The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no major changes in its assessments of Iran’s nuclear program since clashes between the US, Israel, and Iran began approximately three months ago, according to a report sent to United Nations (UN) member states on Thursday.

The confidential report, reviewed by the Reuters news agency ahead of next week’s meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors, revealed very few differences compared to previous reports prepared before the conflict began.

In the report, the agency reiterated its call for Iranian officials to provide updated information on the status of their enriched uranium stockpiles.

According to Reuters, the report stated: “The Director General has stressed that the effective implementation of Iran’s Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Safeguards Agreement is mandatory and urgent, and that this implementation cannot be suspended by Iran under any circumstances.”

Since Israel and the US bombed the nuclear installations for the first time last June, the UN nuclear watchdog has been unable to return to these sites, and Iran has not shared updated data regarding the status of its stockpiles.

“The issue of the Agency losing continuity of knowledge regarding all previously declared nuclear material at the affected facilities in Iran needs to be addressed with extreme urgency,” the confidential report warned, referring to the sites affected by the US and Israeli bombardments.

Iran’s nuclear program became one of the primary triggers of the conflict, with the Trump administration asserting that Iran posed an “imminent nuclear threat.”

The issue also represents one of the greatest impasses in the recent round of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.

Nevertheless, both sides have reached a tentative agreement to extend the delicate ceasefire in the three-month conflict for an additional 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to transit, and establish a framework mechanism for comprehensive talks on the future of Iran’s nuclear program and stockpiles.

However, this emerging memorandum of understanding still awaits approval from President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders.

According to a report by The Associated Press, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio painted an optimistic picture of the talks between the US and Iran during his testimony on Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee.

“Just a month ago, they agreed to negotiate certain aspects of their nuclear program that a year ago they refused to even mention,” Rubio told senators, later adding that instability within the Iranian leadership has complicated the talks.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance noted last Thursday that negotiators continue to exchange proposals on certain terms of the agreement, including Iran’s nuclear capacity.

Qatar and United Arab Emirates liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are turning off their transponders in the Strait of Hormuz, shifting their logistical strategies in response to ongoing military conflict in the Middle East and the closure of the strategic waterway.

According to a Bloomberg report citing industry sources and vessel-tracking data, as time and patience run thin for both nations, tankers have begun operating under radio silence to conceal their movements and secure their LNG shipments.

The report noted that neither Qatar nor Abu Dhabi, the federal emirate of the UAE, is subject to international sanctions. Despite this, state-owned QatarEnergy and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) are employing these “going dark” tactics to minimize security risks for their vessels and crews transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Vessel-tracking data revealed that in May, at least four Qatari LNG vessels and four tankers linked to Abu Dhabi-based ADNOC transited the Strait of Hormuz without transmitting tracking signals. Sources speaking to Bloomberg stated that Qatari authorities requested captains of state-owned and chartered tankers to turn off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders when navigating around the Ras Laffan port—the world’s largest LNG export terminal—as well as when transiting or exiting the Persian Gulf.

The implemented security measures extend beyond turning off transponders. Sources reported that vessels have been instructed to transit the gulf in pairs to enhance security, and tanker captains who refused to comply with the “shadow” navigation protocols have been replaced.

Industry sources speaking to Bloomberg warned that the increase in covert transits undermines the fundamental rules of international maritime trade and transforms these shipping routes into high-risk areas.

They emphasized that until recently, every cargo in the LNG sector could be tracked in real time, but these newly adopted tactics have eliminated that transparency.

Saul Kavonic, a senior energy analyst at energy consultancy MST Marquee, commented on the situation, saying: “It is entirely natural for Persian Gulf LNG producers to try to avoid Iranian attacks and consequently adopt shadow fleet methods. This could persist as long as Iran continues to control and threaten transits through the Strait of Hormuz. This practice may continue for a long time even after a peace agreement is signed.”

Following the start of US and Israeli attacks on Iran, the Tehran government closed the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for approximately 20% of global oil shipments and 30% of global liquefied natural gas.

After negotiations in Islamabad failed, US President Donald Trump announced on April 13 that he would impose a blockade on Iranian ports. In late May, he announced that the blockade was lifted as part of the planned peace treaty process with Tehran.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has announced that international demand for military systems manufactured in the country and deployed in regional conflicts has reached unprecedented levels.

In an official statement, the ministry declared that exports of military equipment and weaponry have hit an all-time high for the fifth consecutive year.

According to the disclosed data, export volume reached $19.2 billion in 2025, representing an approximate 30% increase compared to the previous year. The figures demonstrate that the country’s defense exports have doubled over the past five years and quadrupled over the past decade.

Data shared by the ministry indicates that missile, rocket, and air defense systems secured the largest share of military sales contracts signed throughout 2025.

Sales in this sector accounted for 29% of the total trade volume. The ministry noted that the vast majority of these agreements fell into the category of “mega-contracts”—each valued at a minimum of $100 million—and that these large-scale deals constituted 53% of the total export volume.

The Ministry of Defense directly attributed this export growth to ongoing regional military operations.

The statement argued that global demand was driven by results achieved on the ground and the “combat-proven” performance of Israeli-made systems across all fronts, including the “Rising Lion” operation launched against Iran in June 2025.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has conducted simultaneous military operations across multiple fronts in Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.

The military equipment and ammunition described as “combat-tested” in the ministry’s report continue to be deployed in active conflict zones, most notably in Lebanon.

Among the defense firms highlighted during this period is the Israel-based company Xtend, which has drawn attention for its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Systems developed by the company have reportedly been utilized in operations in Gaza and for targeted assassinations. International reports revealed that an Xtend UAV was used to locate Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in October 2024.

Earlier in the year, Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump, announced that he would make significant investments in Xtend’s technology and support the company’s merger with the Florida-based JFB Construction Holdings.

Meanwhile, airstrikes and bombings conducted by the Israeli military continue to drive up civilian casualties in Gaza and Lebanon. In Lebanon alone, attacks over the past few months have claimed more than 3,400 lives. Thousands of deaths have also been reported in US-backed military operations carried out in Iran.

Studies published in the medical journal The Lancet project that the total death toll in Gaza, when including both direct and indirect fatalities, could reach hundreds of thousands.

During this period, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has supported Israel’s operations, emerged as one of the largest buyers of Israeli-origin weapons.

The Gulf nation is reported to have procured billions of dollars in military equipment from Israel over the past five years. According to US sources, the Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv administrations have established a joint fund to develop and procure new weapons systems.

On the other hand, as Tel Aviv continues to market its air defense systems globally, military tensions along the Lebanese border persist.

Hizbullah kamikaze drones have reportedly targeted Iron Dome batteries positioned at Israeli locations near the Lebanese border. The Israeli military has reportedly faced difficulties intercepting these attacks, with dozens of Israeli soldiers killed in Hizbullah strikes launched since March 2.