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The US hit targets in Iran yesterday and then Iran hit targets. The Iranian government is not pleased with the USA:
Iranian official warns US after strikes: ‘Keep your word or pay the price’
July 12, 2026
Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday warned the U.S. to maintain its end of an interim peace deal with Iran “or pay the price” following the latest airstrikes.
“The era of one-sided deals is OVER,” Ghalibaf wrote on the social platform X. “We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”
Ghalibaf’s X post included one of the 14 points of the memorandum of understanding (MOU), which reads: “Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa.”
The U.S. launched a third round of airstrikes on Iranian targets after the Islamic regime announced that it had indefinitely closed the Strait of Hormuz, the path of transit for 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas. The strait closed after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy for using an “unauthorized route.”
The IRGC told Iranian state media that it will keep the strait closed “until the U.S. ends its intervention in the region.” https://thehill.com/policy/international/5964481-ghalibaf-warns-us-peace/
12 July 2026
Iran launched missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours this morning in retaliation to a number of US strikes and announced the closure of the strategic strait of Hormuz until further notice.
Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE all reportedly came under attack. Qatar said three people, including a child, had been injured by falling shrapnel but there were no immediate reports of any casualties.
The US said it had struck Iran early on Sunday after the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on a Cyprus-registered container ship they claimed was sailing an “unauthorised route” through the strait of Hormuz.
According to state media, the IRGC then said they had hit a second vessel, accusing it of “violating regulations”.
A short time later, US central command said its forces had carried out a round of strikes against Iran, attacking at least 140 targets.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s top negotiator in the peace talks and the country’s parliament speaker, said in a social media post this morning that: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”
In response to the US attacks against Iran, the IRGC claimed they had destroyed a command and control centre and drone hangars in Jordan, targeted a US radar site in Kuwait, attacked US aircraft carrier support and refuelling platforms in Oman and destroyed a jet maintenance centre and command facility in Qatar.
India’s foreign ministry condemned an attack on the commercial vessel – GFS Galaxy – off the coast of Oman earlier today. It said 10 of the 11 Indian nationals on board have been rescued, while one remains missing. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jul/12/iran-gulf-us-strikes-jordan-qatar-uae-strait-hormuz-latest-news-updates-live
The fighting between the USA and Iran is not over.
While Iran was partially neutralized earlier this year, (watch our video: Iran Neutralization Prediction Confirmed), more neutralization is coming.
For over a decade I warned that Iran was not the coming King of the South and that Iran would somehow be neutralized. Here are parts of three of many posted statements related to Iran:
I believe that Iran will be somewhat neutralized at some point in time as I differ from PCG on Iran and the king of the South. (COG News: Emphasizing News of Interest to those Once in the Worldwide Church of God. April 7, 2007. https://cogwriter.com/1103news.htm)
According to the Bible, the King of the South (Daniel 11:40) will rise up and we will see if this happens sometime after an Israeli conflict with Iran. Since Iran is not destined to be the King of the South, … I have long written that Iran will somehow be neutralized (through a conflict involving Israel and/or internal strife, etc.) … (Thiel B. Obama arrives in Israel and meets with Netanyahu. COGwriter, May 20, 2013)
I have long believed that Iran is a threat that will one day be ‘neutralized,’ as I believe it will overplay its hand. (Thiel B. After second tanker incident, Israel says it is ready to attack. COGwriter, August 5, 2021)
The following is something that was posted here back in 2019:
Expect Iran to be involved in more terrorism. But also expect that Iran will be at least neutralized. … Iran is mainly east of Jerusalem … Iran might be a king of the East, but it is not the King of the South. (Thiel B. PCG: Will America and Iran Go to War? COGwriter, July 4, 2019)
Here are more statements:
I have long believed that Iran is a threat that will one day be ‘neutralized,’ as I believe it will overplay its hand. (Thiel B. After second tanker incident, Israel says it is ready to attack. COGwriter, August 5, 2021)
Related to Iran, back in October of 2022, I posted:
As far as Iran itself goes, while it wants to lead all of Islam, it will fail in that objective — the Bible points to an Arabic power doing that in Daniel 11:40-43. Because of that, I have long felt that it may be that Iran would be ‘neutralized’ before the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40) rises up.
