⢠Menteri pertahanan Jerman menanggapi pengumuman presiden AS bahwa 5.000 tentara AS akan meninggalkan pangkalan di Jerman
⢠Halo dan selamat datang di liputan langsung kami mengenai peristiwa di Timur Tengah.
⢠Menteri pertahanan Jerman, Boris Pistorius, mengatakan bahwa penarikan pasukan AS dari Eropa sudah "dapat diperkirakan", setelah Pentagon mengumumkan akan menarik ribuan tentara Amerika dari Jerman.
⢠Pete Hegseth berargumen bahwa perjanjian gencatan senjata dengan Iran lebih dari tiga minggu lalu âberarti jam 60 hari dijeda, atau berhentiâ
⢠Berlangganan email Breaking News US untuk mendapatkan peringatan buletin di kotak masuk Anda
⢠Halo dan selamat datang di liputan langsung kami hari ini.
⢠Menteri pertahanan akan diinterogasi oleh para pembuat undang-undang di Komite Angkatan Bersenjata Senat setelah sesi yang penuh ketegangan di DPR kemarin.
⢠Daftar untuk email Breaking News US. Halo dan selamat datang di liputan politik AS kami saat Pete Hegseth menghadapi hari kedua interogasi dari Partai Demokrat di Capitol Hill, di mana para senator mendapatkan kesempatan pertama untuk mengonfrontasi atau memuji kepala Pentagon atas penanganannya terhadap perang Iran.
⢠Menteri pertahanan berdebat dengan Demokrat - dan beberapa Republik - kemarin selama hampir enam jam dengar pendapat Komite Angkatan Bersenjata DPR, di mana ia menghadapi pertanyaan mengenai biaya perang dalam dolar, nyawa, dan berkurangnya stok senjata krusial.
Pernyataan presiden AS menyusul komentar kanselir Jerman bahwa AS sedang âdipermalukanâ dalam konflik. Presiden AS Donald Trump mengancam akan mengurangi jumlah pasukan yang ditempatkan di Jerman tadi malam, setelah Kanselir Friedrich Merz mengatakan pekan ini bahwa AS sedang âdipermalukanâ oleh Iran. Trump mengatakan bahwa AS sedang âmempelajari dan meninjau kemungkinan pengurangan pasukan di Jerman, dengan keputusan yang akan dibuat dalam periode waktu singkat mendatang.â âKanselir Jerman, Friedrich Merz, menganggap tidak apa-apa jika Iran memiliki Senjata Nuklir. Dia tidak tahu apa yang dia bicarakan! Jika Iran memiliki Senjata Nuklir, seluruh Dunia akan disandera. Saya sedang melakukan sesuatu terhadap Iran, saat ini juga, yang seharusnya dilakukan oleh Bangsa-Bangsa, atau Presiden lain, sejak lama. Tidak heran Jerman berkinerja sangat buruk, baik secara Ekonomi maupun hal lainnya! Presiden DONALD J. TRUMPâ Lanjutkan membaca...
⢠Ursula von der Leyen dijadwalkan bertemu pemimpin baru Hungaria yang berupaya membuka kembali dana Uni Eropa sebagai imbalan atas reformasi.
⢠Von der Leyen mengatakan bahwa âsetiap negara anggota memiliki campuran energi yang berbeda,â sehingga tidak ada solusi umum Uni Eropa yang akan berhasil.
