Iran

In ‘middle Israel’ there are fears Iran could rebuild stronger – and there is particular ire for Donald TrumpIn the Tree brasserie off Herzl Street in Rehovot, there was much that almost everyone agreed on. Few contested that the ceasefire deal concluded by Iran and the US a few days earlier was very bad for Israel. “We were betrayed by President Trump,” said Avi Perez, 55.They believed, too, that Israel, more than ever, was surrounded by danger that it would have to confront alone. “It is strange. One day we were in the [bomb] shelters with our children … The next day, everything is supposed to be normal. But nothing has been resolved,” said Shaham Nowick, 35, as he studied the menu. Continue reading...

• US markets rose driven by optimism surrounding a potential peace deal with Iran, though gains were tempered by weakness in the IT sector. • Accenture shares plummeted 18%, the company's steepest single-day drop, after reporting weak earnings and lowering its full-year revenue guidance to 3–4%. • Asian markets reacted positively, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s Kospi hitting record highs with gains of 3% and 0.6% respectively.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing significant political backlash and criticism from the United States following continued military attacks in Lebanon. • These operations are seen as defying existing peace agreements and escalating tensions with Iran, which supports Lebanese militant groups. • The situation is critical as Israel attempts to balance its security goals against the risk of a wider regional war and deteriorating diplomatic ties with Washington.

Former president nevertheless said in an interview that he was happy to see a ceasefire with Iran and hopes it holdsAnalysis: Iran peace deal makes clear how far US has been forced to retreat since 2025Barack Obama has said that after 15 weeks of war with Iran, the US is now “worse off” than before the conflict started in February.“We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse off,” the former US president told NBC News in an interview that aired on Friday. Continue reading...

JD Vance lambasted Israeli critics of the proposed deal, but did not travel to Europe as planned. Plus, at 82 years old, Keith Richards still gives some of the best interview quotes in townGood morning. Talks set to take place today between the US ⁠⁠and ​Iran to implement a peace deal were abruptly cancelled. The White House said the US still looked forward to “beginning technical talks as soon as possible”. Hezbollah-linked media reported Tehran was delaying sending its delegation due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.The talks were set to begin in the Swiss village of Obbürgen two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that opened a 60-day window to negotiate a permanent agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme, while reopening the strait of Hormuz. The centre of the strait is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.What is happening in Lebanon? Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces near Nabatieh with several salvoes of rocket fire after Israeli shelling. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes, killing at least 18 people and injuring 33. Iran has said Israel’s attacks on Lebanon must end as part of any peace deal.What did JD Vance say to Israeli critics of the deal? In sharp words, the vice-president said: “Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left ‌in the entire world.”Why does Trump’s Iran entanglement echo the Jimmy Carter years? In this excellent analysis piece Robert Tait reminds us that one of Trump’s earliest political forays was lambasting the Democratic president during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis. Trump, Tait says, now finds himself in a position that uncannily resembles that of his predecessor – unable to bend Iran to his will despite superior US military power. Continue reading...

• US stocks rebounded on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both rising over 1% to recover losses from the previous session. • The market surge was driven by falling oil prices and easing Treasury yields, which significantly boosted investor sentiment. • This recovery follows a US-Iran agreement to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, reducing geopolitical tensions.

• Indian benchmark indices extended their winning streak to a fifth consecutive session on Thursday, driven by strong buying from domestic institutional investors. • This domestic surge helped stabilize the markets by absorbing significant selling pressure from foreign investors. • The rally occurs amidst a broader financial landscape featuring a US-Iran truce and anticipation surrounding the upcoming Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Annual General Meeting.

He lambasted Jimmy Carter during the 1980 hostage crisis; now Trump’s presidency could be similarly blemishedIt began with the fate of hostages.Donald Trump’s first recorded foray into politics was sparked by the 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran, which saw 52 American diplomats held incommunicado for 444 days. Continue reading...

May figure of £23.3bn underlines challenge facing Andy Burnham if he ends up as Labour leaderBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK borrowed a higher than expected £23.3bn in May amid the economic fallout of the Iran war, underlining the fiscal challenges facing Andy Burnham if he takes over as Labour leader.In figures released shortly after Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield byelection, Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing for the month was the second highest for any May on record. Continue reading...

