Iran live updates: IRGC says Strait of Hormuz will 'never' revert to pre-war state

Iran agreed to allow Philippines-flagged ships and energy sources destined for the country through the Strait of Hormuz, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Thursday.

The decision was announced after a phone conversation between Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the statement said.

"The Iranian foreign minister assured the secretary that Iran will allow the safe, unhindered and expeditious passage through the Strait of Hormuz of Philippine-flagged vessels, energy sources and all Filipino seafarers," the statement said.

"Given that the Philippines imports the majority of its energy requirements from the Middle East, these assurances from Iran will greatly facilitate the steady delivery of critical oil and fertilizer supplies to the Philippines," the statement said.

Iranian officials on Thursday dismissed President Donald Trump's Wednesday assertion that the U.S.' "core strategic objectives" in Iran are "nearing completion."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement, "We will not accept this vicious cycle of war, then negotiations, then a ceasefire, then a repeat of the same pattern."

"This is not only disastrous for Iran, but for the entire region and beyond," Baghaei said. "This is not an ordinary war; it is a combination of terrorist activities and warfare. They have targeted our leaders, our military commanders, even when they were not on duty. This is an unjust war imposed on the Iranian people and therefore we have no choice but to respond forcefully."

Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian military's Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said of the U.S. strikes, "The centers you think you have targeted are insignificant."

"Our strategic military productions take place in locations of which you have no knowledge and will never reach," Zolfaghari said, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that the U.S. and Israel's "illegal military action" against Iran is the "root cause of the obstruction of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

"Only a ceasefire that achieves peace and stability in the Gulf region can fundamentally safeguard the safety and unimpeded flow of international waterways. All parties should work together to de-escalate the situation and prevent regional instability from having a greater impact on global economic and energy security," Mao said at a press briefing.

Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia reported fresh Iranian attacks on Thursday morning.

The UAE's Defense Ministry said in a post to X that its air defenses were "engaging with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran."

The Saudi Defense Ministry reported the downing of at least five drones and one ballistic missile since midnight on Wednesday.