Home Live TV Pakistan World Sports Business Showbiz Shows Videos Technology Discover Pakistan Health Crime Fake News Weird

US-Iran war

Iran president vows to 'firmly defend' country's positions at UN

  • US, Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb 28, with Trump declaring “major combat operations”
  • Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei martyred in the strikes, and his son Mojtaba succeeded him in March
  • A 2-week ceasefire agreed on April 8, followed by US-Iran face-to-face talks in Pakistan
  • A preliminary agreement reached in June, but renewed fighting and disputes over Strait of Hormuz continued through July
  • The war has now entered its 7th month, with Hormuz remaining at the centre of the crisis

Saudi civil defence says danger has passed in Najran area following alert

?A ?potential ?danger has passed in ?Saudi ‌Arabia's ?Najran ‌region, civil ?defence said after ‌an earlier alert ‌was ?issued, amid ongoing hostilities between ?the ?kingdom and ?Yemen's ?Iran-backed Houthis. 

Iran president vows to 'firmly defend' country's positions at UN

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday vowed to "firmly defend" his country's positions, as he departed for New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

"We emerged with our heads held high, and this is a source of dignity and pride for all of us. Therefore, we will firmly defend our positions in international forums," he said before flying out of Iran, according to footage broadcast by state television.

The president is due to speak at the UN meeting on Wednesday.  

Iran foreign minister arrives in New York for UN General Assembly

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York ahead of President Masoud Pezeshkian's expected arrival on Tuesday for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, Iranian state media reported.

Pezeshkian will be the highest-ranking Tehran official to enter the United States since the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Iranian state media said that Pezeshkian departed for New York early Tuesday to attend the event and "present the positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran." 

Iran's Revolutionary Guard warns US over escalation, and other Mideast developments

A spokesperson for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Mohebbi, said that “the war is not over” and warned that Iran would change its weapons, military tactics and targets if the conflict with the US escalates.

“We will certainly change the geography of the war,” Mohebbi said in a statement carried by Iranian state media. “We will certainly bring new weapons with new capabilities into the battle.” He said the Guard had prepared for a long-term war.

“Our targets will no longer necessarily be the same as before,” he said, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, adding that Iran has targets that have not yet been struck. 

Houthis must 'immediately cease' strikes against Saudi Arabia: G7 foreign ministers

The foreign ministers of the G7 condemned on Monday the "unacceptable continued strikes" waged from Yemen against Saudi Arabia and urged the group to immediately hold fire.

"We call on the Houthis to immediately cease all military actions, all threats and attacks against civilian shipping, and to return to the political process in good faith," the leaders representing Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States said in a statement.

They also called on Iran "to end its arming of and support for the Houthis," alleging Tehran is in violation of past UN Security Council resolutions. 

Iran foreign minister arrives in New York for UN General Assembly

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York on Monday, leading Tehran's diplomatic delegation at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, the foreign ministry said.

Araghchi is the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the United States since the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Araghchi spoke by phone with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after his arrival and exchanged views on the agenda of the UN General Assembly, Iranian state television reported.

"Our most important objective is to use a major international platform to defend the legitimacy, rights, and interests of the Iranian people," Araghchi was quoted as telling Iranian journalists. 

Oil rises slightly ahead of potential US-Iran talks

Oil prices gained for the first time in five ?sessions on Tuesday as investors awaited developments on potential US-Iran talks at the United Nations General Assembly ‌this week after more supplies emerged through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.

The Brent crude futures November contract rose $1.14, or 1.1%, to $101.48 a barrel at 0317 GMT. The WTI October contract, which expires on Tuesday, climbed 87 cents, or 0.9%, to $96.65 a barrel. 

EU's Kallas says Red Sea mission needs more than 10 warships

The European Union’s naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea would need to boost its numbers to more than 10 warships, its foreign policy chief has said, adding that for now there were not that many in the area, Reuters reports.

The EU’s Aspides mission was launched in 2024 to protect shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, and diplomats have said there are currently six warships operating.

“When Aspides was put in place, then the indication was that it needs at least 10 ships. The situation, I think, is even more grave right now,” Kaja Kallas told reporters on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.

Kallas said the Houthi attacks were affecting European interests and impacting the global economy.

“The EU operation Aspides is making a crucial contribution to the security in the region and global shipping, but the operation needs more naval assets and more air assets to address the increased level of threats in the region,” she said. 

Irish sports figures urge national soccer team to boycott Israel matches

More than 160 Irish sports figures have signed an open letter urging Ireland’s national soccer team to boycott upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Israel.

Irish Sport for Palestine organized the petition, calling a boycott “the most sporting thing you could do.”

The matches are set for Sept. 27 in Hungary and Oct. 4 in Serbia. Both will be played behind closed doors at neutral venues.

“This is a significant moment and with this moment you have an opportunity to do the right thing,” the letter said.

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson acknowledged that “none of us feel comfortable playing in these games,” while the FAI said the matches must go ahead to protect the team’s standing, Reuters reported Monday.

 

Two Republican Senate candidates call for swift end to Iran war

Two Republicans in tight US Senate races called on Monday ?for a swift end to the war in Iran, the latest sign that vulnerable candidates are trying to put some distance between ‌themselves and President Donald Trump over a conflict that has pushed up fuel prices, including a surge in diesel to record highs.

Both Mike Rogers, locked in a competitive race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, and Ashley Hinson, who is facing Democrat Josh Turek in a close contest in Iowa, struck a more dovish tone on Iran on Monday, ?after previously backing Trump's authority to strike Tehran.

The shift was particularly notable for Hinson, a sitting member of the US House of ?Representatives, who has voted six times against House measures seeking to curb Trump's authority to continue the war, including ?as recently as last week.

"Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the ?war in Iran,” Hinson wrote on social media, while calling for a suspension of gasoline taxes, a pause in diesel exports and other measures, and ?for the war "to be brought to a successful and immediate end."

The remarks underscore growing concern among some vulnerable Republican candidates that the nearly seven-month-old conflict is becoming a political liability ahead of the November midterms, which will determine whether Republicans can hold onto narrow majorities in the House and the Senate. 

Qatar, UAE call for new regional security approach with Iran

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates called for a new regional approach to Iran, including closer dialogue and a broader security framework, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani described the war as a “wake-up call” and said Persian Gulf states needed to “act together responsibly as a region” and maintain good relations with Iran.

Sheikh Mohammed said Persian Gulf countries and Iran needed a common security framework ensuring that none posed a threat to the others, warning that without such an arrangement, “this region will just be continuing in the same way as it used to be.”

UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash separately called for a “new mindset” and said talks on regional stability should take place not only between Washington and Tehran but also “at an Iranian-Arab level.”

The FT also reported that Saudi Arabia has discussed the idea of a non-aggression pact between Middle Eastern states and Iran since the war began.

On Sunday, speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum in New York, Sheikh Mohammed was asked whether Tehran was a troublemaker. “With what we have seen and what they have created for the region, and as a response to the American-Israeli war with them in the region, it appears very clearly that they are not a peacemaker,” he said 

Trump, Macron agree to protect Middle East energy sites, Hormuz

President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met Monday in New York City to discuss regional tensions in the Middle East, agreeing on joint efforts to safeguard global energy supply.

"We decided to act together to ease tensions in the energy markets, by protecting critical infrastructure in the Middle East and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," Macron said in a post on X.

The two leaders met ahead of the U.N. General Assembly's high-level general debate, which begins Tuesday in Manhattan.
 

EU warns Red Sea crisis 'even more grave,' seeks 10-plus warships

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday that the bloc's naval mission in the Red Sea needs more than 10 warships as tensions escalate across the region.

"When Aspides (the EU military operation) was put in place, then the indication was that it needs at least 10 ships. The situation, I think, is even more grave right now," Kallas told reporters on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Reuters reported.

Kallas sent a letter to EU member states last week requesting additional naval and air assets, the outlet said.

The developments came after U.S. embassies across the Middle East issued security alerts as fighting intensified between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed coalition.
 

UN accuses Iran of crimes against humanity, US of war crimes

The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said Monday Tehran committed crimes against humanity in its protest crackdowns that began in 2025, citing unlawful killings, torture, mass arrests and internet blackouts, Iran International reported.

The panel also found reasonable grounds to believe two U.S. strikes on Feb. 28 amounted to war crimes.

One strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, killing 157 people, including 123 children. A second strike on a sports complex in Lamerd killed 22 civilians.

“The Iranian Government’s repression of the recent protests has led the Mission to find Iran responsible for gross human rights violations,” mission chair Sara Hossain told the council in Geneva.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump is expected to challenge the findings during his U.N. General Assembly address Tuesday and “call out the ridiculous.”
 

Iran war drives diesel price in US to record high

Record-high diesel prices are putting additional financial pressure on school districts across the Tennessee Valley as administrators prepare for the start of the new school year.

The average price of diesel in the United States has climbed to $6.51 per gallon, nearly 30 cents higher than a week earlier, according to AAA. The figure represents the highest national average ever recorded for diesel.

Fuel prices have continued to rise since the war in Iran began in May, with the ongoing conflict adding uncertainty to the outlook for transportation costs.

The surge is particularly challenging for school districts because many school buses rely on diesel fuel. In Tennessee, diesel prices are currently averaging more than $6.20 per gallon, compared with approximately $3.40 per gallon last year.

For school systems already working within tight transportation budgets, the sharp increase means significantly higher costs to keep buses operating and students traveling safely to and from school.

In Rhea County, Transportation Director Michael Tipton said the rising fuel prices are forcing school officials to reconsider the financial calculations involved in running the district's bus fleet.

With fuel costs continuing to fluctuate, school districts across the Tennessee Valley are preparing for a potentially expensive school year as they work to maintain reliable student transportation while managing higher operating expenses. 

Houthis push to seize strategic Yemen heights, threatening to cut off Red Sea coast

Houthi fighters pushed Monday to seize strategic heights in Yemen to cut off the Red Sea coast from areas still held by Saudi-backed forces, Reuters reported.

Five Yemeni military sources told the outlet that the Houthis were looking to capture the Kahboub Mountains in Taiz and Lahij provinces.
The mountains separate the Red Sea coast from government-held territory in southern Yemen.

Government forces appear to remain largely on the defensive after losing the Bab el-Mandeb area, while the Houthis seek to maintain momentum despite being exposed to intensive airstrikes, analyst Mohammed al-Qadhi also told Reuters.

“These mountains could become critical to determining whether the Houthis succeed in consolidating their recent territorial gains or whether government forces will be able to retain the positions necessary to mount a counteroffensive,” al-Qadhi said.

 

Turkish Airlines suspends Iran flights through March 2027 as US pressure mounts: report

Turkish Airlines has reportedly suspended flights to Iran until at least March 2027 amid U.S. pressure on Iran’s aviation sector and sanctions targeting the regime.

A Turkish Airlines representative told Iran International that the carrier currently has no flights scheduled to Iran before March 2027.

The representative did not guarantee that service would resume after that date, the outlet said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that U.S. sanctions would effectively shut Iranian airlines out of international operations beginning Sept. 23, warning that airports and companies providing services to sanctioned carriers could also face penalties.

Iraq is also moving to stop operations by Iranian airlines, according to Iraqi government sources cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“Iraq will enforce the ban on Iranian airlines in accordance with the U.S. Treasury decision starting Tuesday at dawn,” one official said, the outlet reported. 

Britain announces sending military support to Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced Monday that the UK will provide military support to Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks from the Houthi in Yemen.

Speaking to reporters en route to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Burnham said the Royal Air Force will deploy an RAF Voyager tanker aircraft in the coming days.

"We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and on the advice of the defence secretary and the foreign secretary, last night I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling," he told reporters.

"Because of course Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attack and we need to keep those pathways open, and hence our agreement to the request," he said, Reuters reported.

The U.K.'s assistance comes as Washington stays on the sidelines during the flare-up in the region.

"That is a time-limited agreement in terms of the assistance that we will provide, but we will keep it under review," Burnham added, saying Britain was "playing our part" in the Middle East by also supporting efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.


 

Iraq PM says Iran blocking Iraqi tankers from Hormuz

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Monday that Iran has not allowed Iraqi tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, even though Baghdad considers Tehran a regional partner.

“We spoke at length. The decision emerging from Iran is firm,” al-Zaidi told the New York Times. “Their goal is to drive up global oil prices. This is not about being close to them or not. Regardless, they want to create pressure.”

Al-Zaidi also said Iraq had lost about $60 billion in revenue since the Iran-US war began. Earlier in the interview, he said the war had cut Iraq’s monthly oil export revenue by 60% as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was choked off. 

Iraqi factions agree to hand over strategic weapons from March

Iraqi armed factions have agreed to begin handing over strategic weapons to the government in March 2027 under a new arrangement aimed at bringing weapons under state control, Al Arabiya reported on Monday, citing sources.

The factions have also pledged to halt any military activity outside the authority of the Iraqi state and will begin integrating their brigades into the Popular Mobilization Forces after the withdrawal of US troops is completed, the report said.

A committee overseeing efforts to restrict weapons to state control has reached understandings calling for the process to be completed by June 2027, according to Al Arabiya.

The report said unspecified parties were working to persuade Washington to accept the details of the new arrangement.

The development comes as the United States prepares to complete the withdrawal of its remaining troops from Iraq by September 30. Several powerful Iran-backed factions had previously resisted calls to disarm, while Baghdad has sought to bring armed groups and their heavier weapons under formal state command. 

Interior Minister Naqvi meets Iranian President Pezeshkian in Tehran

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, with the two sides discussing bilateral relations, regional developments and ways to expand cooperation.

According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of continuous engagement and closer communication between Pakistan and Iran, saying greater use of domestic and regional capabilities could help both countries meet many of their needs.

The Iranian president also said continued high-level contacts and coordination could strengthen cooperation across various areas, while noting that US pressure on the region had contributed to greater convergence among Muslim countries.
Naqvi, according to Press TV, said Pakistan was determined to further expand bilateral cooperation with Iran in trade, economy, tourism, politics, culture and science.

DPM Dar stresses return to dialogue in Middle East during meeting with EU's Kallas

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stressed the importance of the US and Iran returning to dialogue and all parties implementing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding during a meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

In a post on X, the FO says both exchanged views on regional and global developments, with Dar expressing appreciation for the bloc’s constructive engagement with Pakistan amid developments in the Middle East and its recognition of Islamabad’s efforts for de-escalation and dialogue in the region.

Iraq 'to suspend' US-sanctioned Iranian airlines

Two Iraqi government sources told AFP on Monday that Baghdad would suspend flights by Iranian airlines following the US Treasury's announcement that the sanctioned companies would be "shut down" worldwide in two days.

"Iraq will enforce the ban on Iranian airlines in accordance with the US Treasury decision starting Tuesday at dawn," an official said, warning that "countries that do not implement the decision risk sanctions". Another source confirmed the account.

Iranian minister thanks PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Asim Munir for peace efforts

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's met Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni as the duo exchanged views on Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations and the latest situation in the region, the ministry said.

“In the meeting, progress was reviewed on the ongoing cooperation between the interior ministries of both countries in various sectors,” the ministry posted on X.

It added that Momeni thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for their efforts towards regional peace and stability.

"We are grateful for Pakistan's continuous efforts to establish peace in the region and the recent visit was very beneficial," the Iranian interior minister said.

"In the coming times, bilateral relations will become even stronger," Naqvi added.

Vance says substantial oil and gas shipments still passing through Hormuz

US Vice President JD Vance said a “substantial amount” of oil and gas shipments was continuing to pass through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s blockade of the key shipping route.

Vance accused Iran of “terrorising international shipping” and said the United States was working to protect the free movement of commercial vessels through the strategic waterway.

“We’re of course trying to protect the free flow of commerce as much as we can,” he said.

Vance also reiterated President Donald Trump’s position that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. 

LPG tanker struck by debris from unknown projectiles near Strait of Hormuz

An LPG tanker sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz was struck by debris from unidentified projectiles, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO).

UKMTO said the vessel’s master reported that the tanker had been hit by the debris. All crew members were safe, and no environmental damage was reported.

The tanker remained operational and was expected to continue sailing towards its next port of call.

Authorities are investigating the incident, UKMTO said. 

Brent oil price sinks under $100 on Mideast war hopes

The price of Brent North Sea crude, the main international benchmark, has sunk back under $100 per barrel on hopes that diplomatic progress can be made on ending the US-Iran war, AFP reports.

Brent has tumbled four per cent to $99.69, while the main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, has slumped 5pc to $95.22 per barrel. 

Trump spoke with Yemen's president on Sunday, sources say

US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday, discussing the advances of the Iran-backed Houthis around a vital global waterway, Reuters reports citing four people familiar with the matter.

They say that Alimi requested US support for his Saudi-backed government in its fight against the Houthi rebels, who this month took key areas along the Bab al-Mandeb strait in a lightning offensive.

Two of the sources, one Yemeni and one Western, say that Trump made no direct pledge of military support during the call. 

Iran's Pezeshkian to travel to New York for UN General Assembly

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to New York on Tuesday to attend and address the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian state media reported.