IDF claims continuing strikes come after Iran-backed group repeatedly violated ceasefire; JD Vance cancels trip as US-Iran talks set for Friday cancelledUS-Iran talks in Switzerland abruptly called offJD Vance tells Iran deal critics in Israel: Trump is your only ally left in the worldWelcome to our continuing live coverage of events in the Middle East.Israel’s military says it is attacking Hezbollah in several areas across southern Lebanon and has been striking throughout Thursday night.Vance lashed out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal, saying Donald Trump was Israel’s only ally left in the world, in a sharp rebuke that referenced the billions in defence aid ⁠the country receives from America. Trump “is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time”, Vance told reporters.Trump said the ​US expected “a ⁠complete ceasefire on all fronts, including ⁠Lebanon, Hezbollah ​and Israel”, adding in a social media post: “We ‌encourage everyone ‌in the ‌Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations ‌to beautifully unfold.”Iran’s supreme leader said he approved the deal with the US despite having a “different view”, without elaborating. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in message read on state television: “In principle, I had a different view [about the memorandum of understanding], but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable [Iranian] president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front.”In Khamenei’s message on Thursday – his first reaction to the Iran-US deal – he claimed Trump had “used all kinds of levers” to secure the deal “out of desperation”. The US president has claimed the agreement is a victory for Washington and averts a “worldwide depression”.Iran announced plans to introduce a system of maritime fees in the strait of Hormuz after the 60-day period of negotiation triggered by the signing of the memorandum of understanding with the US. Tehran, claiming a historic victory over the US, said the strait was under its control and a European plan for a naval mission to escort ships though the vital waterway would not be welcome, reports Patrick Wintour.Vance said the 60-day period in which to reach a final agreement with Iran started on Thursday. That would set a deadline for the final agreement between Iran and the US as 17 August.US Central Command ended its blockade in the Hormuz strait, it announced on social media. The US naval blockade of the strait had been in effect since 13 April, with control of the waterway being a key point of conflict in the war. Marine Traffic data showed that at least seven ships had crossed the strait on Thursday.The US would restart military action and ⁠reimpose a ⁠blockade ​against Iran if it did not fulfil its commitments ⁠under the signed agreement, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said at a meeting with Nato defence ministers in Brussels.Khamenei said in his message that he received assurances from Pezeshkian about the deal and that it would not be accepted “if the American side wants to make excessive demands”. “It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s point of view,” he added.Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the agreement’s signing ceremony in Switzerland, which was due to take place on Friday, was cancelled as it is understood that the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran has already been signed remotely.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was representing the bloc’s position on the Middle East, after Israel announced it was severing diplomatic relations over allegations she had compared the country to apartheid South Africa. Continue reading...

JD Vance’s staff were at the airbase ready to fly to summit in Bürgenstock for Iran talks before trip was suddenly cancelledTalks set to take place on Friday between the ⁠United States ⁠and ​Iran on implementing the 14-point agreement to end their war have been cancelled, Switzerland’s foreign ministry has announced.The talks were set to begin in the tiny Swiss village of Obbürgen on Friday, two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that opened a 60-day window to negotiate a permanent understanding about Iran’s nuclear program while getting oil traffic moving through the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

• The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran persists as one of the most significant and enduring security challenges in the Middle East. • Beyond military confrontation, the struggle has evolved into a multidimensional crisis involving nuclear concerns, energy security, technology, and international governance. • Potential attacks on critical infrastructure pose severe global risks, including the release of hazardous substances and resulting humanitarian and public health emergencies.

• US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have electronically signed a memorandum of understanding to end a nearly four-month conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. • The 14-point plan mandates an immediate cessation of military operations on all fronts and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping. • A critical component of the deal is a commitment to prevent Iran from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons, addressing a primary security concern for the US and Israel.

In a sharp rebuke to critics of Trump’s deal with Iran, the vice-president referenced the billions in defence aid Israel recieves from the USNews: Iran announces plans to bring in maritime fees for strait of Hormuz Analysis: Iran peace deal makes clear how far US has been forced to retreat since 2025 US vice-president JD Vance has lashed out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal, saying Donald Trump is Israel’s only ally left in the world, in a sharp rebuke that referenced the billions in defence aid ⁠the country receives from America.Vance was defending the deal ⁠reached this week to end the war ​with Iran that critics in the US and Israel have slammed for failing to curb Iran’s missile program and providing no clear path to dismantling its nuclear facilities, while constraining Israel in its war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Continue reading...

• An Israeli newspaper has condemned the U.S. deal with Iran as a "catastrophic capitulation," contradicting President Trump's claim that the United States is the primary winner. • Critics argue that the agreement fails to address Iran's strategic "chokehold" on the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the U.S. and Israel vulnerable. • The Tehran Times has used the situation to criticize the U.S. and Israel for allegedly exploiting and then discarding exiled Iranian opposition groups.

• On June 19, 2026, President Trump signed a new peace deal between the United States and Iran to stabilize international relations. • Tehran responded to the agreement by warning that the cost of violating the deal will be significantly higher now than in previous iterations. • This development is critical as it attempts to resolve long-standing geopolitical tensions and economic sanctions between the two nations.

Interior department insists water at Washington landmark is ‘crystal clear’ as witnesses report murky green poolUS federal government workers continue take on the green hue that has swept across Washington’s reflecting pool, an increasingly fiendish battle the Trump administration compared to its war with Iran.After Donald Trump ordered a $14.2m refurbishment to turn the monument “American Flag blue” in time for the country’s 250th birthday celebrations, the administration encountered a formidable foe: algae. Continue reading...

