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US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, Iran's counter-attacks, Strait of Hormuz disruptions, and ceasefire diplomacy
President Trump's pattern of using social media posts and public statements to move oil prices, interest rates, and currencies has reshaped how investors approach markets, according to traders and analysts. A single afternoon of posts last…
4 MIN READThe U.S. and Iran have struggled for weeks to finalize a preliminary agreement to end their war, with Tehran's demand for early access to tens of billions of dollars in frozen assets emerging as a central obstacle, according to officials…
3 MIN READCrude oil futures settled lower Friday as market expectations of a resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict outweighed supply concerns, but analysts warned that the real supply crunch could arrive by early July. West Texas Intermediate fell…
3 MIN READProlonged disruption of energy supplies from the Middle East due to the Iran war would deal a severe blow to the global economy, sending some countries into recession and spreading inflation and higher unemployment, the Organization for…
4 MIN READIranian missile and drone strikes hit Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday, injuring several people and forcing its indefinite closure, as renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran escalated across the Persian Gulf region.
3 MIN READThe United States on Tuesday sanctioned Iran's largest digital asset platform, Nobitex, along with three other exchanges, the Treasury Department announced, accusing the platforms of processing more than half of Iran's digital asset…
3 MIN READU.S. crude oil exports averaged 5.6 million barrels per day in May, a record high driven by strong demand from Asian and European refiners amid Middle East supply disruptions from the Iran war, according to data from analytics firm Kpler.
3 MIN READThe U.S. military said it fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of an unladen oil tanker sailing toward Iran after the vessel's crew ignored repeated warnings over 24 hours, the latest enforcement of the naval blockade on the…
3 MIN READSecretary of State Marco Rubio testified before Congress on Tuesday in his first public appearance since the U.S. war with Iran began, requesting more than $35 billion for the State Department's 2027 budget and fielding questions on peace…
3 MIN READThe Trump administration has threatened Oman with sanctions and military action, pressing the historically neutral sultanate to cut diplomatic ties with Iran during the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. Washington cited an intelligence assessment…
3 MIN READU.S. warplanes attacked Iranian radar sites and drone command-and-control facilities on Qeshm Island and Gorik in Iran's Hormuzgan province over the weekend, according to U.S. Central Command. The strikes came after Iran shot down an…
4 MIN READMohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an Iraqi national accused of conspiring to plot at least 18 attacks across Europe in retaliation for the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran, pleaded not guilty on Monday in Manhattan federal court.
3 MIN READOil prices rose sharply on Monday after Iran fired missiles at Israel for the first time since a fragile ceasefire between the countries and the United States took effect in April. The global benchmark Brent crude jumped 2.6% to $95.50 a…
3 MIN READNew military clashes between the U.S. and Iran sent crude oil prices surging Monday, pushing the benchmark U.S. contract up 5.5% to $92.16 a barrel and raising fresh fears about inflation. The spike lifted the yield on the 10-year Treasury…
4 MIN READ
BBC Verify analysis of satellite imagery indicates Iran has damaged 20 US military facilities across eight Middle Eastern countries since late February, contradicting White House claims that Iranian forces were nearly wiped out.
3 MIN READDonald Trump dismissed criticism of the war with Iran, posting on Truth Social that critics should "sit back and relax" as the US and Iran exchanged new military strikes over the weekend. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said…
3 MIN READUK motorists are facing their highest fuel prices since the US-Israel war with Iran began on 28 February 2026, with Brent crude reaching $126 a barrel and petrol hitting 158.5p a litre on 19 May. The RAC motoring group warned that pump…
5 MIN READOil prices climbed more than 3% on Sunday after the U.S. and Iran exchanged fresh military strikes over the weekend, with both sides still negotiating a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after seven weeks of talks. Brent crude rose 3.1%…
3 MIN READGlobal government bond yields rose across major markets Monday as uncertainty over U.S.-Iran peace talks persisted. A retaliatory Iranian attack on a U.S. military base in Kuwait underscored the fragility of negotiations, even as both…
3 MIN READSoaring fuel prices driven by the war with Iran are threatening the peak summer tourism season across Southeast Asia, straining economies in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia that depend heavily on international visitors, the Associated…
3 MIN READU.S. defense contractors will need at least three years to restock heavily depleted inventories of Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot and THAAD air defense interceptors. The finding comes from a new analysis released Wednesday by the…
3 MIN READThe Trump administration announced new sanctions on Wednesday targeting an Iranian agency created to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a move first reported by The Associated Press as U.S. forces struck a military facility after…
3 MIN READJonathan Loadholt, a 37-year-old former truck and bus driver from Staten Island, was sentenced Wednesday in Manhattan federal court after pleading guilty to conspiring to stalk and launder money for an Iranian government-directed…
3 MIN READTravelers holding airline miles and credit card rewards points will find their balances don't stretch as far this summer, as jet fuel prices elevated by the Iran war drive up airfares and baggage fees, according to travel experts and Labor…
3 MIN READGlobal stocks mostly rose Monday as oil prices fell more than $4 after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks to end the Iran war were progressing. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 2.9%, while trading was closed in the U.S. for Memorial…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump’s emerging proposal to end the Iran war is drawing heavy criticism from some fellow Republicans who want a harder line against Tehran. The proposals’ outline includes ending the war while Iran reopens the Strait of…
3 MIN READU.S. military officials said Monday they carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including at missile launch sites and boats placing mines, while President Donald Trump posted that negotiations with Tehran were “proceeding…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump and U.S. officials said the United States struck Iranian boats and missile launch sites in southern Iran while talks on a potential agreement with Iran continued under a ceasefire framework. At the same time,…
3 MIN READPresident Trump and U.S. officials are managing expectations about an imminent agreement to end the war in Iran, while Iran has not formally responded to a proposed outline. NPR reports the sides have been discussing reopening the Strait…
3 MIN READGlobal stock markets advanced Monday while oil prices dropped more than $4 a barrel, driven by President Donald Trump's statement that negotiations to end the war with Iran are moving forward.
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump's emerging deal to end the Iran war is drawing heavy criticism from some fellow Republicans who favor a harder line against Tehran, with Sen. Ted Cruz warning the terms as currently known could render the conflict…
3 MIN READGlobal shares mostly rose and oil prices sank more than $4 a barrel on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations to end the war with Iran were moving forward. Regional officials told The Associated Press the United States…
4 MIN READPresident Donald Trump’s emerging plan to end the three-month-old war with Iran has triggered a wave of Republican backlash, with senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham warning it could leave Tehran with nuclear weapons and billions of…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump said talks with Iran are progressing and that the United States has largely negotiated a “memorandum of understanding pertaining to peace,” including opening the Strait of Hormuz. But NPR senior White House…
3 MIN READTrump said on Monday he called off a planned military strike on Iran at the request of Gulf Arab allies, and that “serious negotiations are now taking place.” He also told U.S. military commanders to stay on standby for “a full,…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump said Saturday that a U.S. deal with Iran—covering an end to the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz—is “largely negotiated,” with final details still being discussed. He said the effort follows calls with Israel…
3 MIN READEurope’s oil and gas prices will remain above pre-Iran-war levels at least through the end of 2027, European Union and eurozone officials said Friday. The guidance came as eurozone finance ministers met, with EU Economy Commissioner Valdis…
3 MIN READIn interviews, American Muslims described scrambling to secure Hajj permits and then weighing uncertainty around the Iran war as Hajj preparation accelerates. The pilgrimage, a religious obligation for Muslims able to do it, officially…
3 MIN READHouse Republicans called off a House vote this week on a Democratic bill that would require President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, pushing the planned vote to June. The House had scheduled the war powers measure, but…
3 MIN READHouse Republicans on Thursday shelved a planned vote on legislation that would force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, acknowledging they lacked the votes to defeat the measure. The delay pushes action into June…
4 MIN READElevated gasoline and jet fuel costs, driven in part by the Iran war, are reshaping Memorial Day travel plans across the United States, with families trading long-distance trips for bike rides, beaches, and hiking trails closer to home.…
3 MIN READEuropean Union officials said Friday that oil and gas prices in Europe will remain above their pre-Iran-war levels until at least the end of 2027, driving inflation to a revised forecast of 3.1 percent this year and warning that…
3 MIN READMany American Muslims say they are weighing whether to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj as the United States and Iran remain at war. An NPR report aired Friday, May 21, described families and clergy in the U.S. discussing travel alerts,…
3 MIN READJapan’s exports rose 14.8% in April from a year earlier, driven by a surge in semiconductor shipments, according to Japan’s Finance Ministry data released Thursday. Imports also increased, but oil imports fell sharply as the war in Iran…
3 MIN READThe U.S. military said it boarded an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that was suspected of trying to violate the American blockade. The boarding follows President Donald Trump’s Monday decision to call off renewed strikes on…
3 MIN READHouse Republicans canceled a vote on a Democratic war powers resolution that would have required President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran conflict, GOP leaders said Thursday. The decision came as Republicans struggled to find…
3 MIN READUS stocks wavered Thursday before rising again as oil prices reversed course, easing some pressure from the bond market. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, the Dow gained 0.6% and the Nasdaq edged up 0.1% after Brent crude briefly topped $109 a barrel…
4 MIN READWASHINGTON — A small but steadily growing number of Republican lawmakers are voting against President Donald Trump’s priorities on the Iran war and immigration funding, signaling cracks in the party’s once-unified congressional front at a…
3 MIN READThe U.S. military said Wednesday it boarded an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that was suspected of trying to violate an American blockade. The boarding of the M/T Celestial Sea came after President Donald Trump postponed…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump has paused plans to resume military strikes against Iran at the request of Gulf Arab allies, who told the White House that serious negotiations are underway. The move represents another setback in a pressure campaign…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump said Monday he paused plans for an imminent resumption of attacks on Iran at the request of Gulf Arab states, while also telling military leaders to be ready for a “full, large scale assault” if an acceptable deal is…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with renewed military strikes while negotiations drag on during a fragile ceasefire tied to the Strait of Hormuz. But Iran has not shifted from its long-standing positions, and analysts…
3 MIN READThe sudden shutdown of Spirit Airlines in early May, coupled with jet fuel price spikes driven by the Iran war, is eliminating the cheapest flight options for budget-conscious U.S. travelers just before the summer season, industry experts…
3 MIN READAsian stocks fell and oil prices surged Monday after President Donald Trump warned Iran that "the Clock is Ticking" on stalled negotiations to end the war, the latest escalation in a conflict that has kept the Strait of Hormuz mostly…
4 MIN READAsian shares mostly retreated Monday while oil prices rose after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran that negotiations over a permanent end to the war have stalled. U.S. futures fell more than 0.6%, and the dollar rose against the yen.
3 MIN READIn mid-April, leaders of France and Britain announced plans to assemble a multinational maritime security force in the Strait of Hormuz, seeking to ensure permanent freedom of navigation in a waterway that carries a fifth of the world's…
4 MIN READDrone strike sparked a fire near the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant, as Iran and the United States signaled readiness for further fighting. The UAE’s defense ministry said three drones crossed from its western border with Saudi Arabia…
3 MIN READIsraeli special forces operated a temporary staging camp in Iraq's western desert during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Iraqi and U.S. officials told The Associated Press, a covert presence that Iraqi authorities said they discovered only…
3 MIN READA commercial vessel anchored near the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken to Iranian waters on Thursday, while a separate cargo ship sank off the coast of Oman after an attack, as tensions around the strategic Strait of Hormuz…
4 MIN READAn Iraqi national has been charged in federal court with conspiring to bomb a New York City synagogue and providing material support to Iran-backed terrorist groups, U.S. prosecutors said Friday, alleging that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood…
3 MIN READGovernments across India and Southeast Asia are accelerating plans to blend transportation fuels with agricultural biofuels after the Iran war disrupted crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Prime…
3 MIN READU.S. consumer prices rose 3.8% in April from a year earlier, driven by surging energy costs linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that the consumer price index climbed 0.6% month-over-month,…
3 MIN READUn barco anclado frente a la costa este de Emiratos Árabes Unidos fue incautado y llevado a aguas iraníes, mientras que otro buque de carga cerca de Omán se hundió tras ser atacado, dijeron autoridades el jueves. Los incidentes ocurrieron…
4 MIN READIran war-related disruptions to oil and shipping have pushed higher energy costs across parts of Asia, encouraging renewed interest in blending ethanol and other biofuels into transportation fuel. In India, drivers and households coping…
3 MIN READNEW YORK (AP) — An Iraqi national accused of plotting at least 18 terror attacks in Europe in retaliation for the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran has been arrested and charged in federal court in Manhattan, prosecutors said. The complaint…
3 MIN READIraqi and U.S. officials told The Associated Press that Israeli forces established a temporary camp in the Iraqi desert in the early days of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The existence of the site, first reported by The Wall Street…
4 MIN READIsrael’s ties with the United Arab Emirates, typically managed discreetly, have been thrust into public view amid the Iran war after U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee disclosed Israeli steps to help protect the UAE and Prime Minister Benjamin…
3 MIN READThe USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, returned to Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday after an 11-month deployment that included operations tied to the U.S. war with Iran and the capture of Venezuela’s President…
4 MIN READU.S. retail sales rose just 0.5% in April, a sharp slowdown from March’s revised 1.6% jump, as surging gasoline prices tied to the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz shutdown ate into household budgets and curtailed discretionary spending,…
3 MIN READSurging global oil prices as war disrupts the Strait of Hormuz have delivered an estimated $850 million revenue windfall to New Mexico, creating a political conundrum for a state where Democrats control the levers of power while…
3 MIN READAn unidentified vessel was seized and taken toward Iranian waters off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, while an Indian-flagged cargo ship sank off Oman after an attack, as tensions escalated in the strategic Strait of…
3 MIN READNew Mexico’s oil income has surged as fighting tied to Iran has tightened global supply, creating a fiscal boost that Democrats running for governor see as politically and ethically complicated. In interviews, Deb Haaland said she wants to…
3 MIN READTensions escalated near the Strait of Hormuz after a ship anchored off the United Arab Emirates was seized and sent toward Iran, while an attack near Oman sank another cargo vessel, authorities said Thursday. The incidents occurred as…
3 MIN READA monthslong U.S. naval blockade and ongoing wartime disruptions have driven Iran's annual inflation to 53.7%, collapsing the rial and pushing millions into poverty as the government urges citizens to endure economic pain for the conflict.
3 MIN READIsrael’s prime minister’s office said Wednesday that Benjamin Netanyahu held a secret meeting with the president of the United Arab Emirates, a claim the Gulf state swiftly denied, exposing the delicate diplomacy underpinning the Abraham…
3 MIN READTokyo-based Calbee Inc. said Wednesday it is shifting 14 of its snack products to black-and-white packaging, a move the company attributes to supply-chain disruptions caused by the war in Iran and the resulting closure of the Strait of…
3 MIN READU.S. producer prices surged 6% in April from a year earlier, the steepest increase in more than three years, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz drove energy costs sharply higher and intensified pressure on businesses from trucking…
3 MIN READPresident Donald Trump is pressing Congress to suspend the federal gasoline tax as the war with Iran keeps U.S. pump prices near $4.50 a gallon, but analysts say any savings for drivers would be modest and the move could drain billions…
3 MIN READUS grocery prices jumped 2.9% in April from a year earlier, the steepest increase since August 2023, as higher fuel costs tied to the Iran war, trade tariffs on imported produce and persistent drought pushed food costs higher across the…
3 MIN READHe called it a masterstroke. The board was just an offhand remark.
The failing Wall Street Journal, which is a terrible paper, is running a very sad story — the saddest story — that I threatened to bomb the failing O-man, which is a disaster of a country, very failing.
Trump and Hegseth are emptying the magazine in Iran and leaving the country exposed to China.
Iran denounced U.S. strikes in southern Iran as “bad faith and unreliability” amid negotiations that aim to extend a ceasefire, while the government began restoring internet access after a nationwide shutdown. The U.S. military said Monday’s strikes were defensive and exercised “restraint,” and Iran’s foreign ministry called the attacks a ceasefire violation.
The U.S. Senate advanced legislation Tuesday that would require President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, drawing fresh Republican opposition. The measure passed 50–47 after Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy—endorsed by Trump’s party in a primary loss—switched his vote for the first time.
The Senate advanced legislation Tuesday aimed at forcing President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, after Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy switched sides following a primary election loss. Democrats pressed for war powers votes that would require congressional approval for further action or a withdrawal of U.S. troops, and the effort gained one more Republican vote in the latest measure. The House is expected to consider a similar resolution Wednesday.
The Senate advanced legislation Tuesday forcing President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from the Iran war, marking a significant breach in Republican unity as Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy switched sides to join Democrats. The 50-47 vote gives a growing number of GOP lawmakers their first successful push to end a conflict that has spanned more than two months since Trump ordered the initial strikes.
The Senate advanced legislation Tuesday aimed at forcing President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, as a small but growing number of Republicans broke with the White House’s position. Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, after losing a primary that Trump had backed, supported the measure for the first time in the 50-47 vote.
President Donald Trump said Monday he is holding off a military strike on Iran that had been planned for Tuesday, citing “serious negotiations” aimed at ending the war. He said Gulf allies asked the U.S. to wait for two or three days, as Israel and China also figure in recent diplomacy around the conflict.
President Donald Trump said Monday he is holding off on a planned military strike on Iran that was set for Tuesday, saying “serious negotiations” are underway to end the war. Trump tied the pause to requests from Gulf allies and said he ordered the U.S. military to be prepared to act only if an “acceptable Deal” is not reached.
A drone strike ignited a fire at the edge of the United Arab Emirates' sole nuclear power plant on Sunday in what Emirati authorities called an unprovoked terrorist attack, spotlighting the threat of renewed war as the United States and Iran traded threats.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, returned to Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday after an 11-month, 326-day deployment — the longest for any U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War. The deployment included combat operations against Iran and the January mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Senator Lisa Murkowski voted for the first time against President Trump's Iran war on Wednesday, joining two other Republicans as the Senate again narrowly blocked a Democratic effort to halt the 85-day-old conflict. The war powers resolution failed 49–50, with Senator John Fetterman the only Democrat to oppose it, but the close tally signaled widening unease within the GOP over the administration's legal rationale for the military campaign. Democratic leaders vowed to continue forcing weekly votes, framing the resolutions as a political pressure campaign even though they face a near-certain presidential veto.
Senate Republicans again blocked Democratic legislation to halt President Donald Trump’s war with Iran on Wednesday, but the number of GOP senators voting against the measure rose. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted against the war for the first time since it began at the end of February.
President Donald Trump departed Washington for Beijing on Tuesday, minimizing his differences with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz even as U.S. sanctions and a new accusation from Kuwait deepened tensions ahead of the summit.
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has tightened global energy supplies and contributed to economic pain worldwide, as the war and a U.S. naval blockade continue. Within Iran, soaring prices for food and medicine and job losses are testing the Islamic Republic’s ability to endure and to absorb the shocks of the conflict, an economist said. The strain has also coincided with internet shutdowns and protests earlier this year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quietly visited the United Arab Emirates during Israel’s war with Iran, according to a statement from his office. The UAE later denied any secret visit occurred, saying relations between the two countries are public and follow the Abraham Accords.
Wholesale inflation measures came in hotter than expected in April, with producer prices up 1.4% from March and rising 6% from a year earlier, the Labor Department reported May 13. The report cited higher energy costs linked to the Iran war as a driver, and economists said it could raise pressure on companies to pass expenses to consumers.
Grocery prices rose in April, but the jump was not just driven by higher gasoline tied to the Iran war, according to U.S. government data and industry estimates. Food prices for items eaten at home rose 2.9% from a year earlier, while restaurant and other prepared-meal costs pushed overall food up 3.2% in the past year, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.
President Donald Trump wants to suspend the federal gasoline tax as U.S. fuel prices strain household budgets during the war with Iran. Lawmakers have discussed legislation that could pause the tax through Oct. 1, but economists say drivers likely would not see the full tax rate drop immediately at the pump.
Japanese snack maker Calbee said it will change the packaging on some products to black-and-white starting May 25, citing disruptions from the Iran war that affect a supply of ingredients used in colored ink.
El presidente Donald Trump dijo el martes que planea tener “una larga conversación” con el presidente chino Xi Jinping sobre el conflicto en Medio Oriente, mientras trataba de restar importancia a las diferencias entre ambos países respecto a Irán. El acercamiento llega antes de su visita a China para una cumbre en la que el frente de guerra con Irán y el estrecho de Ormuz se perfilan como temas centrales.
U.S. consumer prices climbed 3.8% in April from a year earlier, the largest annual increase in three years, as the war with Iran sent gasoline prices sharply higher, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from March, with core inflation — which strips out volatile food and energy costs — up a milder 2.8% from a year ago.
The U.S. consumer price index rose 3.8% in April from a year earlier, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, as gasoline prices climbed during the 10-week war with Iran. The increase follows a 3.3% year-over-year rise in March and comes at a time when many Americans are already grappling with high living costs.
The Iran war’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off bunker fuel supplies to the global maritime industry, driving up prices at the world’s largest refueling hub and raising fears that higher shipping costs will spread through supply chains to consumers, industry officials and analysts told The Associated Press. Shipping companies are reducing speeds and exploring alternative fuels, but the energy shock is expected to hit Asian economies hardest and then ripple outward.
Kuwait accused Iran of a failed attack on an island hosting a Chinese-built port on May 1, as President Donald Trump departed for a Beijing summit claiming the U.S. had Iran “very much under control” and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire in the Iran war remains stalled, and Israel has deployed Iron Dome air-defense systems to the United Arab Emirates in a first publicly acknowledged military deployment to the Gulf state.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced pointed questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday over the rising costs and uncertain endgame of the Iran war, with members of his own party pushing back on the administration’s strained alliances and the drawdown of munitions.
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the United States has “control” over Iran and the Strait of Hormuz as ceasefire talks appeared to stall. Kuwait accused Iran of a failed attack on Bubiyan Island earlier this month, and Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the allegation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions Tuesday from Republican and Democratic lawmakers about the Trump administration’s end game for the Iran war, the conflict’s rising $29 billion cost, and the impact on U.S. weapons stockpiles. In House and Senate Appropriations defense hearings, Hegseth said U.S. munitions are not depleted and that the administration is pressing the defense industry to build more and build faster.
A supply crunch for bunker fuel—used to power ships—has emerged as the Iran war disrupts access to the Strait of Hormuz, with Asia’s major refueling hub, Singapore, facing rising prices and dwindling reserves. Shipping companies have begun slowing vessels and adjusting routes and schedules to manage the cost shock, while some plan to order ships that can run on alternative fuels.
