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Commercial transit out of the Strait of Hormuz is accelerating, with seven vessels that were stranded for 109 days now crossing through the waterway, maritime tracking company Windward said in a post on X/Twitter on Thursday.  This is a signal of a rapid reopening and what could be perceived as a sign of confidence in the deal signed between the US and Iran, the firm added.  Five of the ships are from China, one from France, and another from Italy.

A satellite imagery taken on February 1, 2026, shows a new roof over a previously destroyed building at Isfahan nuclear site, Iran. (photo credit: Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS) Tehran extended an invitation to IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi and would allow him to bring “US nuclear inspectors” to Iran, US envoy Steve Witkoff told US officials. Iran  will invite the UN’s nuclear watchdog agency to inspect its nuclear sites and begin work on identifying enriched material sites, US envoy  Steve Witkoff  told US officials in a private briefing on Thursday,  The Associated Press  reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.  Witkoff clarified that although the US-Iran  memorandum of understanding  (MoU) did not include any “side deals,” a “side letter” had been drafted between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 

US Vice President JD Vance holds a joint press conference with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (not pictured), in Yerevan, Armenia, February 9, 2026. (photo credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/POOL) US Vice President  JD Vance  will not travel to Switzerland for talks with Iranian negotiators, the White House said in a statement on Thursday, citing logistical issues. “The plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity,” said the statement from Washington regarding Vance's cancellation. “But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight," it added. 

A general view of the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, US, June 18, 2026. (photo credit: Elizabeth Franz/Reuters) US President  Donald Trump 's  interim deal to end the Iran war  met scorching public criticism from some of his fellow Republicans as copies of the signed agreement circulated on Capitol Hill on Thursday. One  Republican  senator called the framework pact announced this week the "worst foreign policy blunder in decades," another said some reported provisions seemed "ill-advised," and some pro-Republican commentators also broke with Trump over the agreement. The criticism was a rare rebuke from members of the Republican Party who have mostly offered full loyalty to the president, but are increasingly restive

US Vice President JD Vance holds a joint press conference with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (not pictured), in Yerevan, Armenia, February 9, 2026. (photo credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/POOL) The planned talks between the United States and Iran will not take place as planned on Friday at Bürgenstock, the Swiss Foreign Ministry announced on Friday morning. On Thursday, the White House said in a statement that US Vice President  JD Vance  will not travel to Switzerland for talks with Iranian negotiators over the weekend, citing logistical issues. “The plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity,” said the statement from Washington regarding Vance's cancellation.

Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, from Beit Hashita, commander of the 52nd Battalion, 'Iron Footsteps' (401) formation, fell in battle in southern Lebanon, aged 32 when he fell (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT) The IDF announced that four soldiers were killed while fighting in southern Lebanon. The military revealed that one of the soldiers was Lieutenant-Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, aged 32, from Beit HaShita, the commander of the 52nd Battalion, 401st Brigade. While the military said that all the families were notified, the names of the other three fallen soldiers have not yet been revealed.