According to state broadcaster Press TV, Pezeshkian’s communications chief Habibollah Abbasi said the Iranian president will hold several meetings on the sidelines of the UN session.

The Iranian president is also expected to meet prominent Iranians, American intellectuals and representatives of think tanks during his stay in New York. 

US Treasury chief says Iran airlines to 'shut down' on Sept 23 under weight of sanctions

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Iranian airlines will have trouble functioning globally in two days under the weight of American sanctions, as the Trump administration seeks to keep pressure on Tehran, AFP reports.

On September 23, “all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent told CNBC in an interview.

“If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” he added. 

Gold eases on firmer dollar, profit-taking as Mideast conflict in focus

Gold has edged lower, weighed down by a stronger dollar and profit-taking after a rally late last week, while market participants keep a close watch on the conflict in the Middle East, according to Reuters.

Spot gold fell 0.6 per cent to $4,349.99 per ounce by 10:46 GMT (3:46pm PKT). US gold futures were down 0.8pc at $4,387.80.

The dollar gained, making greenback-priced bullion more expensive for holders of other currencies. 

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrives in Tehran on official visit

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has arrived in Tehran on an official visit to Iran, where he is scheduled to meet the country’s senior leadership.

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni received his Pakistani counterpart at the airport following his arrival in the Iranian capital.

During his meetings with Iranian officials, Naqvi is expected to discuss the regional situation, bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest.

According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, the visit will focus on bilateral issues and follow-up on understandings previously reached between the leadership of Pakistan and Iran.
 

Mohsin Naqvi leaves for Iran for bilateral discussion

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday departed for Iran to hold discussions on bilateral matters and issues of mutual interest.

A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei had confirmed the Naqvi’s visit.

Baghaei said Naqvi’s visit would focus on bilateral relations and follow-up on previous understandings between Pakistan and Iran, particularly those reached at the leadership level.

The Iranian spokesperson said he had no information indicating that Naqvi would carry any message or proposal from the United States during his visit to Tehran.

He added that Pakistan, given its role in regional diplomacy, could use opportunities to discuss regional issues, but there was currently no indication of any specific US initiative being conveyed through the Pakistani minister.
 

Mohsin Naqvi leaves for Iran for bilateral discussion

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday departed for Iran to hold discussions on bilateral matters and issues of mutual interest.

A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei had confirmed the Naqvi’s visit.

Baghaei said Naqvi’s visit would focus on bilateral relations and follow-up on previous understandings between Pakistan and Iran, particularly those reached at the leadership level.

The Iranian spokesperson said he had no information indicating that Naqvi would carry any message or proposal from the United States during his visit to Tehran.

He added that Pakistan, given its role in regional diplomacy, could use opportunities to discuss regional issues, but there was currently no indication of any specific US initiative being conveyed through the Pakistani minister.
 

Vessels trickle through Strait of Hormuz as Middle East conflict persists

A dozen commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on the weekend, down from 35 the prior weekend, shipping data showed on Monday, as tension in the Gulf persisted with the US and Iran in stalemate.

Visible traffic through the strait, the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has dwindled to a trickle. However, Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil on tankers travelling with their transponders off. 

Iran says it has new targets, weapons ready if US launches new attack, Fars news says

Iran would use new weapons and target locations not previously attacked if the United States launched a new offensive against it, Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi has said, Reuters cites Fars news agency.

“If a new aggression occurs, we will certainly change the weaponry and the geography of the war,” Mohebbi says, adding that Tehran is prepared for a prolonged conflict. 

'Door is open for Iran back to the negotiating table,' says US envoy

Oil hits over 1-week low on hopes of boost to diplomacy in Iran war

Oil prices slid to their ?lowest in more than a week on Monday on hopes diplomacy in the Iran war will get a chance ‌this week amid a UN meet and as investors eyed a partial recovery in shipments from Saudi Arabia despite ongoing attacks by Yemen's Houthis.

Brent crude futures and US West Texas Intermediate crude touched their lowest since September 10 earlier on Monday, with Brent at $101.71 a barrel by 0213 GMT, down $2.16, or ?2.08%, after settling 0.91% lower on Friday. 

Vessels trickle through Strait of Hormuz as Middle East conflict persists

A dozen ‌commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on the weekend, down from 35 the prior weekend, shipping data showed on Monday, as tension in the Gulf persisted with the US and Iran in stalemate.

Visible traffic through the strait, the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has dwindled to a trickle. However, Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil on tankers travelling with their transponders off. 

Iran GDP falls more than 10 percent in Mideast war: official statistics

Iran’s economy contracted by more than 10 percent during the Middle East war, which began with US-Israeli attacks in late February that unleashed turmoil and battered the Islamic republic’s economy.

The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 10.1 percent year-on-year from late March to late June, a period known in Iran as the first quarter of the Persian calendar, according to the Statistical Center of Iran on Sunday. 

Trump pulls back from strikes on Iran-backed Houthis: report

US President Donald Trump decided Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia in strikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis for now, after previously directing the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes, the New York Times reported, citing administration officials.

The Times reported Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had urged Trump to intervene against the Houthis, prompting the president to reverse an earlier reluctance and order preparations for strikes. By midday Sunday, however, Trump had changed course again and held off on the operation, according to the report.

Commanders had approved target lists and troops were loading bombs onto US warplanes when the planned attack was halted, the Times reported, citing people briefed on the operation.

The report said much of Trump’s inner circle was skeptical or opposed to opening another front while the US military was already strained by the war with Iran. 

Houthis issue warning as Yemen war reignites, vow US ships won't be targeted

Houthi officials warned other nations Sunday against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen’s civil war while assuring Washington that U.S. ships in the Red Sea won't be attacked.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, said the U.S had contacted the group after they advanced along Yemen’s coast toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

"We confirmed that we are not targeting the United States, or any other nation, in the strait, with the sole exception of the Saudi enemy," al-Bukhaiti said.

"That remains the case." President Donald Trump also said last weekend that his team “had discussions” with the Houthis but did not specify when.

“The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us,” he said. “They would much prefer not having us involved, and they're letting most ships go through.” 

US virtual embassy in Iran urges Americans to leave country amid escalation fears

The US Virtual Embassy in Iran urged Americans to leave the country immediately Sunday, warning of potential flight cancellations and airspace closures amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

“Do not travel to Iran for any reason. U.S. citizens should leave Iran now,” the embassy said in a security alert shared online.

The embassy said the security environment remained “complex,” with the potential for “unforeseen escalation.”

It advised Americans in the region to exercise heightened vigilance and check with their airlines directly for updates on flight departures.

The alert also warned that “Iranian-supported Houthis” have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports.

“This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the embassy said. 

Iran presses Iraqi factions not to disarm: report

Iran is pressuring Iraqi armed factions not to hand over their weapons as Baghdad pushes to bring arms under state control, Al Arabiya reported on Sunday, citing sources.

The sources said an Iraqi committee overseeing the disarmament process had received a document setting out demands from the factions concerning the handover of weapons, while the government had presented several proposals of its own.

The talks come ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline for ending the mission of the US-led international coalition in Iraq. Iraqi officials have said the date is final and that Baghdad intends to place security fully under central government control after the withdrawal.

Several powerful armed groups have either resisted disarmament or attached conditions to it, according to the report. 

Qatar says mediators shuttling between capitals to revive Iran-US talks

Qatar is exchanging proposals between Iran and the United States in an effort to restart negotiations, with mediation teams working around the clock to bridge remaining differences, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told Bloomberg on Sunday.

Al-Ansari said Qatari mediators were shuttling between capitals as Doha sought to end the conflict and restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

He warned that restrictions on international waterways could set a dangerous precedent, speaking on “Bloomberg This Weekend” at the Qatar Economic Forum’s UN General Assembly special edition.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is due to make a brief stop in Doha for consultations on regional developments before traveling to New York for the UN General Assembly, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said. 

CENTCOM highlights US sailors aboard USS John Finn amid Iran conflict

US Central Command (CENTCOM) showcased its sailors aboard the destroyer USS John Finn carrying out operations in the Arabian Sea amid the conflict with Iran on Sunday.

“A look into the daily operations of U.S. Navy Sailors aboard USS John Finn (DDG 113) as the guided-missile destroyer supports military operations in the Arabian Sea,” the command said in a post shared on X. 

Iran tells US it has 'no choice' but to accept Tehran's 7 conditions for talks

Iran’s embassy in Hyderabad, India, said Sunday that Washington has “no option” but to accept Tehran’s rights and conditions if it wants to begin negotiations with Iran.

“Iran has communicated its 7 conditions for the commencement of any negotiations to the U.S. administration,” the embassy said in a post shared on X.

“Tehran’s message is clear and unambiguous: if Washington seeks to extricate itself from the predicament of its own making and avoid further entanglement, it has no option but to accept Iran’s rights and conditions,” it added.

The statement came after Supreme National Security Council Secretary Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei said Iran had communicated seven conditions to Washington.

“If Washington wants to get out of the quagmire it created for itself and avoid becoming further entangled in it, it has no choice but to accept Iran’s rights,” Rezaei said on X.  

Sisi, CIA chief discuss Iran crisis, regional security

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Sunday for talks that included efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement on Iran and restore regional security and freedom of navigation.

Sisi expressed Egypt’s “full support” for efforts to resolve the Iranian crisis through a comprehensive agreement and stressed the importance of political and diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts, according to a statement from Egypt’s presidency.

Ratcliffe said the US administration remained committed to close coordination with Egypt on Middle East security and stability. The two sides also discussed intelligence cooperation, including counterterrorism and organized crime, according to the statement. 

France to summon Iran envoy after closure of cultural centre

France will summon Iran’s ambassador and take unspecified measures after Iranian authorities sealed a French language centre affiliated with the French embassy in Tehran, the French Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

“This new attack against France’s cultural presence in Iran, following the assault on two staff members of the French embassy last July, is unjustifiable and unacceptable,” ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported earlier Sunday that the judiciary had closed the French Language Centre in Tehran over what it described as “illegal acts” that violated diplomatic conventions, accusing the institute of abusing its status as a language school to identify and build networks among prominent Iranians and facilitate their departure.

Relations between Tehran and Paris have been strained since France expelled two Iranian diplomats in August in response to the brief detention and banning of two French envoys in Iran. 

Iran FM heads to New York for UN General Assembly

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left for New York at the head of a diplomatic delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly, state media reported on Sunday.

Araghchi will travel to New York after a brief stop in Qatar, according to the report.


 

Trump says Houthis agreed not to attack US, report says

US President Donald Trump has said Yemen’s Houthis have agreed not to target the United States, despite escalating attacks against US ally Saudi Arabia, Fox News reported.

Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, who frequently speaks with Trump, said the president told him that Washington remains in “constant communication” with the Houthis.

According to Yingst, Trump said the group had agreed “not to fight the United States.” 

Average French diesel prices hit record 2.41 euros

French diesel prices have hit a fresh record, according to an AFP analysis, as the Middle East war disrupts oil supplies across the globe.

Prices at the pump have been soaring across the world after the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in February, with the renewed conflict in Yemen and attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure intensifying the spike in recent days.

At 10:30am (0830 GMT), the price per litre stood at 2.41 euros ($2.76 dollars), according to an average calculated by AFP based on prices displayed on Sunday at more than 8,700 petrol stations on the economy ministry’s website, exceeding the previous record set the day before. 

Iran informed that US plans to resume action, state media reports

Iran received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, is preparing to resume actions against Iran, the country’s central military command said in a statement, Reuters reports.

The military said that any US attack would trigger sustained strikes on US bases and interests in the region, the report added, warning that regional countries supporting US aggression against Iran would be considered parties to the conflict. 

Regional countries involved in US attacks on Iran 'should not expect restraint'

Iran’s military central command warns against US plans of attacking Iran with green light from regional countries, Reuters cites state media.

Iran has further warned that “regional countries involved in any US attack on Iran should not expect restraint from Iran’s armed forces”. 

Iran vows to 'deal devastating blows using full military might' at 'critical moment'

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says “one must both fight and negotiate” as the nearly seven-month war with the United States drags on.

“This means at the critical moment we must push the enemy back and deal them devastating blows using our full military might,” Ghalibaf has said while addressing parliament.

“However, once we have achieved significant success on the battlefield and the enemy is in a position of weakness, we must use diplomacy to consolidate these gains.”

Iran’s position in negotiations is “entirely clear, rational, and non-negotiable”, Ghalibaf says. 

Saudi, Gulf stocks fall after Houthis claim Riyadh attacks

Saudi Arabia’s stock market opened lower today after Yemen’s Houthis said they struck “sensitive” targets in Riyadh with missiles and drones, with the subdued sentiment spreading across Gulf bourses, Reuters reports.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index .TASI fell 0.5 per cent, led by a 0.6pc decline in oil major Saudi Aramco 2222.SE and a 0.5pc fall in the country’s biggest lender by assets Saudi National Bank 1180.SE.

In Qatar, the main index .QSI fell 0.9pc, pressured by a 3.7pc drop in petrochemical producer Industries Qatar IQCD.QA.

 

'Series of explosions' in Lebanon's Majdal Zoun

National News Agency says the town of Majdal Zoun “is being subjected to a series of hostile bombings, coinciding with a search operation in the area.”

Earlier, the agency said there had been Israeli artillery attacks in and near the towns of Aita al-Jabal and Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, as well as bombings in Wadi al-Salouqi, Wadi al-Hujeir, al-Mansouri and the outskirts of Beit al-Sayyad. 

Iran's Ghalibaf says Hormuz Strait to remain closed until conditions met

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Tehran's conditions are met, Iran's Fars news agency reported. 

Yemen govt voices condemnation over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Yemen's internationally recognised government has denounced Saturday's attacks on Riyadh as a "blatant violation" of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty.

In a statement, Yemen's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it holds the Houthis responsible for the attack, adding it "also holds the Iranian regime responsible for continuing to provide them with military support and enabling them to continue their attacks in service of its regional agenda".

It also expressed support for any measures Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-led coalition forces take to "deter the attacks and protect the kingdom’s security". 

Iran prepared to help achieve peace between Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Rezaei says

Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera on the Houthi-Saudi Arabia conflict, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei says, “We genuinely want to end the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen”.

“If they also ask for our help, we are fully prepared to help achieve peace between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.” 

'America must implement our conditions first': Iran security chief lays out Tehran's position

Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei says America must implement Tehran’s conditions in exclusive interview with Al Jazeera.

“The respected Qatari government, as well as the respected Pakistani government, are currently engaged in continuous consultations with us. There are ongoing contacts and meetings. We have informed them of our conditions — and the Americans themselves are aware of our conditions as well… and we are waiting for the Americans to accept and implement them.”

Rezaei says, “Our conditions include the release of our frozen assets. Secondly, they must announce an end to the war on all fronts — refrain from interfering in our internal affairs, stop cooperating with opponents of our revolution, halt any form of aggression against our territory, and lift the naval blockade.”

“America must implement our conditions first, and only then can negotiations follow.” 

Saudi-led coalition says Houthis fired ballistic missile at Riyadh

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis says that the Iran-backed group fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh at dawn, after a fire broke out near the Saudi capital’s international airport, AFP reports.

Firefighters extinguished a blaze on a fuel tank with the logo of Saudi oil giant Aramco at a fuel depot near Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, an AFP journalist has seen. Footage shared online and verified by AFP shows a column of black smoke above airport buildings.

Saudi Arabia’s air force “successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards the city of Riyadh at dawn on Saturday”, coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki has posted on X.

He says the Houthis also tried to target “civilians and civilian infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu,” adding that the attacks “were thwarted by the Gulf monarchy’s air defences”. 

Trump cuts short weekend, returns to White House

US President Donald Trump has cut short a weekend at Camp David to return unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday, as tensions rose in the Middle East, reports AFP.

There was no explanation from the administration why Trump was no longer returning on Sunday from Camp David, a secluded presidential complex in rural Maryland, as had been previously announced.

The change in plan came as the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday that the group fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh at dawn, after a fire broke out near the Saudi capital’s international airport. 

US Embassy warns Americans in Iraq of potential escalation, travel disruptions

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad warned Americans Saturday to remain vigilant as heightened tensions across the Middle East raise the potential for further escalation.
The security alert warned Americans in the region of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions and urged travelers to monitor airport and airline operations.

The embassy specifically pointed to recent hostilities between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia, including attacks involving civilian airports, warning that the conflict could escalate rapidly.

U.S. officials also warned that Iran and groups supportive of Tehran could target American interests overseas, including U.S. businesses and other institutions.

Americans in Iraq were advised to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, monitor local media, remain cautious around locations associated with the United States and keep a low profile.

 

Turkey reveals fresh diplomatic push to end US-Iran war

Turkey is working with other countries on new proposals aimed at bringing the U.S. and Iran toward an agreement to end the war, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday.

"Turkey and other countries are presenting proposals and are making every effort to bring the negotiations between the United States and Iran to a conclusion," Fidan told Turkish broadcaster NTV.

Fidan did not provide details of the proposals but pointed to distrust between Washington and Tehran.

