Page 4 - Iran

US says coming days in Iran war decisive, urges Tehran to make deal

Trump threatened to obliterate Iran's energy plants if it does not agree to a peace deal and open the strait, a vital waterway for global oil shipments that has effectively been blocked by Iran

US gas prices soar past $4 a gallon amid Iran war, highest since 2022

US gas prices jumped past an average of USD 4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 on Tuesday as the Iran war pushed fuel prices to soar worldwide. According to motor club AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now USD 4.02 - over a dollar more than before the war began. The last time US drivers were collectively paying this much at the pump was nearly four years ago, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The price is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over USD 4 a gallon for a while now. Prices vary from state to state due to factors ranging from nearby supply to differing tax rates. Since the US and Israel launched a joint war against Iran on February 28, the cost of crude oil - the main ingredient in gasoline - has spiked and swung rapidly. That's because the conflict has caused deep supply chain disruptions and cuts from major oil producers across the Middle East. Motorists around the world are also coping with ..

Iranian Speaker warns of 'decisive' response amid US military build-up

He emphasised that the people of Iran, led by the Supreme Leader, will not only defend their rights but also make the enemy regret their actions

US going to 'retake' control of Hormuz Strait, says Scott Bessent

His remarks come against a backdrop of heightened global concern over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for nearly one-fifth of world oil flows

Iran says its expelled ambassador won't leave Lebanon as tensions soar

Iran on Monday defied Lebanon's expulsion order for its ambassador by saying he would stay, further increasing tensions in a country in the crosshairs of the latest fighting between the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Israel. Lebanon had declared Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani "persona non grata" in an effort to weaken Iran's diplomatic presence and have a charge d'affairs at its embassy instead. But the deadline to leave the country was Sunday. "Our embassy in Lebanon is active," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told journalists. "Our ambassador, following remarks made by relevant Lebanese bodies and the conclusions reached, will continue his mission in Beirut and he is still there." Lebanese officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear what Lebanon would might do next or how diplomatic relations might be affected. The Iranian ambassador is reportedly in the embassy, where he is believed to have diplomatic immunity. The Lebanese

War disrupts life on Iraq-Iran border, isolates families, halts trade

To speak with his mother inside Iran, Yaser Fattahi waits in self-exile in Iraq for brief calls arranged by a cousin back home who travels close to the border between the neighbouring countries where he can pick up a signal to connect them. Fattahi fled to neighbouring Iraq in December, fearing arrest over his participation in anti-government protests in Iran. A trained nurse, he was caring for wounded protesters in their homes so they wouldn't have to seek care in state-run hospitals that were under surveillance. Now, as the war intensifies, he worries constantly for his mother's safety amid US and Israeli bombardment. The war has disrupted telecommunications and concentrated Iranian forces along the frontier, choking off communications and trade for many. When Fattahi's cousin can make it to the border, he calls over WhatsApp using one phone with an Iraqi SIM card and then connects to Fattahi's mother using another phone with the Iranian cell network. "The calls last a minute or

Iran confirms death of Revolutionary Guard navy chief Alireza Tangsiri

Iran on Monday confirmed the death of Revolutionary Guard navy chief Alireza Tangsiri. Israel had claimed on Thursday that it killed Tangsiri, a rear admiral in the Iran navy. A statement from the Guard on Monday, read on state television, said Tangsiri "joined the ranks of Allah due to the severity of his injuries." It praised his efforts, particularly in helping Iran maintain a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. "Every fighter is a Tangsiri, and we will see what surprises they will bring in the days and months ahead," the statement added.

Iranian strikes spread as US troop buildup spurs escalation concern

The arrival of a US amphibious assault group and the entry of Iran-backed Houthi forces heightened fears of escalation as the war entered its second month

Iran's Khondab heavy water plant damaged after Israeli strikes, says IAEA

The facility, located near Arak in central Iran, has long been a focal point of international concern due to its potential role in nuclear development

Best of BS Opinion: Iran conflict gives India a chance for energy reform

From the US-Iran conflict's global fallout to social media accountability, India's energy challenges and corporate law reforms, today's BS Opinion offers a wide-ranging policy perspective

'Time for Saudi Arabia, Israel to normalise ties once Iran war ends': Trump

President Donald Trump said Friday that it will be time for Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalise ties after the war in Iran wraps up. "It's now time," Trump said at a Miami event sponsored by a Saudi sovereign wealth fund. "We've now taken them out, and they are out bigly. We got to get into the Abraham Accords." Trump has been pressing Israel and Saudi Arabia, the two biggest powers in the Middle East, for years to normalize ties as part of his Abraham Accords efforts. Significant headwinds remain, including Saudi Arabia's insistence that there needs to be a credible path to a Palestinian state before it normalizes commercial and diplomatic ties with Israel.

