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US-Iran war

Iran has 'lost complete control' of Strait of Hormuz, says Rubio

  • 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 8th month, with Hormuz remaining at the centre of the crisis

Iran has 'lost complete control' of Strait of Hormuz, says Rubio

Iran has “lost complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday, adding that Tehran’s economy was “in total and complete freefall," AFP reproted.

“The Straits of Hormuz are open. There’s almost as much oil flowing out now as there was before this conflict began. So they’ve lost complete control of the Straits,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Athens.

He argued that as a result of “crippling” sanctions, the Iranian economy was “about to reach a place few countries in the world have been.” 

Houthis attack Aden airport as fighting intensifies in Yemen

Houthis attacked the international airport in the southern Yemeni town of Aden with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones early on Wednesday, Yemen's Transport Ministry said, as fighting intensified across several fronts between the ‌Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed government forces.

The Saudi-led coalition, pushing to retake strategic territory seized by the Houthis, said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of the Saudi capital Riyadh.
 

Oil prices rise as storms and air strikes threaten supply

Oil prices rose on Wednesday as the market weighed supply constraints from a storm heading for US oil-producing regions and attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Saudi Arabia against increased supplies of ?Middle East crude.

Brent futures rose 93 cents, or 0.92%, to $101.51 a barrel by 0022 GMT. ‌US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 82 cents, or 0.92%, to $90.25. 

Saudi coalition says intercepted missile fired by Yemen's Houthis

The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis said Wednesday it had shot down a ballistic missile north of Riyadh, AFP reported.

“A ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia north of Riyadh was intercepted and destroyed,” the coalition’s spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki wrote on X. 

Explosions rock Yemen port city as Saudi coalition intercepts Houthi missile

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis toward the Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, Saudi state TV reported, according to Reuters.

The coalition said Houthi missile threats originated from the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, as well as the governorates of Saada and Amran.

The developments came amid reports of two powerful explosions in the southern port city of Aden near its international airport.
 

Iran declares US talks meaningless, slams economic sanctions, threats

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed talks with the United States as "meaningless" Tuesday, citing ongoing US sanctions, pressure and military actions against Iran.

"Our problem with the U.S. is that every time we come to the negotiating table, war is immediately imposed upon us," Pezeshkian said after a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, according to the semi-official state media outlet Fars News Agency.

"Negotiations with an enemy that engages every day in assassinations, sanctions, pressure, and threats, and that violates agreements, are meaningless," he added.

"Our people do not accept such an approach either."

Pezeshkian's remarks came despite ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran, according to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 

Vance says Iran must cut enrichment capacity to end war

US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Reuters that Iran must meaningfully reduce its uranium enrichment capacity to meet US demands and end the seven-month war, while saying Washington remained uncertain about how decisions were being made in Tehran.

“If you don't want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60% enriched fuel?” Vance told Reuters on Monday. “If you want to show commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, don't build highly enriched fuel.”

“I think if they want to show a commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they would do something meaningful on their enrichment capacity,” he said.

Vance said Washington remained open to an agreement but expected concrete nuclear concessions from Tehran.

“We're not going to trade words for actions,” he said.

The vice president said the US was in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi but was uncertain how much authority they held within Iran’s power structure.

“One of the things we picked up on is it's not totally clear how their country makes decisions,” Vance said. 

Oman evacuates crew from Panama-flagged tanker after Strait of Hormuz attack

Oman carried out a medical evacuation for crew members aboard the Panama-flagged oil tanker On Peace, which was attacked near the coast of Oman on Tuesday, the media office of the sultanate's armed forces said in a post on X.

Separately, India's Foreign Ministry also confirmed in a statement that 11 Indian nationals on board had been wounded, after an unknown projectile struck the tanker as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

The ministry did not provide details about the conditions of those wounded but condemned the incident and called for an “immediate cessation of attacks” in the waterway.

 

3 Iranians face UK charges over alleged spy operation targeting journalists

Three Iranians have been accused of spying on two journalists in Britain to assist Iran’s intelligence service and prepare for serious violence, prosecutors said Tuesday in London.

Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, allegedly conducted months of surveillance of journalists Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, Iran International reported.

Prosecutors allege Sepahvand intended to carry out serious violence, while Javadi Manesh and Noori gathered information to help others commit serious violence.

The three men, arrested in 2025, have pleaded not guilty to all charges. They are charged under Britain’s National Security Act 2023.

UK authorities arrest man over suspected terror plot targeting RAF base used by US forces

British police said they arrested a 22-year-old British man in connection with a suspected terror plot against RAF Fairford, the airbase the United States had been using to strike Iran.

The man was arrested in Westminster and officers searched a property in the same area, Counter Terrorism Policing said, according to Reuters.

"This remains a live investigation and our specialist teams continue to pursue multiple lines of enquiry into the circumstances surrounding events near RAF Fairford," Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing Vicki Evans said on Tuesday.

The U.S. withdrew its B-1 bombers from the base, about 92 miles west of London, after President Donald Trump said there were unspecified threats. The base is the only European forward operating location for American heavy bombers.

U.S. officials later said the threats may have been linked to an Iranian plot to target the military installation. Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged operation. 

Iran vows 'surprises' for enemies as sanctioned missile expert tapped for defense chief

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated sanctioned ballistic missile expert Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as defense minister on Tuesday, a move a prominent lawmaker said served as a warning to Iran’s “enemies.”

Ketabchi has roots in Iran’s missile industry and was added to a U.N. Security Council sanctions list in 2007 as head of the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, a Defense Ministry organization linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

His name returned to the U.N. sanctions list in September 2025, according to Iran International.

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said on X that the nomination signaled Iran was prepared to deliver a devastating response to any aggression.

“The most important message of introducing Mehrdad Akhlaghi (as the proposed Minister of Defense) to the enemies is doubled combat readiness to defend Iran and a devastating response to any aggression,” Rezaei said on X.

“Expect surprises, new weapons, more powerful armaments, and a quantitative and qualitative increase in Iran's defensive productions.” 

Iran drone plot fears led US to remove bombers from UK base, says officials

A suspected plot involving Iran to launch a complex drone attack on a key British airbase led the United States to remove its B-1 bomber aircraft from the base, two US officials told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Iran has denied any involvement in any alleged plot at RAF Fairford, the preferred European ?base for US bombers. British police said on Tuesday they had arrested a 22-year-old British man in London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts as part of their investigation into the suspected plot.

A spokesperson for the US military's European Command declined to comment, saying: "It is inappropriate to discuss matters of intelligence, and we will not discuss specific force protection measures."

"As demonstrated across multiple operations, America's bombers, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s — can deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime," the spokesperson said.

Qatar says US-Iran talks continue to end war

Mediator Qatar on Tuesday said the United States and Iran were still engaged in talks to end the Middle East war, despite an apparent deadlock seven months into the conflict.

The indirect negotiations take account of "the concerns of the various parties", foreign ministry official Ibrahim Al-Hashmi told a regular press briefing.

"I can confirm that the talks are continuing and the exchange of messages between different parties are continuing via Qatar and its regional partners," he said.

"As you know, the scale of this conflict and the magnitude of the price that the whole world is paying require us to put our best efforts to end this immediately through a negotiable solution on the negotiation table," the official added.

IEA to decide on details of diesel stocks release next week as market confusion grows

The West’s energy watchdog will meet next week to work out the details of a diesel stock release as market confusion grows over how many barrels Europe and the US plan to make available to address shortages and record-high prices, sources say according to Reuters.

The governing board of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which advises industrialised countries and manages their strategic oil reserves, is expected to decide the details of the stocks release at an Oct 14-15 board meeting, two people close to the matter say.

The IEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what was expected to be decided at the board meeting. 

Centcom refutes Iranian media claim of downed US Navy helicopter in Red Sea

US Central Command (Centcom) refutes Iranian media’s claim that a US Navy MH-60R helicopter crashed in the Red Sea last night.

In a post on X, Centcom said, “Reports of a downed US Navy helicopter in the Red Sea are not true. All US military aircraft and personnel across the Middle East are safe and accounted for.” 

Iran says weapons production capacity rose 2.5 times since war

Iran’s capacity to produce weapons and defence equipment has increased 2.5 times since the start of the war, the country’s Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

According to state broadcaster IRIB, the spokesperson said Iran’s weapons production capacity had risen significantly compared with the period before the “Ramadan war.”

He added that production of some types of weapons had increased more than threefold.

 

Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Riyadh airport

Yemen's Houthis claimed an attack on the main airport in the Saudi capital while also denying on Tuesday losing territory to government forces, as fighting intensified, AFP reported. 

After declaring a counter-offensive, government forces claimed Monday to have pushed the Houthis out of the Bab al-Mandab area, a key shipping route in the Red Sea, as well as the port city of Mocha, which was captured last month. 

Three injured in attack on Najran, Jazan airports: reports

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said that the Najran and Jazan airports were targeted last night, Al Arabiya reported.

The authority said that three have been injured in the attack and that material damage has been reported.
 

Iran's armed forces ready for any US, Israeli 'miscalculation': Ebrahim Azizi

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, said Iran’s armed forces are more prepared than ever to respond to any potential “miscalculation” by the United States or Israel.

 

 

Iran warns Bahrain, regional states against attacks from their territory

Tehran has warned Bahrain and other regional states against allowing their territory or airspace to be used in attacks on Iran, warning them of response if they allow such attacks again, IRNA reported.

Ali Karimi Magham, Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, made the remarks Monday before the UN Third Committee, responding to statements by Bahrain’s representative. He said Bahrain was speaking about human rights while ignoring the circumstances surrounding events.

Karimi Magham said Bahrain was not a victim, arguing that it had provided its territory, bases and airspace for an illegal US war against Iran. A country that had made its territory available for an unlawful war against its neighbor, he said, could not express surprise at the consequences. 

Next enemy mistake will open new fronts, bring bigger surprises: Iran's top security official

Iran’s top security official says the enemy’s next mistake against the Islamic Republic will open “new fronts” and bring “bigger surprises,” Press TV reported.

In a post on his X account on Monday, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Major General Mohsen Rezaei said the enemy’s past miscalculations in confronting Iran had led to “heavy defeats.”

He expressed confidence that Iran would overcome the current complicated circumstances with strength under the wise leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.
 

Next enemy mistake will open new fronts, bring bigger surprises: Iran's top security official

Iran’s top security official says the enemy’s next mistake against the Islamic Republic will open “new fronts” and bring “bigger surprises,” Press TV reported.

In a post on his X account on Monday, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Major General Mohsen Rezaei said the enemy’s past miscalculations in confronting Iran had led to “heavy defeats.”

He expressed confidence that Iran would overcome the current complicated circumstances with strength under the wise leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.
 

Oil gains as traders weigh Gulf tensions against strong Mideast exports

Oil prices made slight gains on Tuesday as security concerns in the Middle East kept a geopolitical risk premium in the market, even as resilient regional crude exports and a ‌G7 emergency stockpile release eased supply concerns.

Brent crude futures were up 27 cents, or 0.3%, at $100.59 a barrel at around 0330 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 30 cents, or 0.3%, to $89.73 a barrel. 

US says foreign financial institutions doing business with Iran may be sanctioned without notice

The US Treasury Department said on Monday it was alerting foreign financial institutions that continue to do business ‌with Iran or its financial sector that they may be sanctioned by Washington without advance notice.

"Foreign financial institutions continuing to transact with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions could be targeted at any time without advance notification and should take immediate action to terminate such activity and relationships," the Treasury Department said in its alert. 

US Embassy in Riyadh warns Americans of potential drone, missile attacks

The US Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert Monday warning Americans in Saudi Arabia of potential drone and missile attacks.

“Due to the ongoing security situation in Saudi Arabia and the potential for aerial drone or missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Mission strongly encourages all U.S. citizens to remain vigilant and follow the guidance of national alerts released by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense,” the embassy said on X.

The warning came amid rising tension in the region as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched a lightning advance, retaking the coast along the Bab el-Mandab Strait through the city of Mocha and driving Iran-backed Houthis from most of the territory they seized last month, the government said.


 

Explosions heard across Saudi capital as Houthis claim attacks on airports, refinery, military base

Explosions were heard across the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Monday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on X.

Reuters also reported that Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said they carried out three military operations targeting several locations in Saudi Arabia , including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, Abha International Airport and the Khamis Mushait military base.

There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia, the outlet reported.
 

Yemeni forces say they recaptured Mocha amid Operation 'Dawn of Yemen'

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces shared a video Monday showing their forces targeting Houthi militia amid reports that the port of Mocha had been recaptured.

“Targeting by our armed forces of elements of the Houthi terrorist militia and its military equipment within Operation ‘Dawn of Yemen,’” the spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces said on X.

This came as the Defense Ministry said its armed forces had recaptured Mocha, which the Houthis seized last month.

Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki also said Monday that 100 fighter jets were involved in Operation “Dawn of Yemen,” with forces destroying 324 high-value Houthi targets.
 

Saudi-led coalition strikes Houthi weapons sites, thwarts 'imminent' Red Sea attack plot

The Saudi-led coalition said Monday that its forces carried out a military operation in Hodeida province as well as launching a major offensive against the Houthis in the region, Reuters reported.

According to Col. Turki Al-Maliki, the official spokesman for coalition forces, the operation was “to protect maritime navigation security in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.”

“We destroyed weapons depots, boat explosive storage facilities, and naval mines,” Al-Maliki said on X.

“We have thwarted a plot for imminent attacks targeting the waterways south of the Red Sea,” he said, adding that the operation included the “destruction of legitimate military targets belonging to the terrorist Houthi militia.”

"The naval forces of the Coalition carried out a military operation in Al Hudaydah Governorate," Al-Maliki added.
 

Third tanker struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours: UKMTO

Another tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, sparking a fire in its engine room, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported.

The maritime organization said there were no reported casualties or environmental impacts.

“Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” it said in a statement on X.

This was the third incident in the waterway in the last 48 hours. 

US sanctions froze Iranian oil exports as rial hit record lows: Bessent:

U.S. sanctions successfully froze Iranian oil exports completely last month as the country's currency plunged to record lows, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday.

“Operation Economic Outcast is delivering results: the rial has plunged to record lows, Iran loaded zero crude oil onto tankers last month, and even Iran’s top security official has admitted the country is facing one of the most difficult periods in its history,” Bessent said on X.

“The Iranian regime allows its own people to suffer while it pours resources into terrorism,” he added before vowing that Operation Economic Outcast would not stop until the Iranian regime understands that Washington “will never allow the regime to fund terrorism and develop a nuclear weapon.”  

Trump points finger at Iran over attempted FlyDubai attack: 'I personally do'

President Donald Trump told Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson on Monday that he thinks Iran was behind the attempted attack aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight on Sept. 30.

“And on flydubai. Do you think Iran was responsible for that terrorist attack?” Tomlinson asked.

President Trump said, “I do, I personally do.”

The Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight had landed safely in Saudi Arabia after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, who attacked the captain and tried to crash the plane.

Trump warns Tehran of 'great' suffering, says Iran war will end 'very soon'

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran on Monday, saying Iran would “suffer greatly” if it brought combat drones into the United Kingdom, while predicting the war with Iran will end shortly.

When pressed by reporters on the tarmac before departing for Grand Island, Nebraska, about whether Iran had brought combat drones into the United Kingdom, Trump replied: “I can't tell you that.”

“But if they did, they'll suffer greatly.”

The president also said the war with Iran “ is going to end very soon. One way or the other.” 

Iran threatens 'crushing' response to any renewed US military action

Iran’s army chief warned Monday that the country’s armed forces are ready to deliver a "crushing" response to any renewed U.S. military action while accusing Washington of turning to economic sanctions after losing the battle.

“After failing on the military battlefield, the enemy has resorted to other methods and, through sanctions and economic pressure, is trying to put the people under pressure, while at the same time pursuing many measures to create insecurity and unrest,” Hatami said, according to Fars, the state-affiliated news agency.

Hatami added that Iranian forces would deliver “a crushing and decisive response” if the United States makes “another mistake.”
 

Yemen's armed forces say they have taken control of Mocha

The armed forces of Yemen’s internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government said they had retaken control of the Red Sea port of Mocha, captured last month by the Houthis.

Iranian president nominates new defence minister

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has nominated Mehrdad Akhlaghi as the country’s new minister of defence, Al Jazeera reports citing the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

According to Tasnim, Akhlaghi previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organisation and as a senior executive at the defence ministry.

The ministry has been temporarily led by several officials since Brigadier-General Aziz Nasirzadeh was assassinated at the start of the US-Israeli war.

Aramco chief warns satellite, shipping data being used to target facilities

Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser says satellite imagery and detailed ship tracking data are increasingly being used to attack infrastructure and oil tankers, Reuters reports.

“Satellite imaging and shipping logs are increasingly being weaponised against infrastructure and tankers. Tools of transparency should not become ammunition for aggression,” Nasser tells the Energy Intelligence Forum “Technology offers immense benefit, but also poses serious risks”.

He adds that oil markets follow headlines on the US-Israeli war on Iran, including those based on satellite imagery and ship tracking data. 

Tanker in Hormuz turns back after Iranian threats: maritime agency

A tanker has turned around after being threatened by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports citing the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO).

“A tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz inbound was hailed by the IRGC and instructed to turn back, or the vessel would be targeted,” it says, referring to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

“The master of the tanker has confirmed that they have complied with the instruction,” the UKMTO says, adding that the ship was entering the strait near the Omani coastline.

 

Houthis claim strikes in Yemen's Sanaa region kill female student

Yemen’s Houthis claim that Saudi airstrikes killed a female student in the country’s Sanaa governorate, after government forces announced an offensive on the capital city, AFP reports.

“A student was killed and two others were wounded in a Saudi attack” targeting the Bani Hashish area, the Houthi-affiliated TV channel Al-Masirah reports, adding that strikes have also targeted the Saada region, a Houthi stronghold. 

More Qatari LNG cargoes transit Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing risks

More liquefied natural gas cargoes loaded from Ras Laffan have reappeared outside the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after ‌transiting the waterway, extending a recent increase in Qatar's LNG traffic despite ongoing security risks linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Four LNG vessels carrying Qatari cargoes reappeared outside the Strait of Hormuz around October 2-3, according to Kpler and LSEG shiptracking data.

Three of the vessels - Bu Samra, Al Gattara and Al Sadd - are QatarEnergy-linked. Al Gattara is currently signalling for Zhejiang, China while Al Sadd delivered its cargo to the Dahej terminal in India on October 3.

The fourth vessel, Al Kharsaah, is managed by Seapeak ‌Maritime, an independent owner and operator of gas carriers. 

Yemen government forces say they have seized control of Bab al-Mandeb

Yemen’s Giants Brigades and Nation’s Shield Forces have seized the control of Bab al-Mandeb, the spokesperson for the government forces said.

On the other hand, Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, the Official Spokesman for Coalition Forces (Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen) wrote on X: “We secured air protection for the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and handling moving targets is ongoing.”

He said aerial support is being provided to the Yemeni armed forces on the ground around the clock.

He added, “We destroyed 324 high-value targets with the launch of Operation ‘Dawn of Yemen’”.
 

Yemen forces claim 1,747 Houthi fighters killed in military operations

A spokesperson for Yemen’s government-aligned forces has claimed that military operations against Houthi positions resulted in the killing of around 1,747 Houthi fighters.

Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili said a total of 1,122 attacks had been carried out against Houthi targets, including artillery sites, rocket-launching positions and command and control facilities.

According to a statement posted on X, the reported operations involved a range of military capabilities, including aircraft, drones, missiles, rockets, artillery and sniper fire.

Al-Nuzaili said the attacks were conducted across several areas of Yemen, including Saada, al-Jawf and Taiz, as well as along parts of the country’s coastline.
 

Pakistan, Iran officials discuss regional developments on sidelines of Moscow summit

The Special Representative of Pakistan for Afghanistan Affairs and the Director-General for South Asia of Iran’s Foreign Ministry have reviewed ongoing developments in the region, IRNA reported.

Sadiq Khan, the head of the Pakistani delegation, and Mohammad Reza Bahrami met yesterday on the sidelines of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the fifth Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan is scheduled for today, hosted by the Russian Federation, with Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan affairs and its ambassador to Kabul set to attend.
 

Saudi Arabia unexpectedly cuts November oil prices to Asia to 6-year lows

Saudi Arabia unexpectedly cut its oil prices for sale to Asia in ‌November to six-year lows while raising them for northwest Europe and the Mediterranean, a pricing document showed on Monday.

The largest Middle Eastern crude exporter set the November Arab Light crude oil official selling price to Asia at $5 a barrel below the average of Oman and Dubai prices, down $3 from the previous month. The discount for November is the widest since June 2020, Reuters data showed. 

Iran's oil minister resigns for personal reasons, state media reports

Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned for personal reasons, and Hamid Bovard, chief ‌executive of the government-owned National Iranian Oil Company, will be acting minister, state media said on Sunday.

Mohsen Paknejad, oil minister of the OPEC member country since August 2024, resigned as the seven-month-old war between Iran and the US has put pressure on the country's economy.

Mehdi Tabatabaei, communications deputy in the president's office, told state TV that Paknejad resigned for personal reasons "a long time ago" and his resignation was ‌accepted by President Masoud Pezeshkian at Paknejad's insistence. 

Middle East crude oil exports exceed pre-war levels but tanker attacks increase

Crude oil exports from the Middle East rose above pre-war levels ?in four of the seven days of the final week of September, shipping data showed on Monday, ‌despite attacks on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

Crude exports from the region exceeded pre-war levels on September 24 and between September 27 and 29, rising to between 19.5 million barrels per day and 22.5 million bpd, provisional data from ship-tracking firm Kpler showed.

Exports averaged 18 ?million bpd between March 2025 and February this year before the US-Israeli war with Iran began.

The 7-day moving average for crude ?exports was at 18.5 million bpd on October 1, the data showed. These include transits ?via the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, exports from terminals and ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman.