"There is a strong distrust between the parties," Fidan said. "Now both sides are clearly trying to advance this process in a way that will secure their interests."


 

Trump returns to White House after leaving Camp David earlier than expected

President Donald Trump returned to the White House Saturday evening after leaving Camp David in Maryland earlier than initially expected.

Marine One arrived at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., around 8 p.m. Saturday evening after the president departed the presidential retreat in Maryland.

Trump's return comes as his administration weighs its next steps in the war with Iran and ahead of his trip to New York next week for the U.N. General Assembly.

Iran said Saturday that it had conveyed conditions to the U.S. through Qatar for ending the war and was awaiting Trump's response.
 

US CENTCOM says forming regional drone unit, bolstering air defenses

The US military is "working with every partner in the region enhancing their air defense, forming a new coalition attack drone unit and keeping the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters open and clear," CENTCOM Chief Brad Cooper said in a video message on Saturday. 

Iran war weapons bill jumps by more than $6b as total US military costs hit $43.6b

The U.S. military's costs for the war with Iran have climbed to an estimated $43.6 billion, according to a new U.S. Central Command assessment provided to lawmakers.

The estimate covers expenses through Sept. 3 and marks an increase from the $38 billion that the Congressional Budget Office estimated the conflict had cost through Aug. 1, The Associated Press reported.

Weapons accounted for the largest share of the latest estimate, with munitions costs reaching $28.1 billion. That's up from $21.7 billion in the CBO's earlier assessment.

The military's breakdown also includes costs associated with operating warships, aircraft and bases, along with equipment losses and medical support for U.S. troops.

The latest estimate comes as the Trump administration seeks congressional approval for a $1.5 trillion military budget and a separate $95 billion package that would help fund the Iran war and other priorities.

The Pentagon has reported 18 U.S. service members killed and more than 830 wounded during the conflict, according to AP.

The new estimate does not include damage inflicted on U.S. bases in the Middle East by Iranian missile and drone attacks. 

US Marines conduct helicopter training aboard USS Portland in Arabian Sea

US Marines conducted hoist training aboard the USS Portland in the Arabian Sea, U.S. Central Command said Saturday.

CENTCOM released an image showing an MH-60S Sea Hawk hovering above the amphibious transport dock's flight deck as Marines participated in the training.

The exercise comes as U.S. military forces continue operations in the Middle East amid the war with Iran.

The USS Portland is an amphibious transport dock designed to transport and support Marines, aircraft and landing craft. 

Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted Houthi ballistic missile over Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthis toward Riyadh early Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition said, hours after an air attack set fire to jet-fuel storage at the capital’s main airport.

Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said Houthi attempts to target civilian areas in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu had also been thwarted by Saudi air defenses, according to a statement issued by the coalition.

The statement did not say whether the intercepted missile was linked to the Houthi attack against the King Khalid International Airport, where black smoke and flames were seen earlier Saturday.

Al-Maliki accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure and said the coalition reserved the right to take what it considered appropriate measures to deter further attacks. 

Turkiye weighs military support for Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks: Turkish foreign minister

Turkiye will examine any military assistance Saudi Arabia may require under its trilateral defense pact with Pakistan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday, amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Fidan said the current Middle East crisis was no longer economically sustainable and suggested Riyadh could seek support under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

The pact provides for collective assistance among the three countries, with the form of support depending on a member’s request and joint decisions by the alliance. 

Iran military rejects US claim on 1 billion barrels crossing Hormuz

Iran’s armed forces rejected CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper’s claim that US forces had helped more than one billion barrels of Persian Gulf crude pass through the Strait of Hormuz while blocking Iranian oil exports, calling the remarks “false” and “ridiculous.”

Senior armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi accused Washington of engaging in a “failed psychological operation” aimed at boosting the morale of what he described as exhausted US forces in the region and justifying the financial and human costs of the war.

He said the US claim could not change what he described as the reality of the American military’s withdrawal from the region. 

Yemen's Houthis claim attacks on 'sensitive' sites, oil facility in Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have issued a statement via spokesman Ameen Hayyan claiming attacks on what they called “sensitive” sites in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, and also on an Aramco facility in Yanbu, Al Jazeera reports.

There has been no confirmation of the claims by Saudi Arabia.

Naqvi's Tehran visit to focus on bilateral ties, not mediation: Iranian state media

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Tehran “will focus on bilateral relations, and there is no plan to exchange any specific messages regarding mediation”, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reports citing the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei.

Iran, Oman reach understanding on safe shipping through Strait of Hormuz

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reports that Iran and Oman have reached an “understanding” on safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthis call for international action over Saudi strikes on Yemen

The Houthi rebels’ foreign ministry has called on the international community to fulfil its responsibilities in response to what it terms “criminal” actions by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, Iran’s IRNA news agency reports citing the Al-Masirah television channel.

In a statement, the ministry claims the Houthis have the legitimate right to respond to any Saudi activity that threatens its security and stability and that it will take necessary measures in this regard.

Iran says it has conveyed conditions to re-engage in talks, end war with US

Iran has conveyed its conditions to mediators for re-engaging in negotiations aimed at ending the war with the US, Al Jazeera cited Iran's Security Chief Mohsen Rezaei as saying in an interview on Saturday.

The conditions include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian funds and ending the naval blockade, Rezaei said, adding that consultations were continuing with Qatari and Pakistani mediators and that Tehran was awaiting a response from US President Donald Trump.

WATCH: Centcom chief claims US forces supported 1bn barrels of oil leaving Strait of Hormuz

Saudi Aramco fuel tank near Riyadh airport on fire

An Aramco fuel tank near Riyadh’s international airport is on fire, according to an AFP journalist.

Firefighters have been seen trying to extinguish the flames of a burnt-out fuel tank with the Saudi oil giant’s logo appearing on the structure.

'Major problems' at Riyadh airport, with flights cancelled, delayed: Flightradar24

Aircraft tracking website FlightRadar24 has reported major issues at the Saudi capital’s Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, including cancellations and delays, after residents saw smoke and flames near the site, AFP reports.

The airport was listed under the site’s maximum disruption index of 5.0, meaning the airport was seeing “major problems with long delays and several cancelled flights”.

The disruption follows an overnight air raid alert issued by Saudi authorities, the first since fighting in neighbouring Yemen intensified this month.

FM Araghchi, CDF Munir discuss regional developments: Iranian media

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir discussed the latest regional matters in a phone call, Iran’s state-run IRNA reports.

Flames, black smoke seen near Riyadh airport, says eyewitness

Flames and a large plume of black smoke were seen rising near Riyadh airport on Saturday, an eyewitness told Reuters.

The Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad, judiciary says

ran executed a man convicted of passing missile site intelligence to Israel during the 12-day war, according to the judiciary, Reuters reports.

Iran’s judiciary-run Mizan news agency said Hossein Pedaran was hanged after the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence on charges of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel.

It said Pedaran had provided Israel’s Mossad intelligence service with information on sensitive military sites in the central province of Isfahan, and had carried out the espionage for financial gain. 

Dar stresses importance of uninterrupted energy supplies in phone call with Iranian FM

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Office (FO) said, adding that the two discussed the “latest regional developments”.

“Dar stressed the importance of uninterrupted energy supplies and the safe and expeditious passage of ships, particularly given their implications for developing countries and global supply chains. He underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable means to ensure peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.

“The two agreed to maintain close cooperation and to meet in New York on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly,” it said. 

Pentagon says Iran war has cost US 43.6 billion dollars

The Pentagon estimates that the war with Iran has so far cost US $43.6 billion, a figure that does not include damage to US military facilities across 8 countries in West Asia, Press Tv reports. 

Yemeni forces claim Houthi drone shot down in Al Jawf

Yemeni government forces say they shot down Houthi drone in al-Jawf governorate.

Yemeni government forces say they have shot down a Houthi drone in the northern governorate of al-Jawf. 

Rising prices are causing concern for the people, says Iran's interior ministry

Ali Zeynivand, a spokesperson for Iran’s Interior Ministry, has said rebuilding damaged civilian infrastructure is the country’s “top priority in its post-war programmes.”

“Repairing residential homes and public service facilities, such as police stations, takes precedence over any nonessential government projects,” he said at a news briefing, as reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Zeynivand said nearly 75,000 “residential units, along with some infrastructure and connecting bridges in provinces, including Hormozgan and Golestan, have been damaged as a result of the enemy’s attacks”.

Referring to record-high inflation in Iran, after decades of Western sanctions, the spokesperson said, “Rising prices are causing concern for the people, and all officials are working to address this issue.” 

US weighs troop cuts in Europe after allies deny Iran war base access

The US is reportedly considering a significant reduction in its military presence in Europe after its allies there refused to allow Washington to use their airbases for the war on Iran.

Efforts ongoing to return to Islamabad MoU, says Iran's interior ministry

Ali Zeynivand, a spokesperson for Iran’s interior ministry, has said, “Efforts and international diplomatic mediations to resolve issues and return to the Islamabad agreement are ongoing.”

Iran demands that “the other party adhere to its commitments in this agreement”, said Zeynivand in a press briefing, according to Al Jazeera, which cited the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The official stressed it was an “agreement that has been approved by the Supreme National Security Council and confirmed by the supreme leader, and is considered an official decision of the system”.

“Active diplomacy continues with the president’s participation in the Shanghai and Brics meetings in India and Kyrgyzstan, and through intensive consultations,” Zeynivand added. 

Russia, China veto on anti?Iran draft will be recorded in history: Iran envoy

Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, says that Washington has failed in its attempt to push an anti?Iran resolution through the UN Security Council, praising Russia and China for their decisive support, IRNA reports.

In a post on his X account late on Friday, Jalali said that the US sought to impose pressure on Iran through a new resolution, but the attempt collapsed after Russia and China opposed the draft.

He thanked the two countries for standing firmly by Iran and preventing an unfair and politically motivated initiative, saying their joint veto had marked a historic moment in the Council’s record.

He added that the threadbare instrument of sanctions belonged to a past era and had already lost its effectiveness, noting that the future world will be shaped by countries that believe in a multipolar order and multilateral cooperation. 

Trump adviser discusses regional issues with Egypt's FM

United States President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, Massad Boulos, holds a call with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

The readout says that the two discussed regional issues and ways to support dialogue across the region.

UN Security Council condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, demands military de-escalation

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned “in the strongest terms” attacks by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure.

In a statement, the UNSC demands that the Houthis “immediately cease their military escalation”.

Council members reiterate their earlier condemnation of attacks and threats against shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.

The UNSC expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia and affirms its inherent right to self-defence under international law. The UN body also reaffirms its commitment to Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. 

Iran executes man accused of providing missile info to Israel

Iran’s judiciary has announced the execution of a man accused of providing information about Iranian missile sites to Israeli intelligence, AFP reported.

“The death penalty was carried out against Hossein Pedaran, who had provided the Mossad with information on missile sites in Isfahan province” in central Iran, judicial authorities said, without saying when he was arrested or put on trial. 

EU foreign policy chief warns Houthi attacks are harming global economy

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has said attacks by Houthi militants on Saudi Arabia are damaging the global economy and stressed the importance of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Kallas said maritime movement through the waterway should remain unrestricted and free of tolls.

She added that Europe was providing protection to commercial vessels against attacks by Houthi militants.

Kallas also emphasised the importance of maintaining uninterrupted maritime traffic, saying freedom of navigation was essential for international trade.
 

Pakistan condemns Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in Bab al-Mandab

Pakistan has strongly condemned attacks by the Houthi militia on merchant shipping and seafarers in the Bab-Al-Mandab Strait, calling for their immediate cessation and stressing the need to protect freedom of navigation and the safety of commercial shipping.

Speaking at a Security Council Arria Formula meeting on "Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment," organized by the Permanent Mission of Bahrain, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, said that attacks on merchant vessels in the Bab-Al-Mandab and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz had demonstrated that maritime crises could have far-reaching consequences for global peace, stability, energy security and food security.

"Pakistan strongly condemns the nefarious designs of Houthi militia to weaponize Bab-Al-Mandab by launching attacks on merchant shipping and innocent seafarers navigating the Strait," Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said. 

Saudi civil defence sends all-clear after alerts issued for capital Riyadh

Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts ‌for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.

The alerts were the first for the capital since Houthis in neighbouring Yemen intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia.

A Reuters journalist heard two booms in Riyadh’s Olaya area.

The alerts come hours after the Houthis' military spokesperson said the group had foiled unspecified "criminal attempts" in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and vowing a response.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government's media office on the Houthis' statement.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, ‌have been launching attacks towards Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.

The Iran-aligned group, which seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast in a lightning advance this month, says the Saudi Air Force has conducted hundreds of airstrikes in recent days.

The UN Security Council in a statement on Friday "condemned in the strongest terms continued Houthi attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including attacks impacting civilian and energy infrastructure, which have resulted in the injury of civilians, including women and children."

In the statement, the Security Council also condemned "Houthi military escalation in Yemen".

 

US troop deaths during Iran war exceed Pentagon count

More US troops have died during ‌the US-Israeli war with Iran than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied the report.

The Post, citing five unidentified officials, reported that there had been at least 22 military fatalities, four more than were listed in the data available on the Pentagon's public database.

The newspaper also reported, citing another unidentified official, that not all of the undisclosed deaths were directly tied ‌to the months-long conflict but involved US personnel who were in the Middle East amid ongoing hostilities.

Hegseth, in a post on X, called the report "a complete LIE."

The Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In its story, the newspaper said the Pentagon had declined to address its questions about ?the discrepancy in casualty accounting. 

Trump lists Iran war among his top 'achievements' of 'term three'

President Donald Trump bizarrely posted a list of his "TOP 25" accomplishments on Truth Social Friday that included the ongoing war in Iran — while declaring them the achievements of his nonexistent "TERM THREE."

The list touched on everything from immigration and tariffs to taxes, the stock market, transgender policies, and foreign affairs.

Most notably, Trump counted the ongoing war in Iran among his accomplishments, claiming his administration had "obliterated Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity" through Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Epic Fury and ensured the country would "NEVER have a nuclear weapon."

He also touted the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, claimed to have settled eight wars, and highlighted his deployment of the National Guard to several U.S. cities. 

Cost of US war on Iran grows to $43.6 billion

WASHINGTON (Web Desk) - The US military’s price tag for the Iran war has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3, according to a new estimate provided this week to lawmakers.

The figure from US Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, offers the most up-to-date cost for the conflict since it was launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28.

A Congressional Budget Office report released Tuesday said the war had cost $38 billion through Aug. 1 and will continue to rack up expenses of around $3 billion a month depending on the conflict’s intensity.

The new breakdown also showed the continued use of expensive munitions by American forces.

Weapons costs jumped by more than $6 billion in just over a month, from $21.7 billion listed in the CBO report to $28.1 billion in U.S. Central Command’s estimate.

The financial cost is just one measure of the impact of the Iran war, which also is affecting oil prices and the stock market and has led to deaths and injuries of American troops.

The political costs will be calculated in November’s midterm congressional elections, with Republicans facing increasing headwinds from the war’s unpopularity.

The latest cost estimate has emerged as the Trump administration pushes for a historic $1.5 trillion military budget proposal.

The White House also is asking Congress to approve a $95 billion package that would help fund the Iran war and other priorities.

China presses Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal

China has privately asked Tehran to help rein in Yemen's Houthis after an appeal to Beijing by Saudi Arabia following the Iran-backed group's military blitz in the past week, three Iranian sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Riyadh turned to China for help after the Houthis made rapid advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, moves that have left Saudi oil exports and ‌shipping more exposed, the sources said.

Bab al-Mandab traffic disrupted, especially Saudi shipments

Saudi exports through the Bab al-Mandab Strait are continuing to suffer, with weekly traffic since the start of August at under a third of this year's seven-day average, data shows according to AFP.

Traffic through Bab al-Mandab has been disrupted following recent Houthi gains on the Red Sea coast, hitting Saudi exports particularly hard.

Houthis now controls the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports, as the wider Middle East war chokes off the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.

Maritime tracking firm Kpler data shows that in the past seven days just five laden vessels carrying Saudi products have left the Red Sea via the vital route.

The figure has not been higher since the week of July 24, when 11 vessels laden with Saudi products exited the Red Sea through the strait.

Pakistan slams Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, says they 'seriously undermine maritime security'

Pakistan has strongly condemned Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and called for their immediate cessation, as the UN Security Council holds its second major discussion this week on the escalating threat to the strategic waterway and its wider implications for regional security and global trade.

“We call upon [the] Houthi militia for immediate cessation of these provocative acts which could have dire consequences for maritime security, and regional peace and stability,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, tells a Security Council Arria Formula meeting convened by Bahrain.

The ambassador says Houthi attacks seriously undermine maritime security and threaten peace and development in regional countries, “especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, which he adds is facing “blatant and unprovoked aggression” by the Houthis.

Gharibabadi calls Minab, Lamerd attacks 'war crimes', rejects operational error claim

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has described attacks on a school in Minab and an incident in Lamerd as “war crimes”, rejecting any characterization of them as an “operational error”.

In a post on X, Gharibabadi said the incidents had resulted in the deaths of civilians, including children, and argued that they should be regarded as clear violations of international law.