Malaysia’s top maritime enforcement official on Wednesday pushed back against accusations that authorities are ignoring a long-running scheme that lets Iran evade U.S. sanctions by transferring oil between tankers near the country’s coast. The U.S.-based advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran says waters off southern Malaysia have become a key hub for ship-to-ship transfers involving Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” — aging tankers that disable tracking systems and falsify identities to conceal the origin of crude destined largely for China.
Soaring fuel costs triggered by the Iran war are pushing consumers and governments across Asia toward rooftop solar power at an accelerating pace, with installations in the Philippines surging 70% and China poised to dominate the global supply of solar equipment.
The European Union’s energy commissioner said Wednesday that the bloc faces a possible longer-term jet fuel shortage as fighting around the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt oil supplies from a region that typically handles a fifth of the world’s petroleum.
A surge in fuel prices linked to the Iran war is pushing consumers in energy-stressed parts of Asia toward rooftop solar, benefiting China as the world’s largest solar technology supplier, the Associated Press reported. In the Philippines, where the conflict has heightened costs and raised worries about power reliability, a survey found a sharp rise in solar installations and customer interest after Feb. 28.
Malaysia’s maritime enforcement agency says Iranian-linked tankers have been exploiting “jurisdictional gaps” for ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned oil near its waters, but it rejected allegations that it has ignored the problem. U.S.-based monitors say the Eastern Outer Port Limits off Johor has become a hub for Iran’s “shadow fleet” transfers. Indonesia, which shares a maritime boundary in the area, said it is reviewing the legality of the activity.
Saturday's exchange of unacceptables — Tehran's response to a U.S. 14-point proposal, transmitted via Pakistani mediation, met with President Trump's "totally unacceptable" — is being read as a diplomatic setback. Andrew Bacevich, in *The Limits of Power*, named the pattern the day-72 standoff inhabits: the United States enters negotiations from the inside of a war it began, presents terms structured like the post-war terms of a loser, and treats the absence of acceptance as evidence the war must continue. The pattern is not new. Those of us who supported the original 2003 operation have seen it before, in a different theater, with the same architecture and the same accumulating costs.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran transmitted its response to the latest U.S. proposal to end the Iran war through Pakistani mediators on Sunday, demanding war reparations, full sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, an end to sanctions, and the release of seized assets, but President Donald Trump immediately rejected it as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” in a social media post, the latest blow to diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict that has choked global energy shipments.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy warned Saturday that any attack on Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels would provoke a “heavy assault” on a U.S. regional base and enemy ships, escalating threats a day after American forces struck two Iranian tankers in the Persian Gulf.
President Donald Trump said Monday he will move to suspend the federal gasoline tax, a step he cannot take alone, as surging fuel prices driven by the Iran war pressure American households and raise alarms among Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. Congress would have to approve the suspension, and lawmakers from both parties have signaled openness to the idea while some Republicans express reservations about the loss of highway trust fund revenue.
The Treasury Department is directing U.S. banks to monitor for Iranian money laundering networks that use shell companies and cryptocurrency to smuggle sanctioned oil, according to a department report released Monday, as the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran teeters on what President Donald Trump called 'life support.'
Oil prices rallied above $104 a barrel on Monday after President Donald Trump said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was on “life support,” while U.S. stocks drifted to yet more all-time highs amid strong corporate earnings.
Asian governments are exhausting early fuel rationing measures as the prolonged Iran war drives global oil prices toward $120 a barrel, triggering widespread subsidy cuts and threatening economic growth across the region. The United Nations Development Programme warns the crisis may cost the Asia-Pacific $299 billion and push 8.8 million people into poverty.
Stocks across Europe and Asia showed mixed results on Monday, while oil prices jumped more than 2% after President Donald Trump rejected Iran's response to a U.S. peace proposal. The rejection, posted on social media, heightened uncertainty over a conflict that has disrupted critical oil shipping routes.
American businesses are facing mounting costs from the ongoing Iran war, and a growing number of economists expect a U.S. recession within the next year, according to a survey released Monday by the National Association for Business Economics.
President Donald Trump said Monday that the Iran ceasefire is on 'life support' after rejecting Tehran's latest proposal, which regional officials said included limited nuclear concessions. Trump also proposed suspending the federal gas tax to ease pain at the pump from surging fuel prices tied to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran delivered its response to the latest U.S. cease-fire proposal via Pakistani mediators on May 10, 2026, but President Donald Trump immediately rejected it as “totally unacceptable,” dealing a fresh blow to efforts to end the months-long Persian Gulf conflict that has choked maritime shipping and sent energy prices soaring. Tehran demanded war reparations, an end to sanctions, the release of seized assets, and full sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported, while Trump’s rejection on social media was devoid of specifics.
Ethiopia’s push to adopt electric vehicles has accelerated sharply, with more than 115,000 EVs now on its roads, as fuel shortages and soaring prices tied to the Iran war strain the country’s economy and drive a broader African shift toward cleaner transport.
President Donald Trump said Monday that he would move to suspend the federal gasoline tax to help Americans deal with surging fuel prices tied to the Iran war. But the Associated Press reported that he cannot suspend the tax on his own and that Congress would have to approve any change.
The U.S. Treasury Department asked U.S. banks and other financial institutions to monitor for suspected Iranian money laundering networks that use their funds to smuggle sanctioned oil through shell companies and crypto-linked channels, according to Treasury and a related report released Monday. The guidance comes as President Donald Trump said the Iran ceasefire is on “life support” after he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to end the war.
Oil prices rose Monday as the war with Iran threatens to drag on longer, even as U.S. stocks edged toward more records. Brent crude settled up 2.9% at $104.21 after President Donald Trump said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is on “life support.” Stocks, meanwhile, were supported by expectations of resilient profits and an economy that has held up despite costly gasoline and tariffs.
Asia is facing a prolonged energy squeeze as the Iran war continues to disrupt fuel flows and strain budgets across the region, the AP reports. Governments that initially rationed power, redirected gas to households and leaned on subsidies are now seeing those measures run out. Economists and analysts warn that the second wave of impacts could push millions toward poverty and slow economic growth.
Las bolsas mundiales registraron movimientos mixtos el lunes, mientras el petróleo se disparó más de 2% tras el rechazo del presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, a la respuesta de Irán a la última propuesta de Washington para poner fin a la guerra en Irán. Wall Street había cerrado el viernes con nuevos máximos, y el impulso se trasladó parcialmente a otros mercados.
Nearly half of American business economists say the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran has hurt their operations, including through higher energy prices, according to a survey released Monday by the National Association for Business Economics. The conflict, which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, has contributed to an energy crisis and price pressures that economists say could worsen for hiring and investment in coming months.
China is stepping up its Iran war diplomacy as Chinese and Iranian foreign ministers meet in Beijing ahead of President Donald Trump’s expected summit with Xi Jinping, according to an Associated Press report. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a “comprehensive ceasefire” during talks with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. Washington is pressing Beijing to use its influence to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reduce risks from the conflict.
Ethiopia is pushing a faster transition to electric vehicles as fuel shortages and soaring prices, amplified by the Iran war, ripple through transport and daily life across Africa. The Associated Press reports that Ethiopia has expanded EV use to about 8% of its national fleet, while government moves to restrict new fossil-fuel vehicle imports and subsidize energy costs aim to buffer consumers from external supply shocks.
Irán envió el domingo su respuesta a la propuesta estadounidense más reciente de alto el fuego para detener la guerra en el golfo Pérsico, reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz y revertir el programa nuclear, según informó la televisión estatal iraní. El presidente Donald Trump la rechazó horas después en redes sociales, calificándola de “totalmente inaceptable”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned the United States that any attack on Iranian oil tankers or other commercial vessels would be met with a “heavy assault” on one of the U.S. bases in the region and on enemy ships, even as a tenuous ceasefire appeared to hold. The warning came after U.S. strikes on two Iranian oil tankers that the U.S. said were trying to breach its blockade of Iran’s ports.
The Trump administration rejected Iran’s response to a U.S. proposal to end the Iran war, with President Donald Trump dismissing the offer in a social media post as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!”. Iran said its response calls for war reparations and demands “full Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz,” as diplomats also try to address a series of drone attacks that have tested a fragile ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that diplomacy to end the war involving Iran is at a point where an Iran ceasefire is on “life support,” after the White House rejected Tehran’s latest proposal. Trump also backed a suspension of the federal gas tax to blunt higher fuel prices linked to the conflict.
U.S. forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday after exchanging fire with Iranian forces overnight, the latest escalation to strain a tenuous month-old U.S.-Iran ceasefire. The United Arab Emirates separately reported a ballistic missile and drone attack that wounded three people, as satellite images revealed a large oil slick spreading from Iran’s main crude export terminal.
Soaring energy costs driven by the war in Iran are cutting household incomes and slowing economic growth in Bangladesh, where fuel shortages have forced the government to ration supplies and reduce industrial output, and the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have both slashed their forecasts for the import-dependent nation.
Saudi oil giant Aramco reported a 25% jump in first-quarter profit on Sunday, earning $32.5 billion as the Iran war disrupted global energy supplies and forced the company to push more shipments through a cross-desert pipeline to the Red Sea.
U.S. forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after exchanging fire overnight, casting doubt on a month-old ceasefire the United States has said remains in effect, the Associated Press reported May 8. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he hopes to receive “a serious offer” from Iran later Friday. The United Arab Emirates also reported an additional Iranian missile and drone attack.
Aramco said its first-quarter profit rose 25% as the Iran war disrupted oil supplies and contributed to higher prices. The Saudi state-owned company also said it shifted some exports to its East-West Pipeline to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted by the conflict.
As fuel supply disruptions tied to the war in Iran spill into Bangladesh, people in the capital Dhaka are spending more time waiting for gasoline and diesel, reducing income for workers and small business owners, according to interviews reported by the Associated Press. The shortages have prompted government austerity measures, raised the operating costs for factories and transport, and threatened export earnings, especially in the garment sector.
Shipping companies are facing rising costs and uncertainty as hundreds of vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf more than two months into the Iran war, with the Strait of Hormuz blocked and President Donald Trump abruptly pausing a short-lived guided-exit attempt. With over 1,550 vessels and 22,500 mariners trapped, shipping giants warn that even if a ceasefire holds, the return to normal will take months and the risks from Iranian speedboats and drones remain high.
Lower-income Americans sharply cut their gasoline consumption in March yet still spent more at the pump as the spike in gas prices following the Iran war widened economic inequalities, according to research released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Higher-income households, by contrast, increased their gas spending with barely any reduction in consumption, a pattern the report said was more pronounced than after the 2022 Russia-Ukraine shock.
Whirlpool Corp. announced a nearly 10% drop in first-quarter revenue and a 7% decline in North American major appliance sales, citing consumer pullback amid a recession-level industry decline linked to the ongoing Iran war. The Michigan-based manufacturer, which produces about 80% of its major appliances domestically, lowered its full-year earnings outlook by half and suspended its dividend after posting an $82 million quarterly loss.
The Trump administration delivered contradictory statements over a 24-hour period regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran, pivoting from declarations that a tenuous ceasefire was holding to new threats of intensified bombing if Tehran does not agree to U.S. terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.37% this week, Freddie Mac reported Thursday, marking the second straight weekly increase and returning borrowing costs to levels last seen four weeks ago as the bond market churns on oil-driven inflation fears from the war with Iran.
McDonald’s reported first-quarter sales that exceeded Wall Street expectations Thursday, lifted by a renewed focus on value meals and limited‑time offers. But CEO Chris Kempczinski warned that elevated gasoline prices and consumer anxiety over the Iran war could dampen demand in the months ahead, especially for the chain’s most price‑sensitive customers.
U.S. forces intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday and launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian military facilities, the U.S. military said, in the most significant breach of the month-old ceasefire between the two countries.
U.S. military forces intercepted Iranian missiles and drones targeting three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, then struck Iranian military installations in what U.S. Central Command called defensive action — the most serious outbreak of violence since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire took effect on April 8. No U.S. vessels were hit, and Central Command said it does not seek escalation but remains “postured and ready to protect U.S. forces.” President Donald Trump confirmed the ceasefire still holds, but told reporters in blunt terms, “Se metieron con nosotros hoy. Los hicimos pedazos” — “They messed with us today. We tore them to pieces.” The exchange came as Iran formalized its control over the Strait of Hormuz through a new government agency, deepening concerns about global shipping, and as peace talks mediated by Pakistan stalled. Iran’s government said it was still studying the latest U.S. proposals and had not yet responded. Pakistan’s foreign ministry expressed hope for a deal “sooner rather than later,” while Saudi Arabia distanced itself from a U.S. plan to forcibly reopen the strait.
The gunman who killed three people and wounded more than a dozen at a downtown Austin, Texas, bar on March 1 was a “lone actor” with no evidence of support or direction from a foreign terrorist group, the FBI said in an investigative update Thursday. The agency said the attack by Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old lawful permanent resident from Senegal, was likely triggered by the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran and his admiration for Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Whirlpool said Thursday that the Iran war is driving a “recession-level industry decline” that has shaken consumer confidence, contributing to a nearly 10% revenue drop and a 7% fall in North American major-appliance sales. The Michigan-based company announced price increases in April and July to address inflationary cost pressures after posting a first-quarter loss of $82 million.
The Trump administration’s messaging about the Iran war and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has changed rapidly over the past 24 hours, leaving officials, allies and markets trying to keep up. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces were conducting a defensive effort while a tenuous ceasefire held, then Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said a U.S. operation was concluded. By Wednesday, Trump warned bombing could resume and the U.S. said it disabled an Iranian oil tanker.
U.S. stocks slipped Thursday, pulling away from record levels as Brent crude prices swung on renewed uncertainty over efforts to end the Iran war. Brent settled at $100.06 a barrel, down 1.2%, after falling to near $96 and later topping $102 as markets weighed whether proposals could lead to an agreement.
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has kept the waterway effectively closed since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, while a U.S. naval blockade has not loosened Iran’s control, according to reporting Friday by the Associated Press. The disruption has driven up fuel prices, left ships and mariners stranded in the Persian Gulf, and raised risks of hunger as fuel and fertilizer shipments face delays.
Gasoline prices in the U.S. climbed over the past week, spiking to an average of $4.54 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA data. The Associated Press reports the increase reflects how deepening fighting linked to Iran has kept oil supplies constrained near the Strait of Hormuz, where a significant share of the world’s crude normally passes.
The FBI said investigators have found no evidence that the gunman who killed three people in a downtown Austin bar attack in March was supported or directed by a foreign terrorist group. The agency released an update saying the shooter, Ndiaga Diagne, acted as a “lone actor,” and that the investigation remains open.
El jueves, el ejército de Estados Unidos informó que interceptó proyectiles iraníes contra tres buques de la Armada en el estrecho de Ormuz y dijo que respondió en defensa propia, aunque añadió que ningún buque fue alcanzado. El presidente Donald Trump afirmó a reporteros en Washington que el alto el fuego “se mantiene”, después del intercambio de disparos. En paralelo, medios iraníes estatales reportaron disparos en la isla de Qeshm y explosiones en el sur y el oeste de Teherán.
McDonald’s posted better-than-expected first-quarter results, but its CEO said high gas prices and consumer anxiety over the Iran war could weigh on demand this spring. The company’s value-focused strategy helped drive sales, while it flagged continued softness for lower-income customers.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced “Project Freedom” to guide ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, but the effort was paused days later as negotiations on ending the Iran war continued. Shipping companies say the uncertainty is still translating into costly delays, higher insurance and fuel bills, and risk concerns for crews transiting the narrow waterway.
The U.S. military said it intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday and carried out self-defense strikes, as the month-old ceasefire between Washington and Tehran remained fragile. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire was holding despite the exchange of fire. Iranian state media reported exchanges with “the enemy” near Qeshm Island and said loud noises and explosions were heard elsewhere in Iran.
Oil prices fell and global stock markets rose Wednesday as investors weighed signals that the United States and Iran could be nearing a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Brent crude fell 7.8% to $101.27 a barrel, while the S&P 500 climbed 1.5% to another record, helped by major-company earnings. The day’s market moves came after President Donald Trump said the strait could be “OPEN TO ALL” if Iran accepts a reported agreement.
Oil prices sank and major stock markets rallied worldwide on Wednesday as investors weighed hopes the United States and Iran are nearing an arrangement that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, easing a key pressure point for global fuel costs and inflation. The shift followed remarks by President Donald Trump that the strait could be “OPEN TO ALL” if Iran accepts a reported U.S. agreement.
The United States and its Gulf allies have proposed a United Nations Security Council resolution threatening Iran with sanctions if it does not halt attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, stop imposing what the draft calls “illegal tolls,” and disclose the location of all sea mines to allow freedom of navigation, according to a copy of the draft obtained by The Associated Press. The resolution also demands that Iran “immediately participate in and enable” U.N. efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor through the strait for the delivery of vital aid.
President Donald Trump paused the U.S. operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, saying 'great progress' had been made toward a deal to end the Iran war, while Iran’s foreign minister met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing. The fragile ceasefire, now nearly a month old, has been shaken by continued attacks on the United Arab Emirates and conflicting claims over the strategic waterway.
The average U.S. price for regular gasoline jumped 31 cents in the past week to $4.48 per gallon, AAA reported Tuesday, rising 50% since the war with Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz and stranded a fifth of the world’s crude oil. A temporary fall in prices during a mid-April ceasefire lull has reversed as fighting continues and the Trump administration’s blockade of Iranian exports tightens global supply.
A Florida activist who camped atop a Washington bridge for five days came down Wednesday morning, ending his stand against artificial intelligence and the war in Iran, Associated Press reported. Police had closed lanes and negotiated with him on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.
DoorDash said Wednesday it expects to spend more than $50 million in the second quarter on gas price relief for delivery drivers, citing a sharp rise in fuel costs tied to the Iran war. The company made the announcement as it reported first-quarter results that fell short of some analyst expectations for revenue, even as orders remained strong.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was pausing the latest U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz while Iran and the United States seek a deal to end their war in the Middle East. At the same time, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, met China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Beijing, according to Xinhua.
In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Chinese officials to use their influence with Iran to stop closing the Strait of Hormuz, as President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping prepare for a summit in Beijing. Speaking during a White House briefing Tuesday, Rubio said Iran is “the bad guy” in the standoff that has effectively shuttered the waterway for weeks. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, during the visit, according to Xinhua.
The price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States rose 31 cents over the past week, reaching an average of $4.48 on Tuesday, AAA said. The increase follows a mid-April period when drivers saw prices fall for nearly two weeks as conflict signals appeared to soften, but the war’s impact on global oil supply has pushed prices back up.
The United States and Gulf allies have proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution threatening Iran with sanctions or other measures unless it halts attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The draft also calls on Iran to stop imposing “illegal tolls,” disclose the placement of mines, and “immediately participate in and enable” U.N. efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor for aid deliveries.
More than two dozen foreign workers have been killed in the Gulf and Israel since the United States and Israel went to war with Iran in February, according to an Associated Press report, and the conflict has trapped tens of millions of other migrants between deadly working conditions and the prospect of returning to countries already reeling from soaring fuel and food prices.
The fragile ceasefire in the Iran war faced its most dangerous test Monday after the United States began a military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, drawing Iranian threats and leaving global shipping companies uncertain about the safety of the waterway, the Associated Press reported.
Oil prices sank and global stock markets rallied Wednesday as investors bet the United States and Iran may be nearing a deal that would allow ships to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again. In the hopes-driven rebound, Brent crude fell 7.8% to $101.27 a barrel, while the S&P 500 climbed 1.5% to another record. In Asia, Seoul’s Kospi jumped more than 6% and pushed above 7,000 for the first time.
Iran’s war has left foreign workers in Gulf states facing a stark choice between staying in jobs that pay more or returning home as conflict-driven price spikes strain already-poor countries, an Associated Press investigation reports. The story centers on Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, a Bangladeshi man who worked in Saudi Arabia for 15 years and died after a missile struck his workers’ camp on March 8.
The United States began trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, as a three-week ceasefire in the Iran war entered what the U.S. called its most perilous moment. The move triggered fresh warnings from Iran and statements from the United Arab Emirates about an attack near its coast, while U.S. officials said they were protecting vessels and deterring Iranian actions.
The U.S. military fired on Iranian forces and sank six small boats as it began efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, while the United Arab Emirates said it came under attack from Iran for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April. The U.S. Central Command said two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the strait under its protection after Iran had effectively closed the waterway at the start of the war on Feb. 28. The UAE said its air defenses engaged 15 missiles and four drones, with one drone starting a fire at a key oil facility east of the strait that wounded three Indian nationals.
The U.S. military said it fired on Iranian forces and sank six small boats targeting civilian ships as Washington moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The United Arab Emirates, a key U.S. ally, said it came under attack from Iran for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April.
President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States will launch “Project Freedom” on Monday to guide hundreds of stranded commercial vessels and some 20,000 seafarers out of the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, offering few operational details for what the Pentagon said would involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members.
Seven OPEC+ members, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed Sunday to raise oil output by 188,000 barrels per day starting in June, citing a commitment to market stability. The decision follows a virtual meeting of the group's key producers but comes as Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has already disrupted global energy supplies.
OPEC+ countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed to a modest increase in oil production starting in June, aiming for “market stability” after a virtual meeting Sunday. The group said it would raise output by 188,000 barrels per day as Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf amid the U.S.-Israeli war.
President Donald Trump said the United States will start next week an effort to “guide” ships stranded in the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz, as two vessels reported attacks in the area. Iran denounced the U.S. move as a ceasefire violation and said it was reviewing Washington’s response to a new proposal to end the war.
President Donald Trump said Saturday he is reviewing a new Iranian proposal aimed at ending the war, but he also expressed skepticism it would produce a deal. Trump spoke to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, before boarding Air Force One and later posted details about what he said the proposal should address.
Spirit Airlines announced Saturday that it is ceasing all operations and beginning an immediate wind-down of the carrier after 34 years, citing unsustainable jet fuel costs driven by the war with Iran. The ultralow-cost budget airline, which once operated hundreds of daily flights and employed roughly 17,000 people, canceled all remaining routes effective immediately, stranding passengers and leaving thousands of workers without jobs.
Spirit Airlines ceased operations on May 2, 2026, after its final flight from Detroit landed in Dallas, ending a 34-year commercial run that pioneered ultra-low-cost travel in the U.S. before soaring jet fuel prices and mounting debt forced the carrier into shutdown.
