Iran's Intransigence

Plus: Rent freeze, conservatism, breadwinners by gender, and more...

Iran really wants that maritime traffic: "Iran's Foreign Ministry denied Monday that its negotiators would be meeting with U.S. officials in Qatar on Tuesday after President Trump announced the talks would resume at Tehran's request," reports CBS News. "Both sides exchanged strikes over the weekend, testing the fragile ceasefire."

Meanwhile, Iranian official Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV that the regime really wants to work out a deal with Oman (which borders the south of the strait) to oversee ships passing through Hormuz, but that "if for any reason Oman is not interested in doing so," Iran will move forward, doing its own.

"We have warned the Omanis that other countries have no right to interfere in this matter," he added.

"Under the memorandum of understanding signed with Washington on 18 June, substantive talks over Iran's nuclear programme do not need to start until the lifting of the blockade of the strait—something Iran is required to use only 'its best endeavours' to achieve," writes The Guardian's Patrick Wintour. "Iran is adopting a maximalist interpretation of the memorandum, decreeing that it alone can lift the blockade. Jealously guarding this prerogative, it has been resisting the involvement of any other country or institution in opening the strait."

"But Oman, a neutral nation by temperament and practice, is in a delicate diplomat spot. It knows that if it ignores Iran's objections, Tehran is less likely to agree to Oman's plan for the future of the strait," adds Wintour. "But if Oman does not take the initiative in helping the humanitarian operation to release thousands of trapped sailors, the less likely it is that its proposals for the strait will be accepted by the region or by the UN—and the more likely it is the US will return to all-out war."

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A deal that means very little: "A security deal between Israel and Lebanon risks entrenching a stalemate rather than resolving Israel's underlying conflict with Hezbollah by tying Israel's ​pullout from southern Lebanon to the Iran-aligned group's disarmament," reports Reuters. "At its core is a bargain few see as workable: Hezbollah ‌has flatly rejected disarmament, and no Lebanese government has the power to enforce it."

Late last week, the Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad and the Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter signed a trilateral agreement with the U.S. in Washington, D.C., agreeing to peace between Israel and Lebanon; if Hezbollah—which is distinct from the Lebanese government and backed by Iran—fails to disarm, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli troops can occupy southern Lebanon once again.

Of course, Hezbollah has very little reason to actually do so, and the Lebanese government is not really the party the Israelis must find common ground with here. The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been going on since Hamas' infamous October 7 attack on Israel, shows very few signs of truly stopping. And the Lebanese state isn't powerful enough to curb Hezbollah in a meaningful way.

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Scenes from New York: Now look, I know you can't turn America-celebratin' into a whole entire week, but forgive me for trying! Where are YOU celebrating America this week and weekend? Tell me in the comments/via email/on X.

dispatches from rockaway (God's country) pic.twitter.com/V6zS1qiHYW

— Liz Wolfe (@LizWolfeReason) June 29, 2026

Other plans on the docket: a "best of the Midwest" dinner party co-hosted with a few friends (from St. Louis and Chicago) since I'm obsessed with casseroles and toasted ravioli right now; possibly a Founding Fathers–themed reading/house party here in Brooklyn; and, of course, Tex-Mex and surfing and maybe an American flag cake.

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QUICK HITS

• "It's a yawn," said President Donald Trump about the housing bill Congress was hoping he'd sign into law. Trump said "he would sign the bill only if Congress would first pass another bill, the SAVE America Act, which would impose stricter voter ID rules that would make it harder to vote," per The New York Times.
• The story of some 52-year-old soup.
• The writer Richard Hanania thinks that Jerusalem Demsas (formerly of Vox) "might be the most successful living journalist" by commissioning "articles that take the right-wing position on some policy debate" for The Argument. "This makes me optimistic," continues Hanania. "It indicates that the reason smart people reject conservatism is that it has the stench of MAGA, racism, conspiracy theorists, and religious fundamentalists. Trump supporters and Republican voters generally want trash content. This repulses smart people." (Hanania too carries some stench; takes one to know one?) But more to the point: You'd have to be very liberal to think that The Argument's arguments are especially right-wing. They seem most like Abundance Agenda centrists, which is distinct from conservative.

Is there a market for smart, right-wing content?

I've gone back and forth on this.

But I'm now convinced that Jerusalem Demsas might be the most successful living journalist in terms of bringing right-wing arguments to a large, highly educated audience that wouldn't otherwise… pic.twitter.com/dJHjYkmzWY

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) June 28, 2026

• "The Rent Guidelines Board, on which I serve, has just voted to freeze rents on New York City's roughly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments, fulfilling a key campaign promise by Mayor Zohran Mamdani," wrote Arpit Gupta—the lone dissenter. "This settles what will happen to rents this October, but raises the question of whether the rent-stabilized stock is still going to be standing, habitable and occupied in 2046. On its current trajectory, a large share of it will not be—especially if Mamdani and his appointees on the Board follow through on the mayor's pledge to freeze rents every year of his term."
• Interesting:

Sharp observation by @stephmurrayyyy:

"[America] ranks somewhat high on the list for both male-breadwinning AND female breadwinning. It is equal-earning couples that the U.S. lacks."https://t.co/NorShXxz57 pic.twitter.com/6ho3dhRVTg

— Leah Libresco Sargeant (@LeahLibresco) June 29, 2026

Comments

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Why did you subject us to bohem retardation yesterday?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Meanwhile, Iranian official Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV that the regime really wants to work out a deal with Oman (which borders the south of the strait) to oversee ships passing through Hormuz...

