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There was back and forth between the US and Iranian sides in relation to the wording of the negotiations on Monday, while Israel pushed for and appeared to be guaranteed the permission to attack Lebanon with greater force until any deal is signed, as calls continued among regional countries, a visit to Qatar appeared to suggest progress but appeared to be more fake market-manipulation news, and more, in today’s US/Israel/Iran recap for May 25.
Negotiation News:
⚡️ ISNA were told by a senior Iranian Diplomat that if the US fulfils its commitments under the potential memorandum of understanding, the nuclear issue and the stockpile of enriched uranium would be discussed in 60 days in exchange for the lifting of sanctions on Iran and releasing frozen Iranian assets, while the management of the Strait of Hormuz is an Iranian-Omani issue that Tehran has discussed with Oman.
⚡️ China urged Washington and Tehran to preserve the momentum of de-escalation and continue the pursuit of a political settlement, as diplomatic contacts between both sides intensified.
🔹 “This is a conflict that should never have happened and there is no need for it to continue,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing, adding that “an earlier solution serves the interests of both the US and Iran, as well as regional countries and the world at large.”
🔹 Mao stressed the need to stay committed to the direction of political resolution, and seek a solution through dialogue and consultation that accommodated the concerns of all parties.
⚡️ UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi said no party should be allowed to weaponize the Strait of Hormuz against the global economy, stressing that the Strait must remain a free and open international waterway for global trade and energy supplies amid continued regional tensions.
🔹 The UAE also announced measures aimed at reducing the economic impact of disruptions in the Strait, including activating alternate trade corridors and accelerating logistics restructuring plans.
⚡️ President Trump said on Truth Social, amid a rant about the Democratic Party in the US, that the Iran deal will either be ‘a great and meaningful one,’ or there will be no deal, stating it will be the exact opposite of the ‘JCPOA disaster’ negotiated by the ‘failed’ Obama Administration, which was a direct and open path to a nuclear weapon for Iran, adding that Trump don’t do deals like that.
⚡️ Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minster Abbas Araghchi, and the head of Iran’s Central Bank, arrived in Doha, Qatar on Monday to hold talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, regarding the potential agreement with the US aimed at ending the war, Reuters reported.
🔹 The discussions focused mainly on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Iran’s Central Bank Governor joined the delegation to discuss the possible release of frozen Iranian assets as part of any future deal.
⚡️ President Trump took to Truth Social in much longer post, at first saying that a deal would be a great deal for all, or no deal at all, meaning that a return to the battlefront and shooting, ‘bigger and stronger than ever before.’
🔹 Following the name-drop of around 10 Gulf and Arab leaders and saying they held a productive call, Trump said that following the war, all of the countries should sign into the Abraham Accords, noting that Bahrain and the UAE were already members, but paving the way for Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan.
🔹 Trump said that while one or two may have reasons for not doing so, which would be accepted, most should be ready and willing to make a settlement with Iran a ‘far more historic event than it would, otherwise, be.’
🔹 According to Trump, the reason that the Abraham Accords have been great for those countries involved, and would be even better for everybody if they joined, bringing true power, strength, and peace to the Middle East for the first time in 5,000 years, adding that it would be a document respected like no other that has ever been signed before, anywhere in the world.
🔹 Trump said that speaking to numerous great leaders that he had name-dropped previously, they would be honoured, as soon as a diplomatic document is signed with Iran, to have Iran as part of the Accords, adding that it would be something special.
🔹 In closing, Trump said he is mandatorily requesting that all countries immediately sign to the Abraham Accords and that, if Iran signs its agreement in the near future, as President of the United States, it would be an honour for Trump to have Iran part of the unparalleled World Coalition.
⚡️ Republican warmongering Senator Lindsey Graham seemed happier on Monday, saying that President Trump’s most recent proposal requiring expansion of the Abraham Accords was brilliant and would result in the most significant change in the Middle East in a thousand years.