⢠Namun ia menyerukan koordinasi lebih lanjut tidak hanya pada pengadaan bersama, tetapi juga pada cadangan bahan bakar, âterutama bahan bakar jet dan diesel, di mana pasar sedang mengetat.â
Tehranâs UN envoy says âfull respectâ of Iranâs rights also key for lasting regional stabilityUS is being âhumiliatedâ by Iranâs leadership, says Friedrich MerzWe are restarting our live coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran.Iran needs âcredible guaranteesâ against more US-Israeli attacks before it can ensure security in the Gulf, Tehranâs envoy to the UN has said, while on a Russian visit Iranâs foreign minister blamed Washington for the failure of peace talks.Donald Trump is unhappy with an Iranian proposal on the war because it does not address Iranâs nuclear program, Reuters cited a US official as saying on Monday, after Trump discussed the proposal with his top national security aides. Iran had offered to end its closure of the strait of Hormuz if the US lifted its blockade and ended the war in a proposal that would postpone discussions on Iranâs nuclear program, the Associated Press reported earlier, citing two unnamed regional officials. Later reporting quoted White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt as saying the proposal was âbeing discussedâ.Lebanese president Joseph Aoun said direct talks with Israel sought to end the war on Lebanon and that those who dragged Lebanon into it were the ones committing âtreasonâ â a jab at the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah, which claimed several attacks on Israeli targets in south Lebanon on Monday.Iraqâs newly elected president nominated businessman Ali al-Zaidi as the countryâs prime minister-designate on Monday, after the countryâs leaders yielded to US pressure not to support the bid of a former premier close to Iran.The Coordination Framework â an alliance of Shia factions with varying links to Iran â had initially backed powerbroker Nouri al-Maliki to become the countryâs next premier, but Trumpâs ultimatum left Iraqi leaders looking elsewhere.The US and Iran clashed at the UN on Monday over Tehranâs nuclear program and its selection to be one of dozens of vice-presidents at a month-long conference to review the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. US official Christopher Yeaw said Iranâs selection was an âaffrontâ to the treaty. Tehranâs envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, rejected the US statement as âbaseless and politically motivatedâ. Continue reading...
US president says thereâs âno reason to meetâ Tehran unless they agree never to have nuclear weaponsWelcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump has said Iran can telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to the war and that it must agree never to have a nuclear weapon, while Pakistanâs leaders have sought to revive the stalled peace talks between Washington and Tehran.Iran gave the US a new proposal on reopening the strait and ending the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage, according to the news site Axios. The US state department and White House did not immediately comment on the Sunday report, which cited an unnamed US official and two sources.Araghchiâs talks with Pakistani officials on Sunday had included âimplementing a new legal regime over the strait of Hormuz, receiving compensation, guaranteeing no renewed military aggression by warmongers and lifting the naval blockadeâ, according to Iranâs semi-official Tasnim news agency. In the talks with Omani leader Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, Araghchi called for a regional security framework free of outside interference.Araghchi would meet with Putin âin continuation of the diplomatic jihad to advance the countryâs interests and amid external threatsâ, Iranâs envoy in Russia, Kazem Jalali, said on X.Two US air force C-17s carrying security staff, equipment and vehicles used to protect US officials flew out of Pakistan after the latest diplomatic trip was called off, two Pakistani government sources told Reuters on Sunday. Continue reading...
Iranian foreign minister has landed in Islamabad but his ministry says there will be no direct negotiations with the US envoyThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it launched strikes in three areas in southern Lebanon against what it claimed were Hezbollah rocket launchers.The strikes hit the villages of Deir al-Zahrani, Kfar Reman and al-Samaâiya, which are north of where IDF forces are located in southern Lebanon. Continue reading...
White House says Tehran in âvery weak positionâ; Iran says two seized ships transferred to its coast; US navy secretary exiting post âeffective immediatelyâ, says PentagonâImpossibleâ to reopen strait of Hormuz amid âflagrantâ ceasefire breaches, Iran saysWelcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Iran has seized two ships in the strait of Hormuz a day after Donald Trump announced he was indefinitely calling off US attacks, while there is no sign of peace talks restarting.Trump was âsatisfiedâ with the US naval blockade and âunderstands Iran is in a very weak positionâ, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US president had not set a deadline on Iran submitting a peace proposal, she said, after Trump on Tuesday said he was indefinitely extending the ceasefire at the request of mediator Pakistan until Tehran responded to the USâs negotiating positions or until talks were concluded âone way or the otherâ.The Pentagon announced that the US secretary of the navy, John Phelan, would depart the office âeffective immediatelyâ, without providing an explanation for his sudden exit. The US armyâs top officer, Gen Randy George, and two other senior officers were removed earlier this month amid the continuing war with Iran.The US-Israeli war against Iran is âstarting to weaken Europeâ, Turkish president Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan has told his German counterpart. ErdoÄan said: âIf we do not address this situation with an approach that prioritises peace, the damage caused by the conflict will be far greater.âIsraeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed a Lebanese journalist, Amal Khalil, and wounded a photographer accompanying her, a senior Lebanese military official and Khalilâs employer said. The death of Khalil, 43, brought the death toll to five people on Wednesday â the deadliest day since a 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah was announced on 16 April. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Khalilâs death.Khalil and freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj were covering developments near the town of al-Tayri when an Israeli strike hit the vehicle in front of them, Reuters reported. They ran into a nearby house that was then also targeted by an Israeli strike, said Lebanonâs health ministry. Lebanese prime minister Nawaf Salam said Israeli targeting of journalists and obstructing relief effort constituted war crimes.Oil prices leapt 4% on Thursday after Iran vowed not to reopen the Hormuz strait amid the US naval blockade despite the truce extension. Around 0025 GMT, the benchmark US oil contract West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 4.06% to $96.73 a barrel, while the international oil benchmark Brent North Sea crude climbed 3.62% to $105.63. Both eased back minutes after.Two Palestinians, including a 14-year-old schoolboy, were killed in the occupied West Bank after Israeli settlers opened fire near a school amid mounting assaults on education in the territory, witnesses and local officials have said.United Airlines implemented broad-based rises of 15-20% on fares as it sought to offset the surge in petrol prices while protecting profits, executives said. The big US carrier has also cut its 2026 flying capacity by 5%. Continue reading...