Rising diesel prices linked to the Iran war are accelerating a shift across Africa to power cellphone towers with solar energy, an ongoing industry transition focused on lowering costs and improving network reliability.
Dubrovnik, Croatia — The old town’s streets are already thick with visitors drawn by its medieval walls and “Game of Thrones” fame, but the Iran war and a global spike in fuel prices are clouding the peak summer season that Croatia’s economy depends on.
Spirit Airlines said it is shutting down after 34 years and stopping all operations immediately, canceling all flights. The company said its customer service is no longer available.
Dubrovnik officials are warning that the Iran war and higher fuel prices could add unpredictability to Croatia’s summer tourism season, even as tourist arrivals have held up in recent weeks. The Dubrovnik Tourist Board says some travelers are struggling to reach Europe, while the airport says it is “very cautious about the upcoming season.”
The Trump administration argued Thursday that its military campaign against Iran has ended under the War Powers Resolution, citing a ceasefire that began April 7 and has since been extended. The position would allow the White House to bypass a Friday deadline to seek congressional approval for hostilities lasting more than 60 days. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advanced the argument during Senate testimony, saying it was the administration’s “understanding” that the 60-day clock is paused during a ceasefire.
U.S. consumers are paying sharply higher prices for gasoline, air travel, shipping, and household goods as the Iran war's disruption of global oil flows enters its third month, with the national average gasoline price hitting $4.30 a gallon — a 44% increase since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the three-week-old war between the two countries, describing Tehran’s leadership as “disjointed” and saying he was “not satisfied” with the offer.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, declared Thursday that the Islamic Republic will defend its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, calling them non-negotiable national assets in his first public statement since assuming power after his father's death in the opening strikes of the war. The defiant remarks, delivered as U.S. naval forces blockade Iranian oil exports and global crude prices surge past $126 a barrel, signal Tehran's refusal to compromise on the very capabilities President Donald Trump has sought to dismantle.
The White House informed Congress on Friday that hostilities with Iran have 'terminated,' a declaration that, if accepted, would nullify the impending 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, President Donald Trump asserted that the conflict that began on Feb. 28 ended when a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April, even as the U.S. Navy continues to blockade Iranian oil tankers. The deadline passed without action from Republican lawmakers, who have repeatedly deferred to the president on war powers.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is arguing that its war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, a position that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made during Senate testimony and that would allow the White House to avoid seeking congressional approval under the War Powers Resolution. Democrats and some Republicans say the 60-day deadline for approval still applies, even with the ceasefire extended.
Consumers in the United States are starting to feel higher prices across everyday life as an Iran war pushes up gasoline, diesel and jet fuel costs. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. average gas price hit $4.30 a gallon on Thursday—up from $2.98 before the war began—while diesel is averaging nearly $5.50 a gallon, according to AAA.
U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war between the countries, telling reporters Friday at the White House that he was “not satisfied” and that it was delivered to mediators in Pakistan. The rejection came as a shaky three-week ceasefire appeared to be holding, even as both sides trade accusations of violations.
The White House told congressional leaders Friday that hostilities with Iran have “terminated,” a claim the administration said lets it avoid a May 1 War Powers Resolution deadline to seek approval for continued use of force. The letter, sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, asserts the president’s deadline arguments despite the continuing presence of U.S. forces and an ongoing U.S. blockade connected to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz.
El líder supremo de Irán, ayatolá Moytabá Jamenei, dijo el jueves que la República Islámica protegerá sus “capacidades nucleares y de misiles” y advirtió que la presencia de estadounidenses en el golfo Pérsico sólo correspondería “en el fondo de sus aguas”. Sus declaraciones se producen mientras Estados Unidos evalúa un plan para reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz y mientras continúa un alto el fuego frágil en la guerra.
Activists and labor unions held May Day rallies and street protests across multiple continents on Friday, linking demands for peace and higher wages to rising energy and other costs tied to the Iran war. In Europe, many demonstrators targeted lost purchasing power and called for better working conditions, while in the United States organizers pushed an economic blackout and protested President Donald Trump’s policies.
War-battered Syria is using its position outside the U.S.-Israel war with Iran to rebuild ties with Gulf and Western countries, while portraying the country as a safe corridor for regional transport. Syrians who fled during the conflict said the approach is driven by survival, and officials in Damascus said Syria aims to be a “bridge” and a “pillar” of solutions. The International Crisis Group’s Noah Bonsey said the country’s ability to stay on the sidelines has also depended on U.S. troop withdrawals before the Iran fight began.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Trump administration’s Iran war strategy and a record $1.5 trillion military budget request in his first Capitol Hill testimony since the conflict began, clashing with Democrats who decried the $25 billion cost, the deaths of 165 people — including children — at a bombed school, and the firing of the Army’s top general.
The U.S. economy expanded at a 2% annual rate in the first quarter, rebounding from the 43-day federal government shutdown that depressed growth at the end of 2025, but the outlook for the rest of the year is clouded by the war with Iran, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday.
The U.S. economy rebounded in the first quarter of 2026, growing at a 2% annualized pace after recovering from the fourth-quarter 2025 slowdown and last year's federal government shutdown, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed Thursday to protect the country’s nuclear and missile capabilities, in his first public statement since succeeding his father, and declared that Americans belong only “at the bottom” of the Persian Gulf. The remarks, read on state television, signaled that Iran will not trade away its nuclear or ballistic missile programs as part of any ceasefire deal, and that Tehran intends to maintain its blockade-like control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil usually passes.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran is reducing oil production as the American blockade of its exports strains storage capacity and threatens long-term damage to its aging wells, oil analysts said, with the country potentially facing a full shutdown within weeks.
The U.S. economy continued to expand at a steady pace in early 2026, supported by flush tax refunds and a surge in AI‑related business investment, but surging gasoline prices linked to the Iran war are poised to undercut consumer spending in the months ahead, according to economic data released Thursday and analysis from economists.
A key inflation measure jumped 0.7% in March, pushing the annual rate to 3.5% — the highest in nearly three years — as the Iran war drove gas prices up nearly 21% in a single month, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
Even as the United States and its allies pressure Iran through measures tied to the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade is also starting to threaten Iran’s own oil industry, experts said. With ships filled but unable to leave since April 13, analysts say Iran may face operating limits and storage constraints that could force production cuts in as little as two weeks.
Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Democratic lawmakers during House and Senate Armed Services committee hearings this week over the Trump administration’s Iran war and its military spending request. Democrats pressed him on ballooning costs, depleted U.S. munitions, and a Feb. 28 strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed more than 165 people, while Hegseth said the Pentagon is committed to preventing civilian deaths.
Iran’s supreme leader said in remarks read on state television that the country will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities, as the U.S. maintains a blockade tied to its efforts to ease tensions in the Persian Gulf. The comments by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei came as a U.S. State Department cable called for allies to help build a “maritime freedom construct” for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
A key inflation measure rose in March as gas prices soared, a sign the Iran war is pushing up the cost of living and complicating any timetable for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts. The Commerce Department reported the inflation gauge climbed 0.7% from February and was up 3.5% from a year earlier.
Americans are paying for the Iran war with higher gasoline prices, but recent data suggest some of the economic damage is being offset for now by large tax refunds and an investment boom tied to artificial intelligence. The Commerce Department reported the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge rose 0.7% in March and 3.5% from a year earlier, while the economy kept growing at a steady pace.
The U.S. economy expanded at a modest 2% pace in the first quarter after rebounding from the prior 43-day federal government shutdown, the Commerce Department reported. Consumer spending grew more slowly, while business investment rose, and analysts pointed to an economy split by artificial-intelligence activity and household pressure from high energy costs linked to the Iran war.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced hours of questioning on Wednesday from skeptical Democrats in his first congressional appearance since the Trump administration began its war against Iran. Democrats pressed him and Gen. Dan Caine on the conflict’s rising costs, U.S. munitions drawdowns, and the decision to bomb a school that killed children, while Republicans defended the operation amid ongoing fighting in the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices rose sharply again Wednesday, with markets tracking further tension tied to the Iran conflict as President Donald Trump maintains a blockade of Iranian ships. Treasurys yields climbed and the Federal Reserve said it is continuing to hold off on rate cuts, while several big-company earnings reports helped keep U.S. stocks close to their records.
The Bank of England on Thursday kept its main interest rate on hold at 3.75% and signaled that borrowing costs could rise as it assesses the economic hit from the Iran war and Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Other major central banks also held rates, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank, while they weigh how long conflict-related volatility will last and how it could affect inflation.
The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier will leave the Middle East in the coming days and return to Virginia in mid-May after a record-setting deployment of more than 300 days, two U.S. officials said Wednesday. The deployment included participating in the war against Iran and an operation involving Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the officials said.
Iran’s national rial fell to a record low as a fragile ceasefire with the United States and Israel largely holds but a U.S. naval blockade continues to pressure Iran’s economy, an Associated Press analysis reported Wednesday. The currency slide, reaching 1.8 million to the dollar, risks adding to already high inflation, as many imports—from food and medicine to electronics—are tied to dollar rates.
La economía iraní está bajo presión por más de cinco semanas de bombardeos atribuidos a Estados Unidos e Israel, con daños en fábricas y efectos que amenazan con despidos masivos, según un informe publicado el 29 de abril por Associated Press. En paralelo, los precios de alimentos como el pollo, la carne de res y cordero, y varios lácteos han subido con fuerza, mientras Irán advierte que no reabrirá el estrecho de Ormuz hasta que se levante el bloqueo y termine la guerra.
Iran’s economy has been battered by weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes that have hit factories and disrupted supply chains, damaging manufacturing and raising food prices, a new report says. The United States has also blockaded Iranian ports, threatening to choke imports and exports that bring in revenue, while Iran maintains leverage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report’s interviews and officials.
Wall Street slipped from record highs on Tuesday as shares tied to artificial intelligence fell and oil prices rose on continued uncertainty around the Iran war. The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.9% and the Dow fell slightly, while higher energy costs weighed on sentiment across markets.
The Bank of England kept its main interest rate on hold at 3.75% on Thursday and signaled that policy could turn to hikes as it assesses the economic blow from the Iran war and Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Other major central banks, including the Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank, also held rates this week as they weigh how long conflict-linked volatility may persist and how it will affect inflation.
Marines boarded the Blue Star III during the U.S. blockade of Iranian port activity, the U.S. Central Command said Tuesday, and released the vessel after searching it and confirming it would not call at an Iranian port. The U.S. says the blockade is meant to squeeze Iran amid a ceasefire in the war and as Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz ripple through global shipping.
BP reported first-quarter profit that more than doubled as U.S. gasoline prices climbed again to their highest level since 2022, amid higher energy costs tied to the war in Iran.
Japan’s central bank on April 28 kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.75% as it warned that risks from the war in Iran could push oil and other energy prices higher. The Bank of Japan said the economy was still growing moderately but expected to slow, and it cited the need to closely watch the impact of the Middle East situation.
Indian Capt. Rahul Dhar and his crew have been stranded on their tanker in the Persian Gulf for about eight weeks as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut during the Iran war. The crew has watched drones and missiles explode during the conflict, and some have reported shortages of food and drinking water while staying in contact with families becomes harder.
President Donald Trump relayed details from a private meeting with Britain’s King Charles III during a U.S. state dinner on Tuesday, saying the king agreed that Iran should never be allowed to have nuclear weapons. The remark, made during the dinner honoring Charles and Queen Camilla, prompted mild consternation among British pundits because diplomatic protocol discourages discussing closed-door conversations with the monarch.
Irán propuso poner fin a su control del estrecho de Ormuz a cambio de que Estados Unidos levante el bloqueo y ponga fin a la guerra, según funcionarios regionales. La oferta, transmitida por Pakistán, trasladaría las discusiones sobre el programa nuclear iraní a una etapa posterior, dijeron los funcionarios.
Brenda Obare used to light her stove with a quick turn of the knob in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood. Now, higher costs and disruptions linked to the Iran war often leave her cooking outside with charcoal when LPG, kerosene or electricity are out of reach.
Japan’s central bank on Tuesday kept its benchmark interest rate at 0.75%, citing risks from the war in Iran that are pushing up oil and other energy prices. The decision was expected, but Japan’s monetary policy board voted 6-3 to hold the rate steady.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy is clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil shipments. The push comes amid a tenuous U.S.-Iran ceasefire and is expected to take months, Pentagon officials and outside experts said.
President Donald Trump’s administration is imposing sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and about 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil, the Treasury Department said. The move cuts the firms off from the U.S. financial system and threatens secondary sanctions on others who do business with them.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. will not renew waivers that allow oil sales from Iran and Russia, as global energy markets remain strained by the war in Iran and disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz.
European Union leaders meeting in Cyprus said the Iran war and the resulting disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed the bloc to explore projects that would move energy exports through new routes and avoid choke points. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is ready to work with Persian Gulf countries on alternative infrastructure and to help repair energy sites damaged in the conflict.
President Donald Trump said he ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” small Iranian boats this week as fighting disrupts the Strait of Hormuz. A new Associated Press analysis compares the current risk to shipping with Iran’s 1980s “tanker war” campaign, when Iran targeted vessels during its war with Iraq and U.S. warships escorted Kuwaiti tankers.
Pope Leo XIV urged the United States and Iran to return to talks to end the war as he traveled home from an Africa trip, condemning capital punishment in a press conference aboard the papal plane. He also said countries have the right to control their borders but urged that migrants not be treated “worse than house pets, animals.”
Businesses have paid as much as $4 million for last-minute slots to cross the Panama Canal as the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed amid the Iran war, the Panama Canal Authority said. The rush has driven auction prices and rerouted or repurchased shipments across global supply chains, lawyers and the canal administrator said.
Many airlines have begun canceling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices, and the disruption is arriving as summer travel demand ramps up. Travelers facing cancellations can encounter different rules for refunds, rebooking and compensation depending on where they fly.
Iran’s war has started to ripple through the U.S. consumer economy, pushing up the cost of petroleum-derived materials that go into thousands of everyday goods, an Associated Press report said. In March, a toy maker in Florida said suppliers in China told it polyester and acrylic inputs were 10% to 15% more expensive after the war began. Trade groups and companies also warned that higher oil and petrochemical costs could feed into gasoline prices, shipping costs and retail pricing through late 2026 and into 2027.
The U.S. stock market rose to more records Friday, led by Intel after a blowout profit report, while oil prices swung as traders waited on the next development in the Iran war. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% and topped its previous all-time high, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.6% to a record. Oil prices also fluctuated amid ongoing worries about the Strait of Hormuz.
Pedro Sánchez declined to engage a reported dispute with the United States over whether NATO members could face penalties for not supporting American operations in the Iran war, saying he works from official positions. Speaking at a European Union summit in Cyprus, he said Spain’s stance is “absolute collaboration with the allies” but “always within the framework of international legality.”
President Donald Trump is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan to meet with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, after Araghchi arrived in Islamabad late Friday, the White House said. The talks are aimed at reviving U.S.-Iran ceasefire discussions amid a war that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Online prediction-market platforms drew heavy betting on whether President Donald Trump would take steps tied to the Iran conflict, after his public threats and statements, according to an Associated Press report. The betting included wagers on Polymarket and Kalshi, businesses linked to Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., as well as other Trump-related political questions.
China is acting as an unofficial mediator in diplomacy around the Iran war, a role that has drawn attention as U.S. actions strain Beijing’s long-standing alliances, the Associated Press reported. The report said Washington and Tehran view China as having played a part in efforts to de-escalate the conflict, including urging Iran back to talks via Pakistan. China has not publicly confirmed some accounts of its leverage.
President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” small Iranian boats that deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a day after Iran showed it could disrupt shipping through the channel, according to a post he made Thursday.
US stocks pulled back from record highs on Thursday after mixed profit reports from Tesla and other large companies. Oil prices rose on uncertainty over what happens next in the war with Iran, with Brent briefly trading above $107 a barrel.
President Donald Trump has leaned on naval blockades to pressure Venezuela, Cuba and now Iran, but experts say the Middle East standoff has key differences. They point to Iran’s ability to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz—where about 20% of the world’s oil flows—and to the sustained military challenge it creates. The experts also question whether a blockade can force Tehran to reopen the strait quickly.
Wall Street rallied Wednesday as companies including GE Vernova and Boston Scientific reported profits that beat analysts’ expectations, pushing major U.S. stock indexes to new records. The gains came even as Brent crude climbed above $100 a barrel amid uncertainty about the Iran war and the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
Wall Street has pushed U.S. stocks to fresh records even as the war with Iran continues, helped by easing expectations for global inflation and strong company earnings. The S&P 500 closed Wednesday at 7,137.90, recovering losses from a late-March selloff and extending a record run into a month when investors were still focused on the oil and inflation outlook.
Iran has granted its commanders greater autonomy over some militias in Iraq, allowing certain groups to carry out operations without Tehran’s approval, the Associated Press reported April 21, citing interviews with two militia members and two other officials. The shift, driven by the pressures of the war, reflects a more decentralized command structure in which hard-line factions operate with Iranian advisers, the officials said.
U.S. stocks fell Tuesday as investors weighed uncertainty about what follows a U.S.-Iran ceasefire scheduled to expire Wednesday, while oil prices rose after Trump said the truce would be extended. The S&P 500 finished down 0.6% after swinging earlier, and Brent settled at $98.48, up 3.1%.
Stocks in Asia were mixed Wednesday after Wall Street rallied on hopes the United States and Iran may resume talks to end their war, with oil prices edging lower. Brent crude dipped about 0.2% while U.S. benchmark crude fell 0.4%, helping ease pressure on costs and inflation expectations. In Washington, President Donald Trump said he was extending the ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request while awaiting a “unified proposal” from Tehran.
Asian shares were mixed and oil prices were little changed on Wednesday as investors watched for potential U.S.-Iran talks to end their war. Brent crude edged up to $98.51 a barrel while U.S. benchmark crude fell to $89.29. In the background, markets weighed signs the United States and Iran may resume negotiations, after U.S. Vice President JD Vance called off a trip intended to lead U.S. negotiators in talks.
President Donald Trump has used naval blockades to pressure Venezuela, Cuba and now Iran, but analysts say the situation in the Middle East is not comparable to the Caribbean. Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, they say, could amplify economic pain while also requiring a longer military commitment far from U.S. shores.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States will indefinitely extend its ceasefire with Iran, a day before it was set to expire, after Pakistan requested the change. He said the extension comes as a new round of U.S.-Iran peace talks is on hold, while both countries issue warnings about what could happen if no deal is reached.
The Pentagon said U.S. forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, conducting a “right-of-visit maritime interdiction” of the M/T Tifani “without incident.” The ship was captured in the Bay of Bengal, and a U.S. defense official said it was carrying Iranian oil.
Asian shares ended mixed on Wednesday and oil prices were little changed as investors watched for possible US-Iran talks to end the war, with markets weighing the status of a ceasefire. U.S. benchmark crude slipped while Brent edged up, and investors also focused on moves in global inflation and Treasury yields.
Asian shares were mixed Wednesday as oil prices eased on hopes the United States and Iran could resume talks to end their war. The move followed Wall Street’s rally on similar optimism, with investors watching the cost of energy and the path of inflation.
U.S. military officials on Tuesday urged the Pentagon’s budget for fiscal 2027 to increase spending on drones and air-defense systems that have been central to the war in the Middle East against Iran, according to a briefing with reporters. As part of the administration’s push for a larger overall defense budget, the Pentagon’s proposal calls for more than $74 billion for drones and related technology and over $30 billion for critical munitions including missile interceptors, officials said.
U.K. inflation rose in March as prices at the petrol pump climbed following disruption to energy supplies linked to the Iran war, official figures showed Wednesday. The Office for National Statistics said the annual consumer price inflation rate increased to 3.3% from 3% the previous month.
The U.S. stock market rallied to more records Wednesday as companies including GE Vernova and Boston Scientific reported profits that beat analysts’ expectations. At the same time, Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel amid uncertainty about the war with Iran and how long disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. port blockades will last.
President Donald Trump offered mixed signals Monday about the path forward in the U.S. war against Iran as a 14-day ceasefire set to expire Wednesday, warning that "lots of bombs" will "start going off" if no agreement is reached while also declaring he felt no pressure to conclude the conflict. Tensions flared over the weekend when the U.S. Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship and Iran fired on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, further straining the truce. Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, said his country would not negotiate "under the shadow of threats," while Trump indicated his negotiating team, led by Vice President JD Vance, would proceed with talks in Pakistan.
Oil prices climbed Monday while U.S. stocks gave back a portion of their record-breaking rally, as fresh tensions between Washington and Tehran overshadowed optimism about corporate earnings. The United States had just seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel it said had tried to evade a blockade of Iranian ports. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from its record high for just its second decline in 14 trading days, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped less than 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3% to 24404.39. Brent crude oil climbed 5.6% to $95.48 as investors worried Iran could continue restricting petroleum exports from the Persian Gulf.
The United States seized an Iranian cargo ship attempting to evade a blockade of Iranian ports on Monday, reigniting US-Iran military tensions and sending global oil prices higher. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 5.3% to $95.21 per barrel on concerns Iran might restrict the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. Wall Street stocks declined modestly, with the S&P 500 down 0.3% by midday trading and the Nasdaq down 0.5%.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war stalled again over the weekend as both sides refused to budge on their demands, deepening a standoff that has sent oil prices soaring and strangled Iran's economy. Iran proposed a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade and agreeing to a long-term truce—but notably excluded negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, a core issue for President Donald Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would not accept any agreement that leaves Iran's nuclear capability unresolved. Each side is waiting for the other to concede. With the ceasefire set to extend indefinitely and global energy markets under strain, the diplomatic window is narrowing.
The United States Navy attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday as it attempted to breach a U.S. naval blockade, according to President Donald Trump and the military. Iran's Joint Military Command called the boarding piracy and a violation of a ceasefire set to expire Wednesday, raising doubts about planned diplomatic talks in Pakistan scheduled to begin Monday. The seizure marks the first naval intercept since the U.S. began blockading Iranian ports last week, escalating a standoff that has already killed thousands in a conflict now in its eighth week.
U.K. police said Sunday they are investigating whether a string of arson attacks on Jewish sites in London over the past month are the work of Iranian proxies. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said counterterror officers are probing fires at synagogues, Jewish charity ambulances, and an attack on a Persian-language media company critical of Iran's government. No one has been injured in any of the incidents, the latest of which caused minor damage to a north London synagogue on Saturday night.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it has fully closed the Strait of Hormuz until a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is lifted and warned ships approaching the waterway would be targeted. The Associated Press reported the closure followed Iran’s reversal of a prior reopening, with Iran firing on ships attempting to pass amid a standoff tied to the wider war that began Feb. 28.
