Short news summary for Wednesday, August 1, 2018, presenting a collection of the most important news from Iran and the world on the tenth day of Mordad 1397.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that if Iran attempts to close the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, it will likely face an international coalition, and Israel will join this coalition. He made these remarks during a ceremony for new naval officers in Haifa. Netanyahu expressed confidence that if the Iranian regime seeks to close the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, it will encounter a decisive international coalition aimed at preventing such an action, which will include all Israeli forces. He also mentioned a recent severe confrontation against Iranian proxy forces attempting to disrupt international shipping in Egypt and at the entrance to the Red Sea. This comment seems to refer to a report from Saudi Arabia stating that Iranian-backed Houthis targeted two giant oil tankers in the Red Sea, causing minor damage to one.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman noted at the same ceremony that Israel has recently faced threats to its ships in the Red Sea, although he did not provide further details. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, located at the southern end of the Red Sea, connects the sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, making it a crucial global trade and communication route.
In other news, ISNA reported on the latest developments regarding the new currency package from President Hassan Rouhani's government to combat the sharp rise in the prices of the dollar, gold, and coins. According to a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the new package will make the secondary market the official reference for the dollar rate, with a proposed price of 8,000 to 8,500 tomans. The 4,200 toman dollar will only be available for essential goods and medicines, while the currency of major non-oil exporters will be transferred from the NIMA system to the secondary market. It remains unclear when the new currency package will be implemented.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert stated that the U.S. and many countries are seeking to see changes in Iranian behavior. President Trump expressed willingness to meet with the Iranian president without conditions, while Secretary of State Pompeo indicated that Trump is ready to talk if Iran commits to changing its domestic and foreign policies.
In technology news, Huawei has surpassed Apple in the competitive mobile phone market, ranking second in global sales in the second quarter of 2018, while Samsung remains in first place.
Civil activist Zia Nabavi was released one day after his arrest by security forces. He is expected to return to Evin Prison for further questioning.
Trump called for the investigation into potential Russian collusion to be halted as the trial of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, continues.
The newspaper Shargh reported that due to the currency crisis in Iran, 400,000 foreign transit operations have been challenged, affecting about 13,000 drivers. Many drivers are unable to load cargo due to the lack of currency and the severe drop in the rial's value.
Iranian-Kurdish mathematician Kochar Birkar, who teaches at Cambridge University, won the prestigious Fields Medal, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics.
Fars Province security official Hadi Pajooh Jahrami confirmed that most of the slogans during the protests in Shiraz were anti-government, attributing the unrest to external influences. He stated that no one was arrested during the protests.
Eighteen members of the Iranian parliament issued a warning to the president regarding foreign policy management and irresponsible comments by officials about international issues.