Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on August 18 that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States lifts port blockades, oil sanctions, and releases frozen Iranian assets. Reports from center-leaning outlets also reference a June 17 interim memorandum between Iran and the US that collapsed in July, alongside a lower-quality report of an unidentified projectile striking a vessel in the strait on August 18. Coverage is limited to three center-rated sources with no left- or right-leaning outlets represented.