A 44-year-old Los Angeles woman was arrested Saturday night at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and ammunition between Iran and the Sudanese Armed Forces, federal prosecutors said Sunday. Shamim Mafi, an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident in 2016, was taken into custody as Sudan enters its fourth year of civil war. According to a criminal complaint, Mafi operated a company in Oman through which she allegedly trafficked the weapons with an unnamed co-conspirator.
The United States Navy seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, the first interception since launching a new blockade of Iranian ports last week. Iran's joint military command said the boarding violated the ceasefire and called it an act of piracy, vowing swift response. The seizure raised immediate questions about planned diplomatic talks set to begin Monday in Pakistan as the ceasefire moves toward expiration Wednesday.
Oil prices surged Sunday as a US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz prevented tanker traffic, renewing fears about global energy supplies. U.S. crude oil increased 6.4% to $87.90 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed 5.8% to $95.64 per barrel, according to trading data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The jump followed Iran's reversal of a decision to reopen the critical waterway after President Donald Trump said a U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect.
Schools across Iran have remained closed for seven weeks since the United States and Israel launched a war on Feb. 28, leaving families navigating childcare and educational challenges with no announced timeline for reopening. Working parents like Mahnaz Ataei, a finance manager in Tehran, have brought their children to the office to supervise online classes while trying to maintain productivity. The fragile ceasefire has shifted the crisis from immediate aerial threat to the grinding logistics of displacement and remote learning.
As the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran squeezes global oil supplies, travelers planning summer vacations face escalating costs: jet fuel prices have soared from roughly $99 a barrel in late February to as high as $209 in early April, forcing airlines to raise fares and add fuel surcharges. The International Energy Agency warned that European countries could run low on jet fuel within weeks, prompting carriers including Air Canada, United, Delta, and Air France-KLM to reduce routes and raise ticket prices.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday extended its pause on sanctions against Russian oil shipments to ease shortages from the Iran war, contradicting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's public denial of such a move three days earlier. The so-called general license exempts U.S. sanctions for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that had been loaded on tankers as of Friday.
The Iran war's disruption of global energy supplies is prompting Asian and African nations to rapidly expand nuclear power generation, both by increasing output at existing reactors and by launching ambitious long-term plans to build new plants across the regions hardest hit by the conflict.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and fired on multiple ships attempting passage, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced, escalating a standoff over the US blockade of Iranian ports as an eight-week war approaches its ceasefire deadline. The Iranian military said no vessels would be permitted through the crucial waterway until the US lifts its blockade, warning that "any movement from the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman toward the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy" and would be attacked. Through the strait, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil normally passes.
Iran announced Friday it reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, but questions lingered about whether ships actually had freedom to transit as the United States maintained its blockade. The waterway carries about 20% of the world's oil and has been blocked by U.S. Navy forces since Monday as part of pressure in an ongoing conflict that has killed thousands across Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and the Gulf region.
School closures have disrupted the lives of Iranian families since the U.S.-Israel war began on February 28, leaving working parents to supervise their children's online classes while juggling employment. A fragile ceasefire now in effect is expected to expire early next week, leaving families uncertain whether schools will reopen or the conflict will reignite.
Oil prices plummeted Friday after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is open again for commercial shipping, sending U.S. stocks to record highs and suggesting the grinding Iran war may be nearing an end. The S&P 500 jumped 1.2% to an all-time high, the Dow surged 1.8%, and the Nasdaq climbed 1.5%. Oil futures for U.S. crude dropped 9.4% to settle at $82.59 per barrel, while Brent crude fell 9.1% to $90.38.
Air Canada will suspend service between Toronto and Montreal and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for nearly five months beginning June 1, the Montreal-based carrier said Friday, as jet fuel prices that have doubled since the start of the war in Iran render certain routes unprofitable. Flights to JFK will resume Oct. 25. Service to LaGuardia and Newark airports will continue.
President Donald Trump and Iran's foreign minister announced Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was fully open to commercial vessels after nearly seven weeks of war, sending oil prices down 10% and stock markets rallying. But motorists hoping for relief at the pump will likely wait weeks or months, as gasoline prices historically fall far more slowly than the crude oil that powers them.
Colombia’s environment minister, Irene Vélez Torres, said the war in the Middle East should speed the global energy transition away from oil, gas and coal. Speaking to The Associated Press on Thursday, Vélez argued that instability in energy markets creates pressure to accelerate efforts toward solar, wind and geothermal instead of delaying them.
Asia-Pacific stocks traded mixed Wednesday as a Wall Street rally helped set a steadier tone, while oil prices slid slightly on hopes that the United States and Iran could resume talks to end their war. The easing in crude prices also fed through to bond markets, with the 10-year Treasury yield falling.
China’s economy expanded 5% in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to data released Thursday by the Chinese government. The growth came as the Iran war, now in its seventh week, pushed energy prices higher and worsened inflation, analysts said. Officials also reported March industrial output rose 5.7% year-on-year and retail sales rose 1.7%.
The World Health Organization said vaccination progress across Africa is slowing, warning that cuts to U.S. global health aid and disruptions tied to the Iran war could leave millions of children unprotected. WHO said more than 500 million children have been reached through routine immunization since 2000, but it warned that funding shortfalls are already forcing some programs to scale back.
International Energy Agency Director Fatih Birol warned Thursday that Europe had "maybe six weeks" of remaining jet fuel supplies as the Iran war's continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz cut off roughly 40% of the continent's jet fuel imports, with some countries already holding less than 20 days of coverage. The warning came as Iran's foreign minister said tankers and other commercial vessels could again pass unimpeded through the strait — briefly lifting oil markets — but President Donald Trump said the United States would continue its blockade of Iranian ships entering or leaving the waterway until Washington and Tehran reached a deal to end the war, which began Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel attacked Iran.
The House voted 213-214 on Thursday to reject a resolution requiring President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from the war with Iran, one day after the Senate defeated a similar measure. The vote came as the War Powers Act's 60-day authorization deadline approaches at the end of April, a clock that started when U.S. and Israeli forces struck Iran on Feb. 28.
The U.S. military expanded its blockade of Iran beyond Persian Gulf ports Thursday to allow forces worldwide to stop any ship tied to Tehran or suspected of carrying supplies — from weapons and oil to metals and electronics — that could aid the Iranian government, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced at the Pentagon. U.S. forces in other areas of responsibility "will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran," Caine said.
Europe has approximately six weeks of jet fuel remaining, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol warned Thursday, saying flight cancellations could follow "soon" if the Iran war continues to block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
More than 5.83 million Haitians are expected to face acute levels of hunger between March and June, according to an international food-security report released Thursday, but officials warn that modest recent gains may soon be reversed by fuel price increases linked to the war in Iran. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification — the leading international authority on hunger crises — said the figure represents a slight decline from a previous estimate of 5.91 million, or more than half of Haiti's population. Nearly 1.9 million Haitians face emergency-level hunger, down slightly from a projected 2 million.
U.S. President Donald Trump publicly broke with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni this week, saying their bond had frayed after she declined to back the U.S.-Israel war on Iran and called his attack on Pope Leo XIV "unacceptable." Analysts said the rupture could benefit Meloni at home, where rising energy costs tied to the war have strained her government and Trump has grown broadly unpopular across Europe.
Pope Leo XIV on April 14 pushed back on President Donald Trump’s criticism of the Vatican’s approach to the war in Iran, telling reporters he was “not afraid of the Trump administration” and that the pope’s mission was grounded in the Gospel. Trump, meanwhile, used posts on Truth Social to describe Leo as “Weak” and to say Leo owed his position to Trump, as the two men increasingly engaged each other publicly over the conflict.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday suspended the federal fuel excise tax in his first act after securing a majority government, citing sharp fuel-price increases linked to the Iran war. The suspension starts next Monday and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 7.
The Republican-led Senate voted 47 to 52 on Wednesday to reject a Democratic resolution requiring U.S. forces to withdraw from the Iran war unless Congress authorizes further action — the fourth time this year the chamber has declined to halt the conflict. The vote came as lawmakers from both parties acknowledged a statutory deadline arriving at the end of April.
Shares in Asia were mixed Wednesday after a Wall Street rally that tracked easing oil prices, as traders looked to hopes the United States and Iran may resume talks to end their war. Oil prices edged down, led by lower Brent, while investors watched for signs of diplomatic progress. The shift came alongside new comments by President Donald Trump about extending a ceasefire with Iran.
U.S. stocks rallied to the edge of an all-time high Tuesday, as oil prices eased on hopes the United States and Iran could pursue a new round of talks to end their war. The S&P 500 added 1.2% and was 0.2% below its January record, while the Dow rose 0.7% and the Nasdaq climbed 2%, following gains in markets worldwide.
China’s economy expanded 5% year over year in the first quarter, according to data released Thursday, as the country largely shrugged off early effects from the Iran war. The government’s January-March figures came in stronger than economists expected, and officials and economists said the outlook depends on whether higher energy prices and weaker global demand persist.
Diplomats worked Tuesday through back channels to arrange a new round of talks between the United States and Iran after Washington enacted a blockade of Iranian ports. U.S. President Donald Trump said a second round of talks could happen “over the next two days,” while U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said it is “highly probable” talks will restart, as negotiations with Hezbollah-linked conflict continued to ripple across the region.
The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that the Iran war has stalled the world economy’s momentum and likely pushed growth lower compared with 2025. The IMF cut its forecast for global growth for 2026 to 3.1%, while raising its outlook for global inflation to 4.4%, citing sharply higher oil and gas prices. The fund also warned that if energy shocks spill into next year, global growth could fall further.
Geneva hosts the annual Watches and Wonders fair starting Tuesday, but the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran has added uncertainty for the luxury watch industry, Swiss analysts say. The conflict has contributed to higher energy prices, disrupted air travel and shipping, and renewed inflation pressures that can affect demand for high-end timepieces, according to reporting ahead of the show.
U.S. wholesale prices rose in March as the Iran war pushed up energy costs, according to Labor Department data. The producer price index climbed 0.5% from February and 4% from March 2025, with energy prices up 8.5% from February. The report further complicates the Federal Reserve’s effort to manage inflation while President Donald Trump has pressed for lower interest rates.
Bank of America and Morgan Stanley on Wednesday reported sharply higher first-quarter profits, as market turmoil fueled in part by the ongoing war in Iran drove surging activity on Wall Street trading desks. Morgan Stanley posted a record quarter across its entire business, with net income of $5.6 billion and earnings per share of $3.43 — both up 30% from the same period last year. Bank of America's trading desk did not record a single daily loss during the quarter, its best equity sales and trading performance in the bank's history.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Wednesday that the United States would impose secondary sanctions on financial institutions doing business with Iran, calling the planned economic measures the "financial equivalent" of the military bombing campaign. The announcement came as a U.S.-Iran ceasefire was set to expire the following week, with negotiations over a broader agreement still unresolved. The Treasury Department had sent letters a day earlier to financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, warning them that handling Iranian money could subject them to U.S. sanctions.
Vice President JD Vance drew a partly empty arena and criticism from some conservative attendees Wednesday at a Turning Point USA forum in Athens, Georgia, one day after returning from a Pakistan trip that failed to produce a ceasefire in the U.S. war with Iran, the Associated Press reported.
Vice President JD Vance traveled to Athens, Georgia on Wednesday for a Turning Point USA campus forum intended to showcase conservative youth energy, but found a mostly empty arena and pointed questions from attendees who said President Donald Trump's ongoing war with Iran, a social media meme depicting Trump as Jesus Christ, and his public clashes with Pope Leo XIV had cost him their support. Attendees at the University of Georgia venue were outnumbered more than 2-to-1 by empty seats, the Associated Press reported — a stark contrast to the overflow rallies the organization helped organize during Trump's 2024 campaign. Vance arrived in Georgia fresh from a trip to Pakistan that failed to produce a deal to end the war with Iran.
The U.S. Navy's sea blockade against Iran showed early signs of effectiveness Wednesday, with the head of U.S. Central Command saying American forces have "completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea." Shipping data firms confirmed that Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels leaving the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz have turned around or halted, though some appeared to manipulate their location signals. Iran's joint military commander warned that Tehran would move to block all exports and imports across the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea if Washington does not lift the blockade.
Asian shares were mixed Wednesday as oil prices eased on hopes the United States and Iran may resume talks to end their war. The move followed a Wall Street rally and comes as President Donald Trump said he is extending the ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request while waiting for a “unified proposal” from Tehran.
China’s exports grew 2.5% in March from a year earlier, a sharp slowdown from the prior two months, according to data released by China’s customs agency. The Associated Press reported the increase came as uncertainties tied to the Iran war began to affect energy prices and global demand, and as tariffs and U.S.-China tensions continued to strain shipments to the United States.
El precio del petróleo retomó su escalada y la mayoría de los mercados globales bajaron el lunes mientras el ejército de Estados Unidos se preparaba para bloquear el tráfico hacia y desde puertos iraníes y el estrecho de Ormuz. El presidente Donald Trump anunció el plan de bloqueo naval tras concluir conversaciones de alto el fuego con Irán en Pakistán sin acuerdo. En ese contexto, el crudo estadounidense subió 7,4% y el Brent también ganó alrededor de 7,4%, mientras varias bolsas europeas y asiáticas retrocedieron.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that American forces have begun a blockade of Iranian ports as Washington pushes Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept terms to end a war that has raged for more than six weeks. Iran responded with threats affecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, raising risks to shipping and global oil prices.
China could see commercial opportunities from the Iran war as global energy disruptions speed up a shift toward clean technologies and renewable power, experts said. Asia-bound oil and gas disruptions have strained supplies and raised fuel prices in the U.S. and Europe while countries scramble to conserve energy. China leads global exports of batteries, solar components and electric vehicles, and investors are already positioning for higher demand for low-emissions products.
In remarks Monday outside the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald Trump said the American military has blockaded all of Iran’s ports, raising the stakes after ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without agreement. Iran responded by threatening other ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with the two-week ceasefire set to expire April 22. The latest escalation centers on whether the rival sides can reach assurances on Iran’s nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global traffic.
President Donald Trump said a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began Monday after talks aimed at a ceasefire ended without a deal, raising questions about how the U.S. would enforce restrictions near the Strait of Hormuz and whether the tactic can withstand scrutiny under international law. Experts said enforcing a blockade would require sustained Navy resources, clear guidance for how restrictions would work in practice, and decisions about whether humanitarian relief can reach Iranian ports.
In the Iran war, Donald Trump has repeatedly declared victory and rejected the idea that the conflict’s outcome has gone against the United States, an approach also described in interviews and commentary by former aides, advisers and authors. With a ceasefire in place, the president says U.S. goals were accomplished while describing changing conditions around Iran’s leadership and the Strait of Hormuz, according to AP. The analysis also traces the “win” framing to Trump’s earlier political and business years, including references to his advisers and to lawyer Roy Cohn’s influence.
The war in Iran is pulling U.S. military assets and attention away from Asia ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned summit with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, according to U.S. and regional figures. Critics say the distraction comes at a time when Beijing could move against Taiwan, while other officials argue sequential pressure on China-linked adversaries is the point.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti — Rising fuel costs tied to the war in Iran are forcing Haitians to cut back on already scarce food and rely more on walking and other coping strategies as transportation becomes more expensive, an Associated Press report said. The Haitian government announced April 2 fuel price increases, and humanitarian groups warn the changes risk worsening acute food insecurity and strain aid delivery amid gang violence.
U.S. Central Command said it will begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. The announcement came after President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy would swiftly start the blockade, even as CENTCOM said traffic would still be allowed to transit the strait if it does not call at Iranian ports.
U.S. stocks rose toward an all-time high Tuesday as oil prices eased amid hopes the United States and Iran could try again on talks to end their war. The rally followed gains for stock markets worldwide as diplomats worked through back channels to arrange a new round of talks, and as investors looked to upcoming corporate profit growth.
Oil prices rose in early trading Sunday after the U.S. said it would enforce a blockade of Iranian ports beginning Monday. The U.S. Central Command said it would apply the measure “impartially” and still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The long-term fallout of the Iran war is playing out across multiple fronts as the U.S. and Iran move into face-to-face talks in Pakistan during a tenuous ceasefire. Associated Press reporting describes a Middle East left unsettled, alliances strained, and economic and military power shifting amid uncertainty about what a ceasefire can actually cover.
U.S. military forces said they blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, killing five people and leaving one survivor. President Donald Trump said Sunday that after ceasefire talks with Iran ended without an agreement, the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, involving Iranian ports.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces shot down Iranian-made Shahed drones in multiple Middle Eastern countries during Iran’s war, presenting the operation as part of a broader effort to help partners counter the same weapons Russia uses in Ukraine.
A Palestinian man was killed Saturday in the West Bank during a renewed wave of violence that has left 22 people dead since the start of the Iran war, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Israel’s military said it responded to a violent riot in Deir Jarir, northeast of Ramallah, in which a soldier in the reserves shot a Palestinian man, later identified as Ali Majed Hamadneh.
Vice President JD Vance said the United States and Iran ended 21-hour face-to-face ceasefire talks in Islamabad without reaching an agreement, leaving the fate of a fragile two-week truce unclear. Vance said the talks ended after Iranian officials refused a U.S. demand for an “affirmative commitment” that Iran would not pursue a nuclear weapon.
China Central Television released an AI-generated animated short that draws an allegory for the war in Iran and depicts the United States as an attacker in a martial-arts style fight. The clip has spread widely online after the state broadcaster posted it on social media and an X user subtitled and shared it.
March’s consumer inflation accelerated sharply to 3.3% year over year as gas prices surged after the Iran war, the U.S. Labor Department reported April 10. The increase complicates efforts by the Federal Reserve to keep inflation near its 2% target, while also straining household budgets and pushing down consumer sentiment.
President Donald Trump’s search for an off-ramp from the war with Iran is reopening fissures among Republicans, even as a ceasefire that was announced earlier this week faces uncertainty. An internal push for talks and approval mechanisms is colliding with public threats and division over whether to negotiate with Tehran.
Pope Leo XIV has directly criticized President Donald Trump’s conduct over the Iran war as a fragile ceasefire took hold this week, saying Trump’s belligerence was “truly unacceptable.” The Vatican’s pope and the U.S. administration have long overlapped on religion and politics, but their latest public clash has put U.S. Christians and Catholic leaders in the middle.
Calls are growing in Congress for investigations into Polymarket after the platform’s users placed large, highly timed bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire shortly before President Donald Trump announced it late Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that newly created accounts placed the trades in the minutes before the ceasefire announcement.
Vice President JD Vance warned Iran not to “play” the U.S. as he departed for mediated talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the war between the U.S. and Iran. The talks come as a temporary ceasefire involving Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah appears near collapse.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is set to travel to Pakistan for high-level talks with Iranian officials, as a ceasefire in the Iran war remains shaky and Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim agency said negotiations planned for Saturday would not proceed unless Israel stops attacks in Lebanon, while President Donald Trump said Iran has little leverage beyond restricting ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The threats from President Donald Trump to “wipe” Iran from the map and warnings that “a whole civilization” could die prompted Democrats to demand stronger limits on his ability to conduct further attacks, according to Associated Press reporting. After Trump later accepted a two-week ceasefire, Democrats pressed Republicans to join them on a proposal requiring congressional approval before additional Iran actions. Senior Democrats also said their offices were flooded with calls and messages from constituents urging Trump be removed.
Pro-Iran groups have used artificial intelligence to create English-language internet memes aimed at influencing how the Iran war is discussed, according to analysts. The content has portrayed U.S. President Donald Trump in derisive ways and has spread across social platforms, with some analysts saying the sophistication points to connections to Iranian government offices.
El general Dan Caine y otros funcionarios estadounidenses dijeron que en las semanas de combates contra Irán se degradó gran parte de su capacidad militar, citando cifras de ataques a defensas aéreas, marina e industria de armamento. Pero datos independientes y la propia falta de detalle sobre qué queda de esas defensas apuntan a que Teherán conserva parte de su capacidad, ya sea para contraatacar o defenderse tras el alto el fuego anunciado entre ambos países.
Millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians observed Good Friday on April 10 in Addis Ababa, with celebrations dampened by fuel scarcity and rising food prices tied to the Iran war, the Associated Press reported. The shortages are affecting travel and a traditional communal ritual involving the slaughter of animals, residents said.
Pope Leo XIV on Friday condemned the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, telling Chaldean bishops in Iraq that “God does not bless any conflict.” Speaking in Rome during a meeting of top Chaldean Catholic Church prelates, the pope urged them to proclaim that Christ’s peace is incompatible with those who “drop bombs.” The Vatican also posted the remarks on the pope’s official X account.
Iranians welcomed a fragile ceasefire deal that took effect Wednesday after weeks of Israeli and American bombardment, providing relative quiet in Tehran. But many residents said the truce feels temporary and that major issues remain unresolved, including tensions tied to Israel’s fight with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran’s refusal to fully open the Strait of Hormuz.
Democrats in Congress have escalated their calls to remove President Donald Trump from office after he threatened to wipe out Iran, with lawmakers saying they want tighter legal limits on any further attacks even as a near-term impeachment effort remains difficult. The episode followed Trump’s later agreement to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, but Democrats said his rhetoric and the risk it posed should be met with stronger accountability.
President Donald Trump’s Iran war policy has triggered backlash among some European far-right and conservative leaders who had previously cultivated ties with his administration, an Associated Press report said. The rift intensified as Vice President JD Vance visited Hungary for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of a vote this weekend, while European nationalists criticized the war’s goals and rhetoric.
U.S. military leaders say they have struck more than 13,000 targets in Iran since fighting began, with claims that most air defenses, the navy and many weapons-factory sites were hit or degraded. Gen. Dan Caine said the U.S. has destroyed about 80% of Iran’s air-defense systems and sunk more than 90% of Iran’s regular navy fleet, but he and other officials also acknowledged remaining Iranian capabilities. The figures are part of the Trump administration’s broader messaging during a ceasefire window that is also setting up talks this weekend in Pakistan.
U.S. stocks rose Thursday, trimming losses after a volatile start, while oil prices pared gains amid optimism following a late-Tuesday ceasefire announcement in the war with Iran. The S&P 500 finished up 0.6% as investors weighed spillover risks after Israel’s prime minister authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon.
Iranian Americans in the United States described fear and uncertainty after President Donald Trump issued threats toward Iran and then agreed to a two-week ceasefire in the war, according to interviews. Many said they are trying to assess whether relatives in Iran are safe, while others said the prospect of renewed fighting is forcing painful conversations at home.