DOJ confirms Iran-linked hackers breached FBI director's Kash Patel's email

On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team said Patel "will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims"

Iran starts to formalise its chokehold on Hormuz with a 'toll booth' regime

Iran appears to be setting itself up as the gatekeeper for the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important artery for oil shipments. The move could cement Tehran's de facto chokehold over the crucial waterway and formalize its ability to keep its own oil flowing to China. Iranian communications to the United Nations maritime authority and the experience of ships transiting the strait suggest the creation of something akin to a "toll booth." Ships must enter Iranian waters and be vetted by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. At least two vessels have paid for passage. Traffic through the strait has fallen by 90% since the start of the Iran war, sending global oil prices skyrocketing and inflicting alarming shortages on the Asian nations that get their oil from Persian Gulf countries via the strait. Only about 150 vessels, including tankers and container ships, have transited since March 1, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence shipping information firm. That's a little more

Iran starts to formalise its chokehold on Hormuz with a 'toll booth' regime

Iran appears to be setting itself up as the gatekeeper for the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important artery for oil shipments. The move could cement Tehran's de facto chokehold over the crucial waterway and formalize its ability to keep its own oil flowing to China. Iranian communications to the United Nations maritime authority and the experience of ships transiting the Strait suggest the creation of something akin to a "toll booth." Ships must enter Iranian waters and be vetted by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. At least two vessels have paid for passage. Traffic through the Strait has fallen by 90% since the start of the Iran war, sending global oil prices skyrocketing and inflicting alarming shortages on the Asian nations that get their oil from Persian Gulf countries via the Strait. Only about 150 vessels, including tankers and container ships, have transited since March 1, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence shipping information firm. That's a little more

Seizing Iran's oil supply 'an option', says Trump amid West Asia tensions

However, Trump did not elaborate about it when asked about the possibility amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia

India among 5 nations granted passage via Strait of Hormuz by Iran

Iran allowed India and a number of other "friendly nations" including China and Russia to use the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said. Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). West Asia has been a major source of India's energy procurement. "We have permitted certain countries that we consider friendly to pass through (Strait of Hormuz). We allowed China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan to transit," Araghchi said, according to Iranian State TV. At the same time, the Iranian foreign minister made it clear that ships linked to Iran's adversaries will not be allowed to transit through the strategic waterway. "We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their .

How a global crisis is disrupting college meals across India

A global supply disruption is causing a commercial LPG crunch across India, forcing colleges to cut menus, and switch to electric or alternative cooking methods.

"We've won the war...": Donald Trump on US-Iran war

US President Donald Trump said that the US has won the war, adding that Iran's navy and air force have been completely decimated.

Israel envoy to UN denies knowledge of US led peace overtures to Iran

Addressing a media stakeout at the United Nations, the envoy said the goal was to ensure that Iran did not gain nuclear capability

Lebanon orders Iran's ambassador out, tensions rise over Tehran influence

Lebanon's Foreign Ministry declared Iran's ambassador to Beirut persona non grata Tuesday, ordering him to leave the country by the end of the week. The decision was the clearest sign yet of deteriorating relations between the two countries and raises tensions within Lebanon over the role of Tehran and its Lebanon-based ally, the militant Hezbollah group. The decision is the latest step taken by Lebanon's government against Iran after the most recent Israel-Hezbollah war broke out on March 2, during which Israel's military killed several members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard in strikes around the long-suffering country. Hezbollah triggered the latest war by firing rockets into Israel two days after Israel and the United States began their attacks on Iran, in which they killed top Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah said one of the reasons it attacked Israel was to avenge the killing of Khamenei, who was one of the most important Shiite Muslim religious