🔹 With Saudi Arabia and others like Pakistan making peace with Israel, the region would know a level of stability never dreamed of before President Trump and would eventually lead to regional integration making the Middle East a powerhouse for the economic opportunity, instead of of a powder keg.
⚡️ CNN were told by a Saudi source that Saudi Arabia will only normalise relations with Israel once there is an ‘irreversible pathway’ toward a Palestinian state, stressing that Riyadh’s position remained ‘the sa\me as always’ despite President Trump’s suggestion of regional recognition of Israel following a potential Iran deal.
⚡️ Fox News said the Trump administration were saying that a deal with Iran was now ‘95%’ complete, but stressed that final details were still being worked out and a Memorandum of Understanding could take several more days.
🔹 According to a senior US official, the plan is to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz without fees, before moving into negotiations over Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and future enrichment activities.
🔹 Iran would receive billions in unfrozen assets alongside oil sanction waivers, though US officials said those measures would depend on Tehran upholding its commitments under the agreement.
⚡️ US and Iran have developed a proposed framework to extend the ceasefire for 60 days while negotiations continued, reported Washington Post, stating that the proposal would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, restoring maritime traffic to pre-war levels within 30 days and halting military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon.
🔹 According to the report, Iran would also reaffirm it wouldn’t develop nuclear weapons and later negotiate the disposal of its highly enriched uranium stockpile, though Iranian sources have stressed the current MoU does not include a nuclear agreement.
🔹 Reopening of the Strait would happen in several phases, an Iran source told the WaPo, beginning with the release of $12 billion in frozen assets, mine clearance operations, and the gradual lifting of the US blockade, while US officials cautioned no final agreement has yet been signed.
⚡️ CNN reported that a potential Trump deal with Iran could be almost as controversial as his decision to start the war, because the general outline of the proposed agreement is much less than the ‘unconditional surrender’ that Trump demanded from Iran in March, leading to some Republicans fearing that it is the President surrendering to Iran instead.
🔹 President Trump is also facing attacks from Democrats who blame him for starting the war and how he managed it, while analysts warn that the improvement resulting from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would not immediately improve the global economic outlook.
⚡️ In another report, CNN were told by US officials that disputes over the language surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief were delaying the finalisation of a deal to end the war, but there was still optimism remaining that the differences could be resolved soon.
🔹 Officials described the presence of a senior Iranian delegation in Doha on Monday as a positive step, noting the US was seeking firm commitments Iran would dispose of its highly enriched uranium and not pursue a nuclear weapon, with one official saying Tehran had ‘agreed in principle’ to those demands.
🔹 Iran, however, still insist it isn’t ‘discussing details’ of its nuclear program at this stage and warned those issues deferred to later negotiations: “This is one of the main sticking points in the negotiations,” a regional source said, adding that “Things are changing every single minute.”
⚡️ Major gaps still remained between Washington and Tehran despite the recent optimism, Israeli Channel 12 broadcast, saying that Iran would only commit to not developing a nuclear weapon.
🔹 The US-proposed three options regarding Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, which included selling it to the US, transferring it to a third country, or diluting the material, wasn’t acknowledged by the Iranian delegation, adding that Iran also rejected the idea of reopening the Strait of Hormuz without fees, demanded by President Trump.
🔹 Channel 12 noted that Qatar had proposed a $12 billion ‘humanitarian’ loan to Iran in an effort to smooth over disputes over sanctions relief and frozen funds, with officials viewing it as a workaround amid the lack of an agreement on the release of the funds.
🔹 While Lebanon is included in the understandings being discussed and is one of the reported areas with fewer disagreements between the two sides, an authorisation by the Trump administration for Prime Minister Netanyahu to continue to ‘war with Lebanon’ could also delay future talks.
⚡️ Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir attended China on an official visit alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, receiving praise from President Xi for the negotiation efforts in a meeting with the Chinese President, before meeting separately with the Chinese Foreign Minister to discuss the progress of the talks.