US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent says Iranâs Kharg Island storage facilities will be full and their âfragileâ oil wells shut in mere days because of the blockade; oil prices rise amid ongoing uncertaintyTrump announces extension of Iran ceasefire until âdiscussion concludedâShares have been mixed in early trading across Asia, while oil prices have eased on hopes the US and Iran may resume talks to end their war.The price of Brent crude edged 0.2% lower but was still above $98 a barrel. US benchmark crude fell 0.4% to $89.29 a barrel. Continue reading...
Iranian official stresses no decision made on taking part, as US vice-president JD Vance is set to travel to Islamabad for negotiations JD Vance to lead US delegation in Pakistan if Iran agrees to talksOn Tuesday morning, Islamabad sat poised and ready to host a second round of talks â even as uncertainty reigned over whether both sides would even turn up.Pakistani officials remained optimistic that the second round of negotiations would happen, even as Iranian ministers said they would refuse to come to the table under the threat of âforceâ and it remained unclear exactly when US vice-president JD Vance planned to depart Washington for Islamabad. Continue reading...
Head of UNâs humanitarian agency frustrated $2bn a week cost of conflict comes amid dramtic cuts to aid budgetThe $2bn (ÂŁ1.5bn) a week that Donald Trump was spending on his reckless war in Iran could have funded saving more than 87 million lives, the head of the UNâs humanitarian agency, Tom Fletcher, said on Monday.He also warned the normalisation of violent language, such as threatening to bomb Iran back to the stone ages, was very dangerous since it encourages every wannabe autocrat to use similar threats and tactics, including the destruction of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Continue reading...
A documentary about Peter Sichel â the âJewish James Bondâ who died in 2025 â includes striking mea culpas about the cost and efficacy of US involvement in the Middle EastIn New York social circles, he was known as the âJewish James Bondâ: a refugee from Nazi Germany whose gratitude to his American hosts was such that he volunteered to join the US army and became the CIAâs first station chief in Berlin as a mere twentysomething, filing early warnings about Soviet activity that have been credited with ringing in the cold war.Like 007, Peter Sichel also appreciated a fine tipple, and after leaving the US foreign intelligence service it was he who briefly turned a sweet German white, Blue Nun, into one of the best-selling wines in the world. Continue reading...
Donald Trump said on Sunday that US marines had taken custody of a vessel that tried to get past the American blockade on Iranian portsTehran has âno plans to participateâ in new talks, state media reports, as it accuses US of violating ceasefireJust to recap the latest peace talks news, and whether or not Iran will attend negotiations in Pakistan.State broadcaster IRIB on Sunday cited Iranian sources as saying âthere are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talksâ.Iran has reportedly rejected participation in a second round of peace talks with the US in Pakistan, citing âWashingtonâs excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefireâ, according to the official IRNA news agency.Hours before Iranâs statement, Trump said his negotiators would arrive in Islamabad on Monday evening. A White House official said the delegation would be led by vice-president JD Vance and include Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumpâs son-in-law Jared Kushner.Donald Trump said in a post on Sunday that the US marines have taken custody of a vessel that tried to get past the American blockade on Iranian ports, adding that US forces stopped the ship by blowing a hole in its engine room.The US military confirmed that the US destroyer fired âseveral roundsâ towards an Iranian-flagged ship that was attempting to pass through its naval blockade. In a statement released on Sunday, US Central Command said the USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged Touska ship as it travelled towards an Iranian port âin violation of the US blockade.âThe US blockade of Iranâs ports is a violation of the ceasefire agreement and is âboth unlawful and criminalâ, Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesperson for Iranâs foreign ministry, said on Sunday.Oil prices jumped, the US dollar rose and stock futures fell on Monday as investors dealt with conflicting messages about the Iran war and news that the strait of Hormuz was closed again. In early Asian trading Brent crude futures jumped about 7% to $96.85 a barrel and S+P 500 futures fell about 0.9%. The euro was down 0.3% at $1.1735 and the yen eased about 0.2% to 158.95 per dollar. Continue reading...