“History will not forget,” he wrote, referring to the bloodshed in Minab and Lamerd and saying that what happened was a “clear war crime, not an operational error.”

France will convene G7 energy summit: Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron says his country will convene a G7 meeting dedicated to energy in the next weeks, as fuel prices soar amid the US-Iran war, AFP reports.

“In the coming weeks, we will have a G7 meeting devoted to these energy issues, both to strengthen cooperation and to avoid unnecessary tensions between the G7 countries and our main partners,” Macron says. “It will also be an opportunity to consider options for a possible release or unlocking of strategic reserves.” 

Oil prices head for weekly decline as Saudi supply concerns ease

Oil prices fell for a third consecutive session, putting them on track for a weekly decline as concerns over disruptions to Saudi supplies eased.

The drop came despite growing concerns about a possible widening of the conflict across the Middle East.

As of 1008 GMT (3:08pm PKT), Brent crude futures had fallen $1.65, or 1.6%, to $103.17 a barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declined 61 cents, or 0.6%, to $101.30 a barrel. 

Yemen conflict displaces 112,000 people inside country, thousands flee to Djibouti, UN migration agency says

At least 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen within the last two weeks as fighting continues along the country's west coast amid a renewed conflict, while nearly 3,000 have fled by sea to ‌Djibouti, the United Nations migration agency said on Friday, Reuters reported.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure while advancing along Yemen's Red Sea coast towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route. Responding to the Houthi offensive, the Saudi and Yemeni air forces have bombarded Houthi targets.

Nearly 3,000 people have crossed the Gulf of Aden to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa in less than a week as escalating violence have forced more families to flee, Sandrine Desamours, the representative for the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, told reporters in Geneva via video link from Djibouti.

The government of Djibouti is preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees - which will add acute pressure on the country’s health care and education services, she said.

 

Tanker hit by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz, fire extinguished, crew safe: UKMTO

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Friday a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire that has since been extinguished, with all crew reported safe and the environmental impact unconfirmed. 

Italy to deploy warships to protect shipping through Bab al-Mandeb strait

Italy will deploy warships protecting commercial shipping through Bab al-Mandeb strait, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said, without waiting for a joint EU decision, warning of severe economic fallout if the route becomes impassable, Al Jazeera reports. 

Shipping traffic via Strait of Hormuz stays below 10-day average, data shows

Four commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf on Thursday, down from six a day earlier and below the 10-day average of about ‌16, preliminary shipping data showed on Friday.

The figures could change as some ships typically switch off their transponders during the voyage to avoid the risk of detection in the conflict zone.

Of the four vessels, three were entering the strait heading into the Gulf and one was exiting, the data from shiptracker Kpler showed at 0200 GMT.

The vessels included two Panamax tankers, one Supramax ship and one Kamsarmax vessel. The waterway carried a fifth of the world's oil and gas before the Iran conflict. 

Oil prices fall 1pc on hopes of limited supply disruptions

Oil prices fell about 1%, extending losses for a third ?session, but stayed above $100 on Friday, as hopes of alternate ways for barrels from the ‌Middle East to reach markets outweighed concerns about strikes between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis.

Brent crude futures fell $1.01, or 1%, to $103.77 a barrel by 0020 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate futures fell $1.03, or 1%, to $100.88 a barrel. Both benchmarks had closed down about 1% on Thursday. 

Iran praises China, Russia for vetoing US resolution seeking sanctions against Iran

South Korea's Lee says several countries deploying military assets near Hormuz

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that several countries are deploying military assets near the Strait of Hormuz, but said Seoul would not send forces to join the war.

At a news conference, Lee said South Korea could consider only limited activities aimed at protecting its economic interests and citizens, Reuters reported.

He said the government was reviewing whether to increase its involvement beyond the current level concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

South Korea has been reviewing ways to contribute to safe navigation and energy security in the Strait of Hormuz, but has not announced a military deployment. 

US offers $15M reward for intel targeting Iran's IRGC money machine

The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program announced Thursday that it is offering up to $15 million for information that could disrupt the financial networks of Iran’s IRGC and its Quds Force.

The reward program is targeting Iran’s illegal oil-for-money schemes, front companies and entities assisting the regime with sanctions evasion, as well as formal financial institutions and donors directly backing the IRGC’s regional terrorist proxies.

“The IRGC has financed numerous terrorist attacks and activities globally,” the program said in a statement, adding that the IRGC-QF “leads Iran’s terrorist operations outside Iran via its proxies, such as Hamas, Hizballah, and Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq.”  

US says Iranian UN officials barred from luxury shopping in New York

The United States will continue barring Iranian UN Mission officials, visiting officials and their dependents from buying luxury goods or wholesale club memberships in the country, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Thursday.

In a post on X, Pigott said the restrictions were intended to prevent Iranian officials attending the UN General Assembly from using their stay in New York for luxury purchases.

“Not on our watch,” Pigott wrote, saying Washington would not allow Iranian officials to use UNGA for what he called a “luxury retail splurge.”

The Trump administration has approved visas for President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other members of Iran’s core delegation to attend next week’s UN General Assembly high-level meetings, while imposing travel and purchasing restrictions on the delegation, AP reported.

Pigott also urged New York-area retailers to remain alert and avoid facilitating purchases barred under the restrictions. 

Trump says Iran wants deal but is 'not ready'

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran wants to make a deal with Washington but is “not ready,” in an interview with Fox News.

“Iran wants to make a deal. They’re not ready, in my opinion,” Trump said. “They’re going to either make a deal that’s good, or we’re not going to make a deal at all.”

Trump said US strikes involving B-2 bombers had ended Iran’s capability to move toward a nuclear weapon and said Tehran would otherwise now possess one.

“They’re considered the most evil country right now in the world,” Trump said.

He also described Iran as being in a “very weak state” and said its economy was at its worst level, citing inflation above 300 percent and saying soldiers, military personnel and police were not being paid.

“We control the Hormuz Strait. We control it strongly,” Trump said, adding that US forces were taking out ships at night after destroying Iran’s radar capabilities.

Asked whether he anticipated further military deployments or hoped a deal could be reached, Trump said: “I think we’ll end up winning. I don’t know about through a deal, but we’re already winning.”

In another interview with Axios on Thursday, Trump said he had a “big decision” coming up over whether to resume large-scale attacks on Iran. 

China expands spy capabilities at Djibouti base near Bab al-Mandeb Strait, US outpost

China has upgraded an overseas military base in the Horn of Africa to expand its intelligence-gathering capabilities and monitor military activity, according to a report released Thursday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Satellite imagery shows that China installed new communications equipment at its support base in Djibouti and upgraded infrastructure to improve intelligence gathering.

“The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has installed new equipment that will strengthen its internal communications capabilities while also enabling signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection,” the report said.

The base sits along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, just miles from Camp Lemonnier, the main U.S. military base in Africa.

“The base’s capabilities have continued to evolve over time to enable increasingly sophisticated operations,” CSIS noted in the report, “helping the PLAN establish a growing foothold in the region.” 

Oil prices sink to one-week low as Saudi Arabia reroutes exports amid disruptions

Crude prices dropped to a one-week low on Thursday after reports that Saudi Arabia was moving oil through Oman, easing fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East, Reuters reported.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC that Saudi Arabia had taken “quick action” to increase oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz with help from the U.S. military and to offset the shutdown of its key pipeline.

Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, fell $1.01 to settle at $104.82 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 52 cents to settle at $101.91 a barrel. 

CENTCOM shares image of an F-16 flying over Middle East amid Iran conflict

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a photo of a U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet carrying out patrols in the Middle East, signaling continued military vigilance and readiness in the region.  

Iran publishes old Mojtaba Khamenei photos amid continued absence

Iran’s state news agency IRNA on Thursday published photographs from two years ago showing Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei visiting people wounded in Hezbollah’s pager explosions in Lebanon, as his continued absence from public view fuels questions about his condition.

The images date to 2024, when Mojtaba Khamenei and two of his brothers visited people brought to Tehran for treatment after the September pager attacks. Iranian media at the time said the visit was made on behalf of their father, then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Their republication comes as Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly or been seen in a verified new image since becoming supreme leader following his father’s death in late February.

No new video or audio recording of him has been released since his appointment, with Iranian officials instead issuing written messages in his name and repeatedly saying he remains active and in good health. 

Iran says it struck tanker attempting 'illegal passage' through Hormuz

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it struck a Togo-flagged tanker Thursday night local time as the vessel attempted what it described as an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.

The IRGC Navy said the tanker caught fire and was brought to a halt after the strike. It said the vessel had attempted to cross the waterway after being “incited and deceived” by the US military.

The force said its sailors remained in control of the strategic waterway and “will not allow any aggressor to pass through it.”

“Illegal passage through the Strait of Hormuz will achieve nothing other than the destruction of the offending vessel,” the IRGC Navy said in a statement carried by state media.

 

Trump says 'big decision' looms on whether to 'annihilate' Iran regime

US President Donald Trump said he is approaching a major decision on whether to resume large-scale attacks on Iran, as he prepares to meet Persian Gulf leaders next week to discuss the next phase of the war.

“I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them [the Iranian regime] or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me,” Trump told Axios in an interview published Thursday.

“I want to find out where they are and how they are doing. We have been very protective of them,” Trump said.

Trump said he was satisfied with the impact of the naval blockade on Iran’s oil exports. “Not one ship has gone to Iran since we started. They tried and we blew them up.”

The president also said Iran remained in direct contact with the United States and continued to

 

Any act of aggression against Islamic holy sites will be condemned, warns Iran

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ismail Baqai has warned that any aggression against Islamic holy sites, particularly Mecca al-Mukarramah, Medina al-Munawwarah, and Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as threats to their pilgrims and neighbours, will be condemned.

Yemen's Houthis say government strikes kill 3 children

Yemen’s Houthis said three children had been killed in government strikes, according to the group’s media, AFP reports.

“Three children were killed and several Yemeni nationals were injured in strikes by the Saudi-backed mercenaries,” in the Taiz province, according to Almasirah television.

 

Macron, Aoun discuss efforts to end Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Ahead of the opening of a preparatory meeting for a conference aimed at supporting Lebanon’s army and security forces, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed efforts to end Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

The two leaders reviewed ongoing diplomatic efforts in light of the Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations and the proposed “Framework Agreement”.

Their discussions focused on efforts to address the ongoing tensions and support Lebanon’s security and stability. 

Brent crude futures down $1.50 as supply disruption fears ease

Oil prices continue to ease, extending losses as reports of additional Saudi crude cargoes through Oman eased supply concerns, though prices stayed above $100 a barrel on fears the Middle East conflict could widen, Reuters notes.

Brent crude futures were down $1.50, or 1.42pc, to $104.33 a barrel at 3pm PKT, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were down $1.09, or 1.06pc, at $101.34 a barrel. Both contracts fell about $3 yesterday. 

Yemenis take to boats to flee as Middle East war spreads

Yemenis took to boats in the Red Sea to escape fighting between Iran-backed Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed forces, as the spreading Middle East war created new threats to global oil supplies.

"The sea was wavy. The ‌children were getting seasick; everyone... is not used to the sea," said Ahmad Hassan, 70, who reached Africa in a crowded boat and gave an interview to the International Organization for Migration. 

UN mission links US to Tehran school strikes that killed more than 150

A UN fact-finding mission on Iran says it has reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that these constituted war crimes.

It also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

The findings are part of a new report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

US officials have previously said military operations are conducted in accordance with the law of armed conflict, while Iran has consistently rejected allegations of systematic rights violations. 

No compromise on Holy Mosques, Saudi sovereignty: FO

Pakistan has strongly condemned the reported attempt to target Makkah and ongoing Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, reaffirming that the sanctity of the Holy Mosques and Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity would not be compromised.

Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan, speaking at the weekly media briefing on Thursday, said the attempt to target Makkah was a “heinous and deeply concerning” act that had hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Muslims worldwide.

He said Pakistan stood alongside Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, peace and territorial integrity, while strongly condemning Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian areas and installations. 

Houthis say Saudi strikes killed one, targeted telecom towers

Saudi strikes in Yemen has killed one person and targeted three telecommunications towers, AFP reported, citing Houthi media.

“Saudi enemy warplanes targeted three telecommunications towers” in Taiz province, while one civilian was killed and another injured in strikes on the town of Abs, Almasirah television says. 

US Treasury gathers global financial institutions to advance Iran sanctions

The U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday its Financial ‌Crimes Enforcement Network had convened a meeting of global financial institutions to advance Operation Economic Outcast, its recent push to isolate Tehran and limit its ability to fund the war in the Middle East.

"The event ‌armed financial institutions with the information they need to shut down revenue streams and procurement networks tied to the Iranian regime," Treasury said in a statement. 

CDF Munir, Iranian FM discuss regional developments

Number of ships transiting Strait of Hormuz falls to 3 on Wednesday, data shows

Commodity vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz dwindled to just three ships on Wednesday, down from 12 a day earlier and well below the 10-day average of about 17, preliminary ship-tracking data showed, Reuters reported.

The figures exclude any vessels that might have passed through the waterway with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection. 

South Korea yet to decide on military deployment to Strait of Hormuz

South Korea has not decided whether to deploy military forces to the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Thursday, as Seoul weighs its response to the ongoing regional crisis, Reuters reported.

Cho made the remarks while speaking to reporters before departing for Washington, where he is due to hold talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

Oil prices extend losses as fears of Middle East supply disruptions ease

Oil prices fell on Thursday as Saudi Arabia offered additional crude cargoes through Oman, easing concerns over Middle East supply disruptions.

Brent fell 1.2% to $104.59, while WTI dropped 1.1% to $101.29.

Prices remained under pressure amid hopes of easing regional tensions ahead of a US-China summit.

Meanwhile, US crude inventories fell by 640,000 barrels last week, less than analysts had expected.

Araghchi says China talks successful, backs Xi's Middle East peace proposals

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that consultations in China had been successful and stressed the importance Tehran places on its strategic partnership with Beijing.

“Successful consultations in China with our partners. Iran values strategic partnership we have built over time,” Araghchi said in a post on X.

He said decisions being made now would shape the region’s future strategic balance and have far-reaching consequences, adding that President Xi Jinping’s four proposals for peace were “key.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi told Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Iran did not want the conflict to continue and hoped to return to diplomacy. Wang urged Iran and the United States to return to the Islamabad memorandum and rebuild the negotiating mechanism, backed dialogue between Iran and Persian Gulf states and called for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen. 

Houthis told US they would not attack American vessels in Oman talks: report

US officials met senior Houthi representatives in Oman over the weekend, where the Iran-backed group said it had no intention of attacking American vessels and remained committed to its 2025 ceasefire with Washington, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The meeting, which one source said took place Sunday at the US Embassy in Muscat, was organized with help from the Omani government, according to Reuters.

Two sources told Reuters that the Houthis said they would not attack American vessels. A Yemeni source also said the group pledged not to target Israeli ships or other commercial vessels, except those belonging to Saudi Arabia.

The US side was represented by embassy personnel, while the Houthi delegation included senior officials Mohammad Abdulsalam and Abdelmalik al-Ajri, Reuters reported.

The US State Department did not confirm the meeting but said protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and preventing the export of terrorism from the Middle East were core US interests, according to the report.

 

Trump says US dealing 'directly' with Tehran as Iran 'very much' wants deal

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran is seeking a deal with Washington as his administration works toward ending the war, telling reporters in North Carolina that Tehran “very much” wants an agreement.

“We'll hopefully work toward the end of the war,” Trump said.

“They want to make a deal. We'll see how that works out,” Trump said before stating that Iran was “very much wanting to make a deal” and that Washington was dealing “directly” with Tehran. 

Vance warns US withdrawal from Middle East would trigger 'worldwide energy crisis'

Vice President JD Vance warned Wednesday that a U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East would trigger a “worldwide energy crisis” as Iran continues targeting commercial shipping.

“What I would say to anybody who’s frustrated right now is the alternative here, which is the United States effectively says to the Middle East, ‘You’re on your own,’ would mean necessarily a worldwide energy crisis, so long as the Iranians keep on shooting at shipping, which we know that’s exactly what they would do,” Vance said during an appearance at the All-In Summit.

“The president came in, and yes, he wanted to keep the United States out of foreign entanglements,” Vance said.

“He also said that he was committed to Iran not having a nuclear weapon, and I think that wanting to keep the United States out of foreign entanglements does not mean that you can never use the military in order to accomplish the American people’s objectives.” 

Iran hits back at Germany over nuclear programme, proxy claims

Iran on Wednesday accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of distorting Tehran’s regional role after he called for an end to what he described as Iran’s military nuclear program and its support for regional proxies.

"The German chancellor speaks of Iran’s 'war,' its 'military nuclear program,' and Iran’s 'proxies,'" Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X.

"It was #USrael — not Iran — that launched a war of aggression, and Germany failed to show even the minimum moral courage required to deplore that."

"Those Berlin labels 'proxies' are independent actors with their own clear causes and calculations," he added.

"They are fighting for self-determination, freedom, and dignity against occupation, aggression and subjugation."