⚡️ US Envoy Steve Witkoff, alongside Jared Kushner, are due to visit Israel this week to examine the dimensions of a possible agreement between Tehran and Washington, while also coordinating with the Israeli officials regarding the negotiation process with Iran, reported IRNA News.
⚡️ An Iranian official told Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem on Monday night that Tehran warned Washington any Israeli attacks on Beirut or the southern suburbs would seriously jeopardise any efforts to end the war, and could derail the diplomatic track altogether.
⚡️ President Trump’s third social media post of Monday night (with text), stated that the enriched uranium in Iran would either be turned over to the United States for destruction, or destroyed in Iran in conjunction and coordination with the Iranians, or at another acceptable location, adding that the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, should witness to process and document the event.
⚡️ President Trump is pushing for a broader regional deal that would not only end the hostilities with Iran but reopen the Strait of Hormuz and expand the Abraham Accords by normalising relations between Middle Eastern countries, reported the WSJ, noting that negotiations hadn’t produced a final agreement, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar had privately resisted pressure to join the Accords, insisting that progress towards a Palestinian state remain a prerequisite for any formal ties with Israel.
⚡️ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the Strait of Hormuz has to be open ‘one way or the other’ when referring to the recent overnight US strikes: “The straits have to be open, they’re going to be open one way or another,” Rubio told reporters, adding that negotiations over the language of a potential deal with Iran could still take a few days.
🔹 Rubio said there were some talks with Qatar on Monday that are continuing Tuesday, “so we’ll see if we can make progress,” he said, stating that a lot off talking back and forth is going on about the specific language in the document, while President Trump expressed his desire to make it – he’s either going to make a good deal or no dear,” Rubio added.
⚡️ Pakistan immediately rejected President Trump’s suggestion that a deal should be tied to normalisation with Israel, saying the two issues are ‘not interlinked and cannot be made so,’ reported Reuters: “Pakistan is under no compulsion to any such demand,” a Pakistan source said, reaffirming Islamabad’s position that normalisation with Israel remained tied to progress on the Palestinian issue.
⚡️ US Senator Graham said he was telling Trump to be firm with reaching a good agreement with Iran, but also to be firm insisting that Saudi Arabia and others join the Abraham Accords as part of the negotiations, adding that Saudi Arabia and other countries will face severe consequences if they do not join the Israeli peace agreement (Accords).
⚡️ Senior spokesperson of the Iranian Armed Forces Sardar Shekarchi was interviewed by Al Jazeera, saying that Iran was ready for war and had identified its target bank in case of a new attack.
🔹 Shekarchi said the response to new aggression would be different than before, so the opposition will definitely face ‘surprises and new tactics,’ and Iran’s attacks would be much more intense, heavier, violent, and stronger than the two previous wars, if the region enters another round of war, adding that if the war started and Iran’s exports were prevented, Iran would prevent the export of oil from the region.
⚡️ Spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs Majid al-Ansari denied offering a $12 billion humanitarian loan, calling the allegations ‘unfounded,’ adding that the claims were made by parties seeking to thwart the achievement of an agreement and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and enhancing stability in the region.
News from the Strait of Hormuz:
⚡️ Small Swiss trading company, Lytton SA, has played a key role in the transit of a supertanker called Agios Fanourios I, that was carrying Iraqi crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, according to Bloomberg.
🔹 The tanker was halted first by Iranian and then by US authorities before finally passing the US Naval blockade after intervention by Vietnam’s state oil company, but Lytton bought the oil at a discount of $18 a barrel, implying a gross profit of about $60 million, though shipping and demurrage costs were high, and the company said it paid no toll to Iran to pass.
⚡️ Another 32 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz with coordination of the IRGC Navy on Monday, taking the total to 149 in total since last week when Iran started to allow multiple vessels pass through.
