Iran bars France and Oman from clearing Strait of Hormuz

Iranian officials said they will not permit France or Oman to carry out demining work in the Strait of Hormuz. The statement was made by the Iranian deputy foreign minister during remarks on the status of technical discussions with the United States.

The announcement follows recent military exchanges in the Gulf region. Officials in Washington and Tehran have continued to schedule a high-level meeting in Qatar for Tuesday despite the tensions.

Diplomatic schedule The planned Qatar meeting will include senior U.S. advisers and focus on implementation of a memorandum of understanding between the two governments. A separate technical session on operational details is also set to continue on the sidelines.

Iranian officials indicated that conditions must be met before the technical talks can proceed this week. No further details on those conditions were provided.

Regional developments In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces killed a 15-year-old Palestinian during an operation near Ramallah, according to local health authorities. Settlers have also begun fencing land near two towns in an effort to establish a new outpost.

Israeli forces installed a roof over an open courtyard at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and removed murals in a nearby village. Additional incidents involving settlers and troops were reported at an archaeological site in Sebastia.