Iranâs top negotiator says both sides remain far apart after Tehran again closed strait of Hormuz after US said it would not end its blockadeFull report: Iran closes strait of Hormuz again âuntil US lifts blockadeâWelcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Iranâs top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Saturday that the recent talks with the US had made progress but gaps remained over nuclear issues and the strait of Hormuz. âWe have had progress but there is still a big distance between us,â he told state media, referring to talks last weekend. âWe made progress in the negotiations, but there are many gaps and some fundamental points remain.âAfter the initial talks between the US and Iran last weekend in Pakistan, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said a second date cannot be set until both sides âhave agreed on the frameworkâ.Iranâs supreme national security council, the countryâs highest decision-making body under the supreme leader, said it is reviewing ânew proposalsâ put forward by the US, according to Iranian media.Hezbollah has denied it was involved in the deadly attack against UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, which killed a French soldier. A UN peacekeeper was killed and three others were injured after a patrol came under attack from ânon-state actorsâ, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon said.Israeli forces on Saturday began demolishing homes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil and other border towns where Israeli troops are present, Lebanese state media reported.The Israeli military killed two Unicef-contracted truck drivers at a water point in the northern Gaza Strip, forcing the UN agency to suspend its operations in the area, Unicef said.Pope Leo XIV said that it is ânot in my interest at allâ to debate Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace.Trump left the White House Saturday afternoon to play golf, despite Iranâs re-closure of the strait of Hormuz in response to the US blockade of Iranian ports. Continue reading...
Iranian parliamentary speaker also says passage through waterway will depend on Iranian authorisation and accuses Donald Trump of multiple falsehoodsIran says strait of Hormuz âcompletely openâ to commercial vessels as oil prices fallBritain will make âa wide-ranging military contributionâ to an international mission to protect shipping in the strait of Hormuz trade waterway, the UK ambassador to the US has said.Christian Turnerâs commitment comes amid long-running concerns over the state of Britainâs armed forces and warnings of under-funding. Continue reading...
⢠Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a bombshell speech from the Kremlin warning against Western military intervention in Iran, marking a significant strategic pivot and directly challenging Trump administration foreign policy.
⢠The address has dramatically escalated geopolitical tensions and prompted immediate reactions from global capitals assessing implications for international security and the balance of power in the Middle East.
⢠Putin's declaration signals Russia's strategic commitment to the region amid the ongoing US-Iran crisis and fragile ceasefire negotiations.
Peter Kyle did not dispute Timesâ report that under a âreasonable worst-case scenarioâ supermarkets might start running out of some itemsGood morning. âWe donât comment on leaks,â is the usual government response to an unsanctioned lobby scoop. But this morning Peter Kyle, the business secretary, took a different response. Asked about a Times splash saying the government is making plans to deal with possible food shortages in the summer, caused by the Iran war, he told Sky News:It is difficult for me, because, of course, these leaks are very unhelpful. But when people do read it, they need to be reassured that we are doing this kind of planning, and we are doing this kind of scenario planning.Britain could face shortages of chicken, pork and other supermarket goods this summer if the war in Iran continues, a secret government analysis has found.Officials have drawn up contingency plans for a âreasonable worst-case scenarioâ amid fears that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will lead to shortages of carbon dioxide (CO2) which is critical to the food industry âŚI can tell you, because Iâm in these meetings, the prime minister has been there since the very start, and he is going through personally and driving deep dives into lots of areas of resilience throughout our economy.People should be reassured that we are doing this kind of action behind the scenes to keep resilience in our economy, so that when the full extent of what may or may not emerge, because this situation is still unfolding in the Middle East, you have a government that is acting with creativity and boldness.If any of these things change, I will be up front with the public about it in advance so that we can prepare. But right now, people should go on as they are, enjoying beer, enjoying their meats, enjoying all the salads.But also there are critical uses for CO2 â MRI scanning, for example, water purification; itâs involved in our nuclear industry, our civil nuclear power industry, some defensive uses for it as well. Continue reading...