Musicians and production team understood to be facing same punishment after livestream of patriotic songThe Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of a production team, including musicians, have been reportedly sentenced to 74 lashes for performing in a concert livestreamed on Ahmadi’s YouTube channel in 2024.According to court documents, the criminal court of Qom province sentenced the artists to flogging, a two-year ban on leaving the country and a two-year ban on engaging in artistic activities on charges that include offending public decency through the production and publication of “vulgar and immoral content” on cyberspace platforms. Continue reading...

Drivers feel some relief but prices still a dollar more per gallon overall since before US-Israel attack on IranSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The average price of US gasoline fell to just under $4 a gallon on Thursday for the first time since March, following the announcement of a preliminary agreement between the US and Iran to end the war and reopen the strait of Hormuz.The development has provided some relief to drivers who have seen soaring costs amid Washington’s war with Iran. But filling up still remains more expensive than it was before the conflict began. Continue reading...

Tehran says fees to cover cost of managing waterway will come into effect at end of 60-day negotiation periodMiddle East crisis – live updatesIran has announced plans to introduce a system of maritime fees in the strait of Hormuz in two months after the 60-day period of negotiation that has been triggered by the signing of the memorandum of understanding.Tehran, claiming a historic victory over the US, added that the strait was under its control and the European plan for a naval mission to escort ships though the strait would not be welcome. Continue reading...

Plan is admission US could not achieve what it sought through war as red line after red line has been erasedOnly a man with an unparalleled ignorance of history such as Donald Trump would have signed America’s peace treaty with Iran at Versailles, the byword for national humiliation. And only a man with an impish sense of humour such as Emmanuel Macron would have suggested it.It is easy to cast Trump in the role of the humiliated and hurt German Count Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau. The treaty of Versailles after all was based on 14 points, just as the memorandum of understanding has 14 clauses. Continue reading...

• The United States and Iran have reached an interim agreement regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme to prevent immediate escalation. • The deal establishes a two-month negotiation window to address critical unresolved issues, including enrichment limits and verification mechanisms. • This temporary arrangement is significant as it defers a final decision on Iran's nuclear future while attempting to maintain diplomatic channels.

Higher energy costs due to the closure of strait of Hormuz are expected to boost inflation and slow UK growthBusiness live – latest updatesBank of England policymakers have left interest rates on hold at 3.75%, as they continue to weigh the impact of the Iran conflict on the economy.The decision had been widely expected, even before Wednesday’s inflation figure undershot forecasts to remain at 2.8% in May. Continue reading...

President hails ‘major win’ for US as he attempts to exit war having failed to achieve regime change in Tehran. Plus: an investigation into the murky world of OnlyFans ‘managers’Good morning.Donald Trump has signed a 14-point agreement with Iran, claiming it delivered a “major win” for the US – even as it made significant political and financial concessions to Iran to reopen the strait of Hormuz and prevent a “worldwide depression”.How have US Republicans reacted to the deal? Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally, appeared to soften his view of the deal after a “very lengthy and productive” conversation with the the US special envoy Steve Witkoff. But his fellow senator Ted Cruz, who has backed the war, said: “History teaches that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is not a good idea. I think the president is receiving some very poor advice on this deal.” And Senator Bill Cassidy declared: “Reagan is rolling over in his grave.”Why is Ukraine newly concerned about Belarus? Russian spy drones flying into Ukraine from Belarusian airspace have sharply increased since the beginning of the year, leading to Kyiv reinforcing fortifications on its northern border. What concerns Ukrainian and European officials is that Moscow appears to be attempting to integrate Minsk ever more closely into its war efforts, including through joint nuclear exercises earlier this year. Continue reading...

• Asian currency markets and the U.S. dollar remained largely muted as investors await the upcoming Federal Reserve interest rate decision. • While the Chinese yuan (USD/CNY) and Singapore dollar (USD/SGD) showed little movement, the South Korean won (USD/KRW) rose by 0.4%. • Market participants are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East, specifically looking for further details regarding a potential truce in Iran.

UK’s biggest retailer reports better figures than expected by City analysts and is cheered by strong online salesBusiness live – latest updatesTesco’s UK sales growth has more than halved as it said the conflict in the Middle East had created “ongoing uncertainty for many households”.The UK’s biggest retailer said comparable sales rose 1.8% in the three months to the end of May, well below the 4.2% reported in the previous quarter. Continue reading...

Chief Iranian negotiator says key waterway will ‘not return to prewar conditions’ after 60-day window; both sides sign memorandum of understanding extending truceReaction: Donald Trump’s Iran deal met with anger, relief and incredulityAnalysis: Trump’s Iran deal is result of unrealistic ambitions for an untenable warPakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said earlier in the day that the agreement between the US and Iran agreement was taking “immediate effect” after being signed by both sides.He said on social media that “as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade”. Continue reading...

• Iran and New Zealand played to a 2-2 draw in an entertaining Group G match during the 2026 World Cup. • New Zealand's Elijah Just stood out as the key performer, scoring twice to put his team in a lead. • Iran managed to equalize on two separate occasions to secure a point and keep the group standings competitive.