⚡️ The US military allegedly destroyed two IRGC vessels that were lying mines on Monday night in the Strait of Hormuz, while also striking a SAM site in Bandar Abbas that was targeting US aircraft, according to Fox News, claiming a US official said: “These were not defensive strikes,” adding they didn’t mean the ceasefire had ended.
🔹 At least four Iranian personnel were killed in the US strikes on two IRGC vessels near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, while reports also suggested a third explosion had occurred on the runway of the Bandar Abbas Airport, possibly the target of the SAMS system that targeted American fighter jets.
⚡️ CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins told Fox News that the US forces carried out ‘self-defence strikes’ in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats allegedly attempting to place mines, stating the strikes were conducted to protect American troops and that CENTCOM ‘continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.’
News from Iran:
⚡️ Iran’s Ministry of Health spokesperson Kermanpour has revealed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was treated at hospital until 2am on March 1, refusing to break his fast despite staff urging him to do so, and his ability to ignore medical advice indicated that his injury wasn’t severe, ISNA reported, adding that Khamenei was discharged and transferred to an undisclosed location soon after.
⚡️ Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that after failing in the military arena, the ‘enemy’ has focused on economic warfare, and said: “The process of negotiations and foreign interactions of the country is designed in such a way that the rights of the Iranian nation are fully realised, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will under no circumstances surrender to pressures or excessive demands.”
⚡️ President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the Ministry of Communications to restore internet service to the country, which follows an outage that lasted for approximately 3 months.
🔹 Most Iranians have been unable to access the global web for 87 days, according to internet monitoring site Netblocks, with only a small number able to use expensive and advanced VPNs to bypass restrictions.
⚡️ Spokesperson for the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament, Ebrahim Rezaei, said on X that during the period of military war, Iran’s tactic was an eye for an eye, while in the diplomatic war, it is step against step: “Do not believe the bluff of the failed president, time is working against the Americans,” he said, adding that if they wanted an agreement, let them try to negotiate, or if they want $6 worth of fuel, let them stand and bluff until the grass grows under their feet, because Iran would not ‘succumb to threats and coercion.’
⚡️ Iran have already resumed rebuilding parts of its missile and drone industry during the ceasefire in a much faster time than expected, reported Israeli Mako, adding that according to estimates, the air defence systems in improvised underground facilities were using surviving parts, Russian support, and smuggled Chinese components.
🔹 According to the Israeli defence officials, (which has been wrong so many times previously), Iran could restore drone production within months and significantly expand missile production within a year.
🔹 Despite the assessments, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper testified to Congress that 90% of Iran’s defence industrial base was destroyed, however, updated intelligence suggested around two-thirds of Iran’s missile launchers survived, and have been redeployed from underground tunnels.
⚡️ Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Council Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said on Monday that there would be no retreat from Iran: “This has been demonstrated by the military field, the diplomatic field, and the people present in the streets with their brave resistance, which has crippled the enemy,” he said.
🔹 Zolghadr said that now, more than ever, Iran needed unity and cohesion so that the ‘Americans and Zionists will also be disappointed’ in this regard: “The field of unity and cohesion is another arena in the struggle,” he said, adding: “Collective effort to prevent any divisive words and actions will lead dear Iran to final victory.”
⚡️ Iran downed a hostile drone over the Gulf using a new air defence system, reported Fars News Agency, stating it was reportedly brought down by a new covert defence system capable of detecting and intercepting even stealth drones attempting to enter the area undetected, and the shootdown came around 30 minutes after Mehr News informed that air defence activity had been reported on Qeshm Island.
⚡️ Commander of the Madinah Munawwarah Forward Headquarters of the IRGC Ground Forces Sardar Sefidchian accompanied the Governor of the Hormozgan Province to the defensive positions stationed on the coasts and islands of the Persian Gulf, pointing to the full readiness of the fighters to confront any threat.
🔹 Sefidchian said: “Enemies should know that the security of the Persian Gulf is the red line for the Islamic Republic of Iran, and this region is not a testing ground for any aggressor’s mistakes,” adding: “We have full surveillance over enemy movements and the capability for decisive and deterrent responses at any level.”