New meeting to come after rare direct talks between the countries mediated by US; Netanyahu earlier says Israel about to âoverwhelmâ part of southern LebanonUS and Iran in indirect talks to extend two-week ceasefireHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump says the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will hold talks on Thursday, after the countriesâ first face-to-face diplomatic negotiations in decades.Pakistanâs army chief met with Iranâs foreign minister in Tehran on Wednesday in the latest diplomatic move to ease Middle East tensions and arrange a second round of US-Iran negotiations. Trump said earlier that the war was âvery close to overâ.Leavitt said a second round of US-Iran talks would âvery likelyâ take place in Islamabad again and that Pakistan was âthe only mediatorâ in the discussions.Major Wall Street stock indices extended an upward climb on optimism about a US-Iran agreement.Israelâs security cabinet met to discuss a ceasefire after the Israel-Lebanon talks mediated by the US in Washington on Tuesday. But the Israeli military continues to strike the country, with Netanyahu saying Israel was about to âoverwhelmâ the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, calling it a Hezbollah stronghold.Four Lebanese rescue workers were killed in consecutive Israeli strikes in the southern Lebanon village of Mayfadoun on Wednesday, paramedic groups said. Six others were wounded.The US militaryâs Middle East command Centcom said it stopped 10 vessels from sailing out of Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of the US naval blockade. But ship tracking data indicated at least three ships sailing from Iranian ports crossed the strait of Hormuz, though some vessels taking the route later turned back.The finance ministers of 11 countries including the UK and Japan called for âcoordinated emergency supportâ from the IMF and World Bank to help countries hit by disruptions from the Middle East war. Continue reading...
US military boasts blockade of the strait of Hormuz will incapacitate Iranâs economy; Trump says negotiations could return to PakistanUS-Iran peace talks could resume in next two days, Trump saysWelcome to the Guardianâs continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.The US military has said American forces have completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea through a blockade.An estimated 90% of Iranâs economy is fueled by international trade by sea. In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.âDonald Trump has said that talks with Iran could resume in Pakistan over the next two days, according to an interview with the New York Post. âSomething could be happening over the next two days, and weâre more inclined to go there,â Trump was quoted as saying.US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington on Tuesday were a âhistoric opportunityâ. He said that while every complexity would not be resolved immediately, he hoped the parties would begin to move forward.Lebanonâs president expressed hope that direct talks would lead to an end to his countryâs âsufferingâ after war erupted again between Israel and Hezbollah last month. âI hope that the meeting in Washington... will mark the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people in general, and those in the south in particular,â president Joseph Aoun said in a statement, adding that âstability will not return to the south if Israel continues to occupy its landsâ.Lebanonâs top envoy to the US said the high-level diplomatic engagement between her country and Israel was âconstructive,â but urged an end to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants that has displaced thousands of Lebanese. After participating in Tuesdayâs talks with Rubio and Israelâs ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad said she had âunderscored the need to preserve our territorial integrity and state sovereigntyâ.The US will not renew a 30-day waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea that expires this week officials told Reuters, as the US imposes a blockade on shipments from Iranian ports.UK prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron will co-host a summit in Paris on Friday focused on efforts to reopen the strait of Hormuz, Downing Street said. A spokesperson said: âThe summit will advance work towards a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping once the conflict ends.âTrump criticised Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, a political ally, in an interview published on Tuesday for her unwillingness to help in the Iran war. âIâm shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,â he told Italian daily Corriere della Sera.Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt will meet Turkeyâs top diplomat this week for talks on regional matters, a ministry source told AFP on Tuesday. âThis is the third meeting of the four countries to discuss regional affairs, not specifically Hormuz,â said the source, who wished to remain anonymous.Hezbollah said it targeted 13 northern Israeli towns with rockets shortly after the start of Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington. In a statement, the group said it targeted Kiryat Shmona, Metula and 11 other towns âwith simultaneous rocket salvosâ at 6.15pm.US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has said the underlying US economy remains strong and that growth could still exceed 3% or 3.5% this year despite the impact of the US-Israel war on Iran. Earlier on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its growth forecasts for 2026 based on the impact of the war and said any further escalation in the conflict could trigger a global recession. Bessent however cast cuts in global growth forecasts and higher inflation projections by the IMF and World Bank as an overreaction. Continue reading...