The overall ?tally for crude, oil products, chemicals and non-gas liquids averaged 22.4 million bpd in the seven days to September 30, Kpler ?data showed. 

Yemen's govt calls for world help to defeat Iran-backed Houthis

Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah Al-Zouba called Sunday for international support for the government’s newly announced military campaign to retake territory held by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

“Yemenis have the right to restore their state and security, and it is in the interest of the world for Yemen to be stable,” Al-Zouba said in a post on X.

She said the offensive announced by Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi was aimed at restoring government sovereignty across Yemen, placing weapons under state control and ending what she described as the Houthis’ exploitation of Yemeni territory and coastlines in support of Iran’s agenda.

“We call upon our brothers, friends, and the international community to support the Yemeni people, their state, and their national institutions in confronting the terrorist Houthi militia,” Al-Zouba said, adding that all opportunities for de-escalation and peace had been exhausted.

She said the Houthis had seized Yemenis’ will “by force of arms” and accused the group of endangering the lives of Yemenis.

“The danger posed by this militia and its crimes has transcended Yemen’s borders,” Al-Zouba said, adding that ending what she called the Houthis’ aggression and coup had become a “shared national, regional, and international responsibility and interest.”
 

Oil climbs after Yemeni Houthis attack Saudi Aramco sites

Oil prices rose ?on Monday after ‌Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said they launched ballistic ?missiles and ?drones at Saudi Aramco ?sites in ?Riyadh and the ?Khurais area, raising concerns about production at the ?top exporter ?in the region.

Brent crude ‌futures ?climbed 81 cents, or 0.79%, to $103.06 a barrel ?by ?2202 ?GMT, while US West ?Texas Intermediate crude ?was ?at $91.57 a barrel, up 46 ?cents, ?or ?0.50%. 

Multiple explosions reported near tanker off Yemen coast: UKMTO

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations reported Sunday that it received information about an incident 60 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen.

The maritime authority said a security officer aboard a tanker had reported multiple explosions nearby.

The crew was reported safe, UKMTO said, and no environmental impact was reported.

Authorities are investigating the incident.

Ships transiting the area were advised to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO. 

Iran warns response to renewed military action would be stronger

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Sunday that Iran would respond more forcefully than before if its adversaries again chose military action and added that Tehran remained committed to diplomacy.

“If the enemies once again choose the path of military confrontation and war, Iran’s response will be much stronger and more decisive than in the past,” Araghchi told ambassadors, diplomatic mission chiefs and representatives of international organizations in Tehran, according to a post on his Telegram channel.
 

Iran summons Norwegian ambassador over Starlink operations

Iran summoned Norway’s ambassador in Tehran on Sunday to protest what it described as Oslo’s failure to prevent unauthorized Starlink operations inside the country, state broadcaster IRIB reported.

Reza Hassaninejad, director general for international peace and security at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, criticized Norway for failing to fulfill what Tehran says are its obligations as the country responsible for registering the Starlink network with the International Telecommunication Union.

“Under decisions by the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board in recent years, the Norwegian government is required to take the necessary measures to prevent unauthorized Starlink transmissions in Iranian territory,” Hassaninejad said. “Despite repeated follow-ups by the Islamic Republic of Iran, no effective action has been taken by Norway.”

Hassaninejad also accused the United States and Israel of using Starlink systems for interventionist activities against Iran.

He called for “effective and immediate” action by Norway to halt Starlink activities Iran says violate its sovereignty and national security, and handed Ambassador Paul Bjørnstad a formal protest note. 

US removes B-1 bombers from UK base amid Iran-linked security concerns

The United States has withdrawn all B-1 bombers from Britain’s RAF Fairford, a base used for US strikes on Iran, a week after arrests over a suspected terrorist plot that British officials say may have links to Tehran, Reuters reported Sunday.

A dozen B-1 bombers had been stationed at Fairford, northwest of London, and were used in US strikes on Iran.

“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States,” a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the aircraft were removed amid security concerns over suspected terrorist plots against the facility.

British authorities are investigating possible foreign-state involvement in the suspected plot. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement. Iran has rejected accusations linking Tehran to the alleged plot as baseless and summoned the British ambassador over the issue.

The British government had authorized the United States to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz. 

IRGC commander claims US warships have withdrawn from region

Senior Revolutionary Guards commander Ali Fadavi said Sunday that no US naval vessel is currently present in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman or even the northern Indian Ocean.

Fadavi, head of the advisory group to the Guards’ commander-in-chief, told Iranian state television that Iran had maintained control of the Strait of Hormuz throughout recent months.

“The Americans have fled and moved more than 1,000 kilometers away from our borders,” he said, attributing the withdrawal to Iran and the Revolutionary Guards’ naval power. 

Several explosions heard near Iran's Sirik Island: report

Several explosions were heard from the direction of the sea in parts of Iran’s Qeshm Island and Sirik on Sunday, the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency reported. 

Houthis claim taking over Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chair's home

Iran-aligned Houthi forces reportedly took control of Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi’s residence after government forces withdrew from al-Aloum and several areas of Taiz Governorate, according to a local news outlet cited by Yemen News Portal.

The claim, if confirmed, would mark a symbolic blow to Yemen’s internationally recognized government as it says military operations are underway to retake remaining territory from the Houthis.
 

Saudi defence minister, Pentagon chief reaffirm strategic defence partnership

Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have reaffirmed the US-Saudi strategic defence partnership and pledged to work together “to strengthen regional security and stability”, according to the US embassy in Riyadh.

Iranian oil minister quits: president's office

Iran’s oil minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, the president’s office says in a statement, as the country faces long queues at petrol stations due to the impact of the Middle East war, AFP reports.

“Following the acceptance of Mohsen Paknejad’s resignation, Hamid Bovard has been appointed as acting Minister of Oil by a decree from the president”, the statement, carried by state broadcaster IRIB, reads.

Bovard is the chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company.

Turkiye says Makkah Pact committee to meet in Riyadh on Monday

A committee of the Makkah Defence Pact between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will hold talks in Riyadh on Monday, with Turkish ministers among those attending, Reuters reports citing the Turkish foreign ministry.

The development comes after the leader of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Houthis earlier today, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.

“The meeting will address recent developments in the region and the stage reached in the Alliance’s institutionalisation efforts,” the Turkish statement says, adding that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and chief of the general staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will attend the meeting of the pact’s strategic political and defence committee, along with officials from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Turkiye says Makkah Pact committee to meet in Riyadh on Monday

A committee of the Makkah Defence Pact between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will hold talks in Riyadh on Monday, with Turkish ministers among those attending, Reuters reports citing the Turkish foreign ministry.

The development comes after the leader of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Houthis earlier today, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.

“The meeting will address recent developments in the region and the stage reached in the Alliance’s institutionalisation efforts,” the Turkish statement says, adding that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and chief of the general staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will attend the meeting of the pact’s strategic political and defence committee, along with officials from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Iran tells US there is no military solution to Middle East war

Iran's top diplomat insisted on Sunday that there would be no military solution to the United States' war against the Islamic republic, with talks on ending the conflict apparently at an impasse.

"If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend ourselves with even more force," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at a gathering of foreign ambassadors.

"There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions," he continued, adding "only negotiations based on justice and fairness" could end the conflict.

Israeli attacks reported in southern Lebanon

Israeli forces have attacked towns across southern Lebanon with artillery and air strikes, Al Jazeera reports citing Lebanon’s National News Agency.

The town of Mansouri is being hit with intermittent artillery shelling, launched from positions in occupied Lebanese territory south of the city of Tyre.

The agency also reported that Israel carried out a bombing in Barashit in the Bint Jbeil district. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the attacks. 

Yemen's Houthis say they struck Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh, Khurais

Yemen’s Houthis said they launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area, claiming the attacks caused major fires, in response to what they said were 50 Saudi-led coalition air and missile strikes in Yemen over the past 12 hours, Reuters reports. 

Iran says IAEA inspectors' return not discussed in talks with US

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that the return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors was not discussed during recent exchanges with the United States.

The spokesperson added that Tehran still had some additional points to communicate to Washington, without providing further details. 

Tanker hit by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz: UKMTO

A tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing damage to its engine room, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. UKMTO did not specify when the incident occurred.

The crew was safe and no environmental impact had been reported at the time the notice was issued, UKMTO added. 

Iran says Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until conditions are met, Nournews reports

The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven Iranian conditions set out in a June interim agreement with the US are met, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said, Reuters cites Nournews.

The statement comes a few days after Tehran received Washington’s reply to its diplomatic proposal.

“The Americans, who say something different in the media, have recently put forward proposals through a mediator. But they must understand that the period of dragging out the process and dictating one-sided demands is over,” Qalibaf was quoted as saying.

“The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely clear and firm, and the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until our seven conditions, based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, are met.”

 

Saudi-led coalition says Houthi claim of attack on Riyadh 'misleading'

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has dismissed Houthi claims of an attack on the Saudi capital as “misleading.”

Major-General Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the coalition, has told the Asharq Al-Awsat news outlet that the Houthis were “attempting to divert attention from the scale of the losses and the growing public anger against them”.

“What the Houthis are facing in Taiz, and the human losses suffered by the group’s members at the hands of the heroes of the Yemeni armed forces and the Popular Resistance on all fronts drive them to seek illusory victories,” he has added. 

Portugal launches investigation into US use of airbase for Iran war

Portuguese authorities have launched an investigation into the legality of the government's decision to allow the United States to use the Lajes Air Base during the war on Iran.

Portugal Prosecutor General's Office said in a statement that "the probe was opened following a complaint filed by members of the Left Bloc party". 

US carrier George H.W. Bush visits Thailand after Middle East deployment

The US aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush has arrived off Thailand’s resort island of Phuket with about 4,800 personnel aboard for a rest-and-recreation break after months of supporting US operations in the Middle East, reports Reuters.

The Nimitz-class carrier had been operating in the Arabian Sea during the conflict with Iran, according to multiple media reports.

The carrier will anchor offshore, while crew members are expected to come ashore through Phuket Deep Sea Port and spend time on the popular southern resort island from October 4 to 9, local media reported. 

Yemen government forces say struck Houthi targets

Yemen’s government forces say they struck Houthi targets around the country, deepening the conflict ravaging one of the world’s poorest nations and the wider region, reports AFP.

The armed forces launched strikes against the Houthis in the capital Sanaa, the northwestern governorate of Saada — one of the group’s strongholds — and Taiz in the southwest, military spokesman Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili said.

The strikes came hours after the Houthis claimed an attack on an oil facility near the Saudi capital, where an AFP journalist saw flames and smoke, and accused the Gulf kingdom of striking Sanaa dozens of times. 

'Easy way or hard way': Trump says he has a decision to make about Iran

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday he had a decision to make on Iran, adding the country had been “decimated” and would now face a choice between “the easy way or the hard way.”
 

Yemen's Houthis claim missile, drone strike on Aramco facility in Riyadh

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said Saturday they struck an Aramco facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, portraying the operation as retaliation for recent Saudi attacks on Sanaa and other parts of Yemen.

A Reuters witness reported seeing flames and a large column of smoke near an Aramco site in the Saudi capital earlier in the day. Saudi authorities have not confirmed a strike on the facility.

The claim marks a further escalation in renewed Saudi-Houthi hostilities. The Houthis also said last week they targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu. 

Trump says Iran 'virtually' abandoned nuclear plans, warns of 'easy way or the hard way'

President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran has been “decimated” and has “virtually given up” its nuclear ambitions, while warning Tehran that the next step could come the “easy way or the hard way.”

“We have a decision that I'll make about Iran. Iran has been decimated,” Trump told reporters at the White House before boarding Marine One for Ohio.

“So the only question is it'll either be the easy way or the hard way. We'll have it the easy way or the hard way,” Trump said.

The president later reiterated that preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains non-negotiable.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “Iran, as you know, has virtually given up any plans of a nuclear weapon.”
 

Iranian diplomats 'kicked out' of US after ignoring order to leave: State Department

Two members of Iran’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly were “kicked out” of the U.S. after failing to comply with a State Department order to leave the country.

“Secretary Rubio means business. Two more members of the Iranian delegation were found still in New York long after the UN General Assembly had passed. They have now been kicked out of the country,” a U.S. official told Fox News Digital.

The State Department ordered Iran’s entire delegation to leave the U.S. immediately on Monday, but the two diplomats remained in New York, according to an Axios report.

Iran’s mission to the U.N. was told Friday that the U.S. was aware the diplomats had not left and was again instructed that they needed to depart immediately, Axios reported. One diplomat left Friday night and the other Saturday morning, according to the outlet.
 

Saudi airstrike hits Sanaa, Houthi-run TV reports

Yemen’s Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported early Sunday that Saudi Arabia had carried out an attack on the capital Sanaa, with no immediate confirmation from Riyadh. 

White House declares America 'winning' as US blockade crushes Iran's economy

The White House declared America is “winning” its economic campaign against Iran Saturday as Tehran faces crippling inflation and its oil exports are squeezed by the U.S. blockade.

“Don't believe the naysayers. Operation Economic Outcast is crushing Iran's ‘leaders,’ while America is winning,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X.

“Oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian oil has been stopped completely due to the successful U.S. blockade. Inflation is crippling Iran's economy,” he added.

Cheung pointed to a Bloomberg report detailing the growing economic pressure on Tehran seven months into the war. Inflation in Iran is approaching 90%, while the U.S. blockade is choking off the regime’s crude exports, according to Bloomberg.
 

UAE to release Iranian prisoners, Iranian state media says

A number of Iranian prisoners held in the United Arab Emirates will be released and returned to Iran, Iranian state media reported Saturday.

The report said the releases followed efforts by an Iranian diplomatic and security delegation.

It did not say how many prisoners would be freed, identify them or provide details about why they had been detained. 

Yemeni government forces say they seized Samaa fort from Houthis

Yemeni government forces have taken control of the Samaa fort southeast of Taiz after heavy clashes with the Houthis, the government-run Saba news agency reported Saturday.

A military source told Saba that government troops, backed by local resistance fighters, seized the fort after “violent battles” with Houthi forces. The source said dozens of Houthi fighters were killed or wounded and others fled.

The reported advance comes amid some of the fiercest fighting around Taiz in years, with government forces carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions across the province 

Space, emerging technologies will shape future power, says Iran's defence ministry

Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics has emphasised that space and emerging technologies will become drivers of power in the future, with competition among countries extending beyond traditional domains, Irna reports.

In a statement marking World Space Week 2026, the ministry said this year’s theme, “Rocket Revolution”, highlights the importance of space in development, communications, and national security.

It stressed that independent and sustainable access to space requires the capability to design, build, and launch satellites, as well as develop indigenous satellite launch vehicles.

The ministry described satellite launch vehicles as products of advanced technologies and the accumulated expertise of the country’s specialists, and as part of strategic technology development.

Referring to modern warfare, the Ministry of Defence said space has become part of security calculations and described dependence on space infrastructure as a factor that can leave countries vulnerable and constrain their national capabilities.

Loud explosions heard in Yemen capital

Loud explosions were heard in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Saturday, as the Houthis reported airstrikes in the area by Saudi forces.

One correspondent heard at least five blasts in different areas, while another saw two warplanes firing missiles on the city.

Al-Masirah TV, a Houthi-affiliated media outlet, reported "Saudi aggression" against the capital, without providing details on the targets or casualties.

The channel had also earlier on Saturday reported missile strikes on the telecommunications network in the northwestern governorate of Saada, a Houthi stronghold.

Iran has technological surprises in store for enemies: IRGC commander

A senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the country’s armed forces have made major advances in various technological fields and have “surprises” in store for their enemies, Press TV reports.

IRGC’s second-in-command Major General Mostafa Izadi said on Friday that the Iranian armed forces have made major strides in the ground, air, air defence and naval fields.

“The armed forces are using various technologies, some of which have been employed on the battlefield and others will be utilised in the future,” he added.

Iran executes man linked to anti-government protests

Iran said Saturday it had executed a man convicted of a raft of charges including firing a military-grade weapon at police officers during anti-government protests earlier this year, AFP reported.

Siavash Jamshidi was accused of targeting security personnel during mass demonstrations that peaked in January in which thousands of people were killed. 

Iraq and Iran agree on 40 daily flights by Iranian airlines to and from Najaf

The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office has announced an agreement under which Iranian airlines, excluding Mahan Air, will operate 40 flights per day from and to Najaf International Airport, IRNA reported.

According to Iraq’s official news agency, the agreement was reached following the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office’s follow-ups with the relevant parties.

The flights are aimed at facilitating the movement of passengers and pilgrims and supporting humanitarian, medical, tourism, and educational aspects, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office said. 

Trump's top national security team meets secretly at Camp David on Iran, Yemen

President Trump's top cabinet members huddled for hours at Camp David to discuss next steps in the Iran war and the Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen, three U.S. officials told Axios. 

Citing three American officials, Axios said Vice President JD Vance chaired the undisclosed meeting, which ran for hours. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA chief John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine also took part.

G7 countries agree on release of diesel and oil stocks after US pressure

Group of Seven countries agreed on Friday to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves and pledged to refrain from energy export restrictions after pressure from US President Donald Trump, Reuters reported.

The US led a pressure campaign on the European Union to draw down ‌emergency diesel inventories, with the Trump administration warning that failure to act could lead to a US ban on diesel exports. Such a ban could sharply reduce supplies to Europe, which has become increasingly reliant on US diesel, and potentially inflict high economic costs on the bloc. 

Talks between Iraq and Turkiye on long-term oil, gas framework begin

Iraq and Turkiye have begun talks on a long-term oil and gas framework agreement, seeking closer cooperation on energy infrastructure, trade and alternative routes for Iraqi oil exports, Al Jazeera reported. 

Saudis plan assault on Houthis to break Red Sea chokehold

Saudi Arabia is planning an offensive against Houthi militia in Yemen, with options being considered including a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts, regional and Western officials told Reuters.

The operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will by led by Yemeni forces on the ground, which are overseen by Riyadh, and supported by Saudi air strikes, according to six people with knowledge of the preparations. 

Washington says military action against Iran proves 'unmatched technological prowess', backs warfare study

The US Secretary of War has directed the Pentagon’s chief technology officer to commission a study of future battlefields and the weapons and technology needed to dominate them, Al Jazeera reports citing a Pentagon memo published on X, which says US operations in Iran “showcased not only the skill and bravery of our warfighters, but also our unmatched technological prowess”.

The memo orders Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael to set up ‘Project Meridian: The Future of Warfare’ through a partner organisation.

‘Meridian’ will identify the capabilities US forces need and propose solutions for developing, testing and fielding them.

The memo cites rapid advances in AI, autonomy, directed energy, robotics and biotechnology, which it says “will profoundly alter the character of warfare”, adding that the US Department of War “must not take our current advantages for granted”. 

Iraqi FM reaffirms Baghdad's security role in meeting with US Treasury chief

The Iraqi Embassy in Washington, DC, says the country’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has “reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to confining arms and decisions of war and peace exclusively to the hands of the state” during a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Al Jazeera reports.

In a post on X, the mission says, “The foreign minister expressed Iraq’s deep appreciation for the United States and the International Coalition for the support and sacrifices they provided in defeating the ISIS organisation.” 

Oil tankers attacked in Hormuz strait: UK maritime agency

Two oil tankers have been struck by “unidentified projectiles” in the Strait of Hormuz region, a British maritime agency said Friday, in the latest threat to shipping in the waterway, Reuters reports.

The Hormuz passage, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passed before the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February and sparked the Middle East war, remains at the heart of the conflict.

Tehran has been blocking the passage of commercial ships, firing on vessels it accuses of unauthorised crossings.

Washington responded with a counterblockade of Iranian ports in an effort to prevent Tehran from exporting its oil. 

Trump says Iran war will end 'very soon,' predicts oil prices will plunge

President Donald Trump said Friday that he expects the war with Iran to end "very soon" and predicted oil prices will fall sharply once the conflict is over.

Speaking at a midterm campaign rally in Mobile, Alabama, Trump pointed to Iran's economic troubles and claimed the country is experiencing roughly 310% inflation.

"Their economy is down the tubes. They have one thing they really do have. It's called inflation. They have about 310% inflation. And we'll see what happens," Trump said.

"But as soon as we it's going to end very soon, probably right after the election. But as soon as it does end, oil prices will come tumbling down."

Trump later returned to the timeline, saying the war would end "one way or the other" and again suggesting a resolution could come shortly after the midterm elections.

"That war is going to be over soon. One way or the other, one way or the other. It's going to end very soon and probably right after the midterms," Trump said.

Trump also said oil prices could ultimately fall below the levels seen during his first term once the conflict ends.

Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed three missiles launched by Houthis

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels says it has intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles launched by the group towards the southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, according to Reuters.

Iraq grants Iranian airlines 40 daily flights via Najaf Airport, Mahan Air excluded

Iraq has announced an agreement allowing Iranian airlines to operate 40 flights daily to and from Najaf International Airport, excluding Mahan Air, Al Jazeera reports citing a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office, which adds that flights focused on moving tourists and pilgrims will resume.

Tanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz, says UKMTO

A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz, causing a small fire and a blackout onboard, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Friday.

The fire was extinguished and no casualties or environmental damage were reported, UKMTO said.

EU's von der Leyen welcomes G7 decision to release fuel stocks

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has welcomed the G7’s decision to release 100 million barrels of oil in coordination with partner states and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

“We welcome the decision of G7 countries not to impose any export bans on allies and the continued solidarity between partners [and] we support an IEA-coordinated release of fuel stocks,” she writes on X. “Our citizens need and deserve affordable energy.” 

Yemen hunger crisis could become 'absolutely devastating': UN

The hunger crisis in Yemen threatens to become “absolutely devastating” as renewed fighting grips the country, the UN’s World Food Programme has warned, AFP reports.