Beijing is calculating how far to involve itself in efforts to end the Iran-U.S. war after a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement held “for now,” an Associated Press report said. As President Donald Trump prepares for a trip to China, the report described Chinese behind-the-scenes efforts aimed at pushing Iran back toward negotiations and discouraging strikes. It also said talks between U.S. and Iran officials are expected to begin in Pakistan this weekend.
Iranian Americans reacted with whiplash after President Donald Trump threatened Iran, then agreed to a fragile two-week ceasefire—leaving many worried about family in Iran and anxious about what comes next. In protests in cities including Austin, Texas, and across the country, some urged an end to the war, while others described fear and moral unease over the conflict’s civilian toll.
Texas produced nearly half of all U.S. oil last year, even as the state drilled fewer new wells in 2025, helping keep American supply steady as global flows were squeezed during the Iran war. A report from the Energy Information Administration said U.S. companies produced 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, with 6.6 million barrels per day from the Permian Basin.
Rising jet fuel prices tied to Middle East conflict and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz are pushing airlines to raise fares and fees while cutting or reshaping flight schedules, the Associated Press reported. Executives at major U.S. carriers said fuel swings make planning difficult even when prices fall, with added baggage charges and new pricing restrictions beginning to show up for travelers.
The U.S. military has told reporters it has struck more than 13,000 targets in Iran since the ceasefire with the United States was announced, including air defenses, ballistic-missile sites, drones and naval assets. Gen. Dan Caine said the strikes destroyed most air defenses and sank most of Iran’s regular navy, while defense officials said Israel’s air defenses intercepted more than 90% of drones or missiles. The figures come as U.S. and Israeli officials acknowledge that Iran retains some capabilities.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that the Iran war is darkening the outlook for the world economy, even if a fragile ceasefire holds. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the fund will downgrade its forecast for global growth next week as energy costs rise and supply disruptions ripple across food and business confidence.
President Donald Trump agreed to a 14-day ceasefire with Iran after a deadline warning that if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. would strike critical Iranian infrastructure. The shift came as intermediaries led by Pakistan worked to avert further escalation, with China and Iranian and U.S. officials also involved behind the scenes.
Oil prices fell below $95 a barrel and stock markets surged worldwide Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled back from his threat to destroy Iran. The S&P 500 jumped 2.5%, the Dow rose 1,325 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2.8% following a two-week ceasefire announcement made just before a deadline tied to the Strait of Hormuz.
A tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war — announced by the Trump administration and tied to terms for the Strait of Hormuz — appears to be in jeopardy after Iran accused the United States of major violations. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that each side’s public descriptions of key issues, from Hormuz shipping to nuclear enrichment and possible steps involving Israel’s attacks in Lebanon, do not match.
The ceasefire that took effect Wednesday after a tentative, 2-week deal has raised hopes of halting hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States, though key issues remain unresolved. A permanent agreement will be pivotal for ending a war that has shaken the Middle East and global energy markets, with major differences still separating Washington, Tehran’s leadership and Israel’s priorities.
Tehrān, Iran, and Washington warned on Wednesday that a fragile US-Iran ceasefire deal to pause the fighting appeared threatened as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, complicating follow-on peace talks. Israel intensified strikes in Lebanon, hitting commercial and residential areas in Beirut, as Iran and U.S. officials traded claims about whether the truce covered Lebanon.
Hackers backing Tehran said a shaky U.S.-Israel-Iran ceasefire will not stop their retaliatory cyberattacks, warning that U.S. and Israeli targets should take the threat seriously. A group known as Handala said it would temporarily pause attacks on America but continue targeting Israel, and experts warned the pause could shift cyber activity toward U.S. organizations involved in the conflict. The warning came as U.S. authorities issued an advisory about Iran-aligned hackers targeting internet-connected industrial control systems.
Un acuerdo de alto el fuego para pausar los combates con Irán “pendía de un hilo” el miércoles, mientras Irán volvió a cerrar el estrecho de Ormuz y Israel intensificó ataques contra Hezbollah en Líbano. El cierre de la vía clave para el comercio de petróleo y gas generó presión sobre Estados Unidos para reabrirla mientras buscaba mantener las conversaciones de paz. En paralelo, el gobierno de Líbano reportó decenas de muertos en nuevos bombardeos en Beirut y varios gobiernos del Golfo emitieron avisos por misiles y drones.
A group of new Polymarket accounts made time-sensitive bets Tuesday on whether the United States and Iran would reach a ceasefire shortly after Donald Trump issued threats over the Strait of Hormuz. An analysis of publicly available blockchain data shows at least 50 newly funded wallets placed substantial “Yes” bets before Trump announced the ceasefire.
President Donald Trump renewed complaints about NATO after a closed-door meeting with the alliance’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, in Washington on Wednesday. The meeting came amid a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after Trump had raised threats against Iran and suggested NATO may not help if the conflict returns.
Oil prices plunged below $100 a barrel and Asia markets and U.S. stock futures rose after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to market data cited by The Associated Press. Futures for U.S. crude oil dropped 14.3% to $96.83 a barrel, while the Nikkei 225 and Kospi both climbed sharply.
President Donald Trump’s widened Iran conflict is drawing open revulsion from European nationalist leaders and fracturing alliances that had helped unify parts of the U.S. far-right and Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, an Associated Press report said. The rift comes as Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces an election this weekend and U.S. Vice President JD Vance stumps in support.
In remarks ahead of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the Iran war has darkened the world economy’s outlook and that the IMF will downgrade its global growth forecast next week. She said the war is pushing up energy prices, damaging energy infrastructure, disrupting fertilizer shipments, and hurting business and consumer confidence. Georgieva added that growth will be slower even if a ceasefire proves durable.
U.S. stocks rose Thursday as oil prices gave back some of their earlier gains, with traders pointing to optimism for a ceasefire in the war with Iran. The S&P 500 ended up 0.6%, the Dow added 275 points, and the Nasdaq rose 0.8%, even after early losses at the start of the session.
President Donald Trump used language of “annihilation” to warn Iran against failing to make a deal that would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” The remarks drew condemnation from Democrats, some Republicans and Pope Leo XIV, and renewed questions about whether threats to strike civilian infrastructure could amount to war crimes.
President Donald Trump’s statements about his administration’s plans for Iran — including threats to target bridges and power infrastructure — have prompted international-law questions about whether such actions could violate laws of armed conflict. Lawyers and U.N. officials said any attack on infrastructure would depend on whether it is a legitimate military target and whether the expected civilian harm is excessive.
El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump dijo el martes que revertirá sus amenazas de lanzar ataques contra Irán después de que Washington y Teherán acordaron una tregua de dos semanas, que incluye la reapertura del estrecho de Ormuz. Irán informó que aceptó el alto el fuego e iniciaría negociaciones con Estados Unidos en Pakistán a partir del viernes, aunque el acuerdo no detuvo los ataques en Israel, Irán y la región al inicio de la tregua.
President Donald Trump has postponed a deadline for Iran to reach a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, setting a new deadline for Tuesday evening, while saying earlier extensions were enough. In the days leading up to the latest push, Trump threatened strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure and said “hell will fall” on Iran if there is no agreement, as Iran rejected a proposed cease-fire, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
Delta Air Lines said it will raise checked baggage fees beginning Wednesday, moving most domestic and short-haul international passengers to $45 for a first checked bag, $55 for a second and $200 for a third. The carrier cited higher jet fuel costs linked to the war in the Middle East and said it is reviewing pricing across its business.
Iranians in Tehran prepared Tuesday for the possibility of power outages and broader attacks as U.S. President Donald Trump neared a deadline for a new deal that includes Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Three times a week, Asghar Hashemi undergoes dialysis treatment and said he fears his life would be at risk if power stations are knocked out.
President Donald Trump said he would suspend his threatened attack against Iran less than two hours before the Tuesday 8 p.m. ET deadline he set for Tehran, after weeks of deadline delays and escalating public threats. On Truth Social, Trump said he would withhold “the bombing and attack of Iran” for two weeks, subject to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian officials said they accepted a two-week ceasefire.
President Donald Trump said Monday he could target Iran’s power plants and bridges in a bid to force it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an approach that legal experts say could violate laws of armed conflict. A United Nations spokesman warned that attacking such infrastructure is banned under international law, while a U.S. defense law expert said the threat did not account for civilian harm. Democrats in Congress and others criticized the broad rhetoric as unlawful, as shipping in the strait remained heavily disrupted.
In a sharp de-escalation, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled back threats of devastating strikes on Iran late Tuesday, as the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it accepted the ceasefire and that talks would move forward with the United States beginning in Pakistan on Friday.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned in his annual shareholder letter that a lingering war in Iran could disrupt global energy markets and reignite inflation pressures. Dimon said inflation could act as a “skunk at the party,” potentially keeping Federal Reserve interest rates higher for longer. While he described the U.S. economy as resilient, he linked geopolitical turmoil to supply-chain disruptions and higher costs across parts of the economy.
Israel attacked Iran’s South Pars natural gas and associated petrochemical complex for a second time, the Associated Press reported April 6. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the target was a petrochemical plant at Asaluyeh on the Iranian side of the Persian Gulf field.
Associated Press reporters traveled from Iran’s northwest to Tehran, crossing into the country from Turkey and seeing both damaged sites and continuing routines amid the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran. In Zanjan, Iranian officials said an airstrike hit a husseiniyah, killing two people and damaging a clinic and a library, according to provincial officials. In Tehran, AP reported destroyed government buildings and police stations, checkpoints, and the continued availability of subsidized fuel.
President Donald Trump said U.S. forces rescued a two-man F-15 Strike Eagle crew downed deep inside Iran and described the operation in unusual detail during a Monday news conference at the White House. Trump said the pilot was recovered within hours and the second aviator was found days later after a search that relied on helicopters, fighter aircraft and CIA technology as U.S. forces used deception to mislead Iranian efforts.
U.S. President Donald Trump expanded his threat against Iran to include all power plants and bridges as his ultimatum for a deal neared, after Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal. The U.S. also warned Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping or face strikes, while Israel carried out new attacks including a major petrochemical plant and the killing of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard intelligence chief.
Iran’s government is detaining family members of Iranian opposition figures in exile and threatening to seize their property, activists overseas told The Associated Press. The threats come as war with the United States and Israel intensifies and as Iran’s crackdown expands to intimidate people who speak to outside media.
El derribo de dos aviones militares estadounidenses por parte de Irán es un hecho “sumamente inusual” para Washington, según Associated Press, y rompe una racha de más de 20 años sin aviones de combate derribados en combate por enemigos. Los incidentes ocurren cinco semanas después de los primeros bombardeos de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán, y después de que el presidente Donald Trump dijera que la capacidad de Teherán para lanzar misiles y drones estaba “drásticamente limitada”.
The United States carried out a rescue operation in Iran to retrieve a U.S. aviator whose fighter jet was shot down, according to an Associated Press report. The CIA ran a deception campaign inside Iran while U.S. officials said they remained silent for more than a day to protect the effort, as rescuers extracted the injured pilot and searched for a second crew member hiding in the mountains.
Europe’s finance ministers from five countries are urging the European Union to impose an EU-wide windfall tax or “profit caps” on energy companies, warning that surging oil and gas prices tied to the Iran conflict will fuel inflation and strain households, according to a letter made public by Spain’s economy minister. Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said Saturday that his counterparts from Germany, Italy, Portugal and Austria had signed the letter to the European Commission.
The Trump administration has revoked the green cards or U.S. visas of at least four Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government, the State Department said. Among those affected are relatives of Qassem Soleimani that the government said were arrested by immigration agents and placed in ICE custody.
President Donald Trump, in his first live address to Americans about the war in Iran, said the conflict had left Iran “decimated” and claimed U.S. forces were “unstoppable.” As the war enters its sixth week, developments including the shooting down of a U.S. fighter jet and reports that an aircraft was hit by Iranian air defenses have underscored the unpredictability of warfare.
Rising mortgage rates due to the war in Iran are impacting the housing market, even as other trends create a more favorable environment for homebuyers. Increased energy prices are Heightening inflation concerns, which are pushing up Treasury bond yields and, subsequently, mortgage rates.
Iran shot down two American military aircraft in the Iran war, the U.S. says, including an F-15E Strike Eagle with one crew member rescued and a second still missing. The incident marks an exceedingly rare assault for the United States, with the last combat loss of a U.S. warplane to enemy fire more than 20 years ago. The attacks came amid intensified U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which President Donald Trump has described as having curtailed Tehran’s ability to launch missiles and drones.
European finance ministers led by Spain urged the European Union to impose a bloc-wide windfall tax on energy companies, warning that oil and gas price surges tied to Iran war could stoke inflation. Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said the ministers had signed a letter to the European Commission dated Friday and made public Saturday, arguing the burden should be shared fairly. The ministers cited earlier EU “solidarity” measures and warned that households could face renewed strain as disruption threatens fuel markets.
The Trump administration has revoked green cards or U.S. visas for at least four Iranian nationals connected to Iran’s current or former government, Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided this week, the State Department said. The latest actions include the arrest of Qassem Soleimani’s niece and her daughter, who are now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, according to the department.
President Donald Trump told Americans during a White House address Wednesday that “We’ve beaten and completely decimated Iran,” describing the country as “decimated both militarily and economically and in every other way.” His certainty is being tested by developments including the loss of a U.S. fighter jet shot down in Iran on Friday and reports that Iranian air defenses hit another U.S. aircraft. As the war enters its sixth week, European leaders and some U.S. Republicans are also pushing for a broader coalition as Trump’s approach keeps allies at arm’s length.
Mortgage rates rose this week to 6.46% amid the economic fallout from the war with Iran, raising costs for homebuyers just as other housing trends favor them this spring. The increase followed a move from just under 6% in late February and is tied by lenders to higher costs for U.S. borrowing. Real-estate agents say the buyer leverage that usually comes with slower sales and more inventory can still show up as sellers compete on price and concessions.
Iran shot down two American military jets in the Iran war, the Associated Press reported, in an attack that marked the first time a U.S. warplane was shot down by enemy fire in more than 20 years. The AP said Iran downed an F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday, with one service member rescued and the search continuing for a second. The AP also reported that Iranian state media said an A-10 attack aircraft crashed after being hit by Iranian defense forces.
European finance ministers from five countries are urging the European Union to impose an EU-wide windfall tax or profit cap on energy companies, warning that surging oil and gas prices tied to the Iran war could fuel inflation and strain households. Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said the group has asked the European Commission to create a “similar EU-wide contribution instrument” like one used during the 2022 energy-market turmoil after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China is stepping up diplomacy on the Iran war with a five-point proposal advanced with Pakistan, Gulf backing, and opposition to a United Nations move that would authorize force to open the Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press reported April 4. AP said the effort is also aimed at positioning Beijing to play a more prominent diplomatic role while U.S. officials expressed limited interest in Chinese mediation.
Iran shot down two U.S. military aircraft in separate attacks Friday, with one U.S. service member rescued and at least one missing, the Associated Press reported. The incidents marked the first time U.S. aircraft had been downed in the conflict, which began nearly five weeks earlier, and came amid renewed strikes across the Middle East.
Iran shot down two American military jets in the Iran war, a rare event the AP said has not happened in more than 20 years. The incidents, reported as taking place Friday, followed weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Mortgage rates have climbed since the start of the war with Iran, adding to housing costs even as other parts of the market give buyers more negotiating power this spring, the Associated Press reported. As lenders adjust prices tied to the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield, the typical 30-year mortgage rate rose from just under 6% in late February to 6.46% this week, Realtor.com and Redfin data show.
President Donald Trump, in a prime-time White House address, told Americans that Iran had been “decimated” and that U.S. forces were “unstoppable,” as the conflict’s early results have exposed how little control the president has once war begins. Days after his remarks, an American fighter jet was shot down in Iran, and Iranian state media reported another U.S. aircraft was hit by air defenses.
Bahrain’s crackdown on dissent has intensified as the war between the United States and Iran has reignited unrest in the Gulf kingdom, where critics say authorities are reviving tactics used against Arab Spring protests in 2011. The death of Mohamed al-Mousawi, a Shiite Muslim who had previously been imprisoned, has become a flashpoint amid renewed detentions tied to the conflict, according to reports this week.
French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed Friday to work together to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease global economic uncertainties tied to the Middle East war, a summit in Seoul showed.
Dos aviones militares de Estados Unidos fueron derribados en incidentes separados en Irán el viernes, informó la AP desde Dubái, con un tripulante rescatado y al menos otro en paradero desconocido. Los incidentes marcaron la primera vez en el conflicto que aeronaves estadounidenses son derribadas en territorio iraní, en medio de una escalada de ataques en Oriente Medio que mantienen presión sobre Israel y los países del golfo.
Stocks shook off early losses to finish Thursday with slim gains and their first winning week since the start of the Iran war, as crude prices pushed higher following a late Wednesday national address by President Donald Trump. U.S. oil rose above $110 a barrel and traders weighed how higher energy costs could keep inflation elevated and complicate hopes for interest-rate cuts.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed the Army’s top uniformed officer and two other generals, the Pentagon said Thursday, as the United States wages war against Iran. Gen. Randy George will retire effective immediately, and Gen. Christopher LaNeve will step in as acting chief of staff. The Pentagon did not give a reason for the departures.
President Donald Trump used his first major address since launching his war in Iran to urge Americans to stay patient and said U.S. military objectives will be completed “shortly.” In the Wednesday evening speech, Trump offered no details on negotiations with Iran, and Democrats criticized his remarks as lacking a clear plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week to 202,000, the Labor Department reported. The decline came as layoffs remained sparse even as uncertainty about the war with Iran has pushed up energy costs. The government also said the previous week’s total rose to 1.84 million filings.
Israel said it faced incoming fire from Iran as Iraq’s Kuwait and Bahrain reported being under attack, and Iran said eight people were killed in a U.S. strike during Nowruz celebrations near a major bridge in northern Iran.
Britain convened diplomats from 41 countries to discuss how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian attacks nearly halted shipping through the vital oil route, a development Britain said has contributed to global fuel and food price spikes. U.S. officials did not attend the virtual meeting, which Britain said would focus on political and diplomatic efforts rather than military action.
Oil prices surged after President Donald Trump promised to hit Iran “extremely hard,” and U.S. gas prices have followed, topping $4 a gallon in the AAA average. Gas station operators say the biggest drivers of the pump price—wholesale costs and taxes—largely sit outside their control.
President Donald Trump, addressing the nation Wednesday night, said he had ended Iran’s government and denied that the U.S. was facing inflation, while also discussing energy prices and investments. A review by the Associated Press identified multiple statements Trump made that overstated or misrepresented economic conditions, Iran’s leadership, and the scale of protest deaths in Iran. The fact check comes as U.S. gas prices remain elevated and inflation persists.
A drone maker backed by President Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is pitching its defensive interceptors to Gulf countries that are being targeted in the Iran war. Powerus, a Florida-based company, said it is demonstrating its technology in the region as it pursues sales while the U.S. military—overseen by Trump—leads the defense.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday sought to explain his rationale for the U.S. war against Iran, but his primetime address offered few new specifics at a pivotal moment at home and abroad. The speech did not include his earlier claim that negotiations with Iran were underway, and Trump did not give a definitive end date for the conflict, even as he defended the operation as necessary for American safety and the security of the “free world.”
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that U.S. forces would “finish the job” in Iran soon, describing the campaign as nearing “core strategic objectives” and promising a new round of attacks over the next two to three weeks. In a prime-time national address that lasted just under 20 minutes, he also repeated that he did not plan to send U.S. ground troops into Iran, while his comments contributed to a jump in oil prices.
President Donald Trump, in an address to the nation Wednesday night, gave an update on the U.S. war against Iran and said the military objectives of “Operation Epic Fury” are nearing completion. He said U.S. forces have “systematically” dismantled Iran’s ability to threaten the United States and described plans for additional strikes if no deal is reached. The Associated Press transcribed the remarks.
In February, U.S. retail sales rose as shoppers increased spending before gasoline prices surged amid the attacks on Iran. But with the Iran conflict beginning Feb. 28 and disrupting oil supplies, retailers and economists said higher fuel costs could start weighing on consumer sentiment and discretionary spending.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged a ceasefire in the Middle East during talks with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Wednesday, linking the request to international law and the need to keep calm around the Strait of Hormuz. The leaders also agreed to deepen cooperation on defense, rare earths development, nuclear energy and other areas.
Stocks surged worldwide on Wednesday as oil prices fell, driven by renewed hopes that the war with Iran could end soon. The move came after President Donald Trump said late Tuesday that the U.S. military could end its offensive in two to three weeks, though Iran’s foreign ministry quickly rejected his claim.
Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized allies who he said have not done enough to support U.S. military action against Iran, telling them to “go get your own oil” and saying protecting the Strait of Hormuz “isn’t our business.” He also told reporters the U.S. could end its offensive in “two or three weeks,” with responsibility for keeping the vital waterway open falling on the countries that depend on it.
As President Donald Trump assembled his Cabinet last week, he asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance for an update on the Iran war. The two top officials offered markedly different public postures, with Rubio defending the operation and Vance emphasizing restraint and stressing that Iran should not get a nuclear weapon.
President Donald Trump has tried to reassure financial markets as the Iran war drags on, aiming to prevent oil prices from surging, stocks from falling and interest rates from spiking. An Associated Press analysis says his approach has increasingly relied on public remarks and social-media posts meant to influence trading expectations, even as economists and officials warn that volatility tied to the conflict is persisting.
U.S. stocks rallied Tuesday to what the Dow described as its best day since last spring, with the Dow rising 1,125 points as investors shifted from doubt to hope about a possible end to the war with Iran. The S&P 500 jumped 2.9%, its largest gain since May, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 3.8%, alongside lower oil prices and falling Treasury yields.
In remarks during an Iran war that has kept the Strait of Hormuz closed, President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States would not secure the waterway and told allies who have not done more to “go get your own oil.” He also said the military could end its offensive in “two to three weeks” and that a prime-time address Wednesday would update the public on the conflict.
Iran has continued launching missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors more than a month after the United States and Israel began a war against Iran on Feb. 28, despite Trump administration claims that Iran’s military has been “obliterated.” The Associated Press reported that U.S. officials cited a sharp drop in ballistic missile and drone activity, but independent conflict data suggests Iran’s strike tempo has slowed rather than ended.
TOKYO — Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers rose to 17 in March from 16, according to a Bank of Japan quarterly survey released Wednesday. The improvement came even as companies reported growing concerns about economic growth and oil supplies tied to the war in Iran.