Centcom says blockade of Iranian ports to begin at 10am ET; Iranâs negotiator says âwe will not bow to threatsâ; oil prices rise. Follow the latest newsFull report: Trump says US will blockade strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks failPlaneloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iranâs 21 hours of talksWelcome to the Guardianâs continuing coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and its consequences for the wider region, the world and the global economy.Here are the main developments:Trump said the US Navy would start blockading the Hormuz strait and would also interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, the president said the US was going to start âBLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuzâ.In another post Trump also claimed Iran had âknowingly failedâ to make good on its promise to open the strait, causing âanxietyâ and âpainâ for many countries around the world.US Central Command (Centcom) announced it would begin its blockade of the strait beginning Monday morning. âCentcom forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10am ET [1400 GMT], in accordance with the presidentâs proclamation.âIranâs Revolutionary Guard warned that âapproaching military vessels to the strait of Hormuz is considered a violation of the ceasefireâ.Oil prices rose in early market trading after Trumpâs blockade announcement. The price of US crude oil rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil â the international standard â rose 7% to $102.29. Australiaâs share market dropped sharply on Monday morning.Donald Trump and his advisers are looking at resuming limited military strikes in Iran in addition to the US blockade of the strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing officials and people familiar with the situation.Trump launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV, saying he was âweak on crime and terrible for foreign policyâ and was hurting the Catholic church. âLeo should get his act together as Pope,â the president said on Truth Social. The attack came after Leo denounced the âdelusion of omnipotenceâ as fuelling the US-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said his government had not been asked to participate in any US blockade of the strait of Hormuz and that he wanted to see negotiations between the US and Iran continue.Trump reiterated his threat to destroy Iranâs power plants and other civilian energy infrastructure if no deal was reached to end the war, which he started with Israel in what is widely seen as an illegal and unprovoked attack. âI could take out Iran in one day,â he told Fox News on Sunday.Trump also said the US didnât need the strait. âWe donât get our oil from there. We have so much oil,â he told Fox. âWe have boats pouring up to the United States ⌠We donât need the strait.âIranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Tehran side in the US talks, said Trumpâs new threats would have no effect on the Iranian nation. âIf you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic. We will not bow to any threats.â He later taunted Trump on X, posting: âEnjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called âblockadeâ, Soon youâll be nostalgic for $4â$5 gas.â Continue reading...
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says âif you fight, we will fightâ, reports state media, as US president also threatens to bomb Iranâs water treatment facilitiesJD Vance and US delegation leave Pakistan after failing to reach deal with IranPlaneloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iranâs 21 hours of talksA post about an hour ago on the Israel Defense Forces Telegram channel claimed that overnight, the IDF âidentified a rocket launcher positioned and ready to launch toward the State of Israel in the area of Jouaiyya in southern Lebanonâ.Shortly after the identification, the launcher was struck and dismantled in a rapid closure cycle, thwarting the launch before it could be carried out. Continue reading...
US and Iranian media report peace talks have begun in Islamabad, while Netanyahu says Israel remains committed to fighting IranUS and Iran hold talks in Islamabad as Pakistan seeks to broker peace dealUS officials claim Iran unable to find mines it laid in strait of HormuzThe UK will host a strait of Hormuz meeting next week, bringing together multiple countries aiming to restore free movement of ships through the strait, which has been blockaded by Iran since the beginning of the war and inflicted heavy damage on the global economy.A British official told AP that the meeting will oppose the idea of tolls being charged for passage through the waterway, as proposed by Iran as part of ceasefire negotiations. Continue reading...
Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade strikes as Trump tells US media he has asked Netanyahu to be more âlow-keyâ in Lebanon. Follow live newsNetanyahu says there is no ceasefire in Lebanon as Israel launches fresh strikesJapan plans to release 20 daysâ worth of oil reserves from May, prime minister Sanae Takaichi told a cabinet meeting on Friday, to ensure stable domestic supply as conflict in the region continues disrupts global supply.Japan is dependent on the Middle East for around 95% of its oil. It began releasing reserves on March 16 unilaterally and in coordination with other nations under a plan to make available enough oil to last 50 days. The new release of 20 days worth is additional. Continue reading...
Secretary general says Trump âclearly disappointedâ with alliance as US media report White House is considering a plan to âpunishâ some membersThe US president, Donald Trump, has once again lashed out against Nato after a tense and lengthy meeting with the allianceâs secretary general, Mark Rutte, who admitted Trump was âclearly disappointedâ with allies over their refusal to get involved in Iran.In another angry ALL CAPS post on social media overnight, Trump said:âNATO WASNâT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONâT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!â Continue reading...
