Iran Nuclear Deal Collapses as Supreme Leader Rejects Uranium Transfer

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a directive that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium must not be sent abroad, hardening Tehran's stance on a key US demand. This comes as negotiations mediated by Pakistan falter, with Iran also opposing US efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz toll-free. Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal exclusive reveals that Iranian financier Babak Zanjani used Binance to move $850 million over two years, funding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with transactions continuing into this month. The US has used over half its THAAD interceptors defending Israel, and Israeli officials are pushing for a preemptive strike. Iran's IRGC has threatened to open new fronts if attacked, and has imposed a permit system for ships transiting Hormuz, with 35 vessels passing in the last 24 hours, far below the normal 130. US consumer spending is crumbling, with hedge funds increasing short exposure to the highest level in a decade.