MANTRA DAO Initiates Survey Vote to Solicit Feedback on Team Token Burn Execution

On April 9, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has told mediators it will limit daily ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to roughly a dozen vessels and impose a transit fee. Arab mediators noted that ships seeking passage must coordinate with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). S&P Global Platts trade flow data shows only 4 ships were granted passage on Wednesday—the lowest number since April. The approved vessels are currently sailing north along the usual route in the corridor between Iran’s Qeshm Island and Larak Island, near the Iranian coast en route to the Sea of Oman. Shipping operators say fees are typically set a week in advance and tied to vessel size; a very large crude carrier (VLCC) capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of oil can cost up to $2 million. Iran has also proposed splitting the transit fees with Oman, but Oman has not yet agreed to the plan. According to Iran’s Press TV latest updates, the Strait of Hormuz is fully close

April 9th: In a Wall Street Journal article headlined *“Fed’s Whisperer,”* Nick Timiraos noted the U.S.-Iran ceasefire has offered an opening to address a major threat to the global economy. For the Federal Reserve, however, it may have merely swapped one problem for another: energy prices remain volatile enough to keep inflation uncomfortably high—but not so severe as to crush demand, potentially keeping interest rates on hold longer. Minutes from the Fed’s March meeting emphasized the conflict was not the primary reason holding back rate cuts; rather, it complicated the central bank’s already cautious stance. Even before the war, the path to rate cuts had narrowed: the labor market stabilized (easing recession fears), while progress toward the Fed’s 2% inflation target stalled. The Fed held rates steady at its March gathering, in part due to concerns about prolonged war risks. An escalation could drag down growth and raise recession odds—the last and most compelling case for re

On Wednesday, April 9, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization announced via the country’s SNN news agency that it has designated two safe passage routes in the Strait of Hormuz. Ships are required to use these routes in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the organization said. The safe entry route runs from the Sea of Oman to north of Larak Island, while the safe exit route from the Persian Gulf mandates ships enter the Sea of Oman south of Larak Island. (FX168)

**April 9th (Local Wednesday) – White House, IAEA, Pentagon Updates on Iran’s Enriched Uranium** White House Press Secretary Levitt announced Wednesday (local time) that Iran has signaled it will transfer its enriched uranium stockpile—framed as a top priority under former President Trump. Trump previously cited preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons as a key rationale for military action, a claim Iran has long denied. At a press briefing, Levitt stated: “This is a red line the president will never back down from, and he is committed to seeing this through.” When asked if Iran had indicated plans to transfer the uranium, she confirmed: “Yes, they have indicated that,” though she did not provide specific details. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi noted roughly half of Iran’s 60%-enriched uranium (its highest enrichment level) is stored in an underground tunnel complex in Isfahan—and is likely still there. This tunnel facility was

On April 9th, the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament stated that three key provisions of the 10-Point Plan were violated **before negotiations began**. The violations include: 1. Failure to abide by the ceasefire provision in the Ten-Point Plan related to Lebanon — Pakistan’s Prime Minister has explicitly noted this is a “comprehensive ceasefire that takes immediate effect across all locations, including Lebanon and other areas”; 2. An invading drone entered Iranian airspace and was destroyed in Lar, Fars Province — a clear violation of the provision barring further incursions into Iranian airspace; 3. Denial of Iran’s right to enrich uranium, which is included in the sixth provision of the framework. The “realistic conditions” that should have formed the basis for negotiations have been **blatantly violated** even before talks kicked off. Under these circumstances, implementing a bilateral ceasefire or engaging in negotiations is unreasonable. (Source: Forex)

On April 9, minutes from the Federal Reserve’s March Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting revealed a growing number of officials favor signaling potential future rate hikes over additional cuts to markets. The minutes noted “some participants” cited good reason to include a two-sided description of the Committee’s future rate decisions in the post-meeting statement—up from “a few” participants in the January minutes. In Fed terminology, “some” denotes more officials than “a few.” Fed officials evaluated multiple scenarios for the U.S. economy following the outbreak of the Iran war, including those requiring rate cuts and those that could warrant hikes. Most expressed concern the conflict could impact the labor market, justifying potential cuts, while many emphasized inflation risks that could eventually necessitate hikes. The minutes also showed a rising number of officials advocating for adding language to the post-meeting statement referencing the possibility of rate hi