Tim MakMay 14

Good morning to readers. #Oil prices have surpassed $105 per barrel (+44% compared to pre-war).

Iran’s islands once offered refuge to Iranians seeking freedom they couldn't find elsewhere in #Iran.

As tensions rise in the Strait of #Hormuz these oases are turned into ghost towns. https://www.iranwar.news/p/inside-a-ghostly-vacation-island

Inside a ghostly vacation island in the Hormuz strait

As fighting continues on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s tourism-dependent islands across the Persian Gulf are emptying out — costing workers like Zahra their jobs.

Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak
Show threadTim MakMay 14
YEREVAN, #Armenia – Zahra moved quickly between tables, balancing trays of mojitos as music drifted through the boutique hotel where she worked on the Iranian tourist destination #Qeshm Island.
Show threadTim MakMay 14
Wealthy tourists from across #Iran laughed under fairy lights as they conspicuously added alcohol to their drinks, while women in shorts wandered back from the beach in their bikinis and shorts.
Show threadTim MakMay 14
“In Qeshm, nobody really cared about hijabs,” Zahra said. “Even in front of the police, people dressed however they wanted. Tourists even wore bikinis to swim, something that seems surreal to someone in Tehran.”
#Iran #war
Show threadTim MakMay 14
That was before the #war washed up on the island’s shores. Soon, the beaches emptied, cafes closed, and the energy that once defined Qeshm faded into silence.
Show threadTim Mak
Find out more about the lost freedom of #Qeshm and the stories of those who lived there via the link. https://www.iranwar.news/p/inside-a-ghostly-vacation-island
Inside a ghostly vacation island in the Hormuz strait

As fighting continues on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s tourism-dependent islands across the Persian Gulf are emptying out — costing workers like Zahra their jobs.

Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak
May 14 at 2:41pmWeb
Show threadTim MakMay 14

THE LATEST NEWS AT THIS HOUR:

IRAN WAR HIGH ON TRUMP-XI MEETING AGENDA: The Iran war was a key topic in the long-awaited meeting between Trump and Xi in China. https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-china-visit-xi-meeting-hnk?post-id=cmp58tl5w000b3b725r17zsm8

Xi hails US-China relations as world’s most consequential, but warns Trump on Taiwan

US President Donald Trump is on a rare trip to China to meet with leader Xi Jinping for talks, already once delayed due to the US-Israeli war with Iran. Follow for live updates.

CNN
Show threadTim MakMay 14
#IRAN: HORMUZ #STRAIT IS OPEN TO THOSE WHO COOPERATE WITH IRAN: On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the route remains blocked due to U.S. activity. https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202605087268
Live - US launches fresh strikes in southern Iran as it awaits Tehran response

US Central Command said on Friday its forces disabled two Iranian-flagged empty oil tankers before they could enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman in violation of the US blockade. IRGC outlet Fars News also reported "scattered" clashes with US forces.

Show threadTim MakMay 14
SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHED #ATTACKS ON #IRAN DURING #WAR: Saudi Arabia attacked Iran several times in response to Iranian attacks against the country, which targeted Saudi energy infrastructure, the Financial Times reported. https://www.ft.com/content/bbab4ea7-bb54-47fd-98c9-bb66fb52c78f?syn-25a6b1a6=1
Saudi Arabia launched strikes against Iran

Riyadh wanted to show it was defending itself but told Tehran it was not joining broader US-Israeli assault

Financial Times
Show threadTim MakMay 14
Also in today’s #news:
UAE denied Israeli claim that Natanyahu took trip to #UAE…U.S. Senate fails for the 7th time to stop war in Iran. Find out more via the link! https://www.iranwar.news/p/inside-a-ghostly-vacation-island
Inside a ghostly vacation island in the Hormuz strait

As fighting continues on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s tourism-dependent islands across the Persian Gulf are emptying out — costing workers like Zahra their jobs.

Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak
Show threadTim MakMay 14
The #Strait of #Hormuz is constantly in the #headlines, but our reporting focuses not on the geopolitical angle, but on bringing the people living there into the spotlight. If you think that kind of reporting matters, subscribe through the link! https://www.iranwar.news
Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak | Substack

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