Iran

• Türkiye positions itself at the center of diplomatic initiatives and alternative energy transit routes as U.S.-Israel-Iran hostilities enter their second month. • Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan conducted intense phone diplomacy and Gulf trips, coordinating with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan on ceasefire frameworks. • Ankara prioritizes preventing escalation, staying outside direct hostilities while warning against conflict expansion amid surging global oil prices.

• China has publicly criticized Iran amid the Persian Gulf conflict, urging an immediate ceasefire and protection of shipping lanes as the Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts global energy markets. • Beijing condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf states while aligning temporarily with Europe on ceasefire efforts, though it also warned the U.S. against strikes violating international law. • This shift highlights changing diplomatic dynamics, creating a brief convergence between China and Brussels amid severe energy market shocks and stalled UN votes on intervention.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was combing an area near where plane came down in south-western Iran; Israeli military strikes ‘Hezbollah infrastructure’ in Lebanon capitalUS F-15E jet confirmed shot down over Iran as Tehran releases wreckage imagesHello and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran and its impact on the region, the world and the global economy.Iranian and American forces were racing each other early on Saturday to recover a crew member of the first US fighter jet to go down inside Iran since the start of the war.Tehran rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, said Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, citing an unnamed source. There was no immediate comment from the US. Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had officially told mediators it was unwilling to meet with US officials in Islamabad in the coming days.The UN force in Lebanon said a blast at one of its positions had wounded three peacekeepers, two of them seriously, in the third such incident in a week.Israeli fire killed a man in Syria’s Quneitra province in the south near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state media said. The man was killed in an attack by “an Israeli tank”, the Sana agency said, while state TV said a car was targeted.An Egyptian national was killed and four others wounded after a fire at a gas complex in Abu Dhabi, caused by falling debris from an intercepted attack, the government media office said. Two of the four people hurt were from Egypt, while the others were from Pakistan, it said.Trump asked lawmakers to approve a $1.5tr defence budget for 2027 as the US faces rising costs from its war with Iran and mounting global security commitments. The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40% in a single year – the sharpest increase since the second world war.The US embassy in Lebanon said Iran and allied groups could seek to target universities in the country, where Tehran-backed Hezbollah is at war with Israel and Israeli troops are carrying out a ground invasion.Three tankers, including one co-owned by a Japanese company, crossed the strait of Hormuz by hugging close to Oman’s shore –a rare transit route – maritime traffic data showed on Friday. With agencies Continue reading...

• Russia and Egypt have jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in the Iran conflict, urging all parties to return to diplomatic negotiations as tensions escalate across the Gulf region. • The call for de-escalation comes amid ongoing military strikes, Iranian retaliation threats, and regional instability affecting global oil markets and international security. • Diplomatic efforts by non-Western powers reflect growing international concern about the conflict's potential to expand and destabilize the broader Middle East.

• President Trump stated US objectives in the Iran conflict are nearly achieved yet simultaneously threatened even more intense strikes in the weeks ahead, creating confusion about American strategy. • With no declared exit strategy and rising fears of Iranian retaliation, analysts question whether the military campaign is winding down or entering a more dangerous phase. • UK-led talks planned for next week in London will include plans for possible military actions to clear the Strait of Hormuz, with the US not involved in these negotiations.

• The US-led military campaign struck Iran's B1 bridge near Karaj, one of the tallest structures in the Middle East, causing significant collapse, civilian casualties, and outrage in Tehran. • President Trump shared footage of the strike on social media, warned Iran of more attacks, and hinted at targeting additional infrastructure if Tehran does not agree to a deal. • In retaliation, Iranian state media and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps published a list of eight major Gulf and regional bridges as potential targets for counter-strikes, signaling dangerous escalation.

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer has led a 40-nation diplomatic effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's de facto blockade in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. • The vital maritime route carries nearly 20 percent of global oil and LNG supplies, with disruptions pushing crude prices above $100 per barrel and triggering fuel rationing and economic strain worldwide. • While the UK and allies explore sanctions and coordinated maritime measures, the United States has stepped back, with President Trump urging other nations to take the lead in managing the crisis.