The WFP said that unless the international community stepped up its efforts to help, the outlook was bleak.

“Hunger in Yemen today is accelerating before our eyes,” said Matthew Hollingworth, WFP’s assistant executive director for programme operations.

The latest flare-up “threatens to be absolutely devastating” for food security in the country, he told a press conference in Geneva, speaking from Rome.

“We are scaling up as the WFP, but we’re doing so with very limited resources and access to areas that we need to get into,” he said, warning that the crisis could compound “far beyond” Yemen’s borders. 

DPM Dar says there should not be any fee to cross Hormuz

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that there should not be any fee or charges to cross Hormuz.

Talking about Makkah accord, Dar said that there are more than six countries keen to join the Makkah Defence Alliance. 

Oil price drops more than $3 on talks over diesel, crude stock releases

Oil prices have fallen more than $3 after reports of talks in Europe on additional diesel and crude stock releases, easing concerns over tight global energy supplies, Reuters reports.

Brent is down $3.06, or three per cent, at $99.25 a barrel as of 1409 GMT (7:09pm PKT). West Texas Intermediate has dropped $3.95, or 4.25pc, to $88.92 a barrel. 

Kuwait crude production falls to 1.77 million bpd in September, source says

Kuwait’s crude oil production fell by about 200,000 barrels per day in September from the previous month to average 1.77 million bpd, a person with knowledge of the matter tells Reuters, as rising attacks in the Gulf and tight tanker availability weigh on exports.

A spokesperson for state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corporation has not immediately responded to a Reuters request for comment.

The decline comes despite signs of a broader recovery in Gulf oil shipments after disruptions caused by the Iran conflict. 

UN raises alarm over disease threat among displaced Yemenis

The United Nations has warned that the risk of disease outbreaks is increasing among displaced people in Yemen as military tensions and violence continue.

The UN called for stronger humanitarian assistance and additional funding to support civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday that humanitarian teams were continuing to deliver essential aid to people displaced by the fighting and those impacted by the escalating situation.
 

Macron urges G7 coordination as US presses Europe on diesel stocks

French leader Emmanuel Macron urged G7 nations to work together to bring down fuel prices in a call with President Donald Trump on Friday, as Washington pressures Europe to tap its strategic diesel reserves and threatens curbs on US exports, AFP reports.

The US war in Iran has sent energy prices skyrocketing, coming back to bite Trump at home with high fuel costs a key issue in the run-up to midterm elections next month.

“The president stressed that G7 countries had a common interest in acting in a coordinated way, without export restrictions,” the French leader’s office said after his exchange with Trump. 

Lebanon PM says scale of war recovery beyond state's capacity

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday that rebuilding regions destroyed in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war was beyond the state’s capacity, calling for funding as he visited the heavily damaged south, AFP reported.

“I am aware of the magnitude of the crisis” including the destruction, displacement and loss of livelihoods, Salam said in Nabatieh, a major southern city hit hard by Israeli airstrikes.

“But the scale of the needs exceeds the capacities of the Lebanese state and its ability to bear these burdens alone,” Salam added. “We still need significant funding” for reconstruction, the prime minister said. 

Iran confronted most blatant form of state violence by US, Israel: Gharibabadi

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Gharibabadi said his country confroned the most blatant form of state violence by the United States and Israel.

He stated this in a statement as the World Day for the Prevention of Violence is being marked today.

 

 

Iran says three UAE-linked tankers hit in Hormuz were on PGSA's non-compliance list

Trump says Iran will end very soon 'one way or the other'

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran will “very soon be ending — one way or the other,” making the remarks while speaking to the media. 

 

Pakistan strongly condemns attack on civilian power facility in Madinah

Trump vows to hit Iran 'very hard' if linked to flydubai attack

US President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that Iran will be "hit very hard" if it is found to be linked to a pilot's attack on a flydubai flight to Israel.

The dramatic events a day earlier saw passengers help stop the plane from crashing, making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia before the flight's mostly Israeli passengers were flown home to a hero's welcome.

Trump's warning came as the United Arab Emirates opened an investigation into whether the incident was linked to terrorism.

Oil rises slightly as market weighs mixed supply signals

Oil prices drifted slightly higher on Friday after China halted fuel exports, while the Wall ‌Street Journal reported that the US is sending more troops and carriers to the Middle East as it also tries to make Europe draw down more emergency diesel.

Brent was up 29 cents, or 0.28%, to $102.60 per barrel at 0022 GMT. West Texas Intermediate rose ?27 cents, or 0.29%, to $93.14.
 

US sends Patriots to Saudi, Qatar amid possible renewed Iran war: report

The US military has sent two additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar in recent weeks to protect key oil and gas facilities amid the possibility of renewed US military operations against Iran, Axios reported, citing two US officials and a regional source.

One Patriot battery was deployed to Saudi Arabia to protect a key oil facility, while another was sent to Qatar to defend a natural gas facility, according to the report.

Axios said the deployments were intended to reassure the two US allies that Washington would help protect their energy infrastructure if President Donald Trump decides to resume major combat operations against Iran.

Saudi and Qatari leaders had urged Trump in August not to launch strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, fearing Tehran could retaliate against their own oil and gas facilities, the report said. US officials told Axios those concerns were a key factor in Trump opting at the time for an economic pressure campaign instead.

The deployments come as Washington sends additional warships, troops and aircraft to the Middle East. The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group are among the forces heading to the region. 

US envoy urges Security Council to enforce Iran resolutions

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Thursday that Iran had violated its obligations and refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions, calling on UN Security Council members to enforce resolutions against Tehran.

“Iran broke the rules and refuses to give up its nuclear ambitions,” Waltz wrote on X. “All members of the Council must enforce its resolutions with strength and consequence.”

Waltz pointed to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s recent referral of Iran to the Security Council over its nuclear safeguards obligations. 

Saudi-led coalition intercepts missile fired by Iran-backed Houthis

The Saudi-led coalition said Thursday it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis toward Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia.

The interception was part of a series of attacks Thursday in which the coalition said Saudi defenses destroyed two ballistic missiles and four drones launched by the Iran-backed group toward Khamis Mushait and Jazan. 

CENTCOM showcases USS George Washington flight ops as US enforces Iran blockade

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a video Thursday showing the USS George Washington carrying out flight operations in the Middle East and signaling its presence in the region amid the Iranian port blockade.

“USS George Washington (CVN 73) conducts flight operations while sailing in regional waters in the Middle East,” the command said on X. 

Confirmed Iran link to Dubai flight attacker could trigger Israeli response, sources say

Israel could respond if investigators confirm an Iranian link to the co-pilot accused of trying to crash the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, regional sources told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst.

Reporting on “America Reports,” Yingst said the investigation remained ongoing after President Donald Trump suggested Iran may be connected to the suspect.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that it was “too early to say whether he had any connections with Iran or with anyone else.”

Fox News contributor and Hudson Institute senior fellow Rebeccah Heinrichs said a weakened Iranian regime could still inspire or direct violence, while the segment emphasized that no connection had been established.

 

Iran authority says three UAE-linked tankers hit in Hormuz were on blacklist

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said Thursday that several tankers had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, including three vessels owned or chartered by the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement carried by Iranian state media.

The authority identified the three vessels as Al Ruwais, Sinbad and Mersin Prosperity, saying they had attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz several times over the past two months.

It added that all three appeared on the latest version of its “non-compliance” list. The statement did not establish a direct link between their inclusion on the list and the attacks.

Separately on Thursday, a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire aboard the vessel, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported. 

US Energy Department employee arrested over alleged support for Iran-backed Houthis

A US Department of Energy employee was arrested Thursday in Washington state on charges of attempting to provide material support to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, the Justice Department said.

Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of Richland, Washington, allegedly traveled to Yemen and used his electrical engineering expertise to help improve communications equipment intended for the Houthis, according to a criminal complaint.

The Justice Department said Ellaboudy also purchased precursor chemicals and other materials commonly used to make homemade explosives, as well as components for drones and remotely operated aerial systems.

Prosecutors allege that Ellaboudy traveled to Oman in September 2025 using an official passport previously issued to him while working for the US Army Corps of Engineers, then crossed into Yemen intending to travel to Houthi-controlled Sanaa. Upon returning to the United States, he allegedly told border officials that the trip was for official government business, though his Department of Energy supervisor said no such travel had been authorized.

During the investigation, Ellaboudy allegedly provided technical advice to an FBI confidential source posing as someone working for a Houthi “Colonel,” including testing and modifying solar generators and communications equipment and providing diagrams and guidance on integrating the systems. 

Trump shares footage of Iran's January protests

US President Donald Trump shared footage on Truth Social Thursday showing protesters marching in the central city of Isfahan in January.

 

Iran oil shipments fall to zero under Trump's Operation Economic Outcast: Bessent

Iran did not load a single barrel of crude oil onto tankers in September, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Thursday, marking a major milestone in the Trump administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast.”

“Iran loaded ZERO crude oil onto tankers in September,” Bessent said on X.

“The Trump Administration is cutting off the Iranian regime’s most critical source of revenue,” Bessent added, saying Operation Economic Outcast is “severing the economic lifelines that have allowed Tehran to finance its terrorist agenda.”
 

Putin keeps Iran uranium offer on table, hopes Strait of Hormuz stays open

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he hopes the Strait of Hormuz remains open to shipping and that Iran's enriched uranium can still be removed from the country with Moscow's support, according to Reuters.

Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin said Russia's proposal to help resolve the issue remains on the table.

Moscow has repeatedly said it is willing to assist.

"We are ready to provide assistance to both Washington and Tehran, not only politically, not only in the form of ideas that could be of use in the negotiation process, but also practically: for example, through the export of excess nuclear material produced by Iran and its subsequent adaptation to the production of fuel for reactors," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had also said in June, according to Reuters.


 

Trump warns Iran of 'very hard' response if Flydubai link confirmed

US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that Iran would face a “very hard” US response if investigators establish that Tehran was behind the Flydubai incident.

“Oh they’ll be hit, very hard, don’t worry,” Trump said when asked what would happen if an Iranian link were confirmed. “You just ask them. They know what happened. They’ll be hit very hard.” 

US sending third aircraft carrier and second Marine Expeditionary Unit to Middle East: officials

The U.S. is sending the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News on Thursday.

The ships are set to arrive in the region by the end of November, the officials said.

These new deployments will add about 10,000 sailors and Marines to the Middle East.

The USS Roosevelt will be the third aircraft carrier in the region, joining the USS George H.W. Bush, which arrived in April, and the USS George Washington, which arrived in mid-August to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The USS Roosevelt left its homeport of San Diego on Sunday, and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed from San Diego on Monday along with the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group.

The Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Ready Group typically include about 4,200 Marines and sailors. The USS Roosevelt carrier strike group includes about 6,000 sailors.

 

Saudi-led coalition says Houthis targeted power station in Medina

A Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis says the rebel group targeted a power distribution station in Medina on Tuesday, putting one transformer out of service but without affecting the electricity network, Reuters reports.

There has been no immediate comment from the Houthis on the coalition’s statement. 

Oil prices rise $3 as China suspends fuel exports

Brent benchmark oil prices have risen by $3 after China suspended oil products exports, potentially tightening fuel markets already coping with supply shortages globally, while investors continue to assess diplomatic efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, Reuters reports.

The new front-month December Brent crude futures contract has traded at $101.06 per barrel at 1452 GMT (7:52pm PKT), up three per cent, or $3.02, from Wednesday’s close.

The November contract expired on Wednesday, settling at $103.50 per barrel, marking a monthly gain of around 14pc in September for the front-month contract. 

British ambassador summoned by Iranian foreign ministry over claims of sabotage at UK airbase

Iran’s Fars News Agency reports that following British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s claims that Iran was involved in attempted sabotage at the RAF Fairford airbase, the British ambassador to Iran has been summoned by the foreign ministry in Tehran.

“The ambassador of that country in Tehran was summoned to the foreign ministry and Iran’s strong protest regarding this destructive approach of the UK government was conveyed to him,” Fars reports. 

Iran's deputy parliament speaker says US cannot stop country's oil exports: state media

Iranian deputy parliament speaker Ali Nikzad says the United States will never be able to completely stop Iran’s oil exports, according to state news agency IRNA.

Speaking at a ceremony in Iran’s Mazandaran Province, Nikzad says the US and its allies failed in their efforts to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pressure Iran and gain greater influence over global oil supplies. 

Trump says Iran's annihilation is possible, claims it would bring peace

US President Donald Trump has said the “annihilation” of Iran is possible, arguing that destroying the country could lead to peace in the world.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Time magazine after being asked about his recent comments at the United Nations General Assembly, where he spoke about the possibility of annihilating Iran.

Asked whether he would carry out such an action, Trump replied, “It’s possible.”

Trump, who described himself as the “president of peace,” was then asked how he could justify annihilating Iran while using that title.

“Because by annihilating Iran, we’ve created peace in the world,” he said, adding that he did not believe peace with Iran was possible.

Trump also said bombing Iran after the US midterm elections was “possible,” but did not provide further details.
 

UAE's Fujairah restores some fuel oil supplies despite Hormuz disruption, boosts Asia exports

Fuel oil supplies at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates have risen in recent months allowing it to resume ship refuelling operations and boost exports ‌to Asia, according to industry sources and shipping data.

Among the world's top bunkering hubs, Fujairah's sales fell sharply in the second quarter after the Iran war began in late February and disrupted replenishment from suppliers within the Gulf to the port, which sits outside of the Strait of Hormuz. 

IRGC welcomes withdrawal of US forces from Iraq as 'historic victory'

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards welcomed the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq as a “historic victory” and called for American troops to leave the Middle East, AFP reported

The Revolutionary Guards “congratulate the proud nation of Iraq, the united front of the Islamic Resistance, and the revolutionary fighters of the Islamic world on this historic victory,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by their official media. 

Iran claims capturing another US unmanned submarine

Iran claimed that its forces had captured another “advanced smart” unmanned submarine belonging to the US Army in the Strait of Hormuz, TRT reported.

In a statement on the IRGC’s official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), which was carrying out “espionage” activities in the Strait of Hormuz, was captured in a “coordinated and complex operation with intelligence dominance and electronic warfare”.

It identified the AUV as the “REMUS 600”, adding that it has been handed over to its specialists for data recovery.
 

Iran's UN mission rejects US expulsion claims baseless

MBS says Makkah Defence Alliance to strengthen security, stability in region

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said on Wednesday that the Kingdom would respond “decisively” to any threat or attack against its security, while stressing that Riyadh would continue working to reduce regional tensions and support diplomatic solutions.

“We will not hesitate to respond decisively to any threat or aggression aimed at undermining the security of our country,” the Crown Prince said in the annual royal address to the Shura Council in Riyadh, delivered on behalf of King Salman.

Oil prices barely changed as investors assess US-Iran peace talks and Gulf exports

Oil prices were nearly flat in early Asia trade on Thursday, following the previous day's gains and steep monthly rises, as investors assessed the outcome of US-Iran peace talks and the outlook for Middle East crude exports, Reuters reported.

Brent crude ‌futures rose 12 cents or 0.1%, to $98.15 a barrel by 0045 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $90.35 a barrel, down 7 cents, or 0.1%. 

Iran fires back at Bessent's economic warning, says US faces its own 'debt cliff'

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected claims by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Iran faces an imminent economic collapse, arguing instead that Washington is heading toward a debt crisis of its own.

Responding on X to Bessent’s assertion earlier Wednesday that Tehran could have “nothing left to trade” within two weeks, Ghalibaf used memes to point to what he saw as U.S. economic vulnerabilities.

Among them was a mock financial model titled “Trajectory of Stress on the House,” which contended that ballooning national debt, rising Treasury bond yields and energy costs will place mounting strain on the American financial system.

Ghalibaf also paired the mock formula with a cartoon depicting Bessent as Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff.

 

Iran fires back at UK over suspected links to RAF Fairford terror plot

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi flatly rejected U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s assertion Wednesday that there were indications Tehran was involved in the suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford.

“PM Burnham says the U.K. government ‘can confirm our belief that we believe Iran to have played a part’ in the RAF Fairford incident,” Araghchi said in a post on X.

“I can confirm Iran's belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree,” he added.

Earlier Wednesday, Burnham said there were “strong indications” Iran played a role in a suspected plot near RAF Fairford, which has been a hub for U.S. bombers during military operations against Iran.

“But of course, it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation, and of course we are working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America,” Burnham had also said in an interview with the BBC.

 

NATO chief backs US war on Iran as 'absolutely essential'

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday defended US military action against Tehran as necessary while speaking at the Euronews Defence and Space Summit.

Rutte argued that only Washington had the capability to neutralize Tehran’s nuclear capacity and the threat he warned extends “not only for Israel and the Middle East” but to Europe as well.

While agreeing that the wae carries clear “downsides,” the Rutte urged European allies to increase defense investments so they can eventually “take care of their backyard themselves” and secure key waterways like the Red Sea from the Houthis rather than relying on the US.


 

Trump vows US will decide very soon whether to 'blow up' Iran or strike a deal

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the US will soon have to decide whether to "blow up" Iran or reach a deal with Tehran, warning the standoff is ending imminently.

“Maybe you blow them up,” he told reporters at the Oval Office. “We have to make that decision. We blow them up, make a deal.

“But the time is coming,” he warned. "It's going to end very soon, one way or the other.” 

 

Trump vows US will decide whether to 'blow up' Iran or strike deal as clock runs down

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the U.S. will soon have to decide whether to "blow up" Iran or reach a deal with Tehran, warning the standoff is ending imminently.

“Maybe you blow them up,” he told reporters at the Oval Office. “We have to make that decision. We blow them up, make a deal.

“But the time is coming,” he warned. "It's going to end very soon, one way or the other.” 

Yemen military says 468 operations killed, wounded hundreds of Houthi fighters

Yemeni armed forces carried out 468 operations targeting Houthi fighters and military equipment across several fronts, killing or wounding hundreds of fighters, a military spokesman said Monday.

Majed Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for Yemen’s armed forces, said the operations targeted Houthi forces on the eastern, White and Mansoura fronts in Al-Wadi'ah and resulted in the “killing and wounding of hundreds of militia elements, as well as the destruction of their equipment and military vehicles.”

“Meanwhile, the militia continues to target civilians and civilian facilities, including educational institutions, in a desperate attempt to break the will of the Yemeni people to restore the state and reject its extremist and destructive project,” Al-Nuzaili wrote on X.

 

 

Fairford suspects caught 'wanting to blow up base' as US probes Iran link: Trump:

President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U.S. is "studying" whether Iran was involved in a suspected terror plot targeting RAF Fairford, a key U.S.-used air base in Britain, while questioning the U.K.'s handling of the case and promising answers "very quickly."

“We are. I look, we are studying it right now,” Trump said in the Oval Office.

“We're studying it. We're studying it very hard,” he assured.

“Iran's got a lot of problems right there. You know, they have no money. Their currency is dead. Their economy is dead. Their military is gone. They have no military. They have no navy. They have no air force. And their leaders are fighting for control," he said.

“I think their leaders are fighting very strongly for control. But control of what? So but we'll have an answer to that very quickly,” Trump added.

Asked whether he was satisfied with how the United Kingdom was handling the case, Trump pointed to the release of the five men and said authorities caught them “wanting to blow up a base.” 

Trump declares 'victory' over 'decimated' ISIS as US-led coalition ends mission in Iraq

President Donald Trump on Wednesday hailed the end of the U.S.-led coalition’s mission against ISIS in Iraq as an American victory, saying the terror group’s "caliphate" had been destroyed and “completely decimated.”

“We came to fight a caliphate, and there is no longer a caliphate, so we are going home,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We are getting out of there.”

The withdrawal ends the coalition’s military mission in Iraq under an agreement Washington and Baghdad reached in 2024, shifting primary responsibility for combating remaining ISIS elements to Iraqi forces. The U.S. will continue providing targeted training and intelligence support.

“So this day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS, which has been completely decimated,” Trump said.

Trump says Iran war will end 'very quickly,' touts 'total control' of Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the war with Iran will be resolved quickly while touting U.S. military gains and asserting that the United States has full control of the Strait of Hormuz.

“You'll see things happening very soon,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.
Trump also described Iran as a country whose military and economy had been devastated.

“We have a nation that's been virtually destroyed. Their economy is in bad shape, with 300% plus inflation,” he said before adding that “their navy is gone, their air force is gone, and their anti-aircraft equipment is gone."

“We have another one where we're six months in, and their military is totally wiped out,” Trump said of Iran before adding, “we're going to have that war won very quickly, one way or the other. It will be resolved one way or the other.”

Turning to Hormuz, Trump said the United States has “almost total control” of the waterway.
“I would say total control,” he said before adding that “everyone said, 'Well, they'll drop a mine in there and disrupt things a little bit,' but we have virtually total control of the strait.”

Trump also said oil shipments through the chokepoint have surged in recent days.

“In fact, in the last three days, more oil has come out of the Strait of Hormuz than at any time in history,” Trump added.
“I'm not just talking about since the war; I'm saying at any time in history. It had been pent up.”

 

Rubio confirms 'foreign actor' involved in UK terror plot

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that a recent thwarted terror plot near a United Kingdom military base used by the United States involved a "foreign actor," linking the incident to global threats from adversaries such as Iran.

"What happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the U.K. over the weekend is a very serious situation," Rubio told Fox News' "Hannity" on Monday night. "It's one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor."

"I won't get into great detail about that yet."

Rubio added there would be "repercussions" for threats against U.S. interests.

"I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is, we are dealing with elements in the world, and in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally," he continued. "We're going to always take that very seriously. There will be repercussions for that, if it ever were to happen or even attempted."

Rubio thanked the partners in the U.K. for helping thwart the "very serious threat" of an attack.

"I want to thank the U.K. for their cooperation and their help on it," he said. "There's a lot more news that will come out on this in the days to come. But there's only so much I can say right now at this point about it, other than this was a very serious thing, and it was responded to appropriately."