He further insisted that Iran has no "military" nuclear program "no matter how often the Israeli fabricated 'big lie' is repeated by Israeli apologists." 

House passes sanctions bill targeting Russia, Iran in 262-159 vote

The House voted 262-159 Wednesday to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

The legislation includes measures targeting Russia’s energy sector and countries that buy Russian oil and gas, a source of revenue for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

The 61-page bill passed the Senate in an 86-11 vote last month.

The legislation was named in honor of the late South Carolina senator, who died in July. 

Iran secures seat on UN nuclear watchdog committee despite US opposition

“Despite US efforts to obstruct Iran’s participation in the General Committee, #IAEA Member States made their choice: they voted in favor of Iran,” Iran’s Mission to the United Nations in Vienna said in a post shared on X.

“This is a clear reminder that the international community will not allow unilateral pressure to dictate the collective decisions of the IAEA,” it said.
 

US advises citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia

The United States advised its citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, citing the risk of drone and missile attacks, armed conflict, terrorism and possible exit bans.

In a travel advisory issued in Washington, the US State Department placed Saudi Arabia at Level 3: Reconsider Travel, the third-highest warning in its four-level system.

The advisory also urged Americans to “Do Not Travel” to areas along the Yemen border because of “the threat of terrorism.”
 

Houthis say Saudi jets carried out 40 airstrikes in western Yemen

The Houthis said that Saudi Arabian jets had carried out 40 airstrikes over the past day targeting western Yemen, reports AFP.

“Saudi warplanes launched 40 airstrikes using F15 aircraft that took off from Khamis Mushait Airbase, targeting the provinces of Taiz, Marib, and Hodeidah over the past 24 hours,” the Houthi’s military spokesman said Yahya Saree said in a statement on social media.
 

CENTCOM showcases maintainers keeping US military assets mission-ready

US Central Command (CENTCOM) showcased its military maintainers keeping aircraft, vessels and vehicles mission-ready on Wednesday.

“Skilled maintainers across all branches of the US military keep aircraft, ships, land-based vehicles and more at peak readiness,” CENTCOM said in a post shared on X.
 

Iran claims 200 nights of resistance have forced nation's enemies 'to their knees'

Iran’s deputy foreign minister praised the Iranian people’s resilience Wednesday, saying their opposition to its adversaries had protected the country’s sovereignty and forced its enemies “to their knees.”

“Two hundred nights have passed since the streets of Iran have borne witness to the presence of a people who have not bowed before the enemy,” Kazem Gharibabadi said in a post shared on X.

“Two hundred nights, a narrative of the solidarity and steadfastness of a nation that has kept the name and prestige of Iran alive through its resilience,” he added, before stating that this is “two hundred pages from the history of a nation that has brought its enemies to their knees.”

 

Turkiye condemns Houthi drone attack targeting Makkah

Turkiye strongly condemned the Houthi drone attack targeting Makkah and voiced solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

Turkiye’s foreign ministry reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, and called for an immediate halt to attacks threatening regional stability and security.

The presidency’s communications director said preserving the peace and security of Makkah was important for the Islamic world and said Turkiye stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

US diplomats met Houthi representatives in Oman over Red Sea tensions: report

US diplomats met Houthi representatives at the US Embassy in Oman over the weekend to discuss tensions in the Red Sea, Axios reported, citing a regional source familiar with the issue.

The meeting in Muscat, organized with the help of the Omani government, focused on maintaining a ceasefire between the United States and the Houthis and ensuring the Bab al-Mandab Strait remains open, the source said. 

US House to vote on sweeping Russia sanctions bill that also targets Iran

The US House of Representatives is due to vote on Wednesday on a sweeping sanctions bill aimed at increasing economic pressure on Russia.

The bill, named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and formally called the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” would also give President Donald Trump authority to expand sanctions on Iran. 

Yemeni forces clash with Houthis near Saudi border

Yemeni government forces clashed with Houthi fighters near the Saudi border, with AFP footage showing soldiers in armoured vehicles and trucks pushing across desert terrain under the crackle of machine-gun fire.

The Houthis also released footage on Wednesday of the fighting in the northwestern Al-Jawf area, as well as a video purporting to show the downing of a fighter jet belonging to Saudi Arabia.

The group has recently made major gains in a lightning offensive that Saudi airstrikes have failed to roll back, leaving the Yemeni government scrambling to respond.

Yemen's Houthis say targeted Saudi oil facility, air base

Yemen's Houthis on Wednesday said they targeted an Aramco facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu as well as an air base in southern Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes.

Military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi Arabia had launched more than 450 air strikes this week, and that in response, the Iran-backed group "targeted the Aramco facility in Yanbu with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones" causing fires, as well as "the Khamis Mushait air base".

Yemen's Houthis say shot down Saudi fighter jet

Yemen's Houthis on Wednesday said they shot down a Saudi fighter jet, claiming a locally made munition was used to target the warplane.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces, with Allah's aid and grace, succeeded in shooting down a Saudi F15 fighter jet while it was carrying out hostile operations in support of its military mobilisations in the airspace of Marib province," the Houthis' military spokesman said.

In the statement posted to social media the spokesman, Yahya Saree, accused Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes in the the last week.

Pezeshkian says Iranian government stands with armed forces

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his government remains committed to supporting the country’s armed forces in defending Iran amid the current situation.

According to the Tehran Times, Pezeshkian said the government was also focused on addressing the country’s economic challenges.

He stressed that national solidarity and unity were more important than ever given the prevailing circumstances.

Pezeshkian called for greater cohesion among the Iranian people as the country faces security and economic pressures. 

US corridor boosts oil flow out of Hormuz: AFP analysis

The creation of a US-secured corridor in the Strait of Hormuz has significantly boosted the flow of oil through the strategic waterway, an AFP analysis of industry data shows.

US President Donald Trump said in mid-August that a “tremendous amount of oil” was being shipped out of the vital waterway, although data from shipping trackers Kpler and Lloyd’s List Intelligence show that volumes are still around half the levels seen before the war.

Approximately 330 million barrels of oil aboard vessels assessed by AFP, using Lloyd’s criteria, as not linked to Iran have exited Hormuz since July 8, equivalent to around 4.9 million bpd. 

Sweden expels Iran embassy employee, summons ambassador: govt

Sweden expels an Iranian embassy employee and summons the country’s ambassador, accusing Tehran of allegedly making threats against Jewish and Israeli interests in Sweden, AFP reports.

“We know that Iran, over a long period of time, has conducted activities that threaten security in and against Sweden, targeting both individuals who oppose the Iranian regime and various Jewish and Israeli interests in our country,” Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said in a statement to AFP.

“This has, among other things, been done by making use of criminal networks.” The Iranian embassy did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for a comment. 

Arab League chief condemns alleged Houthi attack on Makkah

Arab League Secretary General Nabil Fahmy has condemned an alleged attempted attack by Yemen’s Houthis targeting Makkah in Saudi Arabia, AFP reports.

“Compromising the security of Makkah and the sanctity of Islamic holy sites is a matter of extreme gravity,” he said in a statement, applauding the Saudi air force’s thwarting of the attack.

He warned that escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi territory “threaten the region’s security and stability”. 

Iranian army spokesperson says war exposed limits of US power

Iranian Army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia has said the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel showed that Washington cannot establish itself as a legitimate global superpower, IRNA reported.

Akraminia said the United States had faced significant challenges to its military capabilities as well as its soft power and moral standing, which he claimed had contributed to a decline in its global position.

He said that more than three decades after the collapse of the bipolar world order, the international system was moving increasingly towards multilateralism and a multipolar structure.
 

Amazon says unable to reactivate UAE, Bahrain data centres

Several Amazon data centres in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain hit by drone strikes in March cannot be reactivated, the company’s cloud arm says, AFP reports.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) said it was unable to restart several sites in Bahrain and one in the UAE. AWS has three sites in Bahrain, according to its website.

“After a thorough assessment, we have determined that we are unable to restore access to the resources and data hosted exclusively in this region,” it said in a status update.

AWS said in early March that drone strikes damaged two of its data centres in the UAE and a facility in Bahrain.
 

Lebanon's Aoun seeks security deal with Israel, vows to disarm Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told AFP in an exclusive interview he wants to reach a security agreement with Israel once it withdraws from the south, and is determined to disarm Hezbollah without resorting to confrontation.

Speaking ahead of his departure to France on Wednesday, President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon wanted a new force, European or otherwise, to prevent a security vacuum after UN peacekeepers leave south Lebanon when their mandate expires at the end of the year.

He called on the United States, European Union and Arab countries to support Lebanon’s military as it deploys across the south. 

China's foreign minister urges reopening of Strait of Hormuz in meeting with Iranian counterpart

China encourages Iran and the US to remain rational, exercise restraint, return to the Islamabad memorandum and “engage in substantive consultations on issues of mutual concern,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday, Wang’s ministry said, AFP reports.

“We urge all parties to take effective measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz at an early date,” Wang said, adding that China “does not want to see regional tensions to spill over further into Yemen and the Red Sea.”

China’s policy toward Iran has remained consistent and stable and China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Iran, Wang said. 

Gaza City apartment block collapses, dozens missing

Rescuers searched on Wednesday for dozens of people missing after an apartment block in Gaza collapsed, killing eight people including children, authorities in the war-torn enclave said.

Gaza's civil defence agency said the six-storey building in the Tal al-Hawa area was home to people displaced by the war with Israel, and collapsed onto residentials and nearby tents.

Agency spokesman Mahmoud Basal told AFP the building had sustained structural damage from Israeli strikes.

"The bodies of eight martyrs including children and 15 injured individuals have been recovered from the rubble," Basal said.

He said more than 60 people were missing. 

Houthis say shot down Saudi fighter jet over Yemen

Yemen's Houthis said they shot down a Saudi fighter jet, claiming a locally made munition was used to target the warplane, AFP reported.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces, with Allah's aid and grace, succeeded in shooting down a Saudi F15 fighter jet while it was carrying out hostile operations in support of its military mobilisations in the airspace of Marib province, using a locally made air-to-air missile," a spokesman for the Houthis said on social media, while accusing Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes. 

PM Shehbaz strongly condemns 'dastardly and heinous' attempted drone attack on Makkah

Strait of Hormuz ship crossings remain in single digits, data shows

Vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz remained in the single digits at four on ‌Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier, preliminary shipping data showed on Wednesday, falling well short of the 10-day average of 18, Reuters reported.

The drop in traffic through the waterway that handled one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the Iran war comes after attacks in the region intensified. 

US issues advisory to 'reconsider travel' to Saudi Arabia

The United States embassy on Tuesday issued an advisory to "reconsider travel" to Saudi Arabia after Riyadh issued alerts in Mecca and other areas amid Houthi attacks.

The advisory warns of the "risk of Iranian drone and missile targeting of American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans and local laws regarding social media activity", adding "Do Not Travel to the Yemen border due to threat of terrorism." 

Oil falls as US crude inventories rise despite Saudi supply concerns

Oil prices fell on Wednesday after an unexpected build in U.S. crude inventories, while investors assessed supply risks after Saudi Arabia suspended oil loadings at its Yanbu port following an attack on its East-West pipeline ‌to the Red Sea.

Brent crude futures fell 93 cents, or 0.86%, to $107.82 a barrel at 0028 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were down 97 cents, or 0.92%, at $104.86 a barrel. 

Explosions heard on Iran's Qeshm island

Several explosions were heard on Iran's Qeshm island, Iranian official IRNA news agency reported, citing local sources as saying, adding the sounds appeared to have come from the direction of the sea. 

OIC condemns Iran-backed Houthi attacks

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Makkah and the Medina region on Tuesday.

In a statement posted on X, the OIC said, “These attacks instill fear in innocent civilians, violate the sanctity of holy sites and mosques, and provoke the sentiments of Muslims around the world.”

“The General Secretariat affirms that the acts committed by the Houthi terrorist militia against holy sites, mosques, and civilian infrastructure constitute terrorism that runs counter to Islamic values and to international norms, principles, and law,” the statement said.

The statement came after the Saudi-led coalition said Tuesday that Saudi air defenses had intercepted a Houthi drone near Makkah.

 

Rare video shows US rescue of injured F-15E airman deep inside Iran

Vice President JD Vance said the Iran war will enter a “much different phase” in the coming months during an interview with the New York Post aboard Air Force Two on Monday.

“We can’t predict the future, but I think the president is right to say that this thing will enter a much different phase in a couple of months,” Vance told the outlet.

“He’s also the commander in chief, so he’s the person who determines … when conflicts start and when they stop,” he said of President Donald Trump.

“I certainly understand there’s some impatience from the American people, but fundamentally what’s happening right now is that the United States is not engaged in aggressive operations. We’re just not,” Vance said.

Vance said what is happening is that the Iranians are occasionally shooting at commercial shipping, “usually not successfully.”

 

Vance signals 'much different phase' in Iran war within 'couple of months'

Vice President JD Vance said the Iran war will enter a “much different phase” in the coming months during an interview with the New York Post aboard Air Force Two on Monday.

“We can’t predict the future, but I think the president is right to say that this thing will enter a much different phase in a couple of months,” Vance told the outlet.

“He’s also the commander in chief, so he’s the person who determines … when conflicts start and when they stop,” he said of President Donald Trump.

“I certainly understand there’s some impatience from the American people, but fundamentally what’s happening right now is that the United States is not engaged in aggressive operations. We’re just not,” Vance said.

Vance said what is happening is that the Iranians are occasionally shooting at commercial shipping, “usually not successfully.”

 

Saudi air defenses destroy Houthi drone near Mecca, coalition says

Saudi air defenses destroyed a Houthi drone that attempted to enter the airspace near Mecca on Tuesday, according to the Saudi-led coalition.

“The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed a drone that attempted to enter the airspace of the Holy Capital,” coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said in a statement posted on X.

“The hostile drone was intercepted south of the city of Makkah al-Mukarramah [Mecca],” he said.

Al-Malki emphasized that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and “the guests of the Most Merciful” is a red line, stressing that the coalition’s Joint Forces Command would not hesitate to take necessary measures against the Houthi militia and its “hostile, terrorist behavior.”  

US tightens Iran blockade as CENTCOM redirects 103 ships

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) tightened its blockade against Iranian ports on Tuesday, launching helicopters from the USS Rafael Peralta in the Arabian Sea.

“An MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from the flight deck of USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) as the ship enforces the U.S. blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea,” the command said on X.

“As of Sept. 15, U.S. forces have redirected 103 commercial vessels to ensure compliance,” CENTCOM added. 

Tehran claims it will expose US military losses

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tuesday that Tehran will soon release details about American military casualties and equipment damage and while citing the Pentagon's inspector general report released Monday.

“Fiction: Iran is defenseless,” Araghchi wrote in a post shared on X.

“Fact: 100s of U.S. military sites blown to pieces; dozens of aircraft scorched. (Source: The Pentagon).”

“That's just the tip of the iceberg. We'll reveal it all in due course,” Araghchi said.

“For those who've sold lies about Iran, it won't be pretty,” he warned. 

US, Israeli and Arab military commanders met in Germany over Iran war, report says

Top military commanders from the U.S., Israel and several Arab nations met last week in Germany to discuss the war with Iran and other regional tensions, Axios reported Tuesday.

Citing Israeli officials, the outlet said the private meeting was organized by U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper and was not officially announced.

In addition to Cooper, the meeting was attended by the military chiefs of staff of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, Axios said. 

US war with Iran has cost $38 billion, CBO says

The six-month US war with Iran has cost $38 billion so far and is projected to add about $3 billion a month, the Congressional Budget Office said on Tuesday.

The CBO said the conflict was expected to raise inflation by 0.5% in the first three months of 2027. 

Trump administration plans $2.8 billion munitions sale to Israel

The Trump administration is planning a $2.8 billion munitions sale to Israel that would include tens of thousands of 2,000-pound bombs, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a US official familiar with the sale.

The package, which has been informally communicated to relevant congressional committees, includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, the official said. 

US task force 'aiding Saudis with intel, planning support'

A US military task force is working to enhance intelligence sharing and planning assistance for Saudi forces, a US official said Tuesday, as the kingdom faces attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels.

US Central Command "has a task force in place for enhancing intelligence sharing and planning support with Saudi forces," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the military command "maintains a strong security alliance with our Saudi partners in confronting regional challenges."

Oil jumps nearly $3 as Saudi export halt, Libya outages stoke supply fears

Oil prices are up nearly $3 after a report said oil loadings at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu have been suspended, and Libya halted operations at three oil fields, heightening concerns that disruptions to key oil supply routes could persist for weeks, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures were up $2.81, or 2.66 per cent, at $108.49 a barrel at 1506 GMT (8:06pm PKT), while US West Texas Intermediate futures were up $3.29 at $104.68 a barrel. 

Saudi Arabia informs European customers of September cargo cancellations

Saudi Arabia has informed its European customers that some late-September crude oil cargoes will be cancelled, three sources tell Reuters.

The world’s biggest crude oil exporter closed its East-West pipeline due to an attack last week and is challenged by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and continued shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Aramco has declined to comment. 