The Iran war is complicating global shipping and raising expenses for small business owners across the United States, according to interviews with multiple operators. Small exporters and retailers described rerouted shipments, tighter capacity, and higher insurance costs after the Strait of Hormuz became effectively closed. They said the pressures are arriving after pandemic-era disruptions and could intensify if the conflict lasts for months.
President Donald Trump told Americans on Wednesday, April 1, that the United States has made “tremendous progress” in its war against Iran and said Operation Epic Fury is nearing completion. In a televised address that The Associated Press transcribed, Trump described a month of U.S. military action launched on March 1 and said U.S. forces would “finish the job” if no deal is reached. He also argued that rising U.S. gasoline prices were linked to Iranian attacks on oil tankers and neighboring countries.
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post Monday that the United States would respond to the prospect of no war-ending deal “shortly” and a failure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by “blowing up and completely obliterating” Iran’s energy infrastructure, potentially including “all desalinization plants.” Analysts said any attack on water facilities could spread harm across the water-starved Middle East, where desalination supports populations in the Persian Gulf, and they warned retaliation could drive the biggest danger.
President Donald Trump criticized European allies for not doing more as the U.S. and Israel fight an Iran war, increasingly blaming gaps in allied support for problems tied to the Strait of Hormuz. In remarks and posts over several days, he also suggested the U.S. could be done launching attacks in two to three weeks, while saying responsibility for keeping the strait open would fall on other countries.
US gas prices jumped past $4 a gallon on Tuesday for the first time since 2022, according to AAA, as the Iran war pushed fuel prices higher worldwide. The motor club said the national average for regular gasoline was $4.02, more than a dollar higher than before the war began Feb. 28. Analysts warned the rise could feed into other costs as diesel and transportation costs increase, while attention remains on the Strait of Hormuz.
The European Union warned Tuesday that oil and gas prices in Europe may stay elevated even if the Iran war ends, with pressure building on fuel supplies and global gas markets. EU energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen said there are no immediate supply shortages across the bloc but that “increasing constraints” are pushing electricity prices higher.
Gulf allies led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are urging President Donald Trump to continue the U.S.-led war effort against Iran, arguing Tehran has not been weakened enough to justify ending the campaign, according to U.S., Gulf and Israeli officials.
Haiti’s government announced new austerity measures on Tuesday, citing disruptions to critical oil supplies and higher global prices linked to the war in Iran. Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said the steps are meant to help the government “anticipate serious repercussions on the already fragile macroeconomic balance and public finances.”
Financial markets have been whipsawed by the war in Iran, driving sharp moves in oil, gasoline prices, and U.S. interest rates as investors adjust expectations for inflation and Federal Reserve policy. The AP reported that Brent crude rose above $100 per barrel for the first time since summer 2022, while gasoline prices surged and the 10-year Treasury yield jumped in late February before easing.
JetBlue has raised its checked bag fees by as much as $9, citing higher jet fuel costs tied to disruptions in global oil supplies from the Iran war. For most domestic economy passengers, the first checked bag will cost $39 starting Monday, up from $35, and $49 during peak travel periods such as spring break and the summer.
Thousands of additional U.S. troops are heading to the Middle East as the Trump administration says progress is being made in talks with Iran and warns it could escalate the war if no deal is reached soon, the Associated Press reported. The USS George H.W. Bush is deploying with three destroyers, and the 82nd Airborne Division has started arriving in the region, along with other Marine units.
President Donald Trump asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance for updates on the Iran war as he assembled his Cabinet, and the pair presented markedly different approaches. Rubio defended the war, while Vance said the United States has “options” and emphasized preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The exchange is occurring as Republicans begin early maneuvering for the next presidential nomination, including in New Hampshire.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have driven up prices and pressured the global outlook for the economy as strikes and counterstrikes disrupt energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, economists and officials say. The fallout is forcing developing countries to ration fuel and subsidize energy costs, while hitting fertilizer supplies and raising the risk of higher inflation and slower growth.
Pakistan said Sunday it would soon host talks between the United States and Iran, after top diplomats from Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia met in Islamabad on ways to end the monthlong war. U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was in discussions with Iran and that it had responded to a U.S. 15-point ceasefire plan, while Iran warned that any U.S. ground troops would be targeted.
Tens of millions of Brazilian drivers can choose at the pump between sugarcane ethanol and a gasoline blend containing 30% biofuel, a hedge against spikes tied to the Iran war’s pressure on oil markets.
China’s factory activity expanded in March, ending two months of contraction, official data showed March 31. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index rose to 50.4 from 49 in February, but analysts warned the Iran war—started Feb. 28—could still weigh on growth through higher energy costs and supply disruptions.
Asian countries are competing to buy Russian crude oil as an energy crisis deepens after the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran, which has choked off roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply. With shipments constrained by disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, the United States has temporarily eased sanctions for Russian crude already at sea, first for India and then for other countries, prompting new interest across Southeast Asia.
TOKYO (AP) — Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers rose to 17 in March from 16, according to the Bank of Japan’s quarterly survey released Wednesday. The improvement in the key “tankan” diffusion index came even as companies reported growing concerns about economic growth and oil supplies amid the Iran war, with the central bank preparing for its next policy meeting on April 27-28.
Kosovo businesses and households are feeling the impact of rising fuel costs linked to the Iran war, according to interviews in Pristina. Fuel wholesalers have raised diesel and gasoline prices as Kosovo depends on imported fuel, and one snack producer says the higher costs could force it to adjust prices.
Farmers around the world are feeling the squeeze of the Iran war as near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz disrupts fertilizer shipments, threatening food prices. The disruption is hitting nitrogen and phosphate supplies at a moment when planting is starting in many regions, with the World Food Program warning that farmers could see lower yields or crop failures next season.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post that if the United States and Iran do not reach a deal “shortly,” it could broaden its offensive, including by targeting Iran’s power plants, oil facilities and possibly desalination plants. The comments came as Israel and the U.S. carried out another round of strikes on Iran and as Iran attacked infrastructure in Kuwait and elsewhere in the region.
Dozens were arrested in Los Angeles after a “No Kings” rally protesting President Donald Trump’s actions and the war in Iran ended with a dispersal order, Los Angeles police said Sunday. Authorities deployed tear gas near a federal detention center and made arrests after some protesters did not comply, police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
As Israeli missile strikes drove some people into bomb shelters, an operation attributed to Iran used Android texts that appeared to offer real-time shelter information but instead delivered spyware. Cybersecurity experts cited by the Associated Press said the tactic reflects how disinformation, artificial intelligence and hacking have become embedded in the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.
Jerusalem marked the approach of Passover and Easter under Israeli military restrictions as the Iran war entered its fifth week, shuttering major holy sites and keeping crowds away. The Old City’s streets were largely emptied, with metal shutters drawn on many storefronts and worship at several key locations limited to small groups. The cancellations and closures were also shaped by concerns about missile attacks and the restricted ability to shelter people nearby.
Brazil has been partly protected from rising world oil prices because many drivers can choose between sugarcane ethanol and gasoline blends containing biofuel, even as the Iran war rattles global markets. The country’s large ethanol-capable vehicle fleet and a long-running fuel-blending policy help stabilize gasoline costs, while diesel prices have risen faster because diesel relies more on imported crude.
China’s factory activity expanded in March after two months of contraction, the government said, but analysts warned that the Iran war could start to weigh on growth. The official manufacturing PMI rose to 50.4 from 49 in February. Analysts said surging energy costs have not yet produced major supply disruptions, though they expect longer impacts to show up in industrial production and services.
Asian nations are competing to buy Russian crude as an energy shock deepens after the U.S. and Israel launched a month-old war against Iran, choking off about a fifth of the world’s oil supply. The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have signaled renewed interest after the U.S. temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil shipments already at sea, but analysts say the extra supply may be limited and shrinking.
Egypt’s government has ordered stores, restaurants and cafes to close earlier to conserve oil-powered electricity after energy costs surged during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, reshaping Cairo’s nightlife and daily routines.
President Donald Trump said the United States is winning the war with Iran even as thousands of additional American troops were deployed to the Middle East, the Associated Press reported. In recent weeks, Trump has also criticized other countries for not helping the U.S. and later said he does not need their assistance, according to the report.
One month after the U.S. and Israel began a war with Iran, President Donald Trump has outlined five objectives for the air campaign but some remain unfinished or undefined, according to an Associated Press review of the administration’s goal-setting. Trump has suggested the operation may soon be “winding down,” even as Iran continues launching missiles and drones and as questions persist about nuclear and regional-security endpoints.
U.S. stocks sank again Friday, finishing a fifth straight losing week as investors weighed the impact of the Iran war on energy markets and economic growth. The S&P 500 fell 1.7%, the Dow slid 1.7%, and the Nasdaq dropped 2.1% as oil prices climbed after a brief easing tied to President Donald Trump’s comments.
Thousands protested Saturday against the war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s actions, as rallies branded “No Kings” drew crowds across the United States and in Europe. In St. Paul, Minnesota, organizers made the Capitol lawn event their national flagship and featured Bruce Springsteen as headliner.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels entered a monthlong regional war on Saturday, saying they launched missiles at Israel. The Associated Press reported that about 2,500 U.S. Marines arrived in the region as Pakistan said Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt plan to meet in Islamabad to discuss how to end the fighting. The conflict has also disrupted global shipping routes and led to waves of strikes across the Middle East.
Israel said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen toward Israel early Saturday, the first time it had faced fire from that country. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility, raising questions about whether they would again target commercial shipping through the Red Sea corridor.
President Donald Trump interrupted a Cabinet meeting discussing the Iran war and concerns tied to prices and markets to tell a story about a custom Sharpie marker, according to a report by the Associated Press. The episode occurred during a Thursday meeting in Washington after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave the President an overview of missile attacks, Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts and risks facing U.S. troops.
Tras un mes de guerra entre Estados Unidos e Irán, el presidente Donald Trump enumeró cinco objetivos que Washington quiere alcanzar antes de poner fin al conflicto, pero algunos de esos propósitos clave siguen sin definirse o sin completarse. En medio de los ataques a Irán y de la presión sobre el paso marítimo por el estrecho de Ormuz, el presidente ha insinuado que podría “reducir” operaciones pronto.
An Iranian missile attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia wounded at least 10 U.S. service members and damaged several U.S. aircraft, according to two U.S. officials. The officials said two of the troops were seriously wounded and that the attack involved missiles and drones.
The number of American service members wounded in the Iran war has grown beyond 300, after an attack on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base left at least 15 troops injured, U.S. Central Command said. The Central Command announcement came as additional Marine units began deploying to the Middle East from Japan and San Diego, according to the U.S. military.
A month after U.S. and Israeli bombs hit Tehran, Iranians described daily airstrikes, damaged homes, and an economy already strained before the war began. In interviews conducted across Iran, they also cited an internet blackout since January that has cut them off from the outside world, compounded trauma from earlier protests, and left many unsure what happens next.
One month into the war between Iran, the United States and Israel, an Associated Press analysis says Iran has adopted insurgent-style tactics that aim to survive and keep pressure on regional neighbors and global energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for oil and natural gas, remains central to Iran’s strategy, according to the analysis, even as the country absorbs heavy strikes. The article also points to domestic challenges for Iran, including unrest and leadership questions, as U.S. President Donald Trump weighs escalation scenarios.
For the first time in nearly a decade, President Donald Trump did not attend CPAC in Grapevine, Texas. Even without him on site, speakers used the conference to argue for unity while debating how to handle Trump’s war with Iran and applauding his immigration crackdown as the Republican Party prepares for a difficult midterm election.
Lagos taxi driver Adegbola Isaac says fuel prices in Nigeria have jumped to about 1,350 naira per liter since the Iran war began Feb. 28, cutting into his daily profits. Similar shocks are spreading across Africa as countries that import refined oil products and fertilizer absorb the ripple effects of conflict in the Middle East. The United Nations said it is pursuing a way to allow fertilizer shipments to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz.
A missile attack on Israel by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday raised concerns that the group could target Red Sea shipping again, as Iran’s leverage near the Strait of Hormuz keeps a key trade route largely closed. The Houthis said they fired missiles at “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel, and Israel said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
Markets in the United States have been volatile as war-related worries, including disruptions in oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, rattled investors, the Associated Press reported. The story says stock routs and recoveries have happened repeatedly over recent history, and advises investors—especially those not needing funds soon—to consider staying invested through swings rather than trying to time exits.
The FBI Director Kash Patel said a pro-Iranian hacking group claimed Friday it had hacked his personal account and posted what it said were years-old photos and documents. The group Handala said in a message that Patel would see his name among successfully hacked victims and offered downloadable emails and other records. The FBI said it was aware of malicious actors targeting Patel’s personal email information and that the information at issue is historical and involves no government information.
Iran’s attacks during the Feb. 28 conflict between the United States and Israel and Iran have sharply reduced shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow Persian Gulf passage that carries about a fifth of the world’s traded crude oil. The disruptions have helped push global oil prices higher and raised risks for Gulf oil exports and downstream customers. The Associated Press’s Luke Garratt explains the strait’s role in the global economy and how reduced traffic can ripple to consumers far beyond the region.
Gas prices in the U.S. have been climbing as the war in Iran affects oil markets, and some lawmakers are pushing to suspend the federal gasoline tax as a way to lower costs for drivers. President Donald Trump said he has “thought about” suspending the federal gas tax, and suggested states consider suspending their own fuel taxes. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen. Mark Kelly have co-sponsored legislation that would suspend the tax through Oct. 1.
Russia is sending a shipment of drones to Iran, including upgraded versions of Shahed drone technology that Tehran supplied to Moscow after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. and European officials told The Associated Press. The transfer comes as Iran has fired drone barrages at Israel, Gulf neighbors and U.S. bases for more than a month after a U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran. The officials who spoke to AP said they could not confirm how many drones are involved or whether the delivery is a one-time shipment or part of a series.
The G7 foreign ministers met in France to press for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians during the Iran war and to urge the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined his counterparts at the meeting, which came amid skepticism from several European allies about the U.S. strategy for the conflict.
The Conservative Political Action Conference outside Dallas has exposed a generational split among conservatives over President Donald Trump’s strikes against Iran, with younger attendees describing the move as a “betrayal” and older participants saying Trump responded to a long-running threat. The disagreement emerged as CPAC leaders urged unity during a difficult midterm election year for Republicans.
Iran and the United States appeared to be at an impasse Thursday over ceasefire talks in the nearly month-old war, as both sides hardened their positions and troops moved nearer to the region. President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to April 6, and the Trump administration said it has delivered a 15-point “action list” to Iran. In parallel, Israel said it expanded operations in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah and carried out strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure.
A new AP-NORC poll finds that while many Republicans approve of President Donald Trump’s handling of the war in Iran, a prolonged conflict could strain that support in a midterm election year—especially if it turns into a broader U.S. ground involvement or keeps raising gas prices. The survey, conducted March 19-23, also shows Republicans remain highly focused on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
President Donald Trump said he is delaying any potential action against Iran’s energy infrastructure, including its power plants, after warning the Tehran government would have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump announced the extension after Wall Street closed Thursday with another sharp drop in major U.S. indexes, and he framed it as part of “very substantial talks” aimed at ending the conflict.
Stocks fell Thursday as the Nasdaq sank more than 10% below its record, its sharpest drop since the Iran war began, while oil prices rose amid renewed doubt about a possible end to the fighting. Brent crude settled up 4.8% at $101.89 a barrel, and U.S. crude rose 4.6% to $94.48, reflecting investors’ focus on tensions involving the Strait of Hormuz.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hosted his first monthly Christian worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday since the Iran war began, staging the event for civilian employees and uniformed personnel in a livestreamed setting. During the service, Hegseth read a prayer asking for “every round” to find its mark and to deliver “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
Iran is moving to formalize control of the Strait of Hormuz by setting up what shipping analysts describe as a “toll booth” system for vessels headed through the waterway, the Associated Press reported. The arrangements include vetting by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and payments settled in yuan, AP said. The shift comes as traffic through the strait has fallen sharply since the start of the Iran war, according to shipping-tracking data cited by AP.
Dubai (Emiratos Árabes Unidos) (AP) — Irán y Estados Unidos endurecieron este jueves sus posturas sobre conversaciones para detener la guerra en Medio Oriente, mientras miles de soldados estadounidenses se dirigían a la región y se reportaban bombardeos intensos en Irán. El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump extendió hasta el 6 de abril el plazo para que Irán reabra el estrecho de Ormuz, al tiempo que Israel enviaba más tropas al sur del Líbano para combatir a Hezbollah.
Conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference near Dallas are split over President Donald Trump’s Iran war, with younger attendees expressing disappointment and older attendees arguing the conflict reflects a long-running threat. At least one participant said the situation feels like “betrayal,” while others said Trump is responding pragmatically to what they described as Iran’s decades-long actions. CPAC leaders acknowledged the disagreement and said the annual straw poll will include a question about it.
Wall Street experienced a rise in stocks and a decrease in oil prices on Wednesday, fueled by emerging hopes for a potential pause in the ongoing war with Iran. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq composite all saw gains, though market volatility persisted.
Most Americans believe recent U.S. military action against Iran has gone too far, according to an AP-NORC poll, and many are worried about affording gasoline. The survey finds President Donald Trump’s approval is largely steady, but opposition to deeper U.S. involvement, including sending ground troops, is widespread.
The U.S. military is preparing to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East in the coming days, according to three people familiar with the plans. The deployment is expected to include a battalion from the division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team and the division commander, Maj. Gen. Brandon Tegtmeier, the people said.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hopes for a possible pause in the war with Iran pushed stocks higher on Wall Street Wednesday while oil prices eased. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% in the market’s latest rise-and-reverse session, as investors weighed shifting signals about how long the conflict could last.
A new AP-NORC poll indicates that most Americans believe the U.S. military action against Iran has been excessive. The poll also reveals concerns about affording gasoline.
The jump in gas prices linked to the war in Iran is rippling into U.S. borrowing costs, raising longer-term interest rates and pushing up mortgage rates. Higher inflation expectations are also fading this year’s odds of Federal Reserve cuts, with Wall Street futures pointing increasingly to the possibility of a hike.
President Donald Trump outlined five objectives for the U.S. to achieve as it winds down its war with Iran, but some remain undefined or appear unfulfilled, an Associated Press analysis says. The list, which expanded from earlier goal sets, includes degrading Iran’s missile capability, dismantling its defense industry, eliminating its navy and air force, preventing nuclear capability, and protecting Middle Eastern allies.
Conservatives are gathering this week near Dallas for CPAC, where division on the right over the U.S. military action in Iran is expected to surface amid pressure for President Donald Trump and Republicans heading toward midterm elections. The conference opens Wednesday at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center with more than 80 speakers scheduled, including figures such as Steve Bannon and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who have taken differing views on the war.
International Energy Agency executive director Fatih Birol warned Monday that the Iran war poses a “major, major threat” to the global economy, arguing it is hitting oil and gas markets more severely than past conflicts. Speaking at Australia’s National Press Club in Canberra, Birol said no country would be immune if the war keeps escalating, with new risks tied to the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also warned the United States will “obliterate” Iran’s power plants unless Tehran fully opens the strait within 48 hours.
The Associated Press reported that Israel used hacked Iranian street cameras and other intelligence in the operation that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a demonstration of how wartime surveillance systems are becoming targeting tools. The report cited intelligence officials and researchers saying that global camera networks—often poorly secured—can be compromised and then sifted for targets with help from artificial intelligence.
Higher gas prices after the Iran war have pushed up longer-term interest rates, making Federal Reserve rate cuts this year look less likely. U.S. investors have increasingly priced in the possibility of an actual rate hike, while Fed officials warn that inflation pressures could persist.
Asian countries are shifting back to coal as the Iran war disrupts oil and gas shipments, including liquefied natural gas routed through the Strait of Hormuz. The AP reports that several governments and utilities are raising coal burn to plug LNG gaps, while experts warn the move could worsen air pollution and delay the clean-energy transition.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to France this week to brief G7 foreign ministers on the U.S. strategy for the Iran war, the State Department said. Rubio will attend a G7 meeting near Versailles outside Paris on Friday, where officials are expected to discuss broader security concerns including the Russia-Ukraine war and threats in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump has listed five objectives for the U.S. to achieve before ending its war with Iran, but several aims remain unclear or unfulfilled as he signals the operation could be winding down after about three and a half weeks. In an outline that shifted over time, the administration said it has degraded Iran’s missile forces and air-and-naval capabilities, but Iran has continued launching missiles and drones and has not stopped disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Hopes for a possible end to the war with Iran helped lift Wall Street on Wednesday, even as markets swung sharply amid persistent uncertainty. The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, the Dow added 305 points, and the Nasdaq gained 0.8%, while Brent crude for June fell 3% to settle at $97.26 a barrel. (AP)
The U.S. military is preparing to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East in the coming days, according to three people familiar with the plans. The deployment would include a battalion from the 1st Brigade Combat Team and the division commander, Maj. Gen. Brandon Tegtmeier, the people said.
President Donald Trump said in a social media post that the United States could soon wind down operations with Iran, citing “very good” talks over the weekend. Iranian officials quickly rejected the idea of any high-level communications with the White House, saying the message was aimed at manipulating energy and financial markets.
President Donald Trump has issued a new ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, warning the United States would “annihilate” Iran’s power facilities if the strait is not reopened within 48 hours, a move critics say signals inadequate planning for a crisis that has already escalated. The Associated Press reports that Trump’s approach has shifted repeatedly over about a week, moving from calls for diplomatic security of the sea route to sanctions and then threats aimed at civilian energy infrastructure. A U.S. legal expert and Democratic senators said the language and target set raise serious war-law concerns.
Donald Trump said the United States has talked with Iran about a possible end to their war, prompting a cautious relief rally in stocks and a drop in oil prices. Brent crude fell 10.9% to settle at $99.94, while the S&P 500 rose 1.1% on Wall Street after severe losses elsewhere. The market reaction followed Iran’s denial that such talks took place and comments from Iran’s parliament speaker that “fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets.”
President Donald Trump said the U.S. is talking with an Iranian leader and that Iran is eager to reach a deal to end the war, as he extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He told reporters the U.S. has not talked with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and said the envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks Sunday. Iran’s parliament speaker denied talks had taken place.
DoorDash said it will add temporary payments to help U.S. and Canadian drivers offset rising gas prices, which it linked to disruptions in global oil markets tied to the Iran war. The company announced the program Monday, saying the U.S. national average gas price hit $3.96 a gallon, according to AAA.