British police declared a major incident at the RAF Fairford base in western England following the arrests early Sunday, and the government held a national emergency meeting. 

Bahrain joins US military's mutinational drone unit

US Central Command (Centcom) has announced that Bahrain will be joining the American military’s multinational attack drone task force — which was launched in August — according to a statement.

“We’re excited to welcome Bahrain to Task Force Falcon Strike after the kingdom affirmed its commitment to join Centcom in building the world’s first multinational attack drone unit,” Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper is quoted as saying.

“Bahrain is a steadfast partner in strengthening regional security and stability."

Sound of blast 'heard' in Iran's Zahedan with no damage caused

The sound of an explosion was heard in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, Fars news agency reported on Wednesday, citing the Zahedan administrative office.

No damage was caused, it added.

Iran security chief warns UAE over hosting Netanyahu

Iran’s national security chief Mohsen Rezaei has warned the United Arab Emirates against hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it could have “unfavourable consequences”.

In a post on X, Rezaei appeared to criticise the UAE’s hosting of Netanyahu and linked his remarks to the presence of US military bases in the Gulf state.

“Just as hosting US military bases has not brought you security, hosting the ‘Butcher of Gaza’ will also not have favourable consequences,” Rezaei said, referring to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

He also urged the UAE to draw lessons from the previous war, calling on it to “stop igniting wars” and refrain from making what he described as baseless claims concerning Iran’s islands. 

EU aviation agency issues Saudi airspace advisory after Houthi attacks

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an advisory to airlines over Saudi airspace, following a recent increase in attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Reuters reports.

The latest advisory on Saudi Arabia does not mention today’s incident involving a diverted flydubai airliner, and EASA says it will continue to monitor the situation to assess whether there is an increase or decrease in risk for EU airlines in the country.

EASA, in a separate bulletin, now recommends that flights not operate within the airspace of Jordan at all altitudes and flight levels; a change from a previous advisory to exercise caution. 

Iranian minster says US Treasury chief's claim of economic pressure 'lacks rational logic'

Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Atabak has mocked US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s claims that the US can “sever” the country’s economic lifeline, saying that Bessent’s claim “lacks rational logic”, state news agency IRNA reports.

Atabak says Bessent made similar statements in the early days of the US-Israeli 12-day war on Iran last year, and that the US Treasury chief predicted Iran’s economic collapse within less than two days. 

German inflation rises to 3.3pc, near 3-year high on Iran war energy shock

German inflation accelerated at its fastest pace for nearly three years in September due to higher energy costs triggered by the Middle East war, official data showed, according to AFP.

Consumer prices rose 3.3 per cent in the month from a year earlier, according to preliminary data from statistics agency Destatis. That was the fastest rate since December 2023 and above forecasts of a 3.2pc rise by analysts surveyed by the financial data firm FactSet.

 

Oil gains as stalled US-Iran talks trump supply recovery

Oil prices are up and are on track for a big monthly gain as US-Iran talks aimed at ending the war stall and tight fuel markets continue to underpin prices despite recovering Middle East crude supplies, Reuters reports.

The Brent futures November contract, which expires on Wednesday, is up 57 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $103.16 a barrel as of 0944 GMT (2:44pm PKT). The more active December contract is up 94 cents to $97.10.

US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 82 cents, or 0.9pc, to $90.20. 

Pezeshkian says Gulf security depends on regional cooperation

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to regional and global security, state-run IRNA reported.

In a message marking World Maritime Day, Pezeshkian called for a responsible approach focused on maintaining stability and protecting the interests of countries in the region.

He said lasting security in the Persian Gulf and its waterways could be achieved through greater cooperation and shared responsibility among regional countries.

 

 

 

Iranian Navy says maritime power supports shipping security

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has said the country’s maritime capabilities play an important role in protecting national interests, regional security and the safety of international shipping routes.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Irani said Iran’s naval power was not aimed at threatening other countries or creating insecurity in the region.

He said Iran’s maritime capabilities were intended to contribute to regional stability and maritime security while deterring what he described as “adventurism” in the region. 

Lebanon pinning hopes on false promises of hegemonic powers, says Iran's supreme leader

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said the current situation in Lebanon has brought humiliation and ultimately disgrace upon those who pin their hopes on the false promises of the hegemonic powers.
 

Four including soldier injured in Israeli strike, says Lebanese army

The Lebanese military said on Wednesday that an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon wounded a soldier and three civilians, as the implementation of a deal between the two countries has stalled, AFP reported.

"A soldier was seriously wounded as a result of an Israeli targeting of an army vehicle" in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Lebanon's army said in a statement, adding that three civilians were also injured.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that "an enemy drone attacked Nabatieh al-Fawqa", a town that has been under repeated Israeli strikes in recent weeks despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. 

Oil gains after Trump denies he is willing to ease sanctions on Iran

Oil prices rose on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump denied he would be willing to ‌ease sanctions on Iran while Qatar pushed for peace talks, after falling in the previous session on a recovery in crude supply from the Middle East, Reuters reported.

The Brent futures November contract , which is expiring on Wednesday, rose 71 cents, or 0.69%, to $103.30 a barrel by 0408 GMT. The more active December contract rose 35 cents to $96.51. US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 43 cents, or 0.48%, to $89.81. 

Iran's Araqchi receives US feedback on trust-building plan, will discuss in Tehran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday night and received US feedback on a proposed seven-day trust-building plan, which he will discuss in Tehran on Wednesday, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters.

The main disagreement is over the sequencing of the plan, which aims to build trust and return to an enhanced version of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June, the official said. 

US, Israel planning to create internal divisions in Iran, warns Pezeshkian

Emphasizing the necessity of maintaining unity, solidarity, and national cohesion, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that enemies of Iran have realized they cannot subdue the people through war or military action.

He said the enemy was instead attempting to harm the country by fomenting and exacerbating internal divisions; therefore, public participation and the cooperation of all segments of society and various groups constitute the most vital support for overcoming threats and resolving the issues, IRNA reported.

Emphasizing the necessity of maintaining unity, solidarity, and cohesion among the people, President Pezeshkian added that all segments of society and various groups must be involved in the administration of the country's affairs; if any group believes it alone possesses all wisdom and holds the sole authority to make decisions, it will inadvertently weaken the nation. 

Trump says he does not know if Iran is going to 'give up yet'

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he does not ‌know if Iran is going to "give up yet" but cast the country as doing "very poorly" in its war with the US.

"I don't know if they are going to give up yet but they'll give up," Trump told reporters.

"They are doing very poorly," he added.

A US blockade has cut Iran's financial lifeline - oil exports, and economic costs of the war have made life tougher for Iranians.

Iran's president told the UN General Assembly last week that Tehran would never surrender to US pressure.

The rise in oil prices due to the war has also become a major issue ‌for Trump's Republican Party heading into the November US midterm elections.

The war has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which carried a fifth of global supplies of crude oil and LNG before the conflict.

Trump has offered shifting goals and timelines for the Iran war that began on February 28 when the US and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.
 

Qatari mediators press peace deal between US and Iran

Qatar said on Tuesday it hopes that shuttle diplomacy between Iran and the US can lead to a breakthrough despite US President Donald Trump's denial of media ‌reports that he was willing to ease sanctions and release frozen funds in exchange for Iranian concessions on its nuclear program.

"We are exchanging messages between the parties, and we're working towards establishing a common ground in order to get into a deal that would save all of us from the repercussions of the conflict," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told reporters. 

The US and Iran have failed to find an off-ramp from their war, now in its eighth month. Negotiations appeared to intensify during last week's UN General Assembly meeting in New York, but have so far not yielded any agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Doha once again has emerged as would-be peacemaker after previously playing a supporting role in producing the June memorandum of understanding that led to a brief ceasefire. US and Iranian officials spoke separately with Qatari mediators on Monday. It was unclear if another exchange took place on Tuesday.

Trump repeated his position that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and that the war would be over soon.

Iranian rial hits fresh record low as US dollar tops 2.5M in free market

Iran’s rial fell to a fresh record low against the US dollar on Tuesday, with the free-market rate crossing 2.5 million rials per dollar.

The dollar was quoted at 2.542 million rials, up 3.84% from the previous day, according to Pashizi, a website tracking Iran’s free foreign exchange market. It reached an intraday high of 2.548 million rials.

The latest decline follows a series of record lows for the currency. The dollar reached 2.4 million rials in the free market on Monday, amid heavy US sanctions and high inflation.

Iran’s currency has weakened further since the US-Israeli assault began in February, as the war and a US naval blockade put additional pressure on the economy.

The latest slide comes as mediators work with Washington and Tehran on talks aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. 

 

US sanctions 10 over allegedly procuring weapons for Iran

The United States has sanctioned 10 individuals and entities, including some based in China, Hong Kong and Pakistan, saying ?they helped Iran procure weapons and components, the US Treasury Department said on Tuesday.

The ‌sanctions are part of the Trump administration's effort to isolate Iran economically and force it to negotiate an end to the US-Iran war that began in February.

Treasury ?Secretary Scott Bessent said: “Treasury will not tolerate any support to ?the regime and will continue to identify, expose, and isolate ?Iran’s enablers.”

Treasury said the sanctions were aimed at degrading Tehran's ability ?to reconstitute its weapons programs, while increasing the costs for those who ?supported its procurement efforts.

Those targeted in Tuesday's sanctions announcement include:

Seyyed Asghar Alizadeh Tabatabai, a Beijing-based representative of Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics agency, who ?Treasury said had coordinated the procurement of finished weapons systems and ?dual-use components in China on Iran’s behalf.

Iran-based Kavoshcom Asia R and D Group, which ‌Treasury ?said had procured electronics including connectors for Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company.

Hong Kong-based EC Mojo Technology Co Limited, which Treasury said had provided electronic components in support of Kavoshcom’s procurement efforts, and EC Mojo's China-based ?representative Li Fen.

Pakistan-based ?Waseem Pasha ?Tajammal, who serves as chairman of Cavalier Group, a privately owned defense company with locations in Pakistan and ?internationally.

Brett Erickson, managing principal with Obsidian Risk Advisors, said ?the latest ?sanctions action would do little to impede Iran's ability to launch missiles and drones in the Strait of Hormuz.

"This is optics management for the ?Trump ?administration to claim 'We're hammering them,' when the ?reality is we're poking them with a toothpick," he said.

Saudi Arabia resumes Yanbu oil loading after pipeline restart

Saudi Arabia has resumed oil tanker loadings from its Red Sea port of Yanbu after restarting operations on the East-West Pipeline, improving the outlook for oil exports from the Middle East, Reuters reports citing trade sources and shipping data.

State oil giant Saudi Aramco has notified customers of its October loading schedule from Yanbu, an Asian refining source says. The refiner loaded a cargo from Yanbu late last week.

Aramco has not immediately responded to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, European Space Agency satellite pictures also point to a resumption of loading.

“ESA satellite imagery captured over the Red Sea on September 27 shows Saudi Arabia loading nearly 10 million barrels of crude oil at Yanbu and Al Muajjiz,” vessel-tracking monitor TankerTrackers.com writes in a post on X.

Saudi crown prince, UAE vice president meet in Riyadh

Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh on Tuesday, Saudi official media reported, months after the two countries fell out over Yemen.

The crown prince and the vice president met to "review brotherly bilateral relations and regional developments", the Saudi Press Agency said, adding the sit-down was also attended by Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman.

Lebanon's Aoun urges US to press Israel on implementing framework agreement

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has urged the United States to press Israel to implement the framework agreement, saying Tel Aviv continues to refuse to abide by its provisions despite Beirut’s full commitment, Al Jazeera reports citing a statement from the Lebanese presidency on X.

In remarks to US Congressmen Darren Soto and Josh Gottheimer and their delegation, he says Israel must halt bombing, bulldozing and destruction in the southern Lebanese villages it occupies. 

Iran's Revolutionary Guards appeal to US voters with open letter

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has appealed to US midterm voters to reject President Donald Trump’s policies and accept an offer of peaceful coexistence, Reuters reports.

A 25-page open letter addressed to the American people urges them to oppose US support for Israel and foreign wars, arguing that Tehran and Washington could coexist if US policy changes.

The letter also accuses Trump of concealing the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, which Israel in particular sees as an existential threat, and the effectiveness of Tehran’s blockade of Gulf oil. 

US to allow Iran pilgrims to fly to holy city in Iraq: Iraqi officials

The United States has granted Iraqi airlines a sanctions waiver allowing them to fly Iranian pilgrims in and out of the Iraqi city of Najaf, AFP reports, citing an Iraqi government official and an airport source.

The Iraqi government had earlier said it was in talks with the US to seek such an exemption after sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector took effect. 

Russia says Iran's Bushehr nuclear unit offline for scheduled maintenance

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom says that the first power unit at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant has been taken offline for scheduled maintenance as of Sept 29 with the participation of Rosatom specialists, Reuters reports.

Rosatom, which is building two new units at Bushehr, evacuated hundreds of staff after the war was launched in February. 

Iran says no regional country will be able to export oil if its exports stay blocked

Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned that no country in the region would be able to export oil if the Islamic Republic was prevented from selling its own oil, Reuters cited state media.

No regional infrastructure would be safe if Iran had no security, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf has added, according to the reports. 

Iran says no regional country will be able to export oil if its exports stay blocked

Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned that no country in the region would be able to export oil if the Islamic Republic was prevented from selling its own oil, Reuters cited state media.

No regional infrastructure would be safe if Iran had no security, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf has added, according to the reports. 

US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran

US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war, Reuters reported.

Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal — agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried ‌out by Donald Trump's administration even as it wages war against Iran — could give Tehran and its powerful allies free rein, while also allowing other US enemies to stage a comeback, including Islamic State. 

IRGC calls Trump a 'big liar'

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ spokesperson said Donald Trump was a “big liar”, citing the US president’s statements on nuclear weapons and other issues, Reuters reported.

“The American people need to be told the truth,” Hossein Mohebbi said, adding that the US had failed in its military campaign against Iran and should leave the region. 

Iran will never seek a nuclear weapon, says IRGC

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Iran will never seek a nuclear weapon. It urged American people to ask why it's designated as a 'terrorist' group, AlJazeera reported.
 

Iran will never seek a nuclear weapon, says IRGC

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Iran will never seek a nuclear weapon. It urged American people to ask why it's designated as a 'terrorist' group, AlJazeera reported.
 

Saudi FM, Rubio discuss regional security

US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf, source says

US President Donald Trump's administration was set to grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions program on Monday to allow for flights carrying ‌Shi'ite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The source, who is involved in the deliberations, said the US Treasury Department waiver would allow Iraqi Airways to fly back and forth between Iran and the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf in Iraq for one month, with a more permanent waiver potentially following, Reuters reported.

Oil prices rise for second session on continued Middle East supply concern

Oil prices rose for a second successive session on Tuesday as lingering concern over Middle East supply disruption brought about by US-Iran conflict outweighed signs of recovering crude exports ‌from the region.

Brent crude futures had risen $1.49, or 1.4%, to $106.77 a barrel by 0326 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $93.94, up $1.34, or 1.5%. Both benchmarks closed the previous session at nearly $1 a barrel higher. 

Trump denies offering Iran sanctions relief, release of frozen funds

President Donald Trump on Monday denied a report by news outlet Axios that he had offered Iran sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds as the Middle East war drags on, AFP reported.

“Axios just released a story that ‘Trump’ offered sanctions relief and frozen funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Axios reported that Trump “is willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release Iranian frozen funds in return for concrete Iranian steps regarding the nuclear programme”. The report cited unnamed US officials. 

Bessent presses Lebanon to disrupt Iranian, Hezbollah financial networks

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Finance Minister Yassine Jaber on Monday to help curb Iranian and Hezbollah financial networks and restore confidence in the country’s banking system.

“Today, I met with Lebanese Prime Minister @nawafsalam and Finance Minister @JaberYassine to discuss the need for decisive action to disrupt Iranian and Hizballah financial networks, and the importance of key financial sector reforms to restore confidence in Lebanon’s banking system.” Bessent said on X. 

Iran's supreme leader says US will soon be driven out of Middle East

Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Monday the United States would be forced to leave the Middle East after suffering “painful blows”, according to a statement carried by state television.

Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since the start of the Middle East war in late February, made the remarks despite attempts to revive talks aimed at ending the fighting.

“Today, having suffered painful blows at the hands of valiant fighters and the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz, they (the enemies) do not venture beyond the Arabian Sea,” Khamenei said in the written statement attributed to him, without explicitly mentioning the United States.

“Whenever they have braved this risk, they have only brought harm upon themselves. It will not be long before the Arabian Sea, too, would rid itself of their presence,” he added.

The Arabian Sea, stretching from the Arabian Peninsula toward India in the east, is a vital maritime corridor that leads to Iran’s coasts and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran and the United States have been vying for control over Hormuz since the Middle East war started with US–Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Before the war began, the strategic shipping route carried about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas.

But Tehran imposed a blockade on Hormuz after the war started, prompting Washington to respond with its own blockade on Iranian ports. 

Rubio calls suspected UK terror plot 'very serious threat,' points to foreign actor

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that a suspected terror plot thwarted at RAF Fairford in the U.K. over the weekend posed a “very serious threat” and appeared to involve a foreign actor. Five people were arrested and later released on bail.

Rubio also said more information about the incident would emerge in the coming days.

“What could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation. It’s one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,” he said on "Hannity" without going into details.

“And that is we are dealing with elements in the world.

“And in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally, we're going to always take that very seriously. 

Iran says US has next move as Qatar mediates proposal to end war: report

Qatari mediators are working with Washington and Tehran on a new proposal aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, officials told The Associated Press on Monday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that mediators are discussing a draft proposal with both sides, the outlet said.

The development comes after President Donald Trump also suggested Monday in the Oval Office that U.S. officials had been in contact with Iranian representatives.

Under the proposal, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen under a separate, toll-free agreement Iran has been negotiating with Oman to regulate shipping through the waterway.

Iran discussed ideas with Qatari mediators that will be presented to the U.S. and expects to receive Washington's final response through Doha, Araghchi said, according to state news agency IRNA, Reuters reported.

Araghchi said the next move rests with Washington, saying, "If the Americans claim they are seeking an agreement or a peaceful solution, we have presented that solution." 

US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf

US President Donald Trump's administration was set ?to grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions program on Monday to allow for flights carrying ‌Shi'ite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The source, who is involved in the deliberations, said the US Treasury Department waiver would allow Iraqi Airways to fly back and forth between Iran and the ?Shi'ite holy city of Najaf in Iraq for one month, with a more permanent waiver potentially following.

Iraq halted ?flights to and from Iran on Friday, in line with US sanctions.

The source said the ?move aimed to ease pressure on the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who has sought to deepen ?ties with Washington while also balancing a strong relationship with Iraq's influential neighbour, Iran.

Trump's effort to impose a ?crippling economic blockade on Iran is forcing regional governments to scale back ties with Iran, creating potential backlash against those states, particularly those that balance their ties with both Washington and Tehran.

Zaidi's office over the weekend said that Iraq was seeking an exemption ?for travel between Iran and Iraq for medical treatment, education and pilgrimage. 

An Iraqi official said the Iraqi government was ?in talks with the US about the Najaf exemption and expected flights between Iran and Najaf to resume within 48 hours.

The ‌US ?State Department referred questions to the Treasury Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Netanyahu met with UAE president Sunday in rare trip to country, both sides confirm

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and met with the country’s president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, both countries confirmed on Monday.

An Israeli source familiar with the visit told CNN on Sunday that the secret meeting was dominated by discussion of Iran, an arena where the two countries have deepened their cooperation, including during the current Iran war.

WAM, the state news agency of the UAE, confirmed that Sheikh Mohammed and Netanyahu held a meeting in the country on Sunday.
The two leaders “discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and further develop them,” WAM reported.

 

Trump 'surprised' UK released Fairford terror suspects, hints he knows who was behind plot

President Donald Trump on Monday criticized U.K. authorities for releasing on bail five men arrested over an alleged plot targeting RAF Fairford, saying he was "surprised" by the decision while declining to elaborate on any links to Iran.

The men, who were arrested Sunday on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses after an alleged plot near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, were released on bail Monday as the investigation continues.

"But I will tell you, I would have said, don't let them have bail. Cashless bail," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office before asking whether it was "cashless bail."

"I guess that was one of the problems that we had, which started the whole mess of crime," he said. "And we're ending cashless bail. But over there, I'm surprised that they released them."

"I wouldn't have done that. Look, they've been very good. They worked with us very closely. We know everything about them. We would not have released them," Trump added. 

Iran under scrutiny after plot foiled near UK base used by US military

Just days after left-wing British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband shook hands with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s top diplomat at the United Nations, U.K. authorities arrested five men with possible links to Tehran who allegedly sought to bomb a military base in Fairford used by American forces.

Armed officers arrested the five suspected terrorists who were traveling in three vans reportedly packed with explosive material.

The authorities seized the five British nationals and the vans a mere 350 yards from the military base, which is used by the U.S. Army to launch air strikes against military targets in Iran.

Speaking from London on Monday, Nile Gardiner, the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital, "I think it is highly likely it was an Iranian orchestrated attack. It is stunning that they have released terrorist suspects on bail. It strikes me as entirely insane.

The suspects appear to be Muslim Islamists, judging by the picture."

Gardiner said, "The British government is on a full appeasement drive toward Tehran. We saw that with Ed Miliband meeting with the Iranian foreign minister at the U.N. General Assembly. The U.K. does not want to get involved in the U.S.-led war against Tehran."

Iranian military commander says Tehran still seeking revenge against 'enemies'

A senior Iranian military commander said Monday that Tehran remains intent on avenging itself against its enemies after months of war, with retaliation coming at a time of Iran’s choosing.

Iranian army Deputy Coordinator Habibollah Sayyari made the remarks during an appearance on state television, according to Iran International.

