Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- The US rejects any country’s claim over Hormuz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says
- Rubio is in Bahrain on the last leg of his Middle East tour
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warn against any crossings of Hormuz without authorization
- Oil prices have dropped to levels not seen since before the war
Below are the latest developments on the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
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Skip next section Oil price return pre-Iran war levels06/25/2026June 25, 2026
Oil price return pre-Iran war levels
Oil prices have dropped to levels last seen before the war in the Middle East as more oil tankers exited the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude sank to below $73 (roughly €64) a barrel for the first time since the Iran war started on February 28.
Oil and energy prices spiked after the war, with crude soaring as high as $120 a barrel at one stage.
The declines follow last week’s interim agreement to end the war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Last week, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding, which has seen the US partially lift sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Both sides have 60 days to iron out sticking points before a final agreement.
https://p.dw.com/p/5G2bzSkip next section Iran’s IRGC says Hormuz crossings without authorization ‘will be dealt with’06/25/2026June 25, 2026
Iran’s IRGC says Hormuz crossings without authorization ‘will be dealt with’
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday said vessels need to stick to routes designated by Tehran through the Strait of Hormuz.
Any crossing without authorization is “unacceptable and extremely dangerous,” IRGC warned. It also said vessels failing to comply with the requirements “will be dealt with.”
The statement came a day after Oman announced temporary shipping lanes through the waterway in coordination with the International Maritime Organization.
Before the war, roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz — a major sticking point in talks between Washington and Tehran.
Iran closed the vital waterway to shipping soon after the US-Israeli strikes began.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5G2RMSkip next section Rubio warns against charging tolls in Hormuz06/25/2026June 25, 2026
Rubio warns against charging tolls in Hormuz
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday warned that Iranian tolls on ships passing the Strait of Hormuz would risk “total chaos” as it could spread to other waterways.
“International waterways do not belong to any nation-state. This is a foundational principle in the world today, without which the world would be in total chaos,” he told a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Bahrain.
“If, in fact, we accepted that you can charge money to use an international waterway because it happens to be near your territorial space, well then, this will spread throughout the world like a contagion,” he added.
Rubio is on a three-nation tour of Gulf countries — his first regional tour since the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding last week to work toward a permanent end to the Middle East war.
Tehran has on more than one occasion floated the idea that the Strait of Hormuz should be controlled by countries in the region, including Gulf nations, who could potentially collect fees from vessels passing through it.
Rubio says US wants a deal with Iran, but ‘not at any price’
The top US diplomat also said that Washington wants a peace deal with Tehran but not “at any price.”
“While we want a deal, we don’t want a deal at any price,” he said. “We want a deal that’s good, we want a deal that’s real, we want a deal that’s verifiable, and we want a deal that’s adhered to.”
Rubio also sought to reassure the Gulf allies that their interests would be taken into account.
“We want to ensure… that there is no part of this deal that’s undertaken that in any way undermines the security, the stability, or the prosperity of any of our partners in the Gulf region,” he said.
In response to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which began on February 28, Tehran launched missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting US military bases, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain — all three countries on Rubio’s regional tour.
https://p.dw.com/p/5G2FPSkip next section Welcome to our coverage06/25/2026June 25, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Emmy Sasipornkarn | Rana Taha Editor
Thank you for joining DW as we track the latest developments in the Iran war.
Today, we will be following US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he meets Bahraini officials in Manama, the final stop on his Middle East tour.
Rubio is seeking to reassure US allies in the Gulf states, which were targeted by Tehran’s missiles and drones during the conflict, that Washington would protect their interests.
His visit comes as Iran tries to push for what it has framed as regional control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which potentially involves charging vessels that use the critical waterway.
Throughout the day, we will bring you the latest updates, video reports and expert analysis on the situation across the Middle East.
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