Tankers

Iran and mediator Pakistan assert ceasefire included Lebanon but Israel and US disagree. Plus, how Korean fried chicken took over the worldGood morning.The fate of the two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict looked in peril as both sides gave divergent versions of what had been agreed, Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon and Iran halted the passage of oil tankers because of an alleged Israeli ceasefire breach.What has Iran said? In a sharply worded statement, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Israel and the US had violated several clauses of the provisional ceasefire, and he decried Israel’s aggressive bombing of Lebanon and a US demand that Iran should have no right to enrich its own uranium.This is a developing story. Follow our liveblog here.What was said in the video about Mamdani? The videos feature the organization’s founder, Yisrael Yaacob Ben Avraham, describing Mamdani as a “Muslim terrorist” and a “cancer”, and his election as a “harbinger” of “a creeping Islamic takeover of America”. Continue reading...

Inclusion of Lebanon is significant difference in interpretation of truce agreed at 11th hour on TuesdayMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe fate of the two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict looked uncertain on Wednesday as both sides gave divergent versions of what had been agreed, Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon and Iran halted the passage of oil tankers because of an Israeli ceasefire “breach”.Iran and Pakistan, which brokered the 11th-hour truce, both asserted that the ceasefire included Lebanon. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, disagreed and Israeli forces unleashed their heaviest attack of the war so far on more than 100 targets in Beirut and across the country. Continue reading...

After meeting with Marco Rubio, foreign minister Winston Peters says he made sure US understands ‘significant economic impacts on New Zealand and Pacific’Middle East crisis – live updatesNew Zealand has called on the US to send fuel tankers to the Pacific to help alleviate some of the significant economic and fuel pressure caused by the war in the Middle East.Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, met the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in Washington on Tuesday, where they discussed bilateral relations, the war in Iran and the Pacific. Continue reading...

US treasury secretary says actions will increase oil supply and bring down prices, but long-term effects in questionThe US may soon remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded on tankers at sea, the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said on Thursday as Washington seeks to curb prices soaring over Iran’s closure of the strait of Hormuz.“In the coming days, we may un-sanction the Iranian oil that’s on the water. It’s about 140m barrels,” Bessent said during an appearance on Fox Business Network’s Mornings with Maria. Continue reading...

The US Navy is considering escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran effectively closed it with missile and drone attacks, surging global oil prices. President Trump anticipated the blockade and directed military options to keep the vital chokepoint open, impacting one-fifth of world oil trade. Saudi Arabia intercepted 28 Iranian drones while facing retaliatory strikes. Officials confirm all US military assets focus on destroying Iran's offensive capabilities.