“Our enemies should know that the issue of our revenge remains in place,” Sayyari said.

“We ultimately have to take this revenge, wherever or whenever,” he added. 

Explosion heard near Iran's Qeshm Island: state media

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported Monday that the sound of an explosion was heard on Iran’s Qeshm Island.

The sound came from the direction of the sea, and there appeared to have been no impact on the island, according to the report. 

Bessent credits Operation Economic Outcast with rial's record fall

Operation Economic Outcast has pushed Iran’s rial to record lows, and Washington will continue targeting Tehran’s ability to fund militant groups and develop a nuclear weapon, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday on X.

Bessent accompanied the post with an image showing Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and President Masoud Pezeshkian behind a sharply rising dollar exchange-rate line.

The rial is marked at 2.44 million to the dollar, with a dotted extension toward the words “3 MILLION - HERE WE COME,” suggesting the US pressure campaign could drive the currency to further record lows. 

Trump warns Iran could hit US if it gets nuclear weapon

President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran could use a nuclear weapon against the United States if allowed to acquire one, insisting Tehran “will never” be permitted to obtain a bomb.

“If you want to see turmoil and a travesty, let them take out a city with a nuclear weapon… let them hit us with a nuclear weapon,” Trump said while arguing against those who, in his view, underestimate the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran.

He said the threat extended beyond Israel and other parts of the Middle East to the United States itself.

Trump called people who believe an Iranian nuclear weapon would be acceptable “crazy,” adding, “They cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they don’t.” 

Araghchi to hold talks with mediators in New York: ISNA

Qatari mediators are likely to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York and separately with the US side on Monday or Tuesday, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters, in a fresh push to end the war.

The talks are expected to focus on an amended version of a seven-day proposal that Iran presented last week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Araghchi remains in New York after attending the General Assembly. It was not immediately clear who would represent the US side in the talks with mediators.

Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency later confirmed that Araghchi would meet the mediators in the United States on Monday morning, New York time.

The two sides will "examine the latest proposals and views regarding the current situation", ISNA added.

Iran rejects suggestion it is linked to airbase arrests

Iran rejected the suggestion that it is linked to the five arrests made at Britain's Fairford airbase, according to Sky News on Monday, which cited a statement from the Iranian Embassy in London.

US, Iran expected to hold separate talks with mediators on Monday or Tuesday

Mediators are expected to hold separate talks with the United States and Iran on Monday or Tuesday, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Qatari mediators in the US, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.

The talks are expected to focus on an amended version of a seven-day proposal Iran presented on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the official said.

US, Iran expected to hold separate talks with mediators on Monday or Tuesday, official tells Reuters

Mediators are expected to hold separate talks with the United States and Iran on Monday or Tuesday, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Qatari mediators in the US, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.

The talks are expected to focus on an amended version of a seven-day proposal Iran presented on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the official said.

Iran says filed complaint to UN over US flight restrictions

Iran has lodged a complaint with the United Nations over US sanctions against its aviation sector that have forced the cancellation of flights, state media reported Monday.

This month the United States imposed restrictions on the entire aviation industry in Iran and vowed to take a hard line against companies that assist it.

As the sanctions took effect last Wednesday, major airlines were forced to cancel international flights after several countries implemented bans.

"To defend the legitimate rights of the aviation industry and counter illegal restrictions imposed by America, Iran has drafted and submitted a formal protest to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)," said civil aviation chief Abouzar Shiroudi, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.

The ICAO is a UN agency based in Montreal, Canada that sets and regulates standards for civil aviation.

"In cooperation with the foreign ministry, we have also filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice at The Hague," Shiroudi added.

For Iranians wishing to enter or exit their country, destinations in neighbouring Turkey are now the primary options for flights.

Routes also remain available to Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Russia, Malaysia and Thailand, with flights to the United Arab Emirates suspended.

Dubai was the most important Middle Eastern destination for Iranian airlines, with several flights daily from Iran.

The UAE financial hub offers onward connections to Europe, Asia and Africa and served as a stopover for many Iranian travellers.

An official from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport said Sunday that around 30 international destinations were still being served by Iranian airlines.

Iran condemns Trump's 'annihilate' threats as 'grave and alarming'

Iran’s Ambassador and Chargé d’Affaires to the United Nations in New York, Gholamhossein Darzi, said the latest threats made by US President Donald Trump to “annihilate” Iran are grave and alarming because they were issued from the podium of the United Nations, IRNA reported.

Darzi made the remarks in a letter dated September 27 to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the UN Security Council Jérôme Bonnafont.

The letter was in response to Trump’s address at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, during which he threatened the annihilation of Iran.

“These repulsive statements are not ambiguous remarks or isolated utterances. They are rather part of a sustained pattern of public threats against Iran by the head of a permanent member state of the Security Council,” the Iranian envoy said, adding, “This latest development is particularly grave and alarming because the United Nations General Assembly is not a venue for threats of annihilation.” 

Iran has no plans to negotiate with US: reports

Iran’s state media reports that no new talks were planned with the United States, after US President Donald Trump told media he expected more negotiations, according to AFP.

“Iran’s delegation in New York (for the UN General Assembly) has no plans for negotiations with the United States,” says the official IRNA news agency, citing an unnamed source close to the group. 

EU needs more ships to make Red Sea mission operational, Kallas says

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says that the EU needed more ships in its mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea, known as Aspides, for it to become operational, according to Reuters.

Speaking on arrival at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels, Kallas says she had been pushing member states to contribute more to the mission, but had yet to receive any new firm commitments. 

Brent crude surges more than 3pc after Trump rejects Iran offer

Brent crude jumped more than 3% Monday after Donald Trump rejected an Iranian offer of a seven-day truce that Tehran said would see it reopen the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reported.

The contract climbed 3.1% to $107.51 in afternoon Asian trade, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.1% to $94.32, putting fresh upward pressure on inflation.
 

Saudi FM arrives in Washington for talks with US counterpart amid Houthi attacks

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Monday arrived in Washington for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Reuters reported, citing the Saudi state news agency, amid escalating hostilities between Riyadh and Yemen’s Houthis.

The two will discuss bilateral ties as well as key regional and international developments, the agency added. 

Mideast oil exports hit highest level since Iran war began

Crude oil exports from key Middle East producers rebounded to 12.8 million barrels per day in September, their highest level since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, Reuters reported, citing Kpler data.

Exports through the Strait of Hormuz were set to reach about 7.4 million barrels per day this month. Saudi Arabia diverted oil exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu after attacks damaged its East-West pipeline.

Saudi crude exports were on track to reach about 5.4 million barrels per day in September, up from 2.446 million in August. Shipments from Ras Tanura rose to about 3.6 million barrels per day from 929,000 in August.

Kpler data showed 19 very large crude carriers, each carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi oil, exited the Strait of Hormuz last week.
Despite the rebound, regional exports remained about 6 million barrels per day below February levels. 

France says Saudi deployment amid Iran war 'strictly defensive'

France will act in a “strictly defensive” manner with military assets deployed to Saudi Arabia amid the war with Iran, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Sunday.

“Since the beginning of the war in Iran, we have deployed military assets to protect our allies and our partners,” Barrot said on France Inter. He described the deployment as “strictly defensive.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said last Thursday that France would send troops, radar and defense systems to protect Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port city of Yanbu after the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

“These capabilities will depend on the precise request made by the partner,” Barrot said, as well as “our own capabilities and how the situation develops.”

Barrot said the deployment was intended to protect the Saudi oil export route through Yanbu so “we can ease the pressure on prices.” He said, “The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is not closed,” despite reduced traffic. 

Iran says only a negotiated solution can get US out of this deadlock

Iran insisted on Sunday that only diplomacy can solve its conflict with the United States and Israel, after US President Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting.

"Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening ‌the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on social media. "Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock."

Iran announced a peace proposal last week at the UN General Assembly in New York, saying it had been transmitted to the Americans via Qatari mediators. Trump said on Saturday he rejected the plan, and argued that desperation was driving the Iranians’ push for an agreement on the key waterway.

"They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they're losing so badly," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Keeping the door to diplomacy open, however, Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Sunday that he expected US negotiators to engage in more talks this week.

Araqchi said mediators facilitating Tehran's talks with Washington had not officially relayed a US rejection of the plan. 

Netanyahu secretly visits UAE after Iran war, meets president: report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday and met United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, Ynet reported, amid warming ties between the two countries following the recent war with Iran.

Netanyahu flew on a private plane Sunday morning, spent most of the day in Abu Dhabi and returned to Israel later the same day, according to the report.

Ynet reported that Israel temporarily provided the UAE with an Iron Dome missile defense system and Israeli operators during the war with Iran.

The visit also came amid reports that bin Zayed warned Netanyahu before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack of an “earthquake” being planned by then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Netanyahu has denied receiving such a warning.
 

Oil rebounds after Trump rejects Iran peace deal

Oil prices rebounded more ‌than 1% on Monday after US President Donald Trump rejected a peace deal from Iran to resolve their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude ‌futures rose $1.82, or 1.74%, to $106.14 a barrel by 2202 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $93.55 a barrel, up $1.14, or 1.23%. 

UK police arrest 'explosive' suspects near US airbase, key to Iran war

U.K. police say they arrested multiple suspects for offenses under the "Explosives Act" near a U.S. airbase in southwest England on Sunday.
Gloucestershire Police say the arrests took place just two miles from RAF Fairford, which hosts U.S. Air Force assets. The U.S. has recently used the base in operations relating to the war in Iran.

"A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident," Gloucestershire Police said in a statement. "It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offenses under the explosives act."

"The Army's specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles," police added.

Authorities did not name the suspects or detail exactly how many were arrested.
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting wrote on X that the situation is "being dealt with."

 

Tehran denounces US plans to pressure countries into isolating Iran

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has dismissed US plans to send teams abroad to press other governments over their economic ties with Tehran.

In a post on X, he said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke as though he considered the world to be the “backyard” of the US. Bessent previously stated that the US had deployed envoys to pressure countries into economically isolating Iran.

“Independent governments determine their relations with Iran based on their own interests and priorities, not the orders of the US Treasury,” Gharibabadi said.

He added that “the era of imposing will through threats and sanctions is coming to an end”. 

 

 

 

Yemen forces say four Iranian drone, missile experts killed in Taiz

Four Iranian experts specializing in operating and launching drones and missiles were killed in Yemen’s Taiz province, a spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces said.

The deaths occurred during 756 operations against Houthi forces over the past 72 hours, Colonel Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili said, according to Yemen’s Saba news agency.

The Iranian experts’ presence further demonstrated Iran’s continued provision of support and expertise to the Houthis, Al-Nuzaili said. 

Yemen says military launched 756 operations against Houthi targets in 72 hours

Yemen's internationally recognized government said Sunday its armed forces had carried out hundreds of targeting operations against the Houthis across the region.

“Armed Forces spokesman Col Majid An-nuzaili reported that over the past 72 hours, armed forces executed 756 targeting operations against Houthis terrorist militia positions, personnel & military capabilities on Kitaf & Al-Buqa, Baqim, Al-Jawf, Marib, Bayda, Lahj & Taiz fronts,” the Media Center of Yemeni Armed Forces said on X

Renewed fighting erupted in Yemen on Sept. 4, when the Houthis launched a major offensive that captured strategic territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
 

Riyadh schools switch to remote learning for a week

Parents across Riyadh have received messages from schools announcing a last-minute plan to shift to remote learning for a week, according to messages seen by the media.

“We have just been informed by Saudi authorities that schools must remain closed all week,” read two separate messages.

There was no official reason given, but the move comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf and near-daily attacks aimed at Saudi Arabia by Houthi fighters in Yemen.

Trump touts Iran war gains, leaves door open to more strikes before midterms

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he believes the war with Iran will be won “very soon,” while acknowledging that additional military strikes before the midterm elections are “possible.”

“I think what's going to happen is we're going to win this war very soon, and as soon as we win it, the oil will go down, way down to what it was before the war,” Trump said the PGA Tour Presidents Cup.

“And the key is, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he added, saying nuclear deterrence was “key to the whole thing.”

When pressed further on Operation Economic Outcast and whether Washington was winning through military or economic means, Trump said the U.S. was succeeding on both fronts.

“I think both. I think we'll win it both ways. We've already won it really from a military standpoint,” he said.

“But that doesn't mean we've stopped that.”

“We're certainly winning it very big. If you look at their economy, it's gone.”

“They have no economy,” he said of Iran.

“The value of their money is, as they say, valueless. We have inflation. They have inflation now of close to 300%. I heard 318% as of this morning. 300, meaning their money is shot, their economy is shot, their military is shot. They're in trouble.”

Asked specifically whether military strikes could be back on the table before the midterm elections, Trump declined to rule them out.

“I don't want to say that. I don't want to say that. I mean, it's possible, but I just don't want to say that.”


 

Iran threatens shipping restrictions over Hormuz routes, warns of 'financial and human losses'

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) warned shipowners Sunday against using “unauthorized” routes through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, threatening consequences for noncompliant shipping companies.

“Reports have been sent to #PGSA indicating that some charterers are forcing vessels to transit through invalid routes,” the U.S.-sanctioned authority said on X.

“This action, in addition to creating the risk of financial and human losses for the vessel, owner, captain, and crew, also seriously restricts the vessel's future passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.

 

Iranian President Pezeshkian says Tehran open to nuclear limits, inspections

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran remains engaged in negotiations with the United States and is willing to discuss limits on its nuclear program, but argued Washington must first demonstrate that it is not seeking to overthrow his government.

“We're still talking, we're still engaging in dialogue, and we're making our demands within the framework of international law,” Pezeshkian said via translator in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday.

The interview was conducted Friday, a day before President Donald Trump publicly rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear negotiations.

Pezeshkian said Iran was prepared to move forward with its latest proposal to the U.S., which he described as being based on the framework of an earlier memorandum between the two countries.

“If the United States agrees to proceed in that way, everything will return to the way it was before,” Pezeshkian said. “These are things that both sides need to open up first. Then we can sit down at the negotiating table and discuss other issues at hand.”

 

Trump says Iran 'overplayed hand' with latest proposal

US President Trump says that Iran “overplayed their hand” in their proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to AFP.

“They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make,” Trump told Axios. “It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago.”

“They overplayed their hand,” Trump said in the interview.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Axios reports that indirect talks between Washington and Tehran could take place as early as Monday.

Washington denounces Iran's truce proposal as 'cynical'

A top US official has dismissed a proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz presented by Iran as “cynical” and indicated it is a non-starter for Washington, AFP reports.

“This was, I think, a pretty cynical attempt to put something on the table that they knew was unacceptable,” US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said in an interview with NBC. “To ask for the release of the blockade, the sanctions, international sanctions, and access to billions in assets just to talk.”

“I think it’s kind of common sense that the president doesn’t have a lot of confidence this time after we just tried a few months ago,” Waltz added. 

Iran FM questions US rejection of plan to restore normalcy in Gulf

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has questioned why the United States is rejecting a proposal that could restore normal life in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with NBC News, Araghchi said Iran’s proposal was “very clear” and that Tehran was prepared to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington met certain conditions.

He said Iran was seeking respect for what it considers its rights, while questioning the US decision to reject a plan aimed at restoring normalcy in the region. 

Houthis claim Saudi strikes on Yemen's Taiz leave dozens of casualties

Saudi airstrikes on Taiz in southwest Yemen caused dozens of casualties in an area controlled by the Houthis, the group said, as fighting escalated further after a truce broke down months ago, AFP reports.

The Houthis’ military spokesman, Yahya Saree, accused Saudi Arabia of launching two air raids that hit a market on the outskirts of the city, saying nearly 50 people were killed or wounded without specifying the exact breakdown. 

French military support to Saudi Arabia 'defensive', says foreign minister

French military support being given to Saudi Arabia to help it confront attacks from Yemen’s Houthis is “strictly defensive”, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said, AFP reports.

His comment, made on state television network France 2, follows President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of French troops, radar units and “defence systems” being sent to Saudi Arabia.

Asked whether France’s aid meant that Paris had become a partner in Saudi Arabia’s war against the Houthis, Barrot said: “Absolutely not… This is strictly defensive.” 

Saudi strike on Yemen's Taiz kills 7: Houthi media

A Saudi airstrike on Taiz in southwest Yemen killed seven people and wounded dozens more, Houthi media reports, according to AFP.

The Houthis’ Al-Masirah TV channel said the strike killed seven and wounded 40 in a central marketplace in Taiz, minutes after reporting that a Saudi fighter jet had targeted the area.

Taiz, a major city controlled by the internationally recognised government, has been thrust to the frontlines of fighting between the Houthis and government forces. 

Iranian woman tennis player savours refuge from war at Asian Games

Competing against the backdrop of war and hamstrung by budget constraints, Iran’s tennis team celebrated minor triumphs at the Asian Games as both their women’s players won their opening singles, AFP reports.

Meshkatolzahra Safi thumped Tajik Shakhzoda Asimova 6-0 6-1 while Mandegar Farzami joined teammate Safi in the next round with a 7-5 6-3 win over Uzbek Sevil Yuldasheva.

The 22-year-old Safi became the first Iranian to win a Grand Slam junior singles match at the Australian Open in 2022 and boasted a top-100 ranking as a junior.

She has found it hard to kick on as a professional, though, with little funding to tour and build momentum. 

'Strait of our dignity': Iranian commander says no one will be able to trade if Tehran cannot

Iranian Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami has said the war was at a critical and decisive stage, adding that Tehran would not accept a situation in which it was unable to trade while foreign powers used the region’s strategic waterways, Reuters reports.

“If Iran cannot trade, if Iran cannot live, no one will be able to trade or live. The Strait of Hormuz is the strait of our dignity and honour, and it will not be allowed for the country’s enemies to use this major logistical chokepoint while the Iranian people are deprived.” 

Iran says it seized US underwater vehicle, state media reports

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy said it had seized a US Remus 600 autonomous underwater vehicle operating in the Strait of Hormuz and which it said was conducting espionage, Reuters reports, citing state media.

The Guards said the vehicle had been captured using intelligence and electronic warfare capabilities and was being examined by Iranian specialists to recover its data. 

Iran 'stood firm' after US-Israeli assassination of supreme leader: General Hatami

Major-General Amir Hatami, commander of Iran’s army, says the notion that the government would fall after the series of assassinations that the US and Israel carried out at the beginning of their war was a “miscalculation by the enemy,” Al Jazeera reports.

Hatami specifically highlighted the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28, the first day of the war.

He was quoted as saying by state-run media: “Yet it was under this flag that everyone stood firm — soldiers and commanders alike.

“Through their presence and steadfastness, the Iranian nation inspired the armed forces, defeated the enemy’s scheme to incite chaos and bolstered the country’s officials in the political, social and economic arenas.” 

Iran's army voices readiness for potential renewed US attack

Iran's army spokesperson has warned that the United States could launch a renewed attack over what he described as Washington's "bad regional situation".

Tehran is prepared for a confrontation and would inflict greater damage on the US, the spokesperson said, according to Iranian state media. 

Security increased at US airbase in England used during Iran war

Security measures at a US air base in southwest England have significantly increased in recent days, with roadblocks and armed police preventing access and emergency vehicles parked nearby, Reuters reports.

A spokesperson for the US Air Force said they were aware of the current reporting but would not discuss specific force protection measures.

“The 501st Combat Support Wing and our fellow UK-based Wings remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” the spokesperson said, according to Reuters. 

UK police call in bomb disposal team near airbase used by US

British police in western England have declared a major incident and evacuated properties near a base used by the US air force after arresting several men on suspicion of explosives offences, AFP reports.

Army bomb disposal experts are “currently examining a number of vehicles”, Gloucestershire Police says in a statement.

“A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident,” it says, adding that several men have been arrested “on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act”.

The village of Whelford is located adjacent to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base which is also used by the United States Air Force. 

Iran stands firm on Hormuz plan after US rejection

Iran has stood firm on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump’s rejection of the proposal that had created some optimism for breaking the Mideast war stalemate.

“Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon these conditions being fulfilled. We will not back down from them,” Araghchi said, state broadcaster IRIB reported.

“We have never closed the door to diplomacy or negotiations, but at the same time, we have never backed down from our rights.” 

Iran says Hormuz reopening hinges on conditions, diplomacy remains open

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that Tehran’s main message during meetings on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly was that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would depend on conditions set by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), IRNA reports.

Speaking to Iranian reporters in New York, Araghchi said Iran had maintained an active diplomatic presence at this year’s UN gathering. President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to Tehran after holding multiple meetings, giving interviews and delivering a major address, the minister said.

He said Iran’s conditions for reopening the strait were clearly presented and defended in all meetings and conveyed to mediators, who then communicated them to the US side.

Araghchi said Iran had also presented several diplomatic proposals, but had yet to receive a formal response through the mediators. He noted that statements by the US president had been contradictory and said Tehran was awaiting a definitive position before deciding its next steps.

The minister said Iran had demonstrated its strength in military, diplomatic and economic spheres and argued that a negotiated solution based on dignity, justice and legitimate rights was the only way forward. 

IRGC threatens attacks on US ships in Indian Ocean if a new war breaks out

The navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to attack US warships, including in the Indian Ocean, if Washington launches a new war against Iran, Al Jazeera reports.

“If Trump considers the Strait of Hormuz his strait, then why aren’t his ships and vessels here?” Ali Mohammadi, the IRGC Navy’s deputy for political affairs, says, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Mohammadi says the US “should just bring one of its ships close to this area” if it claims to control the waterway.

He adds: “If another war breaks out, we will undoubtedly attack and hit their ships and destroyers even in the Indian Ocean.” 

Saudi authorities shift schools in Riyadh to remote learning for week: emails to parents

Parents across Riyadh have received emails from schools on Sunday announcing a last-minute plan to shift to remote learning for a week, according to messages seen by AFP.

