Page 4 - Latest Updates on West Asia Conflict

Iran says Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir to visit Tehran on Monday

Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran ‌and the US aimed at ​ending the war which ​began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February

US memorandum is best path out of stalled war, says Iranian President

Iran's president defended a memorandum of understanding with the United States as the best way out of a stalled war. Meanwhile, the new head of the Islamic Republic's top security body warned, in a more forceful tone, of retaliation if neighbouring countries support US threats to further sanction Tehran. A Palestinian man said he was beaten by an Israeli settler outside his home, and Israel's military said they were pursuing a stabbing suspect in a separate attack, the latest violence in the occupied West Bank. Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Sunday. Iran's president says his country needs to get past current stall ------------------------------------------------------------------- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended a recent memorandum of understanding as the best way for the country to move beyond what he described as a situation of "neither war nor peace." In a speech published by state-run IRNA early on Sunday, h

Iran's decades-long war planning helped it withstand US-Israel strikes

Iran had prepared for a potential war with the US for four decades, including contingencies such as the loss of its top leadership, making it difficult for its adversaries to decimate the country, an Indian military expert has said. Speaking at an interactive session in Washington organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) America on Friday, retired Indian Army officer Lt General KJS Dhillon said Iran had retained the capability for "attritional warfare" despite suffering heavy losses in the conflict with the US and Israel. Dhillon, who previously served as the head of India's defence intelligence agency, said one of the key lessons from the war was the need for a clearly defined national aim and a well-planned exit strategy. "Before you initiate a war, knowing a few things beforehand are a must. Your declared national aim should be clear to yourself, your military and the people in the government. There should also be clarity on the end stage where one can declare victory," he

Iran security chief warns neighbours against joining US economic pressure

The new leader of Iran's top security body is threatening neighbours against joining new US efforts to squeeze Tehran's economy. Egypt is trying to revive Iran-US negotiations. And Iraq and Iran say Tehran has helped some ships carrying Iraqi oil to transit the Strait of Hormuz. France and Saudi Arabia are expected to discuss plans to bypass the waterway. Meanwhile, Israel has carried out strikes in Syria and in Gaza. Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Saturday. Full coverage can be found here. Iran's new top security adviser issues threats ---------------------------------------------- The hard-line new leader of Iran's Supreme National Security Council threatened Tehran's neighbours against joining the new US effort to hurt Iran's economy, and accused the United States of increasing global nuclear insecurity with months of war. "If (Trump) wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner," he said in an interview w

US, Iran keep up hostile rhetoric ahead of new economic sanctions

s the war neared six months old, the two sides were not exchanging fire but also not pursuing peace talks

What's the message behind Trump's threats of economic warfare against Iran

President Trump's threats of an 'economic D-Day' carry a clear signal to Iran that he does not want to go back to war

US forces redirect 67 vessels, disable 3 to enforce Iran blockade: CENTCOM

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz

Iran calls new US sanctions 'economic terrorism, crimes against humanity'

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the new sanctions by US were another indication of continuation of 73 years of hostility and animosity by US policymakers toward its people

US to impose 'toughest sanctions in history' on Iran, says Bessent

Bessent's comments followed President Trump's threat a day earlier of 'economic warfare' and warning of economic consequences against any country that provided 'any type of lifeline to Iran'

18 US troops killed so far, number of injured crosses 750 in Iran war

The updated figures come as negotiations between the US and Iran remain stalled and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue

Oil prices rise for fifth session as Iran war threatens global supply

Brent crude climbed to $91.87 a barrel and WTI to $86 as the prolonged conflict raises concerns over supply disruptions from West Asia

US weighs reducing military presence in Gulf as Iran war cost hits $37.5 bn

The review follows extensive damage to American installations during the Iran conflict, with officials assessing future base configurations and whether damaged facilities should be rebuilt

Trump warns Iran of 'draconian' sanctions, claims Hormuz blockade holds

US President Donald Trump said Washington could impose further sanctions on Iran, while claiming the Strait of Hormuz remains open and the naval blockade has been 100% effective

UAE suspends trade ties with Iran after missile launch: Key developments

Abu Dhabi has halted economic engagements with Tehran after detecting two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz escalate the regional crisis

60-day deadline for Iran peace deal is expiring. Here's where things stand

The deal that US President Donald Trump signed at Versailles in June set an ambitious 60-day deadline for ending the war with Iran and reaching an accord on its nuclear program. The deadline was Monday, and the two sides are further apart than they were then. Talks, such as they are, have focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting a US blockade on Iran, both of which were supposed to have happened under the interim deal. There has been no sign of any compromise on the strait, or that detailed nuclear talks have even begun. The US, meanwhile, has no good options for getting out of the war it started alongside Israel. Acceding to Iran's latest demands would mean giving it control over a critical international waterway that carried a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas before the war - and would be tantamount to admitting defeat. Escalating the deeply unpopular war would further draw down US supplies of advanced missile interceptors, jolt the world economy, and drive

Iran says Qatar holds 3 missing pilots as Hormuz attack raises tensions

The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Iran-backed Houthis struck a Red Sea port in Yemen. In Southern Lebanon, nine people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, some of the deadliest since a shaky truce between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on June 20. Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here. A vessel is attacked in the Strait of Hormuz ---------------------------------------------- A tanker owned by Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil and gas company ADNOC was attacked while transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, Emirati state-run WAM news agency said Saturday. The attack happened Friday evening, and there were no injuries, the agency reported. This is the third such attack on vessels operated by ADNOC in the critical waterway in the last week. In a statement on Saturday, the United Arab Emirates blamed Iran for the attack and called on it to stop

Iran, Oman edge closer to Hormuz shipping routes deal as war continues

The move follows a series of attacks in Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas transited before the war

Trump's Iran war pulls US carrier from Pacific as China steps up pressure

President Donald Trump's war against Iran is stretching the limits of US aircraft carriers and leaving the western Pacific without one of the key American warships as China shows more signs of aggression. The USS George Washington is departing the Pacific and expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East amid growing concerns about mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed carrier. The Lincoln has had its time at sea extended from its original May return date to support operations against Iran. The lack of a US carrier in the Pacific may be short-lived if the Navy deploys another in the next couple of months. But it shows how the open-ended operations with Iran are running some American sailors ragged, analysts say, while the Trump administration further retreats from the Asia-Pacific region and focuses on the Western Hemisphere. "The administration says that the Pacific is supposed to be the most important behind the Western Hemisphere," said Greg ..

Will declare Strait of Hormuz 'US territory' after defeating Iran: Trump

Trump had earlier claimed that the US exercised "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that he "will keep it" amid stalled negotiations with Iran regarding the reopening of the strategic route

Trump admin to roll out 'economic isolation' plan for Iran next week

Iran's economy has already taken a significant hit from the war, with much of its industrial capacity destroyed and crude exports severely curtailed by the US blockade