Iran could be neutralized by internal unrest or other matters–and there is unrest in Iran. On the other hand, if it employs, or attempts to employ, certain weapons of mass destruction in certain locals, it may well cause Israel, the USA, and/or others to turn on it and destroy aspects of its military capability.
I have long believed that Iran is a threat that will one day be ‘neutralized’ (Jeremiah 49:34-38), as I believe it will overplay its hand. (Thiel B. Iran, Drones, Ukraine, and Israel. COGwriter, October 21, 2022)
In my free 2023 eBook Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?, I predicted:
Despite its posturing, relative military strength, and ability to damage Israel and others, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24).
Here is something I posted a few weeks before the current war with Iran, along with something in even closer post:
As far as Iran itself goes, it has long wanted to lead all of Islam. It hopes by one day conquering Israel (according to a video it put out over a decade ago), it will get the rest of the Muslims to follow it. However, it will fail to become the leader of Islam– the Bible points to an Arabic power doing that in Daniel 11:40-43. Because of that, I have long felt that it may be that Iran would be ‘neutralized’ before the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40) rises up. (Thiel B. Iran makes retaliatory threats–is Iran overplaying its hand? COGwriter, February 8, 2026)
Despite its posturing and relative military strength, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24). (Thiel B. Donald Trump threatens Iran with a deadline–How might Iran strike back? COGwriter, February 20, 2026)
As Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump have basically confirmed, Iran has been somewhat neutralized (see Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump confirm another COGwriter prediction).
As I wrote before, neutralization does not mean that Iran will be eliminated:
Neutralization does not mean that Iran will be eliminated. But basically we in the CCOG believe that Iran will not be in a strong enough military position to become the King of the South of biblical prophecies such as Daniel 11:40-43. However, Iran may at least partially support such an Islamic leader to a degree. (Thiel B. Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump confirm another COGwriter prediction. COGwriter, March 2026)
Yet, a critic of my sermon, 21st Century Prophets (and Prophetesses), posted the following at the Banned by HWA website on 28 February 2026:
Not one ‘prophet’ from within the Armstrong fold as far as I can see, has predicted the unfolding events in Iran. Latest news is that Ayatollah Khamenei has been eliminated, as have many at the very top of the Islamic regime. Including defence minister. Goodbye king of the south lol. Have family in Ashdod and Jerusalem, so am concerned for their welfare at this time. No one has heard of Dr Bob Thiel in the ME, especially in Israel. Total unknown.
Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 1:09:56 PM PST
Something like this may have been unexpected by Gerald Flurry of PCG, but not to those of us willing to believe what the Bible actually teaches.
As seemingly typical of critics posting there, poster failed to realize that:
I have written that Iran would not be the King of the South.
I seem to have been the first to write that because of that Iran would be somehow neutralized.
I repeatedly have warned for nearly two decades that Iran would be somewhat neutralized.
I also continue to write that Iran is not finished with its military moves per Isaiah 22:6-9.
The loss of Iran’s Supreme leader and several of its top military and political leaders was a partial neutralization.
Because of the bombings and other attacks by the USA and Israel, Iran’s military capabilities have been seriously degraded.
Iran will NOT be the King of the South of biblical prophecies.
But, Iran still has a prophetic role and, therefore expect it to cause significant damage to Jerusalem, despite its somewhat neutralized state, because of Isaiah 22:6-9.
Yet, more damage, more neutralization, will hit Iran.
Now, although we do not see everything clearly (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12), because we in the Continuing Church of God rely more on scripture than Protestants and others actually do, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here are links to two related videos Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18? Here is a link in the French language: Est-ce que l’Église Continue de Dieu confirme les signes d’Actes 2:17-18? A related sermon in the English language is also available: 17 Last Days’ Signs of the Holy Spirit.
21st Century Church of God Prophets Are there any true prophets in the 21st century? What about false prophets? What are scriptures and fruits to identify the true from the false? Will you prove all things and test the spirits? Here is a link to a relate sermon: 21st Century Prophets (and Prophetesses).
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God