Qatar condemns Houthi Attacks on civilian areas in Saudi Arabia

Qatar has strongly condemned Houthi attacks on civilian areas in Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, which injured several people and damaged homes and vehicles.

In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry described the attacks as unacceptable acts of aggression and a serious disregard for civilian lives.

The ministry said the attacks were a clear violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and international law.

Qatar reaffirmed its opposition to attacks targeting civilians and stressed the need to respect international law and the sovereignty of states.

 

Yemen condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, calls for action

Yemen’s internationally recognised government has condemned recent Houthi drone and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they targeted civilian areas.

According to Yemen’s Foreign Ministry, the attacks struck Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, leaving 13 civilians injured and damaging several homes and vehicles.

The ministry described the attacks as a violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and rejected the use of Yemeni territory as a “launching pad for attacks on neighbouring countries.”

It also urged the international community to take measures to prevent further Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
 

Oil prices climb as impact of attacks, Saudi pipeline outage deepen supply concerns

Oil prices have risen after attacks on Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure left the kingdom’s East-West Pipeline offline, raising fears that damage to energy infrastructure and transport routes could take longer to repair, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures were 21 cents, or 0.2 per cent, higher at $105.89 a barrel by 1148 GMT (4:48pm PKT) after hitting a session high of $108.43, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were up 90 cents, or 0.89pc, at $102.29 a barrel after rising as far as $104.21 earlier in the session.

 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Meets Egypt's President in Cairo

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo during his visit to Egypt amid growing tensions across the Middle East.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), President Sisi received the Saudi crown prince at Cairo International Airport upon his arrival.

The Egyptian presidency said the talks are expected to cover ways to further strengthen bilateral ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia across various sectors.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss regional and international developments, particularly the rapidly changing security situation in the Middle East.

The visit comes as tensions continue to rise in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, alongside ongoing developments in Yemen.

 

Iran's FM Araghchi to visit China tomorrow

Saudi civil defence issues brief attack threat alerts for Makkah, Jeddah, Taif

Saudi Arabia has issued brief alerts over possible attacks in the holy city of Makkah and in the Jeddah and Taif governorates.

The alerts, including the first one issued in Makkah since the Middle East war began, were quickly lifted, according to the Saudi civil defence. 

UK monitor reports vessel struck in Strait of Hormuz

A British marine monitor said on Tuesday it received a report of a vessel struck by an unknown projectile the day before in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Since US-Israeli attacks on Iran started the Middle East war in February, Tehran has blockaded the strait, a key shipping route for oil and gas.

UK Maritime Trade Operations said there was "no reported damage or environmental impact" from the incident, which it said took place on Monday, and that "authorities are investigating". 

Riyadh warns it will react 'firmly' to Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia has warned it will react "firmly" to Yemen's Houthis after a series of attacks carried out by them using ballistic missiles and drones wounded 13 civilians in the country's south, AFP reported.

The Riyadh-led coalition confirmed there had been missile and drone attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif in the south, reporting 13 wounded.

Saudi Arabia responded with more than 50 strikes, as it had the day before, according to the Houthis.

The coalition said it would deal with the attacks "firmly to protect the sovereignty of the Kingdom" and would take "all necessary operational measures to deter this... hostile and extremist approach". 

Dar, IAEA chief agree Islamabad MoU best course to defuse Middle East tensions

US nominates new envoy to Saudi Arabia after lengthy vacancy

US President Donald Trump has nominated Republican congressman Wesley Hunt, a US Army veteran, as his new ambassador to Saudi Arabia -- a post that had been left vacant amid the war with Iran.

Hunt's nomination was sent Monday to the US Senate, which must vote on his confirmation.

"Having served in the region both in combat as an Army officer and for two years as a diplomatic liaison in the Kingdom, I understand the strategic importance of the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and the profound responsibility of this position," Hunt said in a post on X.

The nomination comes at a sensitive time for Saudi Arabia, a key US ally, after fresh attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Saudi soil opened a new front in the Middle East conflict. 

US faces ammunition shortfall after costly Iran war

The US Defense Department's inspector general revealed Monday that the United States is facing a shortfall in ammunition as a result of its costly war in Iran.

In a first-of-its-kind mandatory report to Congress, the inspector said that between February 28 and June 30, Operation Epic Fury (OEF) had an estimated cost of $33.4 billion, with $22.3 billion of that spent on expended munitions alone.

The report noted "the munitions expenditure on OEF has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply."

It also lists losses to the American fleet, including four F-15s destroyed, one F-35 damaged, seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly brushed off concerns of depleted weapons stores during the six months of war in the Middle East, saying the US has "virtually unlimited" ammo just a couple weeks ago.

On Monday Trump posted to his Truth Social platform saying again the US is producing "more Exquisite and Elite Weapons than at any time in our History." 

Hormuz traffic dwindles after Middle East attacks intensify

Shipping traffic at the Strait of Hormuz dwindled further at the start of this week after attacks intensified in the Middle East, shipping data showed.

Commodity vessel transits at ‌Hormuz totalled four on Monday, down from 10 during the previous day, preliminary data from Kpler showed on Tuesday.

Two dry bulk carriers exited the waterway, including one laden and one ballast vessel, while two oil tankers entered the strait, both in ballast mode.

The figures exclude some vessels that might have crossed the strait with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection.

Iranian news agency Fars reported on Monday, citing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that an oil tanker exploded and caught fire after colliding with mines in the Strait of Hormuz, without saying when the incident occurred.

Also on Monday, Gulf Arab states postponed planned talks with Iran to discuss possible agreements on the Strait of Hormuz, in ‌a setback for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and its impact on global oil supplies. 

Oil prices rise as Saudi pipeline outage, fresh attacks raise supply concerns

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as concerns over supply disruptions persisted after attacks on Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure left the kingdom's East-West pipeline offline and cast doubt on efforts to ease shipping risks in the Gulf.

Brent crude futures rose $1.24, or 1.18%, to $106.93 a barrel at ‌0026 GMT, after climbing 1% previously, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up $1.29, or 1.24%, at $102.65 a barrel, after gaining 1.3% in the previous session. 

Iran pledges full support for Lebanon's resistance against Israeli occupation, aggression

IAEA chief says agency stands ready to support Riyadh as it develops nuclear power

Saudi Arabia is progressing with its domestic nuclear program while commited to nonproliferation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said Monday.

“Saudi Arabia is moving forward with its nuclear power programme and research reactor, with a strong commitment to non-proliferation,” Rafael Grossi said in a post on X.

The IAEA stands ready to support every step of the way, he added.

This came after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civil nuclear power cooperation in July that would let Riyadh enrich uranium and build nuclear reactors using U.S. technology.

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman also said at the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on Monday that the program is completely transparent and peaceful. 

Trump nominates Wesley Hunt as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump nominated Texas Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia on Monday.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Hunt said in a post shared on X.

Hunt said he has served in the region both in combat as an Army officer and for two years as a diplomatic liaison in the kingdom.

“I understand the strategic importance of the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and the profound responsibility of this position,” he added.

 

Iran draws hard line on US talks, warns 'damage control' won't halt tensions

Iran’s top security official warned Washington on Monday that Tehran will not enter negotiations with the United States until its demands are met, stating that any damage control would not avert escalating regional tensions.

“Don’t get distracted by the US president’s mixed signals—from ‘no negotiations’ to ‘we’re ready to talk,’” Mohsen Rezaei wrote in a post on X.

“The stakes around oil and the straits have changed. Damage control won’t stop what’s coming,” he added.

“No talks until Iran’s conditions are met. Period!”

Rezaei’s remarks came after President Donald Trump said Monday on Truth Social that Iran wants to make a deal, but that he would determine whether the U.S. will choose to engage or not.  

Israeli ambassador to US says victory means Iran's regime must fall

Victory over the Islamic Republic means preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons, stopping it from producing large numbers of ballistic missiles and ending its support for regional proxies, Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, told Iran International. 

US sanctions Russia's VTB Bank over Iran ties

The US Treasury on Monday imposed Iran-related sanctions on Russia's VTB Bank Public Joint Stock Company, the already heavily sanctioned lender of helping Tehran evade restrictions through banking relationships and payment arrangements.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated VTB under Executive Order 13902 for operating in Iran’s financial sector, expanding Operation Economic Outcast to one of Russia’s largest banks. The action follows measures targeting banking channels in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Treasury said VTB established correspondent relationships with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions over the past three years, took steps to move billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and created a settlement system using rial- and ruble-denominated accounts to increase trade between Russia and Iran. 

US watchdog says Iran war led to munitions shortfall

The US Defense Department’s inspector general said the war with Iran led to ammunition shortages and supply-chain “bottlenecks,” while costing the United States about $33.4 billion through June 30, NBC News reported on Monday.

The congressionally mandated report said the cost included $22.3 billion in expended munitions, $3.7 billion in equipment losses and $7.4 billion in other expenditures.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had denied reports that the United States was running low on munitions, while President Donald Trump said two weeks ago that the US had “virtually unlimited” amounts of ammunition, NBC reported. 

13 civilians injured in Iran-aligned Houthi attacks on Saudi cities

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Iran-aligned Houthis launched ballistic missile and drone attacks on civilian targets in the Saudi cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif on Monday, injuring 13 civilians.

In a statement posted on X, coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said the injuries ranged from minor to moderate and that seven houses and two vehicles were damaged.

He said the coalition would respond “responsibly and firmly” and take what it called necessary operational measures to deter further attacks. 

Trump says Iran wants deal with US 'quickly and badly'

US President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran wants to reach an agreement with Washington "quickly and badly," while saying he would decide whether the US engages with Tehran.

"The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

"I will determine whether or not the U.S.A. will choose to engage -- The concept of which we are open to," he added.

The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israel and US military targets across the region.

Washington and Tehran reached the Islamabad understanding in June with Pakistani and Qatari mediation, but its implementation later stalled amid disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz.

The US resumed military attacks on Iran in August, with Tehran responding by striking US military assets in several Arab countries aligned with Washington.

Kuwait, UAE discuss Hormuz navigation, regional security

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed regional developments and efforts to ensure safe and free maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz during a phone call on Monday.

In a post on X, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said the two ministers also discussed diplomatic efforts aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region. 

Rezaei says no US talks until Iran's conditions are met

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Monday that Tehran should not be distracted by what he called mixed signals from US President Donald Trump.

“Don’t get distracted by the US president’s mixed signals—from ‘no negotiations’ to ‘we’re ready to talk,’” Rezaei wrote in a post on X.

“The stakes around oil and the straits have changed. Damage control won’t stop what’s coming,” he added.

“No talks until Iran’s conditions are met. Period!” 

Araghchi says Iran fully supports Lebanon's resistance against Israel

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that Tehran fully supports Lebanon’s “resistance” against what he described as Israeli occupation and attacks, during a phone call with Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri.

According to a post on Araghchi’s Telegram channel, he added that Iran remains committed to preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

IRGC says tanker hit sea mine near Hormuz, engulfed in flames

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Monday that the oil tanker EL GAIA struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through what it called a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and a major fire.

The IRGC Navy Command said efforts to contain the blaze had failed and that the entire vessel was engulfed in flames. It said warnings had previously been issued about the dangers of using what it described as an “illegal passage.”

“The Strait of Hormuz is closed and remains under our smart control,” the IRGC Navy said.

The Panama-flagged EL GAIA, IMO number 9325336, is a 180-meter oil tanker with a deadweight of about 48,000 tons, according to ship registry data.

There was no immediate independent confirmation of the IRGC’s account or information on casualties or the extent of damage to the vessel. 

Iran made $500b offer to US firms before war in bid to sway Trump, MP says

Iran offered $500 billion worth of projects to US companies during Geneva negotiations before the 2025 war, hoping President Donald Trump’s business instincts and the prospect of profit would persuade him to ease pressure on Tehran, a senior Iranian lawmaker said.

Hassan Qashqavi, the spokesman for parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the proposed projects spanned oil and gas, mining, transportation and other sectors. “They kept telling us Trump is a businessman. If he smells economic opportunity and profit, he’ll back off,” Qashqavi said. 

EU chief slams 'relentless attacks by Iran's proxies' on Gulf countries

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has condemned “relentless attacks” by Iran-aligned armed groups in the Gulf, following the latest strikes by Yemen’s Houthis against Saudi military targets, AFP reports.

“We stand in solidarity with our Gulf partners in the face of relentless attacks by Iran’s proxies,” the European Commission chief writes on X. “We all have a stake in this.”

Israeli shelling hits southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

Israeli forces shelled several areas in southern Lebanon despite a US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Israeli forces carried out strikes on the outskirts of the al-Deir neighbourhood in Nabatieh al-Fawqa.

Israeli forces also fired machine guns towards the town of Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district.

Overnight, Israeli artillery targeted the outskirts of Hadatha, the agency reported.

 

UN chief says world needs IAEA's impartiality 'more than ever'

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says that amid global uncertainty, “our world needs the IAEA’s impartiality & technical excellence more than ever”.

In a message posted on X, the UN chief highlights that the nuclear watchdog works to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and its role in civil nuclear science and technology is spurring development around the world. 

Asia's oil traders, seeing no quick end to Middle East war, stay bullish on prices

Oil traders in top consuming region Asia expect prices to remain elevated as fresh attacks dampen expectations for an imminent end to the Middle East conflict, while strong refining margins drive demand for physical supply, Reuters reports.

Benchmark Brent crude futures climbed back above $100 a barrel last week and rose a further 3pc today to their highest since May, after Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia hit a key oil pipeline and Iran launched attacks on shipping.

The rally has spilled into physical markets, where spot premiums for benchmark Dubai and Oman crude rose last week to their highest since March, underscoring fierce competition for cargoes. Premiums for crude from West Africa, the US and Latin America also hit multi-month highs. 

Iran denies involvement in Saudi pipeline attack

Iran has rejected allegations that it was involved in a recent attack launched from Iraqi territory that targeted Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the allegations were false and accused Washington of making such claims to fuel tensions among regional countries and further complicate the situation.

“There is absolutely no truth” to claims by US officials about Iran’s involvement in the incident, Baqaei said during his weekly press conference in Tehran. 

Iranian strait authority issues updated list of sanctioned vessels

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, set up by Iran to manage passage in the Strait of Hormuz, has published an updated list of 77 vessels “violating Iranian protocols for the Strait of Hormuz”, Reuters reports.

Vessels listed will face restrictions of future passage including fines, detention or confiscation, said the body, set up by Iran to manage requests of passage in the strait, adding that vessels cooperating with them will be added to the list.

 

Saudi crown prince, US CENTCOM chief discuss developments after Houthi escalation

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional developments with US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah , Saudi state media said, amid escalating hostilities with Yemen's Houthis, AFP reported.

The meeting comes days after three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters the crown prince had sought military assistance from President Donald Trump to help fight the Houthis.

Trump did not agree to ‌US strikes on the group, but Washington told Riyadh it would provide intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance, the sources added.

The fighting has opened a second theatre in the wider regional conflict and raised concerns over Saudi oil exports and global shipping. 

Houthis say they targeted military facilities in Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait area

Yemen's Houthis have said they fired dozens of drones and ballistic missiles at military targets in Saudi Arabia, in retaliation for airstrikes by Riyadh.

"The Yemeni armed forces conducted a large-scale military operation targeting military installations and infrastructure, including fighter jet hangars, radars, runways, ammunition depots, and other targets located at King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait," said Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree.

It came minutes after the Saudi Civil Defense sent an all clear after issuing an alert for the Khamis Mushait governorate. 

Saudi Arabia requested postponement of Hormuz meeting, Iran says

Saudi Arabia requested the postponement of a ‌meeting between ‌Tehran and Gulf powers on the Strait of Hormuz that was supposed to ‌take place ‌in Oman on Monday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has told reporters in Tehran. 

Iran nuclear chief blocked by US from Vienna meeting, state TV reports

Iran's nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN's nuclear agency in Vienna due to opposition from the US, Iranian state television said.

"Mohammad Eslami and his delegation took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States," the state broadcaster reported, saying he had returned to the capital Tehran. 

Iran nuclear chief blocked by US from Vienna meeting, state TV reports

Iran's nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN's nuclear agency in Vienna due to opposition from the US, Iranian state television said.

"Mohammad Eslami and his delegation took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States," the state broadcaster reported, saying he had returned to the capital Tehran. 

IRGC says MQ-1 drone destroyed over Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its Aerospace Force intercepted and destroyed an MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

According to an official statement, the operation was carried out by the Aerospace Force while operating within Iran’s integrated air defense network. The IRGC said the drone was destroyed moments before the announcement.
 

South Korea condemns Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemns what it said was a Houthi attack on civilian and economic facilities in southern Saudi Arabia that injured multiple civilians, and urged the Iran-aligned group to immediately stop such attacks, APF reported.

The ministry says in a statement that attacks on civilians, civilian facilities and actions that undermined free and safe navigation could not be justified under any circumstances, and expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia. 