Fuel prices have surged globally as the Iran war entered a 24th day, leaving motorists in places including Argentina, Germany, Nigeria and the Philippines to cut back on everyday spending, according to interviews and reporting by the Associated Press. U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that talks with Iranian leaders were ongoing and that the sides were eager to make a deal, a claim that Iran denied. The global oil rally and later pullback did not quickly translate into lower pump prices, which often lag changes in crude markets.
The surge in U.S. gas prices tied to the Iran war is expected to siphon off much of the additional tax refunds that President Donald Trump’s tax cut generated, economists say. Oil and gas prices climbed after the war began Feb. 28, and the national average for gas reached $3.94 Sunday, up more than $1 from a month earlier, according to the Associated Press. Analysts warn that lower- and middle-income households, facing smaller refunds and spending a larger share of their income on fuel, could feel the pressure first.
Iran threatened Sunday to “completely” close the Strait of Hormuz and to strike power plants across the region after President Donald Trump set a 48-hour deadline to open the strait. The threats came as the war in the Middle East entered its fourth week, with Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and Iran’s retaliation against facilities tied to its nuclear program.
President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, warning that the United States would “obliterate” the country’s power plants. The move comes amid repeated changes to Trump’s approach to the waterway and has drawn criticism from U.S. lawmakers and legal scholars who said striking civilian infrastructure would violate laws of war.
President Donald Trump said Friday the United States was considering “winding down” its military efforts in the Middle East as his administration announced it was sending additional troops and lifting sanctions on some Iranian oil sales. Within hours, Trump also threatened to escalate the conflict by targeting Iran’s power plants unless Iran allows oil shipments to pass through the Persian Gulf.
President Donald Trump took the United States to war with Iran without a congressional vote, and lawmakers are increasingly pressing for a clearer endgame as the conflict drags on. With the War Powers Act allowing 60 days of military action without congressional approval, lawmakers in both parties say the administration faces mounting questions about when, how and at what cost the operation will end.
Iran’s attacks on Qatar’s natural gas export infrastructure have forced Qatar to halt production of liquefied natural gas and associated products, threatening helium exports relied on by advanced industries. The episode is raising concerns among chipmakers and other manufacturers that depend on helium’s role in semiconductor fabrication, medical imaging and space-related activities.
President Donald Trump threatened late Saturday to attack Iranian power plants if Iran did not fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, warning the U.S. would “obliterate” facilities. The threat came as Iranian missiles struck southern Israeli communities near the country’s main nuclear research center, injuring dozens and damaging buildings.
The reaction in Japan was marked by embarrassment and unease after President Donald Trump cited Pearl Harbor during questions about why he did not warn allies before the U.S. attack on Iran. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was seated beside him when he made the remark, and some Japanese officials and commentators said it was awkward for a wartime-history reference to surface at a summit.
Iran launched missiles at Diego Garcia, the remote Indian Ocean island home to a strategic U.K.-U.S. military base, an Associated Press report said. The U.K. condemned what it called “Iran’s reckless attacks,” and said it was unclear how close the missiles came to the island. The episode has also reignited debate over how Britain uses the base during the Iran war and the politics around Britain’s planned transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.
Three weeks into a widening war in the Middle East, Iran warned it could expand retaliatory attacks to recreational and tourist sites worldwide, as the United States announced it is sending additional warships and Marines to the region. President Donald Trump later suggested in a social media post that his administration is considering “winding down” U.S. military operations there. The mixed messages came alongside another climb in oil prices that helped drag U.S. stocks and followed an announcement that the U.S. will pause sanctions on certain Iranian oil cargoes.
President Donald Trump said he did not approve of Israel’s decision to attack Iran’s South Pars gas field during the 20-day war between Israel and Iran, describing it as something Netanyahu did “on occasion.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel acted alone but also said he had agreed to Trump’s request to hold off on further strikes on the gas field.
In a military shift driven by the war on Iran, U.S. officials say a sizable number of Patriot air defense missiles have been moved from Europe toward the Middle East, raising concerns about potential gaps in Europe’s defenses against Russia. The war in Iran was about to enter its fourth week when the officials spoke, and Turkey said NATO deployed Patriot systems to intercept ballistic missiles fired over its airspace.
The war in Iran is complicating U.S. efforts to keep energy affordable, with experts pointing to rising crude prices and gasoline costs as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked. They say President Donald Trump’s push for fossil fuels—paired with rollbacks of renewable-energy policies—has left consumers with fewer alternatives when supply shocks hit.
The war in Iran is disrupting oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, driving up energy prices and straining import-dependent economies from Asia to Europe and Africa. As crude and LNG flows stall, the crisis is renewing calls to accelerate the shift to renewable power, especially as renewable projects become more cost-competitive, an Associated Press analysis said.
Joe Kent, a former counterterrorism director who resigned this week in protest of the Iran war, denied allegations that he improperly shared classified information. The FBI is investigating whether Kent leaked classified material, and the investigation preceded his resignation, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Iranians marked Nowruz, the Persian new year, with grief and disruption as the Iran war has cut communication between families abroad and in the country, the Associated Press reported March 20. In Paris, a man described his mother’s return trip and the difficulty of staying in touch after she went back to Iran.
Israel launched strikes in Tehran targeting Basij checkpoints and positions after killing Iran’s top Basij commander this week, the Associated Press reported March 20. The AP reported video evidence of strikes near traffic cones in central Tehran and said monitors estimate a large share of strikes have targeted Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Basij, which enforce loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.
One after another, Israel has taken out top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and, more recently, Ali Larijani, according to reporting. With Iran facing continued strikes and uncertainty over succession, analysts say the answer to who is running Iran depends on how its layered command structure operates during wartime.
Georgia became the first U.S. state to suspend its gas and diesel fuel taxes for 60 days after the war in the Middle East sent pump prices higher, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the measure on Friday. The tax break cuts Georgia’s 33-cents-per-gallon gas levy and 37-cents-per-gallon diesel tax for two months, with motorists expected to see relief as wholesalers pass along the savings. While Georgia uses state savings to cover a projected $360 million to $400 million revenue gap, other states are weighing whether to follow.
As Iranians Americans weigh fear, anger and hope during the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, many are debating how to mark Nowruz, Iran’s new year, this week. Some people have canceled large events, while others are holding pop-up dinners, baking and cooking rituals, and charity fundraisers that bring communities together through food.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has faced renewed scrutiny over his Christian rhetoric as the U.S. and Israel go to war with Iran, after he compared Iran’s Shiite clerics to “mullahs” and recited Bible verses during Pentagon remarks, the Associated Press reported. The criticism comes as a Democratic lawmaker letter to the Pentagon inspector general raises unverified allegations that some military commanders told troops the Iran war would fulfill biblical prophecies.
Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, met President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday as Trump faced questions about U.S. strikes on Iran and allies’ support for protecting the Strait of Hormuz. Takaichi told Trump Japan opposes Iran’s nuclear development and described the Middle East as a “very severe security environment,” urging him to be seen as a peacemaker while Japan weighs what it can do under its constitutional constraints. The leaders also signed a White House-described $40 billion nuclear reactor deal, even as tensions surfaced during a public appearance.
Oil prices surged and then eased Thursday, rippling through global stock markets as investors weighed how long disruptions to Middle East oil and gas could last. Brent crude briefly rose above $119 per barrel before retreating, while U.S. stocks trimmed early losses later in the day.
Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran on Friday, as Iranians marked Nowruz, with the attacks coming amid a broader Iran-Israel war that has disrupted oil and gas markets and raised fears of wider regional involvement, the Associated Press reported.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point again as the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran pushes the waterway into the crosshairs of a wider conflict. Nearly all traffic has ground to a halt through the passage connecting the Persian Gulf to global oceans, disrupting oil and gas shipments and contributing to higher fuel prices.
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank had largely avoided the Iran-Israel air war as Israel and Iran exchanged strikes, until a missile hit a beauty salon in Beit Awa. On Wednesday night, four women were killed when a missile struck steps from the salon, sending shrapnel through walls lined with manicure and eyebrow items, the Associated Press reported. The incident highlighted what Palestinians describe as a lack of adequate shelters and frequent delays for ambulances during alerts.
The Pentagon has asked the White House for $200 billion in additional funding for the Iran war, an Associated Press report said Sunday, setting up a new fight in Congress over whether to approve more money. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a news conference that the figure could change as Republicans and Democrats demand details on costs and strategy.
Countries across Asia are scrambling to conserve energy and protect consumers as the Iran war disrupts oil and gas supplies, pushing markets and prices higher, the Associated Press reported. The disruptions have been most severe where imports heavily rely on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping choke point under strain since Feb. 28.
Israel has killed senior Iranian figures in a campaign that has also targeted leadership in Iran-backed groups, but the conflict has continued and experts say the strategy can produce limited gains or backfire. An Associated Press analysis describes Israel’s decapitation strikes across Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, and outlines why analysts say leadership removal rarely resolves the grievances driving the wars.
In the escalating war involving Iran, the U.S. State Department’s Near Eastern Affairs bureau is operating with fewer senior diplomats and staff than it would have in a prior conflict, according to current and former U.S. officials. The officials described evacuations and other crisis planning as disrupted by management decisions and a reduction in workforce. The State Department disputed the account, saying staffing changes have not harmed its ability to respond to operations and to plan for Americans in the region.
Irán intensificó sus ataques contra instalaciones energéticas en Oriente Medio, en medio de una guerra en su tercera semana entre Irán e Israel, con advertencias de países del Golfo de que la escalada podría llevar a un combate directo. El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump dijo que Israel no volvería a atacar el yacimiento de Pars Sur y advirtió que Estados Unidos tomaría represalias si Irán continúa bombardeando infraestructura energética en Qatar.
Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran on Friday as Iranians marked Nowruz, while fighting between Israel and Iran continued to disrupt oil and gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, the Associated Press reported.
Escalating attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Persian Gulf have raised concerns that initial price shocks tied to the Iran-Israel war could persist and spread into broader costs, including gasoline, electricity and fertilizer. In retaliation for an Israeli strike on a natural gas field supplying most of Iran’s gas, Iran struck infrastructure in multiple Gulf states on Thursday, Reuters and other observers said.
A U.S. counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, resigned over President Donald Trump’s war with Iran and later appeared on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, a move that revived worries among Jewish leaders and sparked debate inside conservative circles about Israel’s influence. In comments on the show, Kent raised concerns about Israel’s role in decisions leading to conflict and discussed what he called unanswered questions.
About 90 ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the war with Iran began, maritime and trade data platforms said. The figures suggest the waterway has been halted for most traffic but still functions selectively for Iranian oil exports, even as the U.S. presses allies to send warships and reopen the strait.
The FBI is investigating whether former National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent, who resigned this week in protest of the Iran war, improperly shared classified information, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The inquiry comes after Kent resigned Tuesday from his role as director of the U.S. government’s National Counterterrorism Center, the person said. Kent later said in a post on X that he could not “in good conscience” support the war against Iran.
Tennessee farmer Todd Littleton says he expects to pay $100,000 more for fertilizer this season, after a 40% spike from last year that he links to the war in Iran and shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. The American Farm Bureau Federation warns some farmers who did not preorder may struggle to obtain needed fertilizer for spring planting.
Iran intensified attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure after an Israeli strike on Iran’s main natural gas field, the South Pars field shared with Qatar. The escalation drew warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump and pushed global oil and gas prices higher, with industry analysts citing the risk of retaliation.
The U.S. eased sanctions on Venezuela’s state oil company, allowing U.S. companies to buy Venezuelan oil more directly, as the Trump administration seeks to increase global supplies during the Iran war. The administration also said it will waive for 60 days key shipping requirements under the Jones Act to help reduce disruptions and pressure on energy markets.
The Trump administration has pressed European allies to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war, but close partners have declined to provide immediate support, the Associated Press reported this week. Britain and France have said they would not join a wider regional conflict or would require fighting to subside, while European leaders framed the fight as not Europe’s war. The standoff has strained alliances already weakened by earlier disputes tied to tariffs and other issues.
Iran expanded strikes on major energy facilities across the Middle East, drawing warnings from Gulf Arab states that the attacks could pull them into direct combat. The strikes followed Israel’s killing of Iran’s intelligence minister and what Israel said was an attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field, a major shared resource.
Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. director of national intelligence, told senators the intelligence community “appears to be” that Iran’s government is intact but degraded, while repeatedly declining to answer questions about what President Donald Trump was briefed on before the weeks-old war. In prepared remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee, she also said U.S. strikes last year “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program and that there has been no effort to rebuild it since.
El director del Centro Nacional de Contraterrorismo de Estados Unidos anunció el martes su renuncia, citando preocupaciones sobre la justificación de los ataques militares contra Irán bajo el presidente Donald Trump. En redes sociales, Joe Kent dijo que Irán “no presentaba una amenaza inminente” y que “no puedo en buena conciencia” respaldar la guerra.
China said it would not help the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz as President Donald Trump requested, as Trump’s third-week Iran war contended with pressure over shipping through the strait and allies refusing to step up to secure it. Analysts said Beijing appears likely to welcome any delay in Trump’s highly anticipated visit to China and may see the delay as buying time amid U.S. difficulties in the Middle East. The Trump administration, in turn, has said China is “fine” with the postponed summit, while China’s foreign ministry repeated calls for parties to stop military operations and avoid escalation.
Former counterterrorism official Joe Kent, who resigned this week over concerns about the Iran war and U.S. airstrikes, said he and other senior officials were “not allowed” to share doubts with President Donald Trump. Speaking Wednesday on Tucker Carlson’s show, Kent said Trump relied on a small circle of advisers and that the decision-making process lacked a “robust debate,” as the White House did not respond immediately to questions.
Cerca de 90 buques, incluidos petroleros, cruzaron el estrecho de Ormuz desde el inicio de la guerra con Irán, y Lloyd’s List Intelligence informó que Irán siguió exportando millones de barriles de petróleo pese a que la ruta quedó casi paralizada para gran parte del tráfico. Datos de Kpler estimaron que Irán exportó más de 16 millones de barriles desde comienzos de marzo, en un contexto de sanciones occidentales y de ataques en la zona.
The Iran war has scrambled the Federal Reserve’s outlook for inflation and unemployment and is likely to further delay interest rate cuts this year, the AP reports as the central bank meets on Wednesday. The Federal Reserve is expected to keep rates unchanged, and many economists now see any first cut coming in September or later.
Israel said it killed two senior Iranian security officials in overnight strikes, and Iran responded Wednesday with renewed missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors as the wider conflict reshaped shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran escalated its attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure after Israel hit Iran’s main natural gas field, South Pars, a joint reservoir shared with Qatar. The April-style regional flareup has raised concerns about longer price shocks for gas and oil as traders weigh risks to LNG exports and Persian Gulf supply routes, while U.S. President Donald Trump warned Israel and warned Iran over further strikes.
U.S. counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, saying he could not “in good conscience” support President Donald Trump’s war in Iran. Kent said Iran posed no imminent threat and that the war began under pressure from Israel, claims Trump has denied.
The escalating war with Iran is forcing governments across Asia and Europe into “energy triage,” with authorities weighing where to cut demand or absorb costs while supplies tighten, the Associated Press reported. Asia faces the sharpest exposure because a blocked Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route for crude oil and LNG, and several countries are already rationing electricity, extending workweek rules, or drawing down reserves. In India and Indonesia, officials have tried to shield households with price controls, while analysts warn shortages could spread and prices could jump as subsidies and reserves shift.
Joe Kent, director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, resigned Tuesday, according to a resignation letter and reporting by The Associated Press. Kent’s departure comes amid a clash with President Donald Trump over Iran, where Kent said Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation” and argued the war was driven by Israel and its U.S. supporters. Trump’s administration has said Trump reached a different conclusion about the threat posed by Iran.
Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official widely believed to be running Iran, was killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed Tuesday. He was 67, and Iran also said his son, Morteza Larijani, was killed.
Drivers in the United States are paying sharply more at the pump as the Iran war disrupts global oil flows, Associated Press reported. AAA said the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose to over $3.84 on Wednesday, the highest level in nearly two and a half years. The shock is also showing up in diesel prices and has analysts warning that higher fuel costs could add to inflation pressures.
Tennessee farmer Todd Littleton says the Iran war has driven up fertilizer prices and threatens availability as spring planting approaches, with nitrogen supplies facing shipping slowdowns through the Strait of Hormuz. Other farm groups warn some farmers who have not preordered may be unable to get the fertilizer they need, and analysts say the disruption’s effects may linger for months.
Oil prices rose Tuesday as markets weighed the war with Iran, but U.S. stocks held up more steadily this time, according to market data cited by The Associated Press. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.1% and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.5%, while benchmark crude prices increased and then pared larger gains. Traders also looked ahead to the Federal Reserve’s next policy decision Wednesday and to signals from earnings forecasts from companies such as Delta Air Lines.
Satellite images being released this week are beginning to show damage from the Iran-U.S. war across several Middle East countries, including ships burning at an Iranian port and damage at U.S. and partner military sites, the Associated Press reported. The AP said the images come from Planet Labs and other providers that have taken steps to delay or limit public release.
President Donald Trump said he is delaying a diplomatic trip to China planned for the end of the month, linking the decision to the war in Iran. Speaking with reporters and in the Oval Office with Ireland’s prime minister, Trump said he would “reset” the visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and go “in five or six weeks’ time” rather than later this month.
President Donald Trump said NATO and other allies rejected his calls to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. continues strikes aimed at hardened Iranian missile sites near the waterway. Trump said allies have not reciprocated U.S. support and warned it was in their interest to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said “This is not Europe’s war” and France’s Emmanuel Macron said his country would not join operations tied to the current conflict.
President Donald Trump said Monday that a former U.S. president told him in a private Oval Office conversation that he wished he had attacked Iran in the manner Trump has pursued for about two weeks. Trump refused to name the former president, saying he did not want to embarrass him, but representatives for four living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden—said none had been in contact with Trump recently.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had a private conversation in which a former Oval Office predecessor expressed regret about not attacking Iran the way Trump has done in recent weeks. Representatives for the four living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden—said none has been in touch with Trump recently, the Associated Press reported.
President Donald Trump and his aides have stepped up criticism of news coverage of the Middle East war, including public disputes over reporting and warnings from the Federal Communications Commission that broadcasters could lose licenses. The episode follows a contentious exchange on Air Force One and a warning from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr about broadcasters airing “fake news.”
Israel said it killed Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official, and Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of Iran’s internal security force, in overnight strikes, and Iranian authorities later confirmed both deaths. The AP report also described Larijani’s conservative role in Iran’s theocracy and said Israel and the United States have targeted Iran’s leadership as the war widens. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were intended to weaken Iran’s government and give Iranians a chance to remove it.
Canada’s foreign minister said Tuesday that Canada was not consulted on U.S.-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war and that it will not participate in any offensive military operation. Anita Anand made the remarks in a telephone interview with The Associated Press ahead of talks in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Iranian American social media creators say Iran’s government-imposed internet blackout has curtailed reliable reporting from inside the country, shifting how the war is understood by many Americans. The Associated Press spoke with creators and academics who described how diaspora audiences fill the information vacuum, while censorship and fear of retaliation limit what people inside Iran can share.
The U.S. war with Iran has entered its third week, but Republicans in Congress have largely avoided public debates or hearings over the Trump administration’s case for the conflict, while Senate Democrats move to force lawmakers to take action. Democrats said they plan this week to push for votes tied to war powers, seeking to disrupt the Senate’s calendar and compel public testimony. “We haven’t had any oversight of what the Executive is doing while we’re spending $1,000 million a day, and we haven’t been able to have any debate or discussion that’s really substantive,” Sen. Cory Booker said.
Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said Saturday that there is no serious initiative to resume U.S.-Iran negotiations, but he believes Iran is open to back-channel diplomacy. Fidan made the comments in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press as Ankara tries to stay out of a widening Middle East war sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran two weeks earlier.
President Donald Trump said he has asked China and other countries for help securing the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. strikes on Iran with Israel. He suggested he could delay a late-March trip to Beijing if China does not help, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said any rescheduling would be due to logistics.
KAPIKOY BORDER CROSSING, Turkey — After bombs hit her home in Iran’s eastern city of Golestan, hairdresser Merve Pourkaz said she traveled nearly 1,500 kilometers to reach the Turkish border in hopes of staying in the nearby city of Van until the war ends. While the U.N. refugee agency estimates 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began, AP reported relatively few have fled Iran through Turkey so far, and experts warn that may change if fighting intensifies.
Residents in and around Tehran reported dark, oily rain after airstrikes hit fuel oil depots and a refinery during the Iran-U.S.-Israel war, prompting warnings from health and environmental officials about potential exposure risks.
President Donald Trump has faced mounting political backlash two weeks into the U.S. and Israel strikes on Iran, as public anxiety over American deaths, surging oil prices and market turbulence has complicated his messaging about how the conflict began and how it will end, Associated Press reported on March 15. The AP also described Democrats rallying to argue that higher costs undermine Republican promises and that Moscow gained early leverage after Trump eased some sanctions.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. war with Iran is entering its third week without Congress holding public hearings to test President Donald Trump’s case for the conflict, according to Senate and committee leaders. Democrats say they will use procedural tools to force floor votes on war-powers resolutions unless Trump administration officials agree to public testimony.
Dark, oily precipitation described as “black rain” has fallen in parts of Iran and beyond after strikes hit oil facilities, prompting warnings from health and environmental officials about potential harm from breathing the fumes or contacting the residue. Residents near Tehran reported burning eyes and difficulty breathing as the rainfall occurred after several fuel oil depots and a refinery were struck.
Relatively few Iranians have fled the war in the country so far, but the United Nations and migration experts warn that displacement could accelerate if fighting drags on. At Turkey’s Kapikoy border crossing, displaced Iranians have described weighing whether to leave and what it would mean to return.
Congress has yet to hold public hearings to test the Trump administration’s case for the U.S. war with Iran, as the conflict enters its third week. Republicans in Congress have largely sidestepped calls for public testimony, while Senate Democrats threaten to force votes this week on war powers measures.
U.S. Central Command said a military refueling plane supporting operations against Iran crashed in western Iraq in what the military described as “friendly” airspace, killing six U.S. service members. The Associated Press reported that the victims included Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, an instructor and boom operator, and Ohio Air National Guard Capt. Seth R. Koval, among others, as family members and service leaders described them.