⚡️ Iran are still increasing the number of active airports in the country, according to the Spokesperson for the Aviation Organisation, noting that so far, 20 airports in the country have been reopened after the war, while Tabriz Airport will resume flights within a week, an airport that has flights to 9 international destinations including Istanbul, Baghdad, Dubai, Baku, and Hamburg.
⚡️ Lorestan Province’s IRGC Public Relations department announced that a 1000-pound bunker-buster bomb from the MK series was discovered and neutralised by the specialists and anonymous warriors of the Lorestan Province’s IRGC detection and neutralisation unit at the Chegni County Police Headquarters.
🔹 Due to the failure of the bomb near a hospital and a medical centre, the activities of the centres had been disrupted in recent days, but thanks to the action of the fighters of the Hazrat Abolfazl IRGC detection and neutralisation unit, those facilities will now return to normal.
⚡️ Several investigations by Iran’s armed forces indicated that Israel carried out ‘several drone attacks’ against the UAE over the previous weeks disguised as false flag operations, with the intention of provoking the Emiratis to take action against Iran, reported Tasnim News Agency.
News from the USA:
⚡️ President Trump is looking for an exit to the crisis related to the Iran war, and is forced to move towards a compromise-based agreement, reported the Washington Post, stating it appeared that Trump would have to accept an agreement that reflected limited options for Washington and the heavy costs of continuing the war.
⚡️ Financial Times also reported that Trump’s military options to break the stalemate were risky, limited, and could ultimately benefit Tehran, which has weathered 40 days of bombing without retreating, and only hardened its position since.
🔹 From airstrikes to naval operations, there is no way to force Iran to back down, while new attacks risked dragging Washington into a costly quagmire, meanwhile, Iran have learned from the US’ fighting methods, is rebuilding damaged air defences, and may have received weapons from China and Russia, adding that Iran could strike US forces with suicide drones in any new round of conflicts.
⚡️ Yediot Ahronot said that America’s failure in the war with Iran risked producing an undesirable peace that postponed vital issues, deepened US divisions, and could leave Israel facing three active fronts with its hands tied.
🔹 According to the report, the White House had failed to understand that a ‘war without strategy leads to something between defeat and humiliation,’ noting that Trump couldn’t even convince American public opinion, let alone the world.
🔹 If the ceasefire included the lifting of the naval blockade, Trump will make a joke of himself, the report continued: “With America’s failure, Israel now faces its worst strategic situation in history: Three active fronts – Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas – and no room to manoeuvre.”
⚡️ Pentagon’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, General David Tabor, said that the US military had lost 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the conflict with Iran – nearly one-fifth of the pre-war fleet, worth close to $1 billion, and has now been reduced to around 135 aircraft.
⚡️ Israel Hayom said that America had no image of victory and achieved none of its stated goals, while Iran secured its survival and demonstrated its power by closing the Strait of Hormuz.
🔹 According to the report, the only tangible outcome so far is the mutual reopening of the Strait, because all other issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, missiles, and proxies – are postponed to negotiations with no set date.
🔹 Meanwhile, the agreement even obliged Hezbollah to a ceasefire, effectively recognising Iran as a military and political actor in Lebanon, in complete contradiction to the war’s original aims, while all issues vital to Israel have been deferred to future talks, and know one knows if those talks will take place.
Official Calls:
⚡️ Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani spoke by phone with the Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, to discuss Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran, while also discussing the most important regional and international developments, and agreed on the importance of reaching a solution as soon as possible that helped to maintain regional security.
⚡️ Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty spoke with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed bin Nahyan in which they agreed that diplomacy was the only way to end tensions in the region, as Egypt’s FM said: “We are eager for diplomatic efforts to lead to an agreement that guarantees the end of the war and paves the way for the restoration of regional security and stability.”
⚡️ Leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement Ammar Hakim met with head of the State of Law Coalition Nouri al-Maliki, expressing hope regarding the ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington, saying the talks could lead to an agreement that could help stabilise the region, and had a positive impact on the stability of countries worldwide.
⚡️ US Department of State Marco Rubio held a call with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, discussing the situation in Iran and the peace deal, along with the current war between Russia and Ukraine, in which Lavrov advised Rubio to ensure American officials were evacuated from Kyiv as soon as possible.
Other News:
⚡️ French Navy aircraft carrier the FS Charles de Gaulle and its strike group have positioned in the Arabian Sea after a brief stopover in Djibouti, having been spotted on Sunday manoeuvring with an escort destroyer (either the French Chevalier Paul, or its British cousin HMS Dragon).
🔹 The carrier group is located less than a navigation day away from the US Navy blockade line, however, joint exercises with the US Navy carriers in the area remain unlikely for political reasons.
⚡️ Two Iranian Kurdish women leaders said the war with Iran was the result of the Islamic Republic’s long-standing strategy of repression and regional intervention, according to Armagi.
🔹 Fariba Mohammadi, Deputy Secretary-General of Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan, and Dr Kwestan Gadani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran said the conflict brought destruction, but also a historic opportunity for change if the regime is weakened.
🔹 Both defended the decision of the Kurdish parties to stay out of the war, describing it as wise to avoid brutal retaliation and prevent being used as tools of external agendas, while stressing that the Kurdish struggle for self-determination and women’s rights did not begin with the war and wouldn’t end with it, calling for greater unity among Kurdish political forces.
⚡️ Reuters reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told confidants in private conversations that Israel has little ability to influence President Trump’s decision-making on Iran.
⚡️ An Iranian rocket struck an Iranian-Kurdish opposition camp in northern Iraq, home of the Freedom Party, (PAK), which was attacked with at least four missiles and suicide drones, killing two fighters, and injuring eight others, some seriously, according to initial assessments from the scene.
⚡️ Five Iranian-backed armed factions in Iraq have agreed to disarm and hand over their weapons to the new government, but two factions have refused.
🔹 Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, the Badr Organisation, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Tharallah and Imam Ali have all agreed to give up their weapons, but Harakat al-Nujaba and Kata’ib Hezbollah refused, both of whom are on the US sanctions lists.
🔹 The move followed US pressure and a recent visit to Baghdad by former CIA Director David Petraeus, who held talks on the issue, while Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaydi, has made the monopoly of weapons a top priority in his government.
⚡️ Semafor reported that a joint venture between a US defence startup and a Saudi company are building a drone factory near Riyadh to manufacture long-range combat drones which are modelled on Iran’s Shahed design.
🔹 According to the report, the project is being developed by SR2Vector, a partnership between Utah-based Vector Defence and Saudi startup SR2 Defence Systems, who are building a facility that will produce the SKYWASP one-way attack drone, which has a range of up to 1,500km, roughly the distance from northeastern Saudi Arabia to Tehran.
🔹 SR2 co-founder Lucien Zeigler said the program is intended to strengthen the Saudi deterrence capabilities, but didn’t disclose production timelines, investment size, or expected output volumes, however, the factory will manufacture drones for both Saudi domestic use and export to allied countries, with backing from MASNA Ventures, a defence technology investment fund.
⚡️ Adnoc have been using practices, including dark transits such as crossing the Strait of Hormuz with the transponders switched off, as well as shuttle runs to keep supplies flowing, in order to quietly ferry oil and gas shipments out of the Persian Gulf using its own fleet, apparently clearing both Iranian and US Naval forces, reported Bloomberg.
🔹 Qatar have also been unobtrusively exporting LNG through the Strait in recent days, with at least one tanker spotted after passing through Hormuz and heading to China, but the successful transits only represent a fraction of the pre-war trade flows, and highlight how regional producers are finding informal workarounds to balance between Iran and the US.