If Iran wants to be barbary pirates they should be dealt with the same way the United States did with the original. (That didn't start out smoothly either, as I recall.)

[JFree]

Who committed the US to playing whack-a-pirate 12,000 miles from the US?

[Bubba Jones]

From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli;

[Moonrocks]

Pasha Yusuf Karamanli.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Thomas Jefferson. Israel probably put him up to it.

[Ajsloss]

His real name was Jeffersonstein.

[But SkyNet is a Private Company]

Thomas Jefferson

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Jefferson?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Iran is adopting a maximalist interpretation of the memorandum, decreeing that it alone can lift the blockade.

How are they still even able to blockade anything???

[Spiritus Mundi]

Same way one armed gaurd, with a bolt rifle and 5 round magazine, can escort 100's of prisoners on a death march. Nobody wants to be the sacrificial lamb.

[Bubba Jones]

The US has demonstrated for decades that it's a lot easier to blow something up than to keep it from getting blown up.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Chicago) since I'm obsessed with casseroles

Welcome to the home of the deep dish pizza. Yeah we turned a pizza into a casserole, we're that good

[Fist of Etiquette]

Hezbollah ‌has flatly rejected disarmament, and no Lebanese government has the power to enforce it.

I guess we're all going to agree to kick this can down the road. Trump was probably the only president who could have had any chance of getting rid of the Mullahs' bullshit and he lost stomach for it, like everyone else.

[Bubba Jones]

he lost stomach for it, like everyone else.

So there *wasn't* a chance, after all?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Where are YOU celebrating America this week and weekend?

In the greatest country in the history of man.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...which would impose stricter voter ID rules that would make it harder to vote," per The New York Times.

Harder. To. Vote.

[Bubba Jones]

MAGA is going to be really disappointed when they discover which party can actually find their birth certificates ...

[Fist of Etiquette]

This is an interesting assertion.

[BYODB]

One images rural Republicans will have an easier time obtaining their birth certificate than illegal immigrants will.

[Moderation4ever]

President Trump has been trapped by Benjamin Netanyahu and seems to have no way to extract himself from the problem created. Trump was talked first into abandoning the working JCPOA, then into attacking Iran by Netanyahu. Now when Trump would like to end the conflict with Iran and Netanyahu hold a veto by simply attacking Hezbollah when ever talks are making progress. Now, I see this as just another sign of Trump's incompetence, but those more charitable may see it as just his failing mental state. The bottom line is Trump is trapped and the US with him.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Holds letter up to his hed
"The jews"
Doesn't need to open the letter, because they are responsible for everuthing

[Quicktown Brix]

Yup.

He (We) could just walk away. No deal, just leave. It's a UUGE loss for Trump and the US and sets the world back, but probably the best option for private Americans. Either way, Iran is in a better position and tolls to pass the strait look hard to avoid short of a ground war.

Sorry rest of the world.

[Idaho-Bob]

At some point the left needs to realize and accept the muzzies are the enemy of the entire free planet. And should be dealt with accordingly.

The Israelis understand this. Their survival is at stake. Our survival is also at stake, just not this week. But you fuckers are working on it.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

You seek lies! We need to send all the muzzies and fags to an island. Then the left will learn what tolarance means

[Zeb]

I'm curious how exactly you think they ought to be "dealt with". It's easy to make broad statements like this, but what are you really proposing? I don't really disagree with the general statement, but we're talking about like a billion people here.

[Idaho-Bob]

Halt all immigration from muzzie countries. No exceptions. IDGAF about "refugees".

Current muzzies in the US - One religion-based violent act equals deportation to a muslim country. Citizen status irrelevant.

They hate Jews, Christians, atheists, women, gays, dogs, bacon, wine, beer, and the entire Western Civilization.

They can dwell with like-minded people.

[But SkyNet is a Private Company]

BWAHaaHAHA - “Working JCPOA” - Lololol

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

All the apartment owners should send mamdani a bill for the rent. It is a takings and he is on the hook to pay.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It is equal-earning couples that the U.S. lacks.

What spousal team makes the same money?

[Moonrocks]

A security deal between Israel and Lebanon risks entrenching a stalemate rather than resolving Israel's underlying conflict with Hezbollah by tying Israel's ​pullout from southern Lebanon to the Iran-aligned group's disarmament

What in the hell is this take? Israel's underlying conflict with Hezbollah is that Hezbollah keeps attacking Israel. Tying the dissolution of a buffer zone to the disarmament of the group that prompted the establishment of that buffer zone in the first place is nothing short of resolving the underlying conflict.