The Strait of Hormuz has become effectively closed as Iran targets energy infrastructure and traffic through the waterway during its war with the United States and allies, driving crude oil prices to hover around $100 a barrel. While some vessels have crossed the strait in recent days, global shippers have issued service alerts and insurers have been limiting coverage, compounding the disruption. The White House has announced steps to boost supplies and reduce transport friction, including a 60-day Jones Act waiver.
The Trump administration said it will extend a waiver on the Jones Act for another 90 days, citing fallout from the war in Iran that has roiled energy markets and supply chains. The Jones Act, a law passed in 1920, generally requires cargo shipped between U.S. ports to move on U.S.-flagged vessels.
Jet fuel prices are rising as disruptions to global oil supplies linked to the Iran war put cost pressure on airlines ahead of the busy summer travel season, experts say. Airlines have already begun adding fuel surcharges or raising fares outside the U.S., and some U.S. carriers may follow as higher fuel costs flow through airline pricing.
Vahid Salemi, an Associated Press photographer based in Tehran, said a photo showing black spots on clothespins captures how conflict has affected everyday life and the environment in the Iranian capital. In an interview accompanying the image, Salemi described how heavy smoke and thick rain clouds left homes darker in the morning and contributed to pollution visible as black marks.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. bombed military sites on Iran’s Kharg Island on Friday, an island he described as vital to Iran’s oil network. An American official told The Associated Press that about 2,500 additional Marines and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli are being sent to the Middle East nearly two weeks into the war.
Irán lanzó múltiples ataques el viernes de madrugada contra estados árabes del Golfo Pérsico, incluidos decenas de drones contra Arabia Saudí, mientras el ayatolá Mojtaba Jamenei prometía “no abstenerse de vengar la sangre” y el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump amenazaba con una nueva represalia. La ofensiva coincidió con el Día de Quds en apoyo a los palestinos, cuando la televisión estatal iraní reportó una gran explosión en una plaza de Teherán. En el conflicto regional, también se reportaron interceptaciones de misiles de Irán por defensas de la OTAN en Turquía y más incidentes en Israel, Líbano e Irak.
Explosions sounded over Dubai early Tuesday as the United Arab Emirates said its military intercepted incoming Iranian fire that briefly closed the country’s airspace. The UAE quickly reopened airspace after authorities said the situation stabilized, while Israel reported new strikes across Iran and stepped up attacks in Lebanon against Hezbollah.
Tehran urged people Saturday to evacuate Dubai’s Jebel Ali port and two other United Arab Emirates ports as its war with the United States and Israel entered a third week, threatening a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time. The Iranian foreign minister also said the U.S. attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island from locations in the UAE, including near Dubai.
Teherán instó el sábado a evacuar el puerto de Jebel Alí, en Dubái, y otros dos puertos en Emiratos Árabes Unidos, amenazando por primera vez activos no estadounidenses de un país vecino mientras la guerra de Irán contra Estados Unidos e Israel entra en su tercera semana.
Federal authorities are investigating multiple recent attacks they say reflect an elevated terrorism threat as the U.S. deals with the backdrop of the Iran war and a reshaped counterterrorism workforce at the FBI and Justice Department. In the past week, incidents in New York, Michigan and Virginia have raised concerns about the government’s ability to identify and disrupt threats early, even as officials said there is no indication the attackers were motivated explicitly by the Iran war. The AP’s report traces those concerns to departures of experienced national security personnel and shifting resources inside the FBI and DOJ.
More than a decade after first pressing for a confrontation with Iran, Sen. Lindsey Graham filed Monday for a fifth term, with President Donald Trump’s support and a prolonged U.S. war in the Middle East now shaping his campaign. Graham told supporters he spoke to Trump Sunday night and Monday morning and said, “We haven’t underestimated Iran at all. We’re crushing them.”
The White House has released social media videos promoting its newly launched war with Iran that blend real combat footage with clips and imagery from movies, video games and sports, drawing criticism from artists and religious leaders. The Associated Press reported on the backlash after two performers said their work was used without permission and after Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago said the posts treat deadly conflict like entertainment.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have largely held back from joining the broader conflict as Iran responds to attacks by the United States and Israel with missiles and drones across the Persian Gulf, the Associated Press reported. Analysts say the group’s restraint reflects internal divisions and fears for the security of Houthi leaders, even as Iran’s new supreme leader suggested last week that Iran could open new fronts.
A U.S. military refueling plane crash in western Iraq killed six service members who were supporting operations against Iran, U.S. officials said. Families of the victims described the airmen and their roles in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard.
The FBI and Justice Department face increased strain as recent violence in the United States has underscored heightened terrorism threats amid the U.S. war with Iran, according to an Associated Press report. The past week included attacks in New York City, Michigan and Virginia, which federal authorities tied to threats driven by violent extremist ideology or lone-actor dynamics.
El grupo rebelde hutí de Yemen, respaldado por Irán, ha mantenido su distancia mientras la guerra entre Irán y Estados Unidos e Israel se extiende por Oriente Medio, según analistas. En su primera declaración escrita desde la muerte de su padre, ocurrida al inicio del conflicto, el nuevo líder supremo iraní, el ayatolá Mojtaba Jamenei, sugirió el jueves que Irán podría abrir nuevos frentes, lo que reavivó la pregunta sobre si los hutíes podrían involucrarse pronto.
Irán instó el sábado a evacuar el puerto más activo de Oriente Medio y otros dos en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, mientras la guerra contra Estados Unidos e Israel entraba en su tercera semana. Teherán dijo que Washington usó “puertos, muelles y escondites” en los EAU para atacar la isla de Jark, donde se ubica una terminal clave para las exportaciones de petróleo de Irán.
Iran urged people in the United Arab Emirates to evacuate areas near three ports as the Iran-U.S. conflict entered its third week, threatening to target U.S.-linked oil and energy assets. U.S. Central Command disputed Iran’s claim that the UAE was used to launch strikes. Hours later, there was no sign of an attack on Dubai’s Jebel Ali port or Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa port, but an intercepted Iranian drone hit an oil facility in Fujairah and sparked a fire.
Jet fuel prices have been rising as the Iran war disrupts global oil supplies, and experts say airfares are likely to increase as that higher cost works through airline pricing. The impact may be felt most on long-haul international routes because they burn significantly more fuel than shorter flights.
Senator Lindsey Graham filed Monday to run for a fifth term in South Carolina, as the U.S. conflict with Iran remains deeply unpopular and fighting spreads across the Middle East. Graham told supporters he spoke with President Donald Trump on Sunday night and Monday morning while defending his push for the U.S. to take on Iran directly.
The Strait of Hormuz is becoming increasingly hard to traverse as the Iran war escalates, leaving global oil prices swinging around the $100-a-barrel range, according to reports citing the International Energy Agency and market tracking. The situation has raised fears of inflation pressure for consumers and higher costs for businesses if the route stays disrupted.
A photo series by Associated Press photographer Vahid Salemi captures black spots on clothespins, which he says reflect environmental damage from conflict in Tehran. Salemi described how smoke from explosions and heavy rain clouds left the city unusually dark on the day the image was taken.
The Trump administration said it is extending a waiver of the Jones Act for another 90 days, citing the continuing war in Iran and its impact on energy markets and supply chains. The waiver applies to the century-old shipping law that generally requires cargo between U.S. ports to be moved on U.S.-flagged vessels.
President Donald Trump said Monday he has asked multiple countries to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid fighting involving Iran and Israel. He also indicated that his planned trip to China could be delayed after he raised the issue with Beijing. The request has met resistance so far, with officials in several countries signaling they will not dispatch ships or could not expand involvement.
President Donald Trump said the United States bombed military sites on Kharg Island on Friday, an island he described as vital to Iran’s oil export network. An American official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, said 2,500 more Marines and an amphibious assault ship are being sent to the Middle East nearly two weeks into the war between Israel and Iran.
Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said Saturday there is no serious initiative to restart U.S.-Iran negotiations, but he believes Iran could be open to “sensible back-channel diplomacy.” Fidan spoke in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press while Turkey tries to stay out of a widening Middle East conflict.
President Donald Trump, two weeks into strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, has increasingly faced political backlash tied to the conflict, including surging oil prices and dropping financial markets. In remarks during a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate and on Air Force One, Trump complained about media coverage and pressed for international help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where transportation has been disrupted. His comments and recent economic moves, including a 30-day waiver on some Russian sanctions to ease oil supply shortages, are drawing scrutiny ahead of November midterm elections.
The United Arab Emirates briefly shut down its airspace early Tuesday as its military said it was responding to missile and drone threats from Iran, and then lifted the closure as the situation stabilized. Explosions were heard over Dubai while the UAE worked to intercept incoming fire, after Israel reported a wide-scale wave of strikes across Iran’s capital and stepped up attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
U.S. stocks rose Monday to their best day since the Iran war began after oil prices fell, easing pressure on the economy. The S&P 500 rose 1% for its biggest gain in five weeks, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 387 points and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.2%.
The Trump administration has released a series of war-themed promo videos on the White House’s social media feed that mix pop culture clips, video game imagery and sports highlights with declassified combat footage related to the Iran war, according to Associated Press reporting. The videos, posted after the war’s launch, have drawn criticism from artists whose likenesses appear in the posts and from U.S. Catholic leaders.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have so far stayed on the sidelines as Iran retaliates against the United States and Israel with missiles and drones and the conflict widens across the Middle East, according to analysts cited by The Associated Press. The Houthis have instead focused on protests and declarations about the war, while other Iran-aligned groups have resumed attacks. In a first written statement since succeeding his father, Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, suggested Iran may open new fronts—raising questions about whether the Houthis will join.
The U.S. will temporarily ease sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments loaded on tankers as of Thursday, a move aimed at reducing volatility in global energy markets as the Iran war and disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz have pushed crude prices higher. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure would last 30 days and would not change the overall sanctions pressure on Russia’s oil sector. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the easing would “help” Russia’s war effort.
The United States is temporarily easing some sanctions on Russian oil shipments, aiming to calm jittery global energy markets as crude prices surge amid disruptions tied to the Iran war. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the restrictions will not apply for 30 days to deliveries of Russian oil loaded on tankers as of Thursday.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have so far stayed on the sidelines as Iran expands its war with the United States and Israel across the Middle East, raising questions about whether they will join later. Iran has retaliated with missiles and drones targeting American military bases and other locations in Gulf Arab countries, disrupting trade routes and threatening regional air traffic.
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has demanded about seven countries send warships to help police the Strait of Hormuz as oil prices rise amid the Iran war. Trump made the remarks while flying back to Washington from Florida aboard Air Force One, and declined to name the countries he is pressing.
The Fed’s closely watched inflation gauge rose in January, a fresh sign that prices stayed persistently elevated even before the Iran war disrupted energy markets. The Commerce Department said core and overall price measures rose year over year, with core inflation at its fastest pace in nearly two years.
The Iran conflict has driven up oil and gasoline prices, but President Donald Trump has begun portraying high prices as profitable and pivoting from earlier messages that emphasized keeping energy costs low, the Associated Press reported. The Trump administration has also taken steps aimed at stabilizing surging prices while officials grapple with how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to allow tankers to move again.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday, March 15, that he has demanded roughly seven nations send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open amid the ongoing Iran‑Iraq conflict. The appeal, made while he was aboard Air Force One returning from Florida, came as oil prices surged and the waterway—through which about one‑fifth of the world’s oil trade flows—remains contested. Trump declined to name the countries, saying they would be protecting “their own territory,” and asserted that the United States does not need the strait because it obtains only a minimal share of its oil from the passage.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose in January, a sign that prices remained persistently elevated even before the Iran war disrupted energy markets. The Commerce Department reported the personal consumption expenditures price index rose 2.8% in January from a year earlier.
President Donald Trump has sought to frame higher oil prices as beneficial after a spike in energy costs tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict, as his administration wrestles with how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for oil tankers. The shift comes as gasoline prices have risen sharply and Trump’s political team has offered varying messages on when the strait might again be used routinely.
Pro-Iranian hackers have targeted sites across the Middle East and expanded their reach into the United States during the war that began Feb. 28, raising the risk of cyberattacks on U.S. defense contractors and critical infrastructure, experts said. Hackers supporting Iran claimed responsibility for a significant cyberattack Wednesday against medical device maker Stryker, while researchers also described attempted intrusions including into data centers, industrial facilities and cameras used for missile targeting.
The month-old war launched by the United States and Israel has focused attention on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil-export hub, and on other Persian Gulf islands near the Strait of Hormuz. Strikes or an invasion of such sites could sharply curtail Iran’s oil exports and, analysts say, widen the conflict in ways that would ripple through global fuel prices.
The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for airing part of a public statement by Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the network’s latest target in a dispute over wartime coverage. White House communications director Steven Cheung had criticized CNN earlier for an interview with a former Iranian nuclear negotiator, and CNN and other outlets said they also aired portions of the new statement. The episode underscored how officials can challenge how American media depict adversaries during conflict.
Pro-Iranian hacking groups have escalated cyber operations against U.S. and Middle Eastern targets since the war began February 28, posing a growing threat to American critical infrastructure, the Associated Press has learned. The hackers, claiming responsibility for a significant cyberattack on medical device manufacturer Stryker, are focusing on data centers, industrial facilities, and utility providers in a campaign experts warn could expand if Tehran’s allies join the fray.
U.S. and Israeli operations in the month-old war involving Iran have focused attention on Kharg Island, where Iran’s oil terminal handles most of the country’s exports. Strikes on Kharg’s oil infrastructure—or a ground invasion—could sharply curb Iran’s oil revenue, while also raising the risk of broader attacks across the Gulf and higher oil prices.
The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for airing a portion of a public statement by Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, calling the broadcast propaganda. The administration’s criticism came as multiple news outlets issued alerts about what Khamenei said after he succeeded his father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.
A month into the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, the strategic Kharg Island oil terminal has become a focal point. Striking or occupying the island could cripple Iran's economy but would also risk driving oil prices higher, threatening the global economy.
The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for broadcasting portions of Iran's new supreme leader's first public statement since his father's death, marking the second time in three days that President Trump has targeted the network for its war reporting. The attack highlights the delicate balance news outlets must strike in covering enemy states during wartime.
Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public statement on the war on Thursday, in a speech read aloud by a news anchor rather than delivered on camera, the Associated Press reported. In the statement, he urged neighboring countries to shut down bases he linked to attacks on Iran and said Iran would keep retaliating over the killing of his predecessor’s father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Irán atacó el miércoles el Aeropuerto Internacional de Dubái y también barcos comerciales, mientras Estados Unidos e Israel bombardeaban Teherán, en una escalada que preocupa por el impacto en las rutas de petróleo del golfo Pérsico. El Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU aprobó una resolución que exige un alto a esos ataques contra vecinos. En paralelo, autoridades de Bahréin y de Irak reportaron incendios y el cierre de terminales petroleras tras ataques vinculados con el conflicto.
In Sacramento, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state faces no imminent threat despite an FBI warning about a possible Iranian drone strike on the West Coast in retaliation for war. Newsom said officials are treating the information with preparedness for “worst-case scenarios.”
NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration’s war with Iran cost the United States more than $11.3 billion during its first week, according to AP reporting. The Associated Press broke down that spending into smaller, more comparable costs, including what the money might cover at the individual level.
Iran’s new supreme leader said Thursday the war will continue, warning Gulf Arab states of “other fronts” as prices and markets reacted to escalating attacks. In the same period, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his strikes are creating conditions for the Iranian public to topple the government, while U.S. President Donald Trump posted threats to Iran online.
With no clear end in sight for the war with Iran, oil prices jumped back to $100 per barrel Thursday and stocks sank worldwide. The S&P 500 fell 1.5%, the Dow dropped 739 points, and the Nasdaq fell 1.8% as traders focused on the Strait of Hormuz and rising energy-driven inflation fears.
In the United States, drivers watching the Iran war push up gasoline prices are weighing whether to buy electric vehicles, experts say. AP spoke with EV owners and economists, energy analysts and consumer-industry researchers about how quickly electricity bills may change—and whether EVs offer savings when fuel costs rise.
An American military refueling plane involved in the U.S. operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, U.S. Central Command said Thursday. Central Command said the crash involved two aircraft, with one landing safely and the other going down in western Iraq. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was hurt, and the military said the event was “a loss.”
Iran launched a series of drone and missile strikes on March 11 that hit the world’s busiest airport in Dubai, merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf and oil facilities in Bahrain and Iraq, while the United States and Israel bombed Tehran in retaliation. The United Nations Security Council voted 13‑0 to demand an immediate halt to Iran’s attacks on its neighbors, a resolution that China and Russia abstained from supporting.
NEW YORK — As the conflict between Iran and Israel roils oil markets, U.S. investors are being reminded that patience remains the best defense for retirement savings, according to financial advisers. The S&P 500, still 4.4% shy of its January record, has swung sharply in recent weeks, but historically the index has recovered from every major shock, from the 2020 pandemic to previous trade wars.
California Governor Gavin Newsom told a press briefing on March 12 that there is no imminent threat to the state despite an FBI bulletin warning of a possible Iranian drone strike on the West Coast. The warning, posted on the agency’s official X account, described the intelligence as “unverified,” and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the governor’s assessment, saying no such threat exists.
Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public statement on the war on Thursday, but did not appear on camera and the speech was read by a news anchor. In the statement, he called for neighboring countries to shut down bases linked to attacks on Iran and said Iran would continue using a “lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran’s new supreme leader made his first public remarks, pledging to keep fighting as the war entered its 13th day and oil prices surged and stocks fell. In separate remarks, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a new threat to Iran, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s strikes were aimed at creating conditions for the Iranian population to topple the government.
Oil prices rose back to around $100 per barrel and stock markets fell worldwide Thursday, as investors weighed risks that the Iran war could disrupt Persian Gulf oil flows and stoke inflation. The S&P 500 fell 1.5%, the Dow dropped 739 points, and the Nasdaq declined 1.8%, according to AP market data.
An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq, and U.S. Central Command said rescue efforts were under way Thursday. The military said the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, and described the plane as “a loss.” U.S. officials told The Associated Press that the KC-135 tanker involved had at least five crew members aboard.
President Donald Trump has said he would accept the results of a Pentagon investigation after U.S. officials and a second person briefed on findings of a preliminary military probe told The Associated Press that outdated intelligence likely led to a deadly missile strike on an Iranian elementary school. The strike killed more than 165 people, many of them children, in the opening hours of the conflict, according to the preliminary investigation findings described by the AP.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first public statement since taking power, vowed to continue and escalate the war against Israel and the United States, and threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed as a strategic lever. The speech, read by a news anchor Thursday without showing Khamenei on camera, did not specify his location but an Israeli assessment indicates he was wounded in the war's opening salvo.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s new supreme leader vowed Thursday to keep fighting and open “other fronts” in the 13-day war, as U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new online threat calling Iranian leaders “deranged scumbags.” The conflict has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, sent oil prices above $100 per barrel, and dragged in global powers.
Investors should stay calm and avoid rash moves as U.S. markets swing due to the Iran war, historical patterns show recoveries always follow steep drops, advisers say.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday there is no imminent threat to the state despite an FBI warning about a possible Iran drone attack on the West Coast.
Wealthy nations backed by the International Energy Agency agreed Wednesday to release record emergency oil reserves to blunt the impact of the Iran war on global energy markets and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The IEA said its members will make 400 million barrels available from their emergency reserves, including more than double the volume released in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Inflation rose at about the same pace in February as in January, but the latest reading reflects prices before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28 and sent oil prices higher. Consumer prices increased 2.4% in February from a year earlier, and core prices rose 2.5%, both matching January and sitting above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
Iran attacked commercial shipping and targeted Bahrain’s Muharraq Island airport as the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution demanding Iran stop “egregious attacks” on Gulf neighbors. The escalation came as U.S. and Israeli strikes hit Tehran, with no signs the war that began about 12 days ago was subsiding, according to the Associated Press.
The Iran war has quickly tested the United States’ ability to counter swarms of cheap drones, including Shahed one-way attack drones that can slip through defenses and cause casualties. U.S. leaders say Iran has launched fewer drones since the war began Feb. 28, but experts warn the military still faces a learning curve as it moves toward more cost-efficient counter-drone systems.
Gasoline prices have been rising largely because the Iran war has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for oil and gas from the Persian Gulf, the Associated Press reported March 11. French President Emmanuel Macron is leading an international effort aimed at unblocking the choke point when fighting eases, with ideas that warships could escort vessels through the strait.
The war with Iran is turning into a contest of endurance, driven by airstrikes and missile attacks on both sides and by economic shocks that ripple through energy markets, travel and shipping, according to an Associated Press analysis. U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian officials have offered conflicting signals about any end to the fighting, while attacks tied to Iran’s regional strategy have disrupted oil and gas flows and increased pressure on Gulf Arab states.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly adjusted his stated goal for the war launched against Iran, moving from talk of “unconditional surrender” to signals of a negotiated end state while refusing to rule out U.S. ground troops, an Associated Press report said. The changing messaging has unfolded during a conflict now entering its second week, with the Strait of Hormuz still crucially affected and Americans asking for a clearer timeline.
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least four cultural and historical sites, including palaces and an ancient mosque, UNESCO said after verifying the damage. The U.N. cultural agency said it also sent advance coordinates to help parties avoid harm, as it reported further damage linked to fighting in and around Iran’s protected landmarks.
U.S. stocks held steady Wednesday even as oil prices resumed their climb amid the war with Iran and uncertainty about shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% for a second day of modest moves after a recent stretch of sharper volatility tied to the conflict, while the Dow fell 0.6% and the Nasdaq edged higher.
Some commercial ships near or in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf have begun declaring themselves as China-linked since the Iran war began, marine traffic data analyzed by The Associated Press show. The destination signals—short messages entered by ship crews into transponders—include notes such as “CHINA OWNER” or “CHINA OWNER&CREW.”
Fighting that began Feb. 28 continues into its second week as the United States and Israel strike Iran and Iran responds with attacks against Israel, U.S. military assets and regional neighbors, the Associated Press reported. The questions include how long the war will last, what each side seeks, whether other countries join, how the conflict could end and where oil prices could settle.
The national average price of gasoline reached $3.48 per gallon on Monday, up from $2.90 a month ago before U.S. military operations against Iran began, according to tracking by AAA — a surge that drew complaints from Trump voters, Democrats and independents at gas stations across Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and North Carolina, even as those motorists remained divided over whether the war itself was justified.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. and Israeli missile strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28 has driven global oil prices from under $70 a barrel to a peak of nearly $120 on Monday before settling closer to $90, according to the Associated Press. The conflict has cut off roughly 20 million barrels of daily oil supply with no spare capacity elsewhere in