compensate" Iran for war damage, lift sanctions and "unconditionally" release frozen assets. The United States did not comment on the demands. Trump on Sunday asserted to Axios that "we are only semi-negotiating" with Iran and letting economic pressures take their toll. Araghchi said an "exchange of messages through intermediaries" continues with the U.S. but that doesn't constitute negotiations, which he said can't resume until violations of the interim deal end and the U.S. "has remedied" provisions it violated. Iran and Oman, located on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz, are working to finalize a temporary deal that would reopen it, with ships entering near Iran and exiting near Oman, according to two people familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Ships would transit without paying fees or tolls during the interim period. The agreement is designed to restore the separate interim deal between the U.S. and Iran. The two people said the agreement is endorsed by Gulf Cooperation Council members and is expected to be jointly announced by Iran, Oman, the U.S. and the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization. But they stressed the terms still could change. The Iranian parliament's National Security Committee approved "general outlines" of a plan to manage the strait, the state broadcaster reported, but a lawmaker said transits by vessels belonging to "hostile countries" would be prohibited. Iran named a new head of its powerful Supreme National Security Council, state media reported. Mohsen Rezaei had been a military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and a former Revolutionary Guard commander. Rezaei replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who took up the role after Ali Larijani was killed by an Israeli strike in March. Zolghadr will become a political adviser to Khamenei.