Oman energy minister says Strait of Hormuz disruptions are short term

Oman’s energy minister said on ‌Monday ‌that the ‌disruption to the Strait of Hormuz is probably ‌a ‌short-term situation.

Salim ‌Al Aufi ‌said the ‌situation should stabilise in the medium term. 

Saudi Civil Defense lifts warnings of potential danger in four cities

The Saudi Civil ‌Defense sent an all clear on Monday after issuing alerts for potential danger in four southern cities amid an uptick in attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.

Saudi Civil Defense had issued the alerts for the cities of Najran, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Abha. It also later issued warnings for Khamis Mushait ‌and Abha a second time before lifting them again.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, have been launching attacks towards Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. 

Hormuz shipping traffic remains below 10-day average at weekend, data shows

Commodity vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz fell to a single digit per day at the weekend, preliminary ship-tracking data shows, well below a 10-day average of 14.

Over the weekend, a total of four vessels exited the Gulf via the strait and 10 entered it, according to the data.

The figures exclude any vessels that might have crossed the strait with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection. 

Trump dismisses report China entities helped Iran before attack that killed US troops

US President Donald Trump on Sunday brushed aside a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before ‌an attack that killed three U.S. troops there in July.

A recent report in the Wall Street Journal cited unnamed U.S. officials about the attack in Jordan. Asked whether he would mention the issue at an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly answer, and instead equated the surveillance activities of China and the United States.

"They basically do what we do," he told reporters aboard Air Force One. "When they say China spies on us, I say you're right and we spy on them too."

The Chinese and U.S. presidents are expected to meet in the United States on September 24, although China has yet to officially confirm ‌that the meeting will take place.

Trump on Sunday reiterated his view that he has a good relationship with Xi.

"I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well," Trump said as he flew back to the United States after a weekend trip to Ireland.

The Wall Street Journal report, which Reuters could not immediately verify, said the U.S. officials declined to identify the Chinese entities that supplied the imagery to Iran and did not allege direct involvement by Beijing. 

Oil hits $108 after new strikes on Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf shipping

Oil prices rose more than $3 at the market open on Monday after fresh strikes on Saudi Arabia and ships in the Persian Gulf on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Brent crude futures climbed $3.62, or 3.46%, to $108.23 a barrel as of 22:14 GMT on Sunday.

US West Texas Intermediate futures rose $3.15, or 3.15%, to $103.20 a barrel. 

Foreign investment in Iran hits zero after war

Foreign investment in Iran has effectively come to a halt following the war with Israel and the United States, with no new foreign investment recorded so far this Iranian year, a senior industry ministry figure said.

No foreign investment has been made so far in the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, Tahmoures Lahouti, Deputy Industry Minister and head of Iran’s Small Industries and Industrial Parks Organization, told the Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA).

“Given the sanctions and restrictions in place, foreign investment is not taking place,” Lahouti said. 

Trump says China spies on US as report links Chinese satellite imagery to Iran

President Donald Trump said Sunday that China’s alleged spying on the United States was no different from Washington’s own intelligence-gathering efforts, amid reports that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

“They basically do what we do,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping had “behaved reasonably well.”

“You know what they say? That China spies on us,” Trump said. “I say you’re right, and we spy on them, too.”

The remarks came after the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese entities before a July 17 strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base that killed three US troops. 

Trump says US could stay in Iran and keep oil, like Venezuela deal

DOONBEG, Ireland (Reuters) - President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday the ?United States could stay in Iran and "keep the ‌oil", drawing a parallel with a U.S. push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

On a trip to Ireland ?for meetings and to watch golf, he reiterated that ?he still expected the Iran war to end this year, ?possibly just after midterm elections due in the United ?States in November.

Speaking at the Irish Open golf championship, Trump ?added that the price of gasoline would "drop like a rock" once the Iran war ended. 

Turmoil in the Middle East has roiled oil ?markets, with oil traders expecting prices to rise again ?on Monday after an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.

Trump said that ‌he ?would only make the "right deal" and wouldn't do one that was "no good", adding that Iran was "calling constantly" for peace talks — an assertion that Tehran has dismissed in the past.

But ?the president ?also introduced ?another option: stay engaged with Iran. He drew a parallel with the U.S. deal in Venezuela, ?announced in August.

"We'll ultimately get out (of Iran), ?unless ?we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela," Trump said, adding that the U.S. revenue from Venezuela has "paid ?for ?the war many times."

US says 101 commercial vessels redirected under Iran blockade

US forces have redirected 101 commercial vessels as part of enforcing Washington’s blockade against Iran, US Central Command said on Sunday.

“As of Sept. 13, U.S. forces have redirected 101 commercial vessels to ensure compliance,” CENTCOM said in a post on X. 

Saudi Arabia sought changes to Oman-Iran Hormuz proposal

Saudi Arabia submitted amendments to an Omani-Iranian proposal on the Strait of Hormuz over concerns it could establish a new status quo in the waterway, Axios reported on Sunday, citing a senior regional official.

The official said Riyadh was concerned the proposed language could create an arrangement that would be unacceptable to Saudi Arabia and other GCC states. 

Houthis say four Saudi-backed commanders killed near Bab al-Mandab

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said Sunday that four commanders of Saudi-backed forces were killed and five others wounded in targeted operations in Kahbub near Bab al-Mandab, the group-run Saba news agency reported.

Saba cited sources as saying those killed included a battalion commander from the “Fourth Brigade” and two platoon commanders.

According to the report, the wounded included the chief of staff of the “Fourth Brigade” and senior officers from the “First Division” and “Second Battalion.” 

US wants future Iran talks focused on nuclear programme, not Hormuz: report

The Trump administration wants any future negotiations with Tehran to focus on Iran’s nuclear program rather than reopening the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported Sunday, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

A US official told CNN that Washington’s current position is that it will only negotiate with Iran over the nuclear file, while Tehran has signaled to regional players that it would be open to nuclear talks once the dispute over the strait is resolved, including the lifting of the US blockade.

Iranian ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz, state media says

An Iranian commercial vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz early Sunday morning, leaving one person dead and four crew members wounded, according to Iranian state media.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the governor of Qeshm Island saying that an Iranian container ship was hit by an “unidentified projectile” near the island of Hengam.

The episode came as Iran prepared to meet with Gulf states in Oman on Monday to discuss safe passage for shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump blames global diesel shortages on Ukraine, says Tehran wants a deal

President Donald Trump on Sunday said global diesel shortages are not a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, instead blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities and urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to "stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia."

"This isn't done by the Middle East. This is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine. So we spoke to Mr. Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets," Trump said to reporters at his golf course in Doonberg, Ireland, during the final day of the 2026 Amgen Irish Open.

"Don't hit diesel fuel because that's hurting. That's hurting the world. We don't want him to hit diesel fuel," Trump added of Zelenskyy. 

Meeting between Iran, regional countries postponed, says Omani FM

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X Sunday that a planned meeting between Iran and regional countries has been postponed "in the interests of consensus."

The meeting was scheduled to take place Monday in Oman’s southern city of Salalah, where some regional countries were going to be briefed on talks between Iran and Oman regarding arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to earlier reports by Iranian media.

"We remain committed to fostering dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation in our region," Albusaidi added.
 

Saudi Arabia sends alert warning of potential attacks in regions near Yemen

Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency has sent alerts warning of potential attacks in two regions bordering Yemen, with its southern neighbour gripped by renewed war, AFP reports.

The alerts, which were for the city of Abha and the region around Khamis Mushait, were quickly lifted. It came shortly after Houthi media reported Saudi strikes in the north of Yemen, close to the border. 

Iran president says Tehran and Abu Dhabi want to 'turn the page' in ties

Iran and the United Arab Emirates, whose relations have deteriorated since the start of the Middle East war, want to “turn the page”, the Iranian president says, AFP reports.

“For the first time since the war and the incidents that occurred in the Persian Gulf, we had a constructive exchange with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi,” Masoud Pezeshkian said a day after a meeting with Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in India, on the sidelines of the Brics summit.

“It was agreed that we would turn the page, look to the future and build it together.” 

Trump reiterates that he sees Iran war ending after US midterm elections

US President Donald Trump has reiterated that he expected the Iran war to end this year, possibly just after the midterm elections due in the United States in November, resulting in a drop in oil prices, Reuters reports.

“Iran will end right after — maybe before — but it’ll end right after the midterms. Gasoline’s going to drop like a rock,” Trump told reporters at the Irish Open golf championship.

“I will tell you this: Iran wants to make a deal so bad. They are calling constantly. They want to make a deal. They’ve got to make the right deal. I’m not going to make a deal that’s no good,” he said. 

Trump says 'don't care' if Gulf nations meet with Iran

US President Donald Trump has said he does not “care” about a proposed meeting between Iran and Gulf states to discuss the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing American conflict with Tehran, AFP reports.

“I don’t care. That’s up to them,” the US leader told reporters during a visit to Ireland when asked about tomorrow’s planned meeting in Oman. 

Saudi pipeline outage threatens loss of 4pc of global oil supply

Saudi Arabia will run out of oil stocks for exports if it doesn’t restart its major pipeline to the Red Sea within days, leading to a loss of up to 4pc of global supply, Saudi oil buyers and traders have said, Reuters reports.

A further decline in Saudi flows will worsen the global supply crunch, which has already pushed global fuel prices to record highs, spurred inflation around the world and sent US bond yields to the highest levels since the 2008 financial crisis.

Since drone attacks forced Saudi Arabia to shut its huge east-west oil pipeline this week, Riyadh has not given full details about the extent of the damage or how long the route will stay offline. 

Araghchi links Hormuz reopening to US return to Islamabad MoU

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran’s decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is conditional on the United States returning to its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

According to ISNA, Araghchi said discussions with Oman were focused on establishing a new maritime route through the strait rather than reopening it.

“Iran’s condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is the return of the United States to its commitments in the Islamabad MoU,” Araghchi was quoted as saying.

He added that Iran would provide participating countries with details of its agreement with Oman and plans for the proposed new maritime route.
 

Pezeshkian says Iran only defended itself against US, Israeli aggression

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran did not initiate the war, but acted in self-defence against what he described as US and Israeli aggression.

Pezeshkian said Iran had no dispute with any country in the region, but objected to US military bases in regional countries being used to launch attacks against Iran.

“We have no problem with any of the countries in the region. Our problem is with the US bases in regional countries, which are being used to launch aggression against our country,” Press TV reported.

Israel launches new air attacks on Lebanon's Nabatieh district

The Israeli military has conducted new air attacks near al-Dabsha Hill in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reports, citing NNA.

Israeli forces hit the area twice in fewer than 30 minutes, the report said. 

Israel launches new air attacks on Lebanon's Nabatieh district

The Israeli military has conducted new air attacks near al-Dabsha Hill in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reports, citing NNA.

Israeli forces hit the area twice in fewer than 30 minutes, the report said. 

Arab League chief says conflict in Gulf cannot be solved by military intervention

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy has said that the conflict in the Gulf region cannot be solved by military intervention and warned that “the crisis is poised to continue,” Al Jazeera reports.

Fahmy said he believed Arab countries needed to “establish clear foundations” in their relationships with Iran going forward. He also said Tehran “must change its policies”, describing Iran’s role towards some Arab states as “extremely negative”c 

Crew of vessel attacked in Hormuz strait evacuated, says UKMTO

A vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime ?Trade Operations said early on Sunday.

The crew were evacuated by local authorities after a fire broke out following the attack, the British navy-affiliated firm said. 

Saudi shares drop after drone attacks target key oil pipeline

Saudi Arabian shares fell in early trade today, reflecting the market’s first reaction to drone strikes on the kingdom’s vital East-West crude pipeline, Reuters reports.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index TASI dropped 1.0 per cent, weighed down by a 0.8pc decline in Al Rajhi Bank and a 2.4pc slide in Saudi Arabian Mining Company.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco slipped 1.1pc, while Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company plunged 7.3pc to emerge as the session’s worst performer.

The sell-off followed a precautionary shutdown of the East-West pipeline after aerial strikes last week struck installations across the Riyadh and Medina regions, causing several injuries. 

Iraq to reopen Iran crossings after drone attack

Iraqi authorities have announced a timeline to reopen three crossings with Iran, a day after closing them following a drone attack originating from their shared border on a Saudi pipeline, AFP reports.

After the Friday night attack on the East-West pipeline, Baghdad sacked the military commander in Missan province near the Iran border, after authorities determined the drones were launched from there.

The government then closed three crossings, citing the need to reorganise operations and boost intelligence efforts to stop violations.

The government’s security media cell says that “after reviewing operations at the border crossings,” they would gradually reopen for passengers and trade on a timeline from Sunday until Thursday.

The crossings are Shalamsheh in Basra, al-Shib in Missan, and al-Mandali in Diyala.

Shalamsheh and al-Shib reopened to passengers on Sunday but not to trade, the government media cell has said.

 

Large Israeli explosion reported in Khiam, southern Lebanon

A large explosion carried out by Israeli forces in the town of Khiam, southern Lebanon, has shattered windows in several nearby towns, Al Jazeera cites Lebanon’s National News Agency.

The incident comes amid continued Israeli military operations across southern Lebanon despite a US-brokered ceasefire. Israel has carried out repeated air strikes and ground operations in recent days, including around the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge. 

IRGC Navy warns US vessels against approaching Strait of Hormuz

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy official has warned US naval vessels against approaching the Strait of Hormuz, challenging claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington controls the waterway, Al Jazeera reports.

“If the Strait of Hormuz is under American control, then go ahead — bring one of your warships within 100 kilometres,” the deputy political commander of the IRGC Navy has said, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

He says US forces know that any vessels approaching the area would face a response from Iranian forces, adding that similar incidents had occurred in recent days. 

Iranians 'can't be bullied into submission', Pezeshkian says

President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iranians “can’t be bullied into submission” in a post on X.

“If Americans are warriors, let them face our valiant military forces. Why wage war on civilian infrastructure, food supplies, and livelihoods?” he has questioned.

“If they’re human, why deny people access to water, food, and medicine?”

“Iran won’t surrender,” he reaffirms in the post. 

Iran not at war with Saudi Arabia, says President

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran is not in a state of war with Saudi Arabia, stressing that regional countries should work together to establish peace and security.

In a statement, Pezeshkian said the countries of the region should sit together and find ways to maintain peace and stability.

Commenting on an expected agreement between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian president said representatives of all countries from whose territories attacks had been launched against Iran would participate in the upcoming meeting in Muscat.

Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran was seeking to safeguard its international rights and did not want war, adding that Tehran continued to prioritise peace.

He also said that the Houthis had their own issues, apparently distancing Iran from the group's actions and regional disputes.

The Iranian president further alleged that the United States, Israel and European countries wanted to prevent countries in the region from maintaining their independence.
 

Iran not at war with Saudi Arabia, says President

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran is not in a state of war with Saudi Arabia, stressing that regional countries should work together to establish peace and security.

In a statement, Pezeshkian said the countries of the region should sit together and find ways to maintain peace and stability.

Commenting on an expected agreement between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian president said representatives of all countries from whose territories attacks had been launched against Iran would participate in the upcoming meeting in Muscat.

Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran was seeking to safeguard its international rights and did not want war, adding that Tehran continued to prioritise peace.

He also said that the Houthis had their own issues, apparently distancing Iran from the group's actions and regional disputes.

The Iranian president further alleged that the United States, Israel and European countries wanted to prevent countries in the region from maintaining their independence.
 

Iranian commercial vessel struck off Qeshm Island, one killed, three wounded

An Iranian commercial vessel has been struck off southern Iran, killing one person and wounding three others, Iranian state media reports, citing the governor of Qeshm County. 

Houthis claim they hit Saudi base after renewed fighting with Yemeni govt forces

Houthi fighters claim they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia as renewed fighting with Yemen’s government forces forced growing numbers of civilians to flee, reports AFP.

The attack at the southern Sharurah base targeted “weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people”, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X.

The date of the operation was not specified. 

Vessel struck by projectile while transiting Strait of Hormuz, says UKMTO

A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said early on Sunday.

The status of the crew, extent of damage and any environmental impact were not immediately known, UKMTO said. 

Gunfire reported in southeast Iran one day after deadly clashes

Sustained gunfire was heard Sunday from several military posts in Bakhshan, near Saravan in southeastern Iran, a day after hours-long clashes between security forces and an armed group, local rights outlet Haalvsh reported.

Local sources said the shooting appeared one-sided, with no new fighting reported, and suggested some shots may have been fired into the air.

A local militant group called the People’s Fighters Front said four of its members and nine security personnel were killed in Saturday’s clashes. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported three of its forces and four gunmen killed.

Authorities have not explained Sunday’s gunfire. 

Saudi Arabia shuts down key pipeline after multiple attacks

Saudi Arabia announced it has shut down the East-West pipeline as a precautionary measure, saying it was subjected to multiple attacks on Thursday.

The attacks resulted in a number of injuries, according to Saudi Arabia.

An official source in the Ministry of Energy said "emergency teams and specialized technical crews initiated operations immediately following the attacks, taking the necessary procedures to secure the pipeline and verify its integrity in accordance with approved safety procedures and emergency response plans, in coordination with relevant authorities." 