“We have just been informed by Saudi authorities that schools must remain closed all week,” read two separate messages seen by AFP.

There was no official reason given but the move comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf and near-daily attacks aimed at Saudi Arabia by Houthi fighters in Yemen. 

Iran warns US, Israel of 'surprises' as it touts stronger military capabilities

Iran has warned that any fresh military action against the country would face a response based on upgraded weapons and new defence capabilities, with its armed forces claiming they are better prepared than during previous confrontations with the United States and Israel.

Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, said Tehran had strengthened its military capabilities by placing greater emphasis on asymmetric warfare and the development of domestic defence technology.

He said the changes had improved Iran’s ability to respond to potential aggression and that its military was in a stronger position than during earlier rounds of conflict.

“Iran’s armed forces are in very good condition,” Shekarchi said in comments carried by Iranian state media.

He said Iran had also made advances in its missile and drone programmes, warning that its response to any attack could include capabilities that its adversaries had not anticipated.

“Iran’s missiles and drones have become more advanced and more powerful, and this time, we have surprises in store for the enemy. We will respond to any...” Shekarchi said. 

Oman calls for self-restraint, dialogue in Mideast conflict

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has called at the UN for “self-restraint” from all sides in the Middle East war, while stressing that Muscat was ready to mediate, AFP reports.

“We call upon all parties concerned to settle their outstanding disputes through pursuing a policy of self-restraint and foresight, and through engaging in dialogue to reach consensual, political solutions and sustainable understandings for the benefit of all,” Albusaidi said, addressing world leaders gathered in New York.

“Oman once again reaffirms its steadfast commitment to continuing its efforts aimed at safeguarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz… We also call upon all parties to cooperate with Oman in these efforts.”

Oman sits across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, and ships seeking to skirt Tehran’s restrictions have recently been taking a route that hugs the Omani coast. 

US Treasury chief claims successes in isolating Iran

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that he had sent envoys around the world to pressure countries to economically isolate Iran, hailing new restrictions targeting the country’s airlines and banks, AFP reports.

“At my direction, teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime,” he said on X. “These efforts are delivering results.”

Bessent noted that Turkiye and Oman have halted incoming flights from private carrier Mahan Air, while the United Arab Emirates has stopped all flights by Iranian airlines.

Dubai, the UAE’s commercial hub, is a major destination for Iran’s carriers, with multiple daily flights, a large Iranian community and close business links.

Bessent also highlighted new banking restrictions. 

Araghchi says Iran awaits definitive US response to proposal

Iran has seen an initial reaction from US President Donald Trump to its proposal for resolving the crisis but has yet to receive Washington’s definitive response through mediators, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday.

Araghchi told official outlet IRNA that Tehran was waiting for mediators to convey the US position and would decide how to proceed based on that response, according to Iranian state media.

“Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock. That is our position,” he said.

“Our conditions are clear,” he added. “Any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met.”


 

Oman offers to mediate Middle East conflict, urges cooperation on Hormuz

Oman offered Saturday to continue mediating the Middle East conflict while calling for cooperation to protect navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Oman once again reaffirms its steadfast commitment to continuing its efforts aimed at safeguarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz ... We also call upon all parties to cooperate with Oman in these efforts," Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi told the U.N. General Assembly.

Muscat has played a mediating role in regional diplomacy as the conflict has disrupted traffic through the key waterway separating Oman and Iran.

"We call upon all parties concerned to settle their outstanding disputes through pursuing a policy of self-restraint and foresight, and through engaging in dialog to reach consensual, political solutions and sustainable understandings for the benefit of all," Albusaidi said. 

Gulf states urge international response to Houthi attacks amid regional escalation

Gulf Arab states called for an international response to recent attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on Saturday as tensions involving the Yemen-based group continue to escalate.

The Gulf Cooperation Council described the attacks as a “grave escalation and threat to regional security,” according to The Associated Press. The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

The statement came after Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched from Yemen toward the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait. Saudi officials also said earlier Saturday that air defenses intercepted two drones launched by the Houthis toward the Riyadh area.

 

Bessent says US economic pressure on Iran is 'delivering results'

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Saturday that the Trump administration's economic pressure campaign against Iran is prompting countries and financial institutions to restrict business with Tehran.

Following the launch of Operation Economic Outcast, Bessent said Treasury officials were sent around the world to press governments to take action against Iran.

"These efforts are delivering results. Türkiye and Oman announced the cessation of Mahan Air flights to their countries. The UAE has halted all flights by Iranian airlines, and top commercial banks in the UAE and Türkiye have stopped transacting with Iran," Bessent wrote on X.

Bessent also pointed to the declining value of Iran's currency as evidence of the economic toll of the war.
"We will continue working together as there is more to be done to prevent Tehran from carrying out its terrorist agenda," he wrote.
 

US ambassador to NATO says Trump 'right to reject' Iran's latest deal

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker backed President Donald Trump's rejection of Iran's latest proposal Saturday, arguing that Tehran's economic troubles have left it eager to reach a deal.

"President Trump has been so successful with the naval blockade and the sanctions. Their economy is crippled. They are completely broke. Their currency is weak. Inflation is high, and you know they desperately want a deal," Whitaker said on "The Big Weekend Show."

Whitaker said the U.S. position remains that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and must abandon its nuclear program.

"But these kind of half measures that they offer or illusory deals to make themselves look good on the world stage are just not acceptable. And so President Trump's right to reject it," he said.

Whitaker also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. is in "total control" of the key waterway and that the American blockade is preventing Iranian vessels from transiting while allowing other shipping to pass.

 

Trump's comments prompted Pezeshkian to change approach to UN address

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he adjusted his UN General Assembly address after hearing President Donald Trump's comments while in New York.

Pezeshkian, who returned to Tehran after a five-day trip, said Trump's remarks prompted him to respond more directly from the General Assembly podium.

“After arriving in New York and learning of the US president’s remarks, our approach to the General Assembly speech was affected by them,” Pezeshkian said.

Pezeshkian said the shift led him to defend Tehran's positions “explicitly” during his address as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue.
 

Iranian lawmaker warns Tehran has 'fingers on the trigger' after Trump rejects proposal

An Iranian lawmaker warned Saturday that Tehran is prepared for further U.S. military action after President Donald Trump said he rejected Iran's latest proposal for a deal.

Mojtaba Zarei argued in a post on X that Trump's recent focus on Iran's nuclear program signals preparations for another strike.

"These repeated emphases from the corrupt Trump indicate that he is seeking military pressure to achieve his goal in the nuclear issue through a strike on some of Iran’s nuclear facilities, aimed at creating an illusory victory in American public opinion," Zarei wrote, according to an English translation provided by X.

Zarei warned that another U.S. strike would bring a stronger response from Tehran, adding that "there will be no surprise in Iran" and "Iran’s hands are on the trigger!"
 

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says Iran is 'underestimating' Trump's determination

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Saturday that Iran's regime is underestimating President Donald Trump's determination to achieve his objectives in the U.S. war against Tehran.

Blair told "Saturday in America" that the conflict should continue until its objectives are achieved, pointing to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.

"We should negotiate, of course. If you can do it by negotiation, fine. But the Iranians have got to know that there is a bottom line, and that bottom line is going to be met," Blair said.

Blair argued that Tehran may now be miscalculating Trump's willingness to continue the conflict.

"If there was an underestimation at the beginning of this of the resilience of the regime, I think there is an underestimation by the regime now of President Trump's determination to see this through," he said.

Blair also pointed to the economic pressure facing Tehran, saying the Iranian economy is in "desperate straits."
 

Pezeshkian returns to Tehran after UN General Assembly visit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to Tehran on Saturday after attending the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, according to his office.

During his visit, Pezeshkian backed a return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and renewed negotiations as diplomatic efforts continued over the U.S.-Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz.

Pezeshkian also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for supporting the diplomatic framework.

His return comes as President Donald Trump says he rejected an Iranian proposal that would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for U.S. concessions.


 

Russia offers help stabilising Gulf, condemns Khamenei assassination

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offered Moscow's help stabilizing the Gulf region and condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday.

"We need trust in the relationships between the Gulf states, the Arab states and Iran. We need stable regional architecture," Lavrov said.

"Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilizing this strategically important region."

Lavrov said it was unacceptable that force was used to kill Khamenei, members of his family and members of Iran's military and political leadership.

He accused the U.S. and Israel of targeting civilian and International Atomic Energy Agency-safeguarded nuclear infrastructure during the war.


 

Saudi Arabia pushes UN to ensure freedom of navigation in international waterways

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said at the U.N. General Assembly Saturday that his country “stresses the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in all international waterways, foremost among them the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.”

“We must restore the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-28th of February status without the imposition of any fees or restrictions,” he continued, denouncing the idea of a potential toll system for the key waterway.

“The kingdom supports efforts and initiatives that contribute to the de-escalation, foremost among them, the efforts of Qatar, Pakistan and other sisterly and friendly countries. This would contribute restoring stability to the region,” Al-Saud added.

“We stress the need to ensure that the entire region is free of weapons of mass destruction and that peaceful nuclear programs are subject to international oversight, verification and safeguards,” he also said.

 

Saudi FM condemns Houthi strikes

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Saudi foreign minister also said his country rejected policies aimed at imposing hegemony and influence, and stressed the need for stability in Yemen and the protection of civilians.

He condemned Houthi attacks, saying they posed a threat to national and regional integrity.

Prince Faisal also praised the Iraqi government's efforts to bring weapons under state control.

Russia ready to help on Strait of Hormuz: Lavrov at UN

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the UN Saturday that Moscow is ready to help stabilize the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region, as the US-Iran conflict drags on.

"We need trust in the relationships between the Gulf states, the Arab states, and Iran. We need stable regional architecture," Lavrov told leaders at the UN General Assembly.

"Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilizing this strategically important region."

Saudi FM lauds Pakistan, Qatar efforts to ease regional tensions

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has said Riyadh supports Pakistan and Qatar's efforts to reduce regional tensions.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the Saudi foreign minister said the world was facing serious challenges and stressed the need to uphold the UN Charter.

He said Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region had been subjected to Iranian attacks.

Trump says he rejected Iran's proposal on Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump has said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the Middle East war.

 

Iran denies any plan for military action over bans on Iranian flights

The top Iranian security body denied that Iran was planning a military move over US-imposed bans on Iranian flights.

Iran president says supreme leader backs new plan to reopen Hormuz

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran's new plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz was coordinated with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, state media reported Saturday, quoting an interview with US media.

Pezeshkian also told broadcaster CBS that the Islamic republic would fulfil its obligations were the United States to agree to the proposal, according to excerpts released by state news agency Irna.

"Coordination with the leader of the revolution (the supreme leader)... has been carried out," Pezeshkian said.

"If the US accepts it and fulfils its obligations, we will do the same, and there will be no issue in this regard," he added.

Pezeshkian said that a six-member team in Iran has been meeting for discussions and has "the authority to make decisions".

Pezeshkian says Iran 'no longer trust talks with US'

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran “no longer trust[s] talks with Washington”, after its “repeated attacks and sanctions following every negotiation”, Al Jazeera reported.

He said Qatar and Pakistan are currently mediating between Iran and the US and conveying Tehran’s messages to Washington.

Pezeshkian also said the negotiations are based on the previous memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries, adding that the “Americans must state their position on it”.

Trump reiterates Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon

 

Iraq seeks exemption from US ban on Iran airlines

The Iraqi government said on Saturday it was holding talks with the United States to secure an exemption from the ban on Iranian airlines, which has disrupted travel for patients, students and pilgrims.

All Iraqi airports enforced the ban this week, resulting in major disruption at the airport of the holy city of Najaf, the main destination for Iranian flights to Iraq.

"The Iraqi government is holding direct talks with the American side to exempt certain Iraqi airports from these measures," the prime minister's media office said.

An exemption would allow flights to resume "for humanitarian reasons, including medical treatment, education, religious visits, and for the interest of civilians," it added.

CDF Munir, Saudi defence minister stress joint efforts to counter attacks under Makkah pact

Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir and Saudi Minister of Defence HRH Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz have emphasized the continuation of joint efforts to confront attacks targeting the kingdom in accordance with the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the two leaders reiterated the commitment during a meeting. They discussed the recent security situation and attacks targeting Makkah al-Mukarramah as well as civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom.

The two sides also praised the outcomes of the meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of countries participating in the Makkah pact

 

Sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace and respect for international law: Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace and respect for international law, stressing the need to place development at the center of international cooperation, Press TV reported.

Addressing a high-level meeting of the Global Development Initiative on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Araghchi said the need to put development at the heart of international cooperation has never been more urgent.

“Developing countries continue to face persistent poverty and hunger, widening inequalities, rising debt burdens, gaps in financing and technology, and growing environmental challenges,” he said. 

Iran will continue punishment of US until seven-strong conditions are met, says IRGC official

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said Iran will continue punishment of the United States until the Iran’s seven-strong conditions are met, while asserting that Iranian missiles are capable of destroying the US’s multilayered air-defense systems, Press TV reported. 

Pezeshkian appreciates Xi Jinping's support for return to Islamabad MoU to resolve US-Iran conflict

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s support for a return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and for resolving differences through dialogue and diplomacy.

In a statement shared by Pezeshkian, he expressed appreciation for what he described as Xi’s “thoughtful and responsible support” for returning to the Islamabad MoU. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s support for a return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and for resolving differences through dialogue and diplomacy. In a statement shared by Pezeshkian, he expressed appreciation for what he described as Xi’s “thoughtful and responsible support” for returning to the Islamabad MoU.

Iran awaits US move after WSJ report says Trump rejects peace plan

Iran on Saturday awaited an official US response to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting in the wider Middle East war after the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump had rejected the deal.

Iran raised the diplomatic initiative at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying it had been ‌transmitted to the Americans via Qatari mediators and could reopen the strategic waterway and put an end to hostilities in the region within seven days.

The Iranians also engaged their Saudi rivals regarding the strait, underscoring the stakes of a seven-month-old conflict that has disrupted oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping lanes and taken a toll on the global economy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters at the United Nations on Friday the deal ?would trigger a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a pause in regional fighting.

"If there is seriousness on the US side to come to a deal and reopen ?the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared," Araqchi said.

If the US were to agree, the warring parties could start wider talks "on mutually agreed subjects," ?Araqchi said. 

Saudi Arabia crude oil exports hit highest level since Iran war began

Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports have surged this month despite a sharp escalation in fighting with Iran-backed militants, according to data from the trade intelligence firm Kpler.

Riyadh is exporting 6 million barrels per day in September, the highest level since the Iran war began about seven months ago. The kingdom’s crude shipments have recovered to the monthly average of 2025.

The Saudis have managed to ramp up exports even after they closed the critical East-West oil pipeline this month due to damage it sustained in a drone attack launched from Iraq.

Shipments in September have surged nearly 80% over the 3.4 million bpd of crude exported in August. 

The pipeline has acted as a crucial relief valve for the oil market during the Iran war.

It allowed the Saudis to bypass the Strait of Hormuz as Iran attacked tankers transiting those waters.

Riyadh shifted exports from its oil-producing regions in the east through the pipeline to the Red Sea terminal of Yanbu.

 

Saudi coalition says it intercepts Houthi missiles, drones

Yemen's Saudi-led coalition said early on ?Saturday it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones ‌launched by the Iran-backed Houthis towards the kingdom.

The coalition said in posts on X that the missiles were headed towards Khamis Mushait and the drones towards the ?capital, Riyadh, adding that it was monitoring the missile threat ?and drones launched at the kingdom, without providing further details.

The ?Saudi civil defence had sent alerts overnight for Khamis Mushait and ?Abha but not for Riyadh.

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

The attacks have targeted Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and ?shipping, adding to pressures on global oil supplies caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran ‌and ?putting at risk the main alternative Red Sea route for Gulf exports while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely blocked. 

Iran will make no nuclear concessions, Iranian official says

Iran will show no ?flexibility over its nuclear program even if the United States accepts its proposal to reopen ‌the Strait of Hormuz, which calls for steps including the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the waterway would remain closed until “all of Iran’s conditions ?are met” by the United States.

Under Iran’s proposal, Tehran has offered to reopen the strategically vital Strait of ?Hormuz. Within seven days, hostilities would end on all fronts, including Lebanon, the United ?States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports, release Iran’s frozen funds and waive its oil sanctions, Iran's ?Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday.

The proposal follows a sharp escalation in Middle East tensions after seven months ?of war between Iran and the United States, with Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen launching missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia.

The strait has become the central bargaining chip in efforts to end the US-Iran conflict, with Iran seeking relief from the US blockade ?that is choking its economy and Washington seeking free passage for ships on the global oil supply route ?now blocked by Tehran. 

Qatari PM says Iranian blockade of Hormuz strait 'unacceptable'

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has called Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz “unacceptable” in an interview with CNN, according to Al Jazeera.

“The blockade may be imposed on Iran, but it’s also a blockade imposed on the Gulf countries, especially Qatar. We can’t get ships out — it’s very difficult and challenging,” he says. “You have seen that the strait is insecure, and this is unacceptable. The strait is an international waterway, and it is a global problem.”

Calling for coordinated international action to address the situation, Sheikh Mohammed says the strait’s insecurity is “an issue used in this war, which is, again, unacceptable”.

“For us, in order to protect our people and future generations, we should end this manipulation and blackmailing of waterways,” he stresses. “Anyone who is using the waterways to block countries and block freedom of navigation – this is unacceptable. It’s strong-arming, and we refuse any blockade or blackmailing from any country or party.”

 

Iran's Araghchi meets Saudi FM: media reports

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Al Jazeera reports citing Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

Footage shared by Iranian media shows the two officials shaking hands before sitting down for talks.

Iran will make no nuclear concessions, says official

Iran will show no flexibility over its nuclear programme even if the United States accepts its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which calls for steps including the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the waterway would remain closed until “all of Iran’s conditions are met” by the United States.

Oil prices ease by 1pc as US-Iran truce hopes counter Saudi supply risk

Oil prices have again fallen about one per cent as markets weigh the possibility of a truce between the US and Iran against concerns that increasing attacks against Saudi Arabia by Yemeni Houthi fighters could disrupt supply from the Middle Eastern producer, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures are down $1.14, or 1.1pc, at $105.46 a barrel as of 1403 GMT (7:03pm PKT), while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is down $1.05, also 1.1pc, to $93.56. 

Lebanon PM stresses need to 'avert vacuum' if UN force leaves

At the UN, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has stressed the need to “avert the vacuum” that would be caused by withdrawing the UN peacekeeping mission deployed in the south of his country without a viable replacement, AFP reports.

“What we wish to stress here and today is the need to avert the vacuum that Unifil’s withdrawal could create, were it to take place without agreement on a new international force to replace it,” he says. 

Pezeshkian says Iran seeking only its rights in US talks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran is seeking nothing beyond its rights under international law as it engages in indirect talks with the United States.

In an interview with Fox News, Pezeshkian provided further details about an indirect meeting between Iranian and US officials earlier this week, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

“We are discussing the framework of international law and the rights and entitlements that we should have,” Pezeshkian said.

He added that Iran had not sought anything beyond what it considers its rights under international law and would not make additional demands. 

UN Security Council condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

The United Nations Security Council has condemned escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in a rare show of unity from the UN’s top body, AFP reports.

“The members of the Security Council 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,” says the rotating president of the Council, French UN envoy Jerome Bonnafont, delivering a joint statement. 

IRGC claims US vessels move 400km away from Strait of Hormuz

IRGC Spokesman Brigadier General Mohebbi claimed US vessels have moved 400 kilometers away from the Strait of Hormuz, while the country's fleet remains stationed in Bahrain, which means a major victory for Iran, Press TV reported. 

Iran proposes reopening Hormuz within seven days, media reports

Iran has submitted a proposal to the US to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

"If certain conditions are met, the strait will be open within seven days and talks will start," Araghchi, who is in the US for the UN General Assembly, told a number of media outlets.

The latest plan calls for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon, the New York Times quoted Araghchi as saying.

It also calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets estimated to be worth at least $12 billion, as well as the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran.

On the seventh day of the truce, Iran would reopen Hormuz.

Araghchi said he was waiting for a US response to the plan and maintained that China supported the proposal.

Turkiy'es chief of staff to attend military chiefs meeting in Saudi Arabia

Turkiye's Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will travel to Saudi Arabia to ‌meet his Saudi and Pakistani ‌counterparts as part of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, said the Turkish defence ministry.

Earlier, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said ‌the chiefs of staff would hold an urgent meeting to discuss ways to support Riyadh under the defence pact following attacks by Yemen's Houthis. Ankara has said it could help meet Riyadh's military needs if necessary. 

Russian, Iranian foreign ministers say only diplomatic solution to conflict around Iran

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart met on Thursday and Moscow said both agreed that only a diplomatic settlement could ‌end tension in the Middle East sparked by the US-Israeli war against Iran.

"Current regional and international issues were discussed with emphasis on the situation around Iran," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement after Lavrov and Iran's Abbas Araqchi met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"It was stressed that there is no alternative to a diplomatic settlement of the crisis provoked by the illegal actions of the United States and Israel."

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation ‌partnership in 2025 which provides for a deepening of bilateral ties and closer defence cooperation, but includes no mutual defence clause.

Each side has provided the other with military know-how and equipment.

Pezeshkian thanked Vladimir Putin earlier this month for Moscow's position on the Iran war and said together, Moscow and Tehran can resist what he called US "unilateralism". 

Gulf of Oman ship-to-ship oil transfers reach limit as Saudi exports surge

Ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman for Middle Eastern oil from inside the Strait of Hormuz have reached their limits after Saudi Arabia diverted exports from the Red Sea, adding to ‌shipments from other producers, trade sources and analysts said.

The increasing amount of Saudi exports this month requires more supertankers to shuttle crude through Hormuz to conduct cargo transfers, they said. That has reduced ship availability, raising shipping costs and increasing the time cargoes are on the water before reaching refineries, Reuters reported.

