Hormuz

• Iran has demanded compensation from the United States and set six crucial conditions that must be met before it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • The closure follows more than four months of conflict between the two nations, which has triggered renewed escalations in Yemen. • This maritime blockade has caused significant economic fallout, leading to a sharp increase in global food and fuel prices.

• On August 8, 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened to maritime traffic. • The decision follows a reported agreement where the United States accepted specific conditions set by Iran to de-escalate tensions. • This move is critical for global energy security, as the strait is a primary chokepoint for the world's oil supply during the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.

• Indian stock markets (Dalal Street) are entering a new trading week following a positive close, with performance expected to be driven by a mix of domestic data and global geopolitical events. • Key global triggers include fluctuations in crude oil prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East, specifically developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran. • Domestically, investors are focused on the July CPI and WPI inflation prints, foreign exchange reserves data, and the ongoing Q1 FY27 earnings season.

IRGC says strait is ‘a theatre of war for us and not just a waterway’Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp said they will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States meets Tehran’s conditions, including compensation for war damages.The IRGC said their strategy was to maintain the closure “until the enemy accepts all our conditions ... the strait is now actually a theatre of war for us and not just a waterway”.Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has said he believes now is the best time for an agreement with the US. “There is cohesion, strength, and unity in the country, and as far as I know, Iran is considered victorious and powerful in this war,” Iranian news agencies quoted him as saying.Oman condemned what it described as repeated attacks on vessels while transiting the strait, without assigning blame, and said that ​negotiations with Iran on arrangements for shipping through Hormuz were “positive and constructive”.The UAE said on Saturday that Iran had attacked a carrier affiliated with the UAE’s state oil company with a missile as it transited the strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported. The UK maritime trade monitor UKMTO said a ‌vessel had caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile but the fire was put out and there was no reported environmental impact. There was no immediate comment from Iranian authorities.US Central Command said on Saturday it had allowed more than 30 ships through for humanitarian aid since the current blockade started. US forces have turned away 53 ships, disabled two vessels and boarded two others, Central Command said in a statement on social media. Continue reading...

• A conflict known as the Strait of Hormuz War erupted in February 2026, centering on one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints. • The war has fundamentally reshaped global geopolitics, with expert analysis identifying 10 countries most severely impacted by the fighting. • The crisis has triggered significant economic, strategic, and diplomatic disruptions across the Middle East due to the interruption of energy flows.

Tehran urges US to ‘correct its behaviour’ as UAE says one of its ships targeted by Iranian missileIran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile, as a deal to open the strategic waterway remained out of reach on Saturday.Iran’s politburo-like body known as the supreme national security council said the strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behaviour”, with its state broadcaster publishing a statement from the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC. Continue reading...

• Iran reports it is nearing a deal with Oman to manage the Strait of Hormuz, though it demands concessions from the US before reopening the waterway. • UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned Friday that Yemen faces its highest risk of renewed conflict since the April 2022 truce. • This instability is driven by Houthi attacks on Saudi and Yemeni government forces, alongside strikes on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

• The Sensex dropped over 200 points and the Nifty tested the 23,600 level on Friday as Indian stock markets opened lower. • Market volatility was driven by rising oil prices and investor concerns regarding Iran potentially closing the Strait of Hormuz. • Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv led the declines, while IT stocks such as TCS and Tech Mahindra bucked the trend with gains of 1-2%.

• Asian equities edged higher on Friday, August 7, with South Korea's Kospi and Japan's Topix leading the gains. • Oil prices jumped over 1% due to ongoing uncertainty and a stalemate regarding a lasting settlement in the Strait of Hormuz. • The surge in oil prices has increased Treasury yields and heightened investor concerns regarding potential Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.

• Iran and Oman are reportedly nearing a proposed framework agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz, though Tehran insists the waterway will not reopen automatically. • Iranian officials stated that the United States must first meet its specific commitments before the strategic shipping lane is fully reopened. • Simultaneously, diplomatic sources indicate that ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions are being hindered by "significant developments on the ground" affecting technical negotiations.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new record peak on Wednesday, rising 0.5% as investors reacted to geopolitical developments. • In contrast, the S&P 500 retreated from its own record high, though the index is currently closing in on 40% earnings growth. • Market volatility is being driven by trader anticipation of a potential deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane.

• The FTSE 100 index saw a slight increase today as investors reacted to geopolitical developments and corporate reports. • Market gains were driven by hopes for stability in the Strait of Hormuz and a close watch on upcoming company earnings. • This movement reflects the index's sensitivity to Middle Eastern tensions and the financial health of its largest constituent firms.

Under the proposed agreement Tehran would control inbound traffic according to reportsUnderstanding reached on coordinates for shipping route through Hormuz, Iran saysAn Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda showed that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians. The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes, while HRW called for states to halt arm sales to Israel and put targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for ongoing crimes. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump reported holding productive all-day negotiations with Iran on Tuesday to secure a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • The proposed agreement aims to stabilize global oil markets and lower gas prices, which have remained high due to tensions in the region. • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that Israel will take all necessary actions to ensure its own security, regardless of any U.S.-Iran deal.

• The UKMTO reported two explosions near a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, though no damage was reported. • Diplomatic talks mediated by Oman are progressing "positively" to reopen the strait, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating a deal could be reached imminently. • The proposed agreement would establish a transit system where ships enter the Persian Gulf via an Iranian-controlled route and exit through an Omani-controlled route.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged toward a record high on Wednesday, Aug 5, as investors reacted to strong company earnings and geopolitical developments. • While the Dow climbed, the Nasdaq and S&P 500 finished lower as early trading momentum weakened across Wall Street. • Market sentiment remained "bullish minded," according to analyst Patrick O'Hare, driven by hopes for a US-Iran deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

• The United States reports that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is nearing completion following "positive" diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman. • Negotiators are currently focused on expanding safe shipping lanes through the strait, although several key differences between the parties remain unresolved. • This diplomatic push is critical as it attempts to secure global maritime trade routes amidst escalating military tensions between Israel, the US, and Iran.