Trump says Houthis asked the US not to target them

President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran is “probably” behind the attack on the critical oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia.

During his greeting with Irish leaders in Dublin, Trump also said that the Houthis asked the US not to target them.

“We've had discussions. The Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us,” Trump said.

"They would much prefer not having us involved. And they're letting most ships go through. There's just one country that they're not too happy with and we'll get that straightened out," Trump said.
 

Iran sets seven conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz

Iran has sent seven conditions to the United States through intermediaries, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz dependent on their fulfillment.

According to Report, citing Tasnim and a source familiar with the matter, Iran has communicated the conditions to Washington through mediators.

 

Vessel struck by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says

A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said in a verified warning issued early Sunday.

UKMTO said the condition of the crew, the extent of damage and any environmental impact were not immediately known.
It advised vessels in the area to transit with caution and report suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident.

 

Iran steps up regional diplomacy, discusses Hormuz with Turkiye, Iraq, and Oman

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan discussed the Strait of Hormuz, recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and diplomatic efforts to contain escalating regional tensions, state media from both countries reported on Saturday.

During a phone call, the two ministers reviewed the latest regional developments and stressed the need to prevent the crisis from widening, avoid further escalation and maintain continuous diplomatic consultations aimed at restoring stability.

Araghchi also held separate phone calls with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi to discuss the broader regional situation and coordinate diplomatic efforts. 

Iraq seizes 15 drone launchers, vows to prevent attacks on neighbors

Iraqi authorities have seized 15 drone launch platforms and said they would not allow Iraqi territory to be used to attack neighboring countries, Al Arabiya reported, after drones launched from Iraq struck a Saudi oil pipeline. 

Iran temporarily reopens two Iraq border crossings for stranded travellers

Iran temporarily reopened the Shalamcheh and Chazabeh border crossings with Iraq on Saturday to allow travellers stranded on either side to cross, a senior official in Khuzestan province said.

The limited reopening will remain in effect until midnight on Saturday, according to the province’s deputy governor for political and security affairs.

The two crossings had been closed after Iraq tightened its border with Iran following the drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline. 

Two injured as projectile hits southwestern Saudi Arabia

A projectile fell in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Jazan region on Saturday, injuring two people and causing damage to a mosque, buildings and vehicles, the Saudi Civil Defence said.

The projectile fell in al-Tawwal Governorate, near the border with Yemen, according to the authority.

It did not immediately say where the projectile originated or who was responsible.

The incident comes amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, who have carried out attacks on Saudi territory in recent days. 

Yemen's Houthis say freed more than 200 prisoners in newly captured regions

Yemen's Houthis said on Saturday that they had freed more than 200 of their members detained by pro-government forces in areas they captured in recent days.

Houthi official Abdelkader al-Murtada said they were prisoners of war who had spent up to eight years in jail before the group launched a rapid offensive to take over areas bordering the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

'Normalisation of war and genocide' cannot be accepted, Irish president tells Trump

Irish President Catherine Connolly has conveyed to US President Donald Trump “the strong view of the Irish people that the normalisation of war and genocide can never be accepted”, Al Jazeera reports citing a statement from her office.

“As a country which has suffered famine, colonisation and the violence of the Troubles, but also the importance of the long and challenging road to peace, I emphasised the unique insight which Irish people can bring to the resolution of conflict,” she is quoted as saying.

She has told Trump that Ireland would “strongly support all those who have the strength to build a shared peace in all those parts of the world currently suffering from such horrific war and violence”.

EU petrol prices up by 24pc, diesel by 33pc since start of Iran war

The prices of gasoline and diesel in the European Union have risen by 24 per cent and 33pc, respectively, since the week the Iran war began, Anadolu reports.

Gasoline prices have risen from €1.64 to €2.04 per litre, while diesel prices have risen from €1.59 to €2.11, according to the European Commission’s weekly oil bulletin.

Iranian media releases video showing damage to Saudi oil refinery

US raises issue with China of satellite images provided to Iran: official

US officials have raised the matter of Beijing providing Tehran with satellite images ahead of an attack on a US base in the Middle East to China, adding that it could come up again when US President Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on September 24, AFP reports.

Chinese officials have asked for proof of the transfer of satellite imagery when prodded by the US officials, refusing to acknowledge that Chinese companies were involved in providing Tehran with satellite images, a report from The Wall Street Journal says.

BRICS expresses 'serious concern' over attacks on civilian sites, nuclear facilities

Members of the 11-nation BRICS group have also condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, AFP reports.

“We express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under full safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the IAEA,” a joint statement said.

“Nuclear safeguards, safety, and security must always be upheld, including in armed conflicts, to protect people and the environment from harm.”

China offers role in US-Iran peace process

China has offered to mediate between the US and Iran and help bring about peace in the tumultuous Middle East, according to Al Jazeera.

“China is willing to work with fellow Brics members to play a role in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region,” President Xi Jinping tells Beijing’s Xinhua news agency in New Delhi, on the sidelines of the Brics summit.

Trump says NATO, Europe 'very disappointing' on Iran

US President Donald Trump has slammed NATO and European countries as “very disappointing in many ways” on the Iran war, Al Jazeera reports.

“Nato didn’t want to help us with the Strait [of Hormuz], even though we don’t get any oil from the strait,” Trump says, claiming that “everyone’s seen the dominance of American military equipment” in Iran.

“We took out every mine. There’s no mines out there,” he claims.

Iran got 'Chinese satellite images' before deadly strike on US troops: report

Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite images of a base in Jordan before and after an attack that killed three US soldiers, The Wall Street Journal reported — an incident that could deepen tensions between Washington and Beijing.

On July 17, Iran launched missile strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which houses US forces. Three US Army soldiers were killed.

The unnamed US officials quoted by The Wall Street Journal did not name the Chinese entities involved, and did not suggest that Beijing was directly to blame.

But US officials have raised the matter with their Chinese counterparts, and it could come up again when US President Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on September 24.

Chinese officials asked for proof of the transfer of satellite imagery when prodded by the US officials, and refused to acknowledge that Chinese companies were involved in providing Tehran with satellite images, the Journal reported late Friday.

Trump has warned Beijing not to sell weapons to Iran, and in May, Washington sanctioned three China-based satellite firms for enabling Iran's military operations.

No signed Hormuz deal expected yet from Oman meeting on Monday, says Iranian official

A meeting between Iran and Gulf states planned for Monday in Oman will be a chance to discuss issues including the Strait of Hormuz, but is not expected to yield a signed agreement over the blockaded waterway, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday.

Iran has been negotiating for months with Oman, which controls the opposite bank of the strait, over a deal that would govern transport through it. Oman has long said its negotiations are supported by other Arab countries in the Gulf.

Tehran announced on Friday that it was planning to attend a meeting with Gulf countries in Oman on Monday. Oman has not officially announced the meeting and other regional states have so far remained silent. Bahrain said on Saturday it would not attend meetings with Iran.

The Iranian official, who discussed the plans on condition of anonymity, said Monday's meeting was called at Oman's initiative, and would provide a forum to discuss other regional issues as well as Hormuz.

Iraq agrees to Iran request for joint investigation into drone launch sites

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has agreed to an Iranian request for a joint investigation into the discovery of drone launch platforms near the Iraqi-Iranian border, the prime minister's office said on Saturday.

The investigation will examine the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the platforms near the border area, the statement said, after it was used to launch attacks on the Saudi Arabia East-West pipeline.

Bahrain rules out Iran meeting on Hormuz until diplomatic relations restored

Bahrain said it will not attend any meeting with Iran to discuss the Strait of Hormuz until diplomatic ties between the two countries are restored, according to state media.

BRICS nations call for 'maximum restraint' in Middle East

Members of the 11-nation Brics group, including China, Russia, Iran and India, called for calm in the Middle East, in a joint statement issued Saturday at a summit meeting.

"We express deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East/West Asia and, recalling our respective national positions, call for exercising maximum restraint, as well as avoiding actions that could further aggravate the situation," the statement issued in the Indian capital New Delhi read.

 

Iran's Pezeshkian meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince on Brics sidelines in India

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi on Saturday, on the sidelines of the Brics leaders' summit, Iran's embassy in India said in a post on X.

Trump says Yemen's Houthis have asked US not to intervene

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Yemen's Houthi fighters, who have seized a vital shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia, have asked Washington not to intervene.

"The Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us," Trump told reporters on a visit to Dublin, Ireland.

"They don't want us to go after them."

"He added that "everything's gonna work out fine and dandy," in the region.

Iran president says Middle East has no need for US 'policeman'

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that the Middle East does not need the United States to be a "regional policeman", with the two countries at war and vying for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

"We do not need a regional policeman: the territorial integrity and security of the region can only be guaranteed by its main players and the countries that comprise it," he said on the sidelines of a Brics summit in India during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Trump says Strait of Hormuz, Saudi concerns will 'work out just fine'

US President Donald Trump said that everything would "work out ‌just fine" when asked ‌whether he could help move traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ‌in light of fresh concerns ‌about Saudi Arabia.

"Everything will work out just fine," Trump said, speaking in Dublin after meeting Irish President Catherine Connolly. 

Trump repeated ?that he believed the war with Iran will ?end after ‌US ?midterm elections in November ‌and that oil prices will tumble ?once it does.

"I think very soon. ?I think it'll ‌be probably right after the mid-terms. They're trying ‌to hold out as ?long as they can to complicate the election. But ?I think people ?are wise ?to it," Trump told reporters in ?Dublin.

"When that happens, oil prices will come tumbling down."

 

Pakistan condemns drone attacks on pipeline in Saudi Arabia

BRICS reaches agreement on declaration against unilateral war by any country

The BRICS group of emerging economies has agreed on a joint declaration, sources told Reuters on Saturday, hours before ‌its leaders began a summit in New Delhi, aiming to boost the bloc's global clout, Reuters reported.

The summit, hoping to bridge divisions between members Iran and the United Arab Emirates over the Gulf conflict, is being held as the United States and Iran resume tit-for-tat strikes in their six-month-old war.

That followed a pause in fighting for much of August, while the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen tightened their grip in the Red Sea region.

Negotiators had agreed on a joint declaration unlikely to name any country but which will condemn unilateral war by any country, four sources told Reuters, adding that the bloc's leaders were expected to approve the document later on Saturday. 

Lebanon's president visits south after Israel blows up strategic Hezbollah site

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited the country's south on Saturday, in a surprise trip to a city close to a strategic Hezbollah position recently captured and blown up by Israel.

Official Lebanese media said he arrived in the city of Nabatieh unannounced and accompanied by security officials.

His visit comes a day after a senior US diplomatic official said a new round of US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon, initially scheduled for next week, had been pushed back to October.

Aoun expressed solidarity with locals in Nabatieh who greeted him on Saturday, according to footage broadcast by Lebanese media. 

Iran rules out talks unless its conditions are met

Iran has ruled out negotiations with the United States unless Tehran’s conditions are accepted.

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the National Security Commission of the Iranian Parliament, said in a statement shared on X that negotiations would be futile until Iran’s terms are met.

Azizi stressed that dialogue with Washington would have no purpose as long as the American side refuses to accept all of Iran’s conditions. 

 

US limits air defense time slots for tankers sailing through Hormuz, FT reports

The US has asked tankers traveling through the ?Strait of Hormuz to sail only at specific times to guarantee military protection after Iran stepped ‌up attacks on ‌ships ?traveling ‌at ?night, ?the Financial ?Times reported on Saturday.

Washington has been offering air-based defense since May to ships wanting ?to sail via ‌a ‌route hugging ?the ‌Omani coast on ‌the strait's southern side.

That period during which ships would be ‌protected was cut down to two specific time ?slots ?daily around the start of September, the FT reported, citing emails sent by the US naval co-ordination center to maritime advisers.

Meanwhile, the US military has forced 99 commercial vessels to change course in the Gulf region as it enforces its blockade of Iranian ports, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday in a social media post.

Saudi Arabia condemns drone attack on East-West pipeline by drones launched from Iraq

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses in the strongest terms the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the targeting of the East-West Pipeline in Riyadh and Madinah regions by several drones launched from Iraq, resulting in injuries and some damage that is currently being addressed, SPA reported.

In a statement, the ministry stated: “The Kingdom clarifies that, following a request from the prime minister of Iraq to give the brotherly Iraqi government the opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent attacks launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, the Kingdom has opted not to respond at this stage and to support the efforts of the Iraqi government.” 

Saudi Arabia condemns drone attack on East-West pipeline by drones launched from Iraq

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses in the strongest terms the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the targeting of the East-West Pipeline in Riyadh and Madinah regions by several drones launched from Iraq, resulting in injuries and some damage that is currently being addressed, SPA reported.

In a statement, the ministry stated: “The Kingdom clarifies that, following a request from the prime minister of Iraq to give the brotherly Iraqi government the opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent attacks launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, the Kingdom has opted not to respond at this stage and to support the efforts of the Iraqi government.” 

Iraq orders closure of Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran, sources say

Iraq ordered the closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran as a precautionary measure after the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, Reuters reportdc.

The sources said a wide-scale operation was underway to pursue perpetrators of the attack on Saudi Arabia. 

Iraqi PM dismisses military commander after drone attacks against Saudi Arabia

An Iraqi military commander was dismissed after investigations confirmed the latest drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia originated from Iraq, Reuters reports, citing a statement by Iraq’s prime minister’s office.

The commander led operations in Maysan province in southern Iraq, according to the statement. 

Saudi Arabia says drones launched from Iraq hit oil pipeline

Saudi Arabia said drones launched from Iraq hit the East-West pipeline and led to its closure, AFP reported.

The foreign ministry condemned “the targeting of the East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions by several drones coming from Iraq, which caused human injuries and damage”.

“The pipeline was stopped as a precaution, and the attacks resulted in some injuries,” an energy ministry official told the SPA news agency earlier. 

Saudi FM holds separate calls with Turkish, Qatari counterparts to discuss regional tensions

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held separate phone calls with his Turkish and Qatari counterparts to discuss regional developments and efforts to ease tensions.

During a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the two ministers discussed bilateral cooperation aimed at supporting regional stability. They also reviewed joint efforts to de-escalate the situation and contain rising tensions in the region.

Later, Prince Faisal spoke by phone with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The two officials discussed the latest developments in the region and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions while preserving regional security and stability. 

Iran's Pezeshkian urges BRICS to expand use of national currencies: state media

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for expanding the use of national currencies in intra-Brics trade, according to state news agency IRNA.

In a speech at the BRICS Economic Summit of Heads of State in New Delhi, Pezeshkian said the use of national currencies must come with systems to manage currency risk and mutual settlement, as the current financial system is “vulnerable to political shocks due to its focus on a limited number of currencies”, it adds.

According to the agency, he adds that US and Israeli aggression has “once again revealed that economic security is inseparable from national and regional security and could affect regional stability and even the global economy”.

Trump says US continuing 'war on terror' in Iran

President Donald Trump vows that the United States will never forget the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and suggests the country is continuing the “war on terror” 25 years later by fighting Iran, AFP reports.

During a speech commemorating the anniversary of the attacks at the Pentagon, Trump has linked the fight against Al-Qaeda launched by his Republican predecessor George W Bush to the US-Israeli war on Iran, which is now in its seventh month.

“Today we salute every member of the United States military who served in the ‘War on Terror.’ It is a war on sick, horrible terror,” Trump says. “And we salute the service members working right now to ensure the world’s number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will never ever have a nuclear weapon.”

Modi stresses need to protect navigation, seafarers in talks with Pezeshkian

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday and underscored the need to protect the freedom of navigation and commerce, and the safety and well-being of seafarers, India's foreign ministry said.

He also emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, the ministry said in a statement.

The leaders met in New Delhi on the eve of the Brics leaders' summit.

Houthis seize Yemen's entire Red Sea coast: govt military official

Yemen's Houthis have seized control of the country's entire Red Sea coast, a military official from the internationally recognised government told AFP on Friday, consolidating the group's control of the vital waterway.

The official said that all territory under government control "on the western coast has fallen", after the Houthis seized the strategic Mayyun Island and the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the Bab al-Mandab strait as they seek to choke off Saudi oil exports.

Houthis say Bab al-Mandab navigation 'safe' for all except Saudi Arabia

The Houthi military spokesman said on Friday that navigation through the Bab al-Mandab strait is "safe" for all but Saudi Arabia, after the group sealed its takeover of the vital shipping corridor.

"Maritime navigation is safe for all companies except Saudi ships, which have already been banned," Yahya Saree said in a statement.

Iran says Gulf states to meet in Oman to discuss safe Hormuz shipping routes

Iran is planning a meeting of the foreign ministers of Iraq and other Arab states bordering the Gulf in Oman on Monday to discuss safe commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.

Six missiles hit Yemen's Red Sea Mocha port: local official

Six missiles struck the port on Friday in Yemen's strategic Red Sea city of Mocha, now under Houthi control, a local official told AFP, without specifying where they came from.

"Six missiles targeted the Mocha port," the Yemeni government official said.