State-run Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab has sold more than 60 million barrels of crude for STS transfer off Sohar, Oman, this month and next since its East-West Pipeline was attacked on September 13, halting oil exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

Saudi crude exports via Hormuz were on track to rebound to 3.6 million barrels per day in September, up from about 900,000 bpd in August, data from analytics firm Kpler showed. 

Hormuz commodity ship transits fall to nine, shiptracking data shows

Vessel transits at the Strait of Hormuz fell on Thursday to 9, compared with ‌the previous day's 14, preliminary shiptracking data showed on Friday.

Of those, eight ships exited, according to the data.

The 10-day average of transits is 18.

Some vessels may be sailing through the waterway with their transponders turned off and are not considered in the counts.

Of the eight exits, one was a ballast very large gas carrier and one was a laden very large crude carrier (VLCC). 

US and Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Hormuz and end US blockade, sources say

US and Iranian negotiators in New York are exploring a phased path out of war that would involve Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifting its economic blockade of Iran, sources close to the ?talks said.

The strait has become the central bargaining chip in efforts to end the nearly seven-month US-Iran conflict, with Iran seeking relief from the US blockade that is choking its economy and Washington seeking free passage for ships on the global oil supply route now ‌blocked by Tehran.

The talks face a big obstacle as neither side wants to be the first to surrender its leverage, according to comments to Reuters by two Iranian sources, two regional officials and two Western diplomatic sources, but behind Iran's stance is a recognition of the economic cost of prolonged confrontation.

A senior Iranian official said the most plausible way to end the impasse would be a phased arrangement, with Iran allowing navigation through Hormuz in return for the US lifting its economic blockade and Tehran potentially gaining access to frozen assets.

"One way forward would be to solve the crisis in stages. The first would be to end the blockade and reopen Hormuz," he said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

hat would involve US President Donald Trump accepting another temporary fix, after an earlier understanding collapsed in July. So a central challenge facing the negotiators is not just to sketch out a deal but also to ensure any concessions are durable enough for both sides to trust, the sources said.

Trump has said he thinks the US and Iran could reach a deal after midterm elections to Congress on November 3. A senior European official said the Iranians "have a very long list of demands." 

PM Shehbaz, Labanese counterpart exchange views on the developments in the Middle East

Allies unite behind Saudi Arabia as Houthis step up attacks

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan will hold an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defence pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, while Tehran sought to distance itself from the rapid advance of its Houthi allies.

The Houthis have launched strikes on the Saudi-backed government in Yemen and repeatedly fired ‌into Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil flows from the world's largest energy exporter, as part of a wider Middle East war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

The Houthis said they had fired dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi targets on Thursday, while authorities in Saudi Arabia said they had intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Houthi fighters.

Saudi Arabia earlier had issued emergency alerts for areas including the holy city of Mecca, Jeddah and Yanbu, the main Saudi Red Sea oil port.

Saudi Arabia's top religious authority called on soldiers in the kingdom to be ready to lay down their lives to fight the Houthis until the group is ousted from power,a statement posted on the Saudi state news agency said.

Amid the fighting, the Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish foreign ministers met within the framework of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, according to a Saudi foreign ministry statement. They condemned the attacks targeting Mecca and other civilian sites, while affirming Saudi Arabia's right to defend itself, the statement said.

"The ministers also discussed arrangements for holding an urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff of the three countries to discuss ways to support Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which stipulates that an attack against any one of the parties constitutes an attack against all parties," the statement said. 

Pezeshkian says Iran willing to give up 60% enriched uranium under NPT

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was willing to give up uranium enriched to 60% within the framework of international law and its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Asked by Fox News’ Bret Baier whether Iran would give up its 60% enriched uranium, Pezeshkian said: “Yes, within the framework of international law, based on the Nonproliferation Treaty. Whatever we are supposed to adhere to, we will.” 

Qatar pushes back against Netanyahu over UN General Assembly remarks

Qatar strongly pushed back against Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, rejecting the Israeli prime minister’s UN General Assembly address in which he accused the nation of spending billions to “spread lies about my country.”

“For this ongoing escalatory rhetoric against Qatar is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from the violations committed by his government in the occupied Palestinian territories and their humanitarian repercussions,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said on X.

“Attempts to hold Qatar, or anyone else, responsible for a global shift in public opinion shaped by what people themselves are witnessing are no longer persuasive,” Dr. Majed Al Ansari said. 

Saudi Grand Mufti tells troops to be ready to sacrifice their lives fighting Houthis

Saudi Arabia's top religious authority called on soldiers in the kingdom to be ready to lay ‌down their lives to fight the Iran-backed Houthis until the group is ousted from power, a statement posted on the Saudi state news agency said.

The rare and strongly worded message by Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan was addressed to soldiers stationed at the country's borders and ?drew heavily on Quranic verses and recorded sayings of the Prophet Mohammad related to sacrifice and struggle in defence ?of God.

It comes after weeks of escalating violence between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis which has ?seen the Iran-backed group attack the kingdom with salvos of missiles and drones and Saudi Arabia respond with airstrikes.

Observers have ?been questioning whether Saudi Arabia will launch a broader military operation along with Yemeni government forces it backs.

"Protecting this great nation... and ?punishing anyone who seeks to lay a hand on even an inch of its territory are among the greatest duties and most virtuous acts of devotion, for which lives and souls may be sacrificed in seeking God's pleasure," said the statement, issued late Thursday. 

Pezeshkian blames 'misunderstandings' for Iran deal collapse, defends IRGC

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the collapse of the deal between Washington and Tehran on “a lack of coordination” and “misunderstandings” Thursday when pressed on who would guarantee that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard obeys the agreement.

“We were supposed to put a team together according to this MOU in order to coordinate any misunderstandings or correct lack of coordination,” Pezeshkian said on "Special Report."

“We never had the chance to establish and set up this team,” he added.

“This is not only from us,” Pezeshkian said. “The same holds true for the American forces that are present in the region and open fire at will on any location when they wish.”

“In order to prevent such events from taking place, two groups must be identified and have open channels of communication so as to be able to prevent such instances from occurring, not only reacting,” he said.

Pezeshkian also said Tehran would “never attack our own population,” before accusing the U.S. of targeting Iranian civilians. 

Humiliation for Netanyahu as more than 100 diplomats walk-out before his UNGA address

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was met with a mass walk-out by delegations as he prepared to address the UN General Assembly in New York.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in his UNGA address that destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities was “very hard”, but “one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as prime minister”.

“Because if I hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead,” he claimed.

He also claimed that the “ultimate irony” was that “in defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall”, many of whose leaders even thanked Israel privately for destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons.

“It’s hard to imagine more mind-blowing hypocrisy,” he added. 

UAE suspends flights by Iranian air carriers

Thee United Arab Emirates on Thursday suspended flights by Iranian air carriers to and from the country until further notice, according to the state-run WAM news agency.

In a statement carried by WAM, the General Civil Aviation Authority said that "the decision was made in light of the US ban imposed on Iranian airlines from using airports in various countries around the world."

The authority said it will continue to update relevant authorities and the public on any developments until air traffic between the UAE and Iran returns to normal. 

Colombia cuts diplomatic ties with Iran over security concerns

Colombia formally severed diplomatic relations with Iran on September 19, citing national security concerns, alleged links between Tehran and terrorist and drug-trafficking groups, and Iran’s conduct in the Middle East, its foreign ministry said Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said the decision also took into account human rights violations in Iran, attacks on countries outside the Middle East conflict, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and obstruction of International Atomic Energy Agency efforts to verify Iran’s nuclear program.

The ministry said those developments had eroded Colombia’s trust in the Iranian government.

Colombia said the decision does not end consular relations with Iran. Its protocol office will inform Iranian authorities of the procedures to follow. 

New US sanctions shut down Iranian flights

Iranian airlines were barred from neighbouring countries including the UAE and Oman on Thursday in response to new US sanctions, the first ?big impact of a shift in US policy to target companies in third countries that do business with Iran.

The General Civil Aviation Authority of the United Arab Emirates, ‌the Middle East's biggest travel hub, said that as a result of the new US policy it was suspending all flights by Iranian airlines until further notice.

Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that flights had also been shut down to Oman, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and to the Iraqi capital Baghdad. It said authorities were working to route flights to another Iraqi airport, in Najaf, a major Shi'ite Muslim religious pilgrimage site.

Washington had announced it would put sanctions on any global companies doing business ?with Iranian airlines after September 23, with the aim of grounding Iran's entire civil fleet worldwide.

Other countries in the Gulf region also appeared to have restricted flights.

Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport listed scheduled ?arrivals and departures on Thursday to and from countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, China, Iraq, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey. But no flights appeared to be listed to ?or from the nearby Gulf states, with which Iran has long had some of its most important business and travel ties. 

Saudi foreign minister warns Houthi threat goes global as Trump holds fire

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister warned Thursday that the growing threat from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis extends far beyond his country's borders, calling for international cooperation to protect critical shipping routes after Saudi forces intercepted six ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told Fox News Digital that Riyadh was coordinating with Washington and other international partners as Houthi attacks threatened Saudi territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

 

Netanyahu praises Trump for 'helping Israel crush Iran'

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed on Thursday that Israel “crushed Iran’s army, navy, air force and nuclear facilities” and “pummelled Hezbollah”, with the help of the US.

He also praised US President Donald Trump for his partnership, particularly in warring against Iran.

He claimed that a “war for truth” is being fought in the media, “most perniciously in social media”, and that several foreign countries — including Qatar and Turkiye — had spent “untold billions to spread lies” about Israel.

“We are not afraid. But I’ll tell you who is afraid: the tyrants of Tehran,” Netanyahu claims in his UNGA address.

He claimed that they are most afraid of their own “brave Iranian people”, and held up a Starlink communications device during his speech, adding, “The Iranian regime is especially afraid when their people have this.”

He also claimed, “It’s only a matter of time before in Iran, something incredible will happen … this evil regime will fall.”


 

Pezeshkian says Iran still seeks US deal despite 'assassination' of supreme leader

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview with Fox News’ Special Report that Tehran remains willing to reach an agreement with Washington despite the killing of its supreme leader, scientists and military commanders in US and Israeli attacks.

“We do not choose war. The war was imposed on us. We do not seek war,” Pezeshkian said Thursday.

He said Iran was seeking an agreement based on its rights under international law and remained willing to move forward with an earlier understanding reached with President Donald Trump.

“We did reach an agreement with your president,” Pezeshkian said. “That agreement was signed, and based on that, we are willing and still wish to move forward.”

Pezeshkian also said Iran had not closed the Strait of Hormuz and that it had remained open when the country was attacked.

“They assassinated and martyred our esteemed supreme leader, our scientists, our military commanders and government,” he added. 

France to send troops to protect Saudi port after Iran-backed Houthi attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that France would send troops, radar and defense systems to protect Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port city of Yanbu after the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

“We are going to send military resources, that is to say, soldiers, radar systems and defence systems, to protect this site – not to get us involved in any conflicts, but to protect this site,” Macron told TF1 and France 2.

Yanbu is a key hub for Saudi energy exports. 

US Senate rejects bid to curb Trump's Iran war powers

The US Senate on Thursday narrowly rejected a Democratic-led resolution that would have sought to halt the Iran war unless Congress explicitly authorized continued hostilities.

Senators voted 50-49 against the measure, which had passed the House of Representatives in July.

The vote largely followed party lines, with most Republicans backing President Donald Trump and opposing the resolution, while nearly all Democrats supported it. 

Houthis say they targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu, site in Riyadh

Yemen’s Houthis said they targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and a “sensitive target” in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The group did not immediately provide further details on the targets or the outcome of the attacks. 

Lebanon asks Iran to name new envoy, reset ties with Beirut after UN talks

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam asked Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Beirut and called for a “new page” in bilateral ties based on non-interference, after meeting President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York on Thursday.

Salam said Lebanon had paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy and did not want to remain a battleground for regional conflicts or a venue for “exchanging messages,” according to MTV Lebanon.

He said Beirut wanted a healthy “state-to-state” relationship with Tehran, while also stressing the need to extend Lebanese state authority across the country and keep weapons exclusively in state hands. 

GCC condemns Iran-backed Houthi missile attacks targeting Saudi cities

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi on Thursday condemned ballistic missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis targeting the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu.

In a statement, Albudaiwi said the attacks underscored the Houthis’ “persistent pursuit of a reckless, escalatory course that threatens regional security.”

He said GCC member states stood united with Saudi Arabia in defending its sovereignty, security and stability and protecting its citizens and residents. 

Saudi-led coalition says intercepted six Houthi ballistic missiles

The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis said that its forces intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by the group, thwarting attacks on the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu, AFP reports.

“Escalations and violations by the terrorist Houthi militia will be dealt with firmly,” said coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki in a series of posts on X. 

Iranian, Ukrainian foreign ministers meet in New York: report

The Iranian and Ukrainian foreign ministers held a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, AFP reports, citing Iran’s Mehr news agency.

It is the first such meeting since tensions rose in July following a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea. 

Pakistan, Maldives discuss regional security and stronger bilateral cooperation

Speaker of the People’s Majlis of the Maldives Abdul Raheem Abdullah visited General Headquarters (GHQ), where he met Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the meeting, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral cooperation, ISPR said.

Field Marshal Asim Munir reaffirmed the importance Pakistan attaches to its fraternal ties with the Maldives and expressed a commitment to further strengthening relations based on mutual interests, according to the military’s media wing.

Abdul Raheem Abdullah appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability. 

UAE suspends flights operated by Iran's airlines

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) had suspended flights operated by Iranian airlines to comply with US sanctions, ISNA news reported.

"All flights by Iranian airlines to the UAE have been cancelled since midnight," read the report.

An Iran Airtour flight from Tehran to Dubai was cancelled shortly before its scheduled departure in the morning, after tickets had been issued, one passenger told AFP. 

Iran may expand war to Indian Ocean if US attacks again: supreme leader's adviser

Iran may expand the Middle East war to the Indian Ocean if the US or Israel attacks again, said an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

"Since the conflict has spread from the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea, it is possible that, in response to more war, the front will expand even further, reaching the Indian Ocean and perhaps beyond," said Yahya Rahim Safavi in a video released by Iran's Fars news agency. 

Iran witnessed inaction rather than neutrality from some countries, says Pezeshkian

President Masoud Pezeshkian told European Council President Antonio Costa on Wednesday that Iran had seen inaction rather than neutrality from some countries during the recent war, calling on European states to reconsider their approach and maintain greater independence, IRNA reported. 

Meeting on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Pezeshkian said European countries deprived themselves of a role in international developments by aligning with hostile US actions.

He criticized Europe’s approach to the snapback mechanism and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying European governments’ positions reduced their ability to influence international developments. He also referred to comments by the NATO secretary general about European countries’ assistance to the United States during the war and called for a reassessment of European policies.

Pezeshkian said regional security should be the responsibility of countries in the region, stressing that Western intervention has adversely affected security beyond the region. 

Houthi attack near key southern provinces thwarted by Yemeni government forces

The Yemeni government’s armed forces have thwarted an attack and several infiltration attempts by the Houthis aiming to reach positions near the vital road linking the southern and southwestern provinces of Aden, Taiz and Lahj, the Ministry of Defence has said in a statement, Al Jazeera reported. 

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

Ten commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, up from seven a day earlier and below the 10-day moving average of about 17, preliminary shipping data shows, Reuters reports.

Nine vessels entered the strait, including Supramax ships carrying metals, grain and other dry bulk cargoes, as well as an empty very large gas carrier. One Supramax carrying fertiliser exited, according to the data, as of 0423 GMT on Thursday.

The figures exclude any vessels that might have crossed the strait with their transponders turned off to avoid detection. 

Dar, Araghchi discuss regional developments

Iran criticises Canadian PM Carney for calling threats against Tehran 'language of war'

Oil prices retreat after 4% surge as Iran signals openness to diplomacy

Oil prices fell in early-morning trading in Asia on Thursday after rising 4% in the previous session.

Brent crude futures dipped to 94 cents, or 0.9%, to $102.13 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate futures dropped 59 cents, or 0.7%, to $91.56, Reuters reported.

While Iran said it remained open to diplomacy to end the U.S.-Iran war, the two sides are far apart on how to reach an agreement, the outlet said.  

US soldier becomes 19th military death recorded amid Iran war

The Pentagon’s casualty database lists 19 US military deaths across Operation Epic Fury and Overseas Operations following the death of an Army officer during a non-combat flight to Saudi Arabia last week.

Capt. Bianca C. Wilkerson, 37, of Norfolk, Virginia, died on September 18 as a result of a non-combat-related incident, the Army announced. She was posthumously promoted to major.

Wilkerson was supporting overseas operations in Doha, Qatar, and was assigned to Headquarters, US Army Central and Third Army, at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

The Army said the incident was under investigation. The Pentagon records fatalities under separate categories for Operation Epic Fury and Overseas Operations. 

US delegation walks out during Iranian president's UN speech

The US delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran and said his country’s people had been victims of terrorism.

In a rare wartime address, Pezeshkian rejected accusations that Iran was responsible for terrorism, saying Tehran had acted only in self-defense.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” Pezeshkian said, accusing the United States and Israel of launching attacks against Iran and targeting civilians.

The US delegation left the General Assembly hall at the beginning of Pezeshkian’s speech. The move followed a similar walkout by Iran’s delegation during US President Donald Trump’s address to the assembly on Tuesday.

The exchange came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump warning a day earlier that the United States could destroy Iran if an agreement was not reached to end the conflict.

Despite the escalating rhetoric, US and Iranian officials continued diplomatic efforts on the sidelines of the UN summit.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held three hours of indirect talks with Iranian representatives on Tuesday, as the two sides sought an agreement that could help reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway is a critical route for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key concern amid the ongoing conflict.

The latest diplomatic contacts suggest that, despite sharp public accusations and opposing positions at the UN, Washington and Tehran continue to explore a possible path toward de-escalation. 

Cargo ship targeted in Hormuz by projectile

A cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile and subsequently caught fire, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

According to the UKMTO report, a cargo vessel’s security officer said the vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile.

The vessel caught fire and was drifting out of control, while all crew members had been evacuated and two casualties had been reported.

According to the British agency, authorities are investigating the incident, and no environmental impact has been reported at this time. 

Eight sailors in US carrier group involved in Iran war attempted suicide: report

Eight US sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during a deployment that included combat operations against Iran, CNN reported Wednesday, citing a letter from Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to Congress.

“Since the beginning of Lincoln’s deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group,” Cao wrote in a letter dated Tuesday to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

Cao said the figure covered personnel aboard the carrier and accompanying ships, as well as its air wing and other embarked units. No sailors died by suicide during the deployment, he said.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 sailors served across the strike group. The Lincoln spent more than six months without a port call while conducting intensive combat operations against Iran, CNN reported.

A US military official told CNN that recent carrier strike group deployments had typically recorded one or two suicide attempts a year. The report also noted that the Lincoln group’s rate of attempts was roughly consistent with the Navy-wide rate in 2024, the latest year for which Pentagon data was available.

The carrier left the Middle East in August and is expected to return to its home port in San Diego in the coming weeks. 

US moving up to 17M barrels of oil a day through Hormuz: Bessent

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that U.S. forces were helping move between 10 million and 17 million barrels of oil a day through the Strait of Hormuz amid the blockade of Iranian ports.

“The tankers, they may get hit,” Bessent said of the conditions in the waterway. “Many of them just sail on,” he added before describing how the Iranians may launch “three, four or five, six drones after them,” he said on Fox News’ “Special Report.”

“Our great Navy is blocking them, but we are getting between 10, 15, sometimes 17 million barrels a day out,” he confirmed. 

Kushner, Witkoff tout $2.45B Gaza rebuilding plan as Board of Peace maps next steps

The U.S.-backed Board of Peace on Wednesday unveiled a $2.45 billion, six-month plan to begin rebuilding Gaza through 66 projects focused on infrastructure, education, health and governance.

The plan, presented on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, aims to advance President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Israel-Hamas war.

“Today, on the margins of #UNGA, the @BoardOfPeace set out how the Gaza peace plan moves from preparation to implementation,” Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, said in a post shared on X.

“A year ago we had no framework, no roadmap, and no Palestinian-led @NCAG ready to assume responsibility in Gaza. Today we have all three. (1/5),” he added.

Jared Kushner said he welcomed the meeting’s focus on solutions rather than assigning blame for the problems facing Gaza.“This is like the building of a really big start-up,” he said at the presentatiion on Wednesday.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff also said: “This is as significant as any effort I’ve seen in my entire life.”  

Bessent questions how Iran UN delegation will get home as US sanctions squeeze flights

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday he was unsure how Iran’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York would get home as U.S. sanctions squeezed the country’s international airline operations.

“In terms of Operation Economic Outcast, we are squeezing the Iranians like they've never seen today,” Bessent said on “America Reports.”

“I would say that the external flights from Iran, probably more than 80 or 90% of them, got shut down.

“I'm not sure how the Iranian representatives at the UN are going to get home.

“So we have made it very clear around the world, whether it's the financiers, the people who are doing business to people who are supplying the Iranians, we know who you are, you know who you are, and we are going to prosecute and execute your your companies and your bank accounts every day and every week,” Bessent added.

Bessent warned Monday that Iranian airlines could be forced to halt international operations Wednesday as foreign aviation service providers faced the threat of secondary U.S. sanctions. 

EU leader urges Iran to restore IAEA cooperation, end strikes and reopen Hormuz

European Council President Antonio Costa said Wednesday that he spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to restore Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

“I stressed that dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts and ensure lasting peace across the region,” Costa said in a post on X.

“I called for an end to Iran’s strikes against its neighbors and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.

Costa said he also urged Iran to resume cooperation with the IAEA, adding that the European Union stands “ready to support all ongoing diplomatic efforts.” 