• International diplomatic talks have intensified to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran and secure safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. • The situation is critical because the strait serves as a primary global artery for energy supplies, making any disruption a threat to international oil markets. • These negotiations aim to prevent military escalation and ensure the stability of global trade routes.

Joint statement is being finalised, but Tehran says deal alone would not guarantee waterway’s securityMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIran and Oman have reached an understanding on ⁠the geographic coordinates for a shipping route through the strait of Hormuz, and ⁠a joint announcement ⁠is ​being finalised, provided certain third parties did not interfere, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ⁠Baghaei said on Wednesday.Baghaei added that any such agreement between Iran and Oman would not, by ⁠itself, guarantee security in the strategic waterway. Continue reading...

• US stock markets reached a record high following optimism that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for commercial shipping. • US Central Command announced on Tuesday that the waterway is "free and open," noting that US forces have assisted over 1,000 vessels in transiting the area over the last three months. • The news led to a drop in oil prices as investors reacted to progress in talks and the mitigation of risks associated with Iranian aggression.

While Trump suggests deal could come as soon as today, Iran indicates that ongoing talks with Oman would not lead to its immediate reopeningHello and welcome to our live coverage of the Middle East.US officials, including Donald Trump, have said a deal over the strait of Hormuz could be reached today, with continued diplomatic efforts potentially paving the way for US-Iran talks to resume.The possible agreement between Iran and Oman on arrangements for vessels to pass through the strait of Hormuz has nothing to do with the immediate opening of the strait. Negotiations regarding arrangements for vessel traffic through the strait of Hormuz are purely Iranian-Omani and have no connection to the United States. If US violations continue, the strait of Hormuz will not open even with an agreement between Iran and Oman. The opening of the strait of Hormuz depends on a change in behaviour and correction of US violations. Continue reading...

• President Trump warned that Iran will be "hit very hard" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened soon to allow oil shipments to resume. • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reported that talks are currently progressing to resolve the blockade. • The situation is critical as the US has reportedly exhausted nearly all of its global stockpile of long-range precision missiles due to the ongoing conflict.

Masoud Pezeshkian dismisses talk of internal rift as hardline Assembly of Experts call US negotiations ‘futile’Middle East crisis live – latest updatesMasoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, has been forced to deny claims that he has repeatedly threatened to resign as he battles hardline factions opposed to reaching a settlement with the US over the strait of Hormuz.The US and Europe hope a deal is imminent to reopen the strait and they are putting pressure on Oman to accept a temporary agreement that officials in Muscat fear will leave Iran retaining near permanent dominance of the vital oil shipping channel. Ships would enter the strait in a route close to Iran, but leave on a route that passes through Iranian and Omani waters. Continue reading...

Optimism echoes Trump’s claims on Monday that deal is close as mediators say they are exchanging proposals Middle East crisis live – latest updatesUS and Qatari officials have said progress is being made in restoring a ceasefire in the US-Iran war and reopening the strait of Hormuz.The optimistic speculation on Tuesday brought oil prices down 2%, but the strait remained closed to shipping and a cargo vessel was reportedly struck by an unidentified projectile off Oman’s coast close to the strait. Continue reading...

• Asia-Pacific markets saw mixed early activity on August 4, 2026, with South Korea's Kospi opening 1.2% higher and Japan's Nikkei 225 rising 0.3%. • Tech giants drove initial gains in South Korea, with SK Hynix climbing over 3% and Samsung Electronics increasing by more than 2%. • Market momentum faded as the trading session progressed, leading both the Nikkei and Kospi to soften from their early intraday peaks.

• President Donald Trump announced on Monday that a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the country's denuclearization is "imminent." • Iran has confirmed it is currently engaged in discussions with mediators to resolve these tensions. • Separately, Iranian President Pezeshkian congratulated Khalil al-Hayya on becoming head of Hamas' political bureau, reaffirming Iran's support for the Palestinian cause.

US president says he called off another US attack on Iran as part of a push for an agreement. Plus why Pokémon Go is still bring global joy ten years onGood morning. Donald Trump said talks with Iran would happen on Monday but declined to set a deadline for an agreement after earlier saying he had called ⁠off an imminent attack. For its part, Iran said it was nearing a deal with Oman over a new route through the strait of Hormuz, and that it had no plans to receive a delegation or send an Iranian one to any talks.On Saturday night, the US president claimed on social media that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked for time to complete a deal ⁠that would lead to “the immediate, complete and total” reopening of the strait and “an end to Iran’s nuclear threat”. Trump added that Tehran must “rapidly make a deal”.What has Iran said about the strait? The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, told state television on Sunday that a deal was close with Oman over a new route through the waterway. “We are now going to reach an understanding on a route acceptable to both sides – neither the northern route nor the southern route – but one that respects the sovereign rights of both sides and safeguards our national interests and security,” he said in an interview.How many measles cases has the US seen? His remark came as the incidence of measles crossed a milestone – the US has officially recorded 2,371 confirmed infections so far this year, surpassing the total tally in 2025 of 2,289. Taken together, in the past two years there has been more measles infections in the US than the rest of the 21st century combined. The last time a greater number of measles cases were recorded in a single year was in 1991. Continue reading...