Morning update

Good morning readers of Middle East Eye,

Herein are the most recent happenings from across the Middle East. Iran was poised to launch attacks on Ukraine prior to Kyiv's apology, as disclosed by a senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei on Monday. According to Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's armed forces had finalized preparations for the strikes before the plan was abandoned.

Rezaei cautioned the US regarding its persistent naval blockade of Iranian ports, stating that American vessels and forces would encounter grave risks and casualties if the blockade persists. This was conveyed in a post on X by Rezaei.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, affirmed on Monday that no negotiations are underway between Tehran and Washington, nor any scheduled meetings, as discussions over the management of the Strait of Hormuz are mediated by Oman. The "Board of Peace" under former US President Donald Trump stated that a crucial condition for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza is Hamas's complete disarmament, following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This assertion seemingly contradicts remarks made by Mladenov last week, who emphasized that "withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning." The Arab League's secretary general has vehemently condemned Israeli assaults on Gaza, accusing them of attempting to undermine the ceasefire agreement; a statement was issued on Monday.

Various nations, including Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, have also vehemently criticized the ongoing Israeli assault on the besieged enclave.