President Pezeshkian was 'the voice of all Iranians' at UN, says adviser to Iran's supreme leader

A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has praised President Masoud Pezeshkian’s stance at the UN General Assembly, saying he has been “a worthy representative and the voice of all Iranians”, the IRNA state news agency reports.

In a post on X, Mohammad Mokhber writes that Pezeshkian is a worthy representative of the Iranian nation and “defended Iran with clarity, logic, and determination”.

He adds that the president’s message is clear: “Iran does not bow to bullies, it does not forget its martyrs, and it will make aggressors regret their actions.” 

Iranian opposition protest erupts in clashes, assault allegation outside UN

Demonstrations outside United Nations headquarters at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in New York escalated into confrontations between Iranian opposition groups Sept. 22.

The protests coincided with the arrival of the Iranian delegation for the U.N. General Assembly.

According to statements from the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI, and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, also known as the PMOI or MEK, supporters of Reza Pahlavi — the son of the deposed shah of Iran — attempted to disrupt the main demonstration. 

In response, MEK-aligned protesters chanted, "Down with the oppressor, whether the Shah or the Supreme Leader!"

The NCRI alleged that a pro-Pahlavi demonstrator assaulted a young PMOI supporter identified as Mani, injuring him in the face.

NCRI also said Mani subsequently filed a complaint with the NYPD.

Iran President Pezeshkian to UNGA: Iran only seeks 'peaceful' nuclear power

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to firmly deny that his country is pursuing a nuclear arsenal.

"They have labeled centrifuges, international sanctions, other labels when it comes to our nuclear technology, but for our country, peaceful nuclear technology is part of our inherent progress for our sick people," Pezeshkian claimed in his Wednesday morning UNGA address.

"In progress in supply of electrical energy in Iran does not accept for nuclear technology to be at the exclusive disposal of some of a handful."

Pezeshkian remained defiant against international pressure, asserting Iran's inherent right to develop its nuclear capabilities without restriction.

 

Iran warns Middle East neighbours of airport disruptions amid US aviation ban, sanctions

Terhan warned neighboring Gulf nations on Wednesday, threatening to disrupt their aviation operations if they cooperate with the United States to ground Iranian flights, Reuters reported.

Citing Iranian state TV, Reuters said Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, cautioned regional governments, stating: "If you stand alongside the United States, we will not stand by and watch."

Rezaei emphasized that any cooperation leading to a ban on Iranian aircraft would result in neighboring airports being rendered non-functional.

The escalation follows announcements from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said that all Iranian airlines would be forced to halt operations.

The aviation shutdown comes amid secondary sanctions targeting third-party air service providers amid Operation Economic Outcast. 

Iran communicated conditions for revival of diplomacy to US, says foreign ministry

Iran conveyed its conditions for reviving diplomacy to the US in a two-hour-long exchange of messages through a mediator on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on X on Wednesday.

Conditions conveyed through a Qatari mediator included accepting the safe route in the Strait of Hormuz on which understanding between the two coastal countries has been reached, end of US action against Iran including economic "terrorism", naval blockade, release of frozen assets and ending the war on all fronts, he said.

Marco Rubio says Trump still open to deal with Iran

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump remains open to reaching a deal with Iran to end the war.

"The president is open, still to this moment, to making a deal with Iran that allows Iran to be what it should be, which is a great and prosperous country,” he said.

Iran threatens to paralyse airports in neighbouring countries if they stop Iranian flights

If neighbouring countries cooperate with the United States ‌by stopping Iranian flights, Iran will ensure their airports cannot function, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview with state TV on Wednesday.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that ‌all Iranian airlines would be forced to stop operating on September 23 by the threat of secondary sanctions on air services providers, seven months into the war between the United States and Iran.

Pezeshkian rejects Trump's terrorism accusations, says Iran acted in self-defence

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected US President Donald Trump’s description of Iran as a terrorist state, saying the Iranian people have themselves suffered from terrorism.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Pezeshkian presented images of victims of an American strike on a school in Minab, as well as photographs of a sports facility in Lamerd that he said was destroyed during US bombardment.

He accused the United States of using powerful weapons to target the sports hall and said Iranian scientists, men, women and children were killed in the attacks.

Pezeshkian said innocent civilians had been among those killed, stressing that they had committed no wrongdoing.

He also rejected allegations that Iran was involved in terrorism, arguing that those who support or protect militant groups were portraying Iran as a terrorist state.

“We have only defended ourselves,” Pezeshkian said, insisting that Iran should not be labelled a terrorist country. 

Centcom chief announces new task force equipped with advanced technology

US Central Command (Centcom) commander Admiral Brad Cooper has announced the launch of a new Rapid Employment Joint Task Force (REJTF), equipped with what he described as “cutting-edge technology.”

The task force includes the US military’s first one-way attack drone squadron, according to Cooper.

In a statement posted on X, the Centcom chief said the REJTF had also used an unmanned surface vessel to rescue a US pilot who was downed in Middle Eastern waters in June.

Cooper said the task force is now working to develop what he described as the world’s first multinational attack drone unit.

He added that the initiative builds on milestones achieved by the team over the past 52 weeks. 

Oil holds near two-week lows, Brent crosses $100 a barrel

Oil prices have held near their lowest in more than two weeks as improving Gulf crude supplies weighed on the market, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures have gained $1.15, or 1.16 per cent, to $100.40 a barrel by 1143 GMT (4:43pm PKT), while West Texas Intermediate futures have risen by 35 cents, or 0.42pc, to $90.90. 

Ishaq Dar reaffirms Pakistan's commitment to dialogue, diplomacy

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed regional and global developments with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Dr Velisava Petrova-Chamova on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

According to the Foreign Office, Dar stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable means of resolving outstanding issues.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing regional issues and promoting peaceful solutions.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where the two officials exchanged views on key regional and international developments. 

Pezeshkian calls for stronger Iran-Saudi Arabia ties in message to King Salman

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for further expansion of relations with Saudi Arabia in a message to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

Pezeshkian highlighted the cultural, economic and political commonalities between Iran and Saudi Arabia, saying they provide a strong foundation for friendship and closer ties between the two Muslim countries.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, he expressed hope that continued mutual efforts would lead to broader relations between Tehran and Riyadh acro

 

Yemen's Houthis to target US interests if it supports Saudi-led strikes: report

A Houthi military adviser told AFP that the group would attack US interests in the Middle East if Washington intervenes in Yemen’s conflict in support of Saudi Arabia or tries to unblock the Bab al-Mandab strait.

“If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleets or tries to take control of Bab al-Mandab, it is a red line for them and anyone else… we will fight over it,” military adviser Abed Mohammed al-Thawr said. 

Iran airlines cancel flights as US sanctions hit

Iranian airlines were forced to cancel some international flights after the US tightened sanctions on Iran’s aviation industry in a new effort to cripple its economy.

Flights to Baghdad, Muscat, Qatar, Georgia and Azerbaijan had all been suspended, but routes to multiple other destinations remained available, including China, AFP reports, citing a travel agent in Tehran.

Some flights to Istanbul were also scheduled, though others had been cancelled, the travel agent said, adding: “The situation is unstable and we are no longer selling tickets for the time being for fear of cancellation.”

 

Iran reopens more than 124,000 schools for new academic year

More than 124,000 schools across Iran have reopened for the new academic year, welcoming over 16.5 million students, state broadcaster Press TV reported.

According to the schedule announced by Iran’s Ministry of Education, primary school classes will begin at 8am local time, while lower and upper secondary classes will start at 7:30am.

The preparations for the new academic year included getting schools ready, organising teachers, completing student registrations and distributing textbooks, according to the report.

 

Trump says he backs US diesel export ban

US President Donald Trump has expressed support for a diesel export ban with fuel prices surging, AFP reports.

“I’ve called for that too. I’ve said let’s not send out the diesel,” Trump told reporters when asked about the issue during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“We make a lot of diesel. That could have a little bit of an effect on regular automobile gasoline,” he said.

 

Iran says Trump's 'annihilation' threat reflects US 'strategic desperation'

Iran’s military has rejected threats made by US President Donald Trump against the country during his address to the UN General Assembly, warning that it is prepared to respond to any further attacks, according to Al Jazeera.

In a statement carried by Mehr News Agency, Iran’s General Staff accused Trump of using the UN platform to justify what it described as US “aggression” against Iran.

The statement said Trump’s remarks reflected what it called America’s “strategic dead end” in its actions against the Iranian people.

It added that the US president’s repeated threats were “not a sign of power but a sign of strategic desperation.”
 

Iranian flight lands in China despite US sanctions threat: tracker

A Mahan Air flight from Tehran landed in China’s Guangzhou, according to tracking data by FlightRadar24, the day Washington had threatened to “shut down” Tehran’s carriers and punish anyone doing business with them, AFP reports.

The flight was not listed on the official website of Guangzhou Baiyun airport, which was the location shown as the landing site of the Mahan plane. 

Iran says 50pc of damaged South Pars gas field production capacity restored

Iran has restored about 50% of damaged production capacity at the ‌South Pars gas ‌field, Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad Zeraatkar was reported as saying on Wednesday by ‌the semi-official Fars news ‌agency, adding that all planned restoration work would be completed before winter.

Zeraatkar said in late August that about 40% of the damaged capacity had been returned to production.

The giant South Pars gas field in the Gulf is shared by Iran and Qatar and is the world's largest offshore natural gas field. 

Naqvi meets Iranian revolutionary guards chief in Tehran

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with General Ahmad Vahidi, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, during his official visit to Tehran.

According to the Interior Ministry spokesperson, Naqvi and General Ahmad Vahidi discussed the situation in the Middle East and exchanged views on developments in the region.

Naqvi is currently in Tehran on an official visit, where his meetings with the Iranian leadership and senior security officials are continuing, the spokesperson said. 

EU foreign policy chief Kallas discusses Hormuz security with Iranian FM

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

Three commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz, down from four a day earlier and below the 10-day moving average of about 15, preliminary shipping data has shown, Reuters reports.

The figures could change as some ships typically switch off their transponders during the voyage. 

Trump says momentum building for Iran deal after mediator talks

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday there was “a lot of momentum” toward a deal with Iran, after his envoys held what he described as productive talks with mediators.

Speaking during a joint meeting with GCC leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, he said, “We’re completely isolating Iran financially,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll do the right thing fast before it’s too late.” 

 

Iranian president arrives in NY for UN General Assembly as major protest planned

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York City on Tuesday for the United Nations General Assembly.

Iranian state media confirmed the arrival ahead of a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, including bilateral meetings and an address to the General Assembly on Wednesday.

Opposition groups also announced demonstrations outside U.N. headquarters ahead of his U.N. attendance on Wednesday.

Several former U.S. officials and foreign policy figures are expected to address the NCRI rally, including Rudy Giuliani and Bob Torricelli, a former U.S. senator.

 

Iran cancels Tehran flights to Baghdad and Muscat

Flights from Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat will be cancelled starting at midnight on Wednesday local time, Reuters reports citing Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which cites the Civil Aviation Organisation and adds that Iran is working on diverting Baghdad flights to Najaf airport.

The remaining international flights, including Istanbul, will operate according to schedule, Tasnim adds. 

Iran says unauthorised ships passing through Hormuz to be fined 20pc of cargo's value

A spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission has warned that unauthorised commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz will be fined 20 per cent of the value of their cargo, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

The spokesperson further warns that violators may also face the temporary seizure of their vessel until the fine is paid. 

Iran threatens 'consequences' for European nations that help US launch attacks

Iran warned European nations hosting U.S. military bases Tuesday that facilitating attacks on the country would bring consequences.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also told his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, that American unilateralism threatens global stability during a meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

“The Iranian foreign minister warned of the dangerous consequences that the normalization of law-breaking and aggressive U.S. unilateralism poses to the rule of law,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to Iran International.

Following the meeting, Tajani also said the two officials discussed negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“The memorandum from last June has shown that an agreement is possible, and Italy will continue to support every step to enable the full resumption of freedom of navigation and the end of the conflict,” Tajani said in a post on X. 

Iran lays out conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz in talks with US officials at UN: reports

Iran laid out conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz during a meeting with US officials Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, according to reports.

Reuters, citing Iranian state media, reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and shared Iran’s conditions for reopening the strategic waterway.

To reopen the strait, Tehran called for the immediate lifting of the naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to the war across all “resistance” fronts, state media reported.

“Iran's firm positions were conveyed to the US representatives in this meeting,” Iranian state television said, according to Axios.


 

US warns NY businesses against luxury sales to Iranian officials attending UNGA

The U.S. Department of State warned New York businesses on Tuesday that Iranian officials attending the U.N. General Assembly are barred from buying luxury items or obtaining wholesale club memberships.

Retailers, the department said, face legal penalties under the Foreign Missions Act if they complete unauthorized transactions with Iranian delegates.

"The United States will not allow the Iranian regime to exploit diplomatic activities, including travel to the U.N., to further enrich Iranian officials," the State Department said.

"The regime’s officials responsible for diverting funds from the Iranian population towards its destabilizing proliferation-sensitive programs must not be allowed to obtain goods unavailable to the Iranian public." 

Netanyahu says he will 'tell the truth' about Zohran Mamdani during UN speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he will “tell the truth” about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani when he speaks at the U.N. General Assembly later this week.

"Shame on you, Mr. Mamdani. Shame on you for supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people. Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews,” Netanyahu said in a video posted to X. “I'm coming to the U.N. I am going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I'm going to tell you the truth about you."

Mamdani previously has called Netanyahu a "war criminal" and "architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."

When asked by a reporter in July about "What do you think that these people who are frustrated with Netanyahu should do when he arrives in New York City for the United Nations meeting," Mamdani also said, "One of the bedrocks of our city is protest."  

Oil falls to two-week low on Iran Hormuz proposal

Oil prices fell more than 2% to a two-week low Tuesday after Iran said it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade of Iranian ports.

Brent crude fell about 2.1% to around $98 a barrel, while US crude dropped more than 2.5%, as the prospect of increased flows through the key waterway eased some concerns over global supplies.

The decline also came as Iran and the United States signalled the possibility of reviving negotiations to end the conflict, with both countries’ presidents in New York for the UN General Assembly.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran’s proposal had been conveyed to Washington through mediators and that Iran’s delegation in New York had authority to pursue renewed diplomacy with the United States. 

Trump says three-hour meeting held between US and Iran

US President Donald Trump says his team has met with an Iranian delegation, while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Asked if the meeting took place, Trump says it took place “an hour ago”.

“It was a meeting that lasted for three hours; it ended an hour ago,” Trump says. “It was a very good meeting. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t want to do it; it’s greatness or obliteration.”

Asked how he felt after the meeting, Trump replies, “I feel very good right now.”

According to AFP, he adds that the meeting was “productive” and that “They have another one scheduled in the very near future.”

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt affirm Riyadh's right to defend itself

The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt said in a joint statement on Tuesday that they affirmed Riyadh's right to defend itself in line with international law and stressed the need to maintain the safety of navigation in the region.

Following a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the ministers also expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflicts in the region, saying dialogue and diplomacy were the only path to a sustainable solution. They also voiced their support for Yemen's government in its efforts to achieve stability and peace.

Iran cancels Tehran flights to Baghdad, Muscat: Iranian media

Flights from Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat will be cancelled starting at midnight on Wednesday local time, Reuters reports citing Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which cites the Civil Aviation Organisation and adds that Iran is working on diverting Baghdad flights to Najaf airport.

The remaining international flights, including Istanbul, will operate according to schedule, Tasnim adds.

 

Erdogan says Turkiye in contact with all sides to end Gulf fighting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country is continuing efforts with all parties to end the fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, saying continued hostilities benefit nobody, Reuters reports.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Erdogan says Ankara will maintain its diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

 

Trump says Iran could reach deal after US midterm elections

US President Donald Trump has said he believes Iran could reach a deal with Washington after the US midterm elections.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Trump said he faced two options in dealing with Iran: reaching an agreement or taking further action against the Islamic Republic.

“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before … or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly?” Trump said.

He added that he believed an agreement would be reached after the election, arguing that it would be in Iran’s interest to do so.

Trump claimed that Tehran was waiting to see how he performed in the election before deciding its next steps.
 

Trump says Iran refused deal to end nuclear programme

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran refused to reach an agreement to end its nuclear programme despite negotiations that began after he took office last January.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Trump said he had remained firm in his position that Iran should not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.

“Upon taking office last year, I immediately opened negotiations with Iran and offered them full economic cooperation, in exchange for ending their nuclear programme and support for terror, but they refused,” Trump said.

He said Iran made another refusal to reach an agreement following US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in the summer of 2025.

Trump also claimed that Tehran had built up a “vast” stockpile of missiles and drones while continuing efforts to develop nuclear weapons behind what he described as a conventional ballistic missile shield.

He said Iran had previously been a dominant force in the Middle East but was no longer in that position.
 

Iraqi travel agencies scramble after US ban on Iran airlines

Several Iraqi travel agencies say the US ban on Iranian airlines could severely disrupt their business, forcing them to explore alternatives, such as hours-long land routes, to Iran, AFP reports.

Iraq is one of the top destinations for Iranian airlines, mainly transporting Iraqi pilgrims to Iran’s holy cities or Iranians to sacred sites in Iraq.

Several travel agencies say panicked clients are calling for updates, but with no official announcement yet, they have few answers to offer.

In Najaf, travel agent Haidar Shamaa says “most travel companies in the city depend on booking flights” to Iranian airports. 

Rubio says Trump open to meeting Iranian president

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said President Donald Trump is open to meeting with his Iranian counterpart, although no such meeting has been scheduled.

Speaking to NBC, Rubio said Trump was “open to meeting with anybody” and that Washington would consider such a meeting if it had the potential to produce a positive outcome.

“We’re open to that. I don’t think anything is scheduled at this point, but we’re certainly open to something like that, especially if it has the prospects of leading to something positive,” Rubio said.

Rubio also reiterated the US position that Iran must not be allowed to possess a nuclear w
 

Saudi crude oil exports hit four-month high in July, data shows

Saudi Arabian crude oil exports in July rose by about 3.3 per cent from June to 4.125 million barrels per day, the highest level since March, Reuters reports citing data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI).

Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries provide monthly export figures for publishing on the JODI website.

Crude oil production in the kingdom increased to 8.135 million bpd from 7.122 million bpd in June. 

Putin and Saudi crown prince discuss Gulf security and need to keep key sea lanes open, Kremlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday in which they discussed the security situation in the Gulf and the need to keep vital waterways open, the Kremlin said, Reuters reports.

It said the two leaders held a detailed exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East and emphasised that a political and diplomatic settlement remains the only viable path forward. 

Ghalibaf says Iran can target any location it chooses with missiles

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said Iran has reached a point where its missiles can strike any location Tehran chooses, state broadcaster Press TV reported.

Ghalibaf said Iran would not surrender or bring the country to a standstill amid the ongoing conflict.

He also said US President Donald Trump could not impose his will on Iran, asserting that Tehran would continue to stand firm in the face of pressure.

 

Japanese FM hails Pakistan's diplomatic efforts in Middle East during meeting with DPM Dar

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts in the US-Iran peace process during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

In a post on X, the FO writes, “Foreign Minister Motegi appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic and mediation efforts in support of regional peace and stability.

“Both sides expressed hope that all sides would return to dialogue and pursue implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. They also exchanged views on the implications of the situation for energy supplies, supply chains, and the global economy,” it adds. 

Iran ready to reopen Strait of Hormuz if US eases military pressure and lifts blockade

Iran can reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days ?if the United States eases military pressure and ‌lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Iran's military central command said it was informed ?the US was preparing to restart military operations with ?the support of regional countries, and warned this would ?lead to Tehran's retaliation "without limitations and considerations".

"The US needs ?to announce that it wants to resolve the issue diplomatically, ?make that official, and then agree on a timeline for how the process will move forward", the senior Iranian official said, adding the ?Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly is in ?New York and has full authority to revive diplomacy with the United ‌States.

Iran's ?President Masoud Pezeshkian, who left Tehran for New York on Tuesday morning, will not meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters in New York, the official told ?Reuters.

The Iranian official ?said details ?on an agreement to end hostilities with Washington can be discussed in New York via ?mediators, explaining that Tehran's proposal was delivered to ?the ?US via mediators on September 16.

"The UN General Assembly is a golden opportunity for the US to return to diplomacy", the ?official ?said, adding that Tehran would welcome ?a revival of diplomacy if Washington takes tangible steps. 

Saudi Arabia restarts East-West oil pipeline, to resume exports from Yanbu, sources say

Saudi Arabia has restarted operations at its East-West ‌Pipeline and could resume exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu later on Tuesday, three sources briefed on the matter said.

The pipeline was pumping at a low rate, two of them said.

State energy firm Saudi Aramco did not ‌immediately respond to a request for comment.

Drone attacks forced Saudi Arabia to shut its East-West Pipeline on September 13, halting crude loadings at the kingdom's Yanbu port. 

Houthis say Saudi Arabia conducts deadly strike on key port city

Yemen's Houthis said Saudi Arabia carried out a deadly strike on a key port city on Tuesday, over a week into the Houthi offensive that has seen them seize control of a strait that is crucial to global energy flows.

G7 nations called on the Houthis meanwhile to halt cross-border strikes on Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen's internationally recognised government.

The Houthis' takeover of the country's Red Sea coast in a dramatic offensive that has left hundreds of people on both sides dead, has also threatened global trade and pushed up energy prices. 

China says opposes 'illegal' US sanctions on Iran airlines

China said it opposed "illegal" US sanctions on Iranian airlines, a day after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened potential measures in a televised interview.

Bessent told CNBC that "all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world" in a matter of days under the weight of American sanctions, as the Trump administration seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran.

Beijing – a top economic partner and diplomatic backer of Iran – slammed the threats on Tuesday, calling such measures "illegal". 

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.