As Keir Starmer continues his Gulf visit, foreign secretary says laws of the sea prevent Tehran from charging for passage of âinternational transit routeâGood morning. Keir Starmer is still in the Gulf, and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has been doing a round of interviews this morning, ahead of delivering a speech on foreign policy this evening.As Jamie Grierson reports, Cooper has been arguing forcefully that Lebanon must be included in the US-Iran ceasefire.The starting point here is this is an international transit route. Itâs international shipping that uses this. This is part of the international law of the sea. This is a a route between the high seas; it is a trading route.As part of the international maritime law, this is a transit route between the high seas.And whether you talk about Dover or Gibraltar or other straits around the world, there may be territorial waters there, but thereâs also an international shipping route and an international transit route, which means that freedom of navigation principles apply and that countries cannot simply hijack those kinds of international transit routes and unilaterally apply tolls. They cannot do that as part of the laws of the sea and the United Nations conventions. Continue reading...
PM to meet partners in region to discuss effort to âsupport and sustain ceasefireâ and reopening the strait of HormuzSarah Jones, the policing minister, has been giving interviews. She has been talking about Keir Starmerâs visit to the Gulf, but hasnât said anything that really adds to the (rather limited) information about the visit put out by Downing Street.Jones told Times Radio:[Starmer] is going to the Gulf for a number of reasons. Firstly you will have seen last week with the foreign secretary, and this week with our officials, where we have played a real leading role bringing together about 40 countries looking at the challenge that we have in the strait [of Hormuz] and how we can make sure that opens up as quickly as possible to bring some normality back to that system. so there will be that aspect.He wants to see the work of our brave personnel who are there in the region, of course, with our three very key principles of protecting British interests and protecting British citizens and our allies. He will want to see the work of that. Continue reading...
Pakistanâs PM had said the ceasefire would cover Lebanon; Iran says passage through the strait of Hormuz will be allowed for the next 2 weeks. Follow the latest newsUS and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire with Tehran saying it will reopen strait of HormuzIran war ceasefire announcement â what we know so farIsrael supports Donald Trumpâs decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahuâs office said on Wednesday.The office said Israel backed the US move, provided Tehran immediately opens the strait of Hormuz and stops attacks against the United States, Israel and countries in the region.Iranâs Supreme National Security Council said it had conditionally accepted a two-week ceasefire if attacks agains Iran are halted.Iranâs foreign minister said passage through the strait of Hormuz will be allowed for the next 2 weeks under Iranian military management.Iranian state media said negotiations with the US would be held in Islamabad to finalise details of an agreement, with the aim of âconfirming Iranâs battlefield achievementsâ. Talks will begin on Friday 10 April and may be extended, state media reported. State media also reported that talks with the US do not amount to the end of the war.Pakistani prime minister Shebaz Sharif announced that Iran, the US and their allies agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon. Sharif has been a key figure in attempting to reach a diplomatic solution between the two warring parties. In his statement, Sharif invited delegations to Islamabad on âFriday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputesâ.Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli welcomed the ceasefire but said fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon was not part of it.Trump said Iran had proposed a âworkableâ 10-point peace plan. According to Iranian state media, the ten-point proposal includes a number of conditions that the US has in the past rejected. Among them are controlled transit through strait of Hormuz coordinated with Iranian armed forces and withdrawal of all US forces from regional bases. The plan would also require the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions, payment of full compensation to Iran and release of all frozen Iranian assets.Iranian state media also said the 10-point plan for securing an end to the war would require Washington to accept its uranium enrichment program, a previous red line for the Trump administration.Even as the ceasefire was proposed, missile alerts continued in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Israel. Continue reading...
The US president has threatened to bomb power plants and bridges unless Iran reopens the strait of Hormuz. Plus, the US origins of Mexicoâs toxic waste problemGood morning.Israel has told Iranians their lives will be at risk if they use the countryâs railways on Tuesday, after Donald Trumpâs threats to destroy Iranâs bridges and power plants unless a deal is reached by Tuesday evening.How are negotiations to end the war going? They appeared to be faltering. Iran, which has submitted its own 10-point peace plan, said it wanted a permanent end to the war, not a ceasefire.What is the latest on oil prices? Oil traded at more than $110 a barrel on Tuesday.This is a developing story. Follow our liveblog for updates. Continue reading...