A senior Iranian official said on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz will not open without Iran's consent, while U.S. claimed that oil shipments through the Strait have "almost" returned to pre-war levels.
Ibrahim Aziz, chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran's Parliament, said Iran has demonstrated its ability to make its threats credible to the United States.
On the same day, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told a White House press briefing that approximately 15 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday despite continued Iranian fire. He said oil traffic through the Strait has "almost" returned to pre-war levels.
Strait of Hormuz not to open without Iran's consent: official
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that a settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict still remains possible, stressing that progress depends on whether the two sides can reach a shared understanding.
Speaking at the plenary session of the four-day 11th Eastern Economic Forum, which opened on Tuesday in Vladivostok, Putin said the key to resolving the conflict lies in Russia and Ukraine finding common ground.
He also condemned attacks and hijackings involving civilian vessels and threats against civilian aircraft, describing such actions as "state terrorism". Putin claimed Ukraine's Western partners have remained silent on these incidents, adding that this is not conducive to advancing peace negotiation talks.
Addressing Russia-U.S. relations, Putin said relevant departments in both countries, including intelligence services, have maintained contacts, which he hopes could yield positive results.
Also on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address that the United States has confirmed it will hold meetings in both Kiev and Moscow to move the negotiation process forward.
Zelensky said that Ukraine expects talks in Kiev to take place in the coming days and that the Ukrainian negotiation team is fully engaged in preparations, with an initial schedule already outlined.
Putin says chance remains for ending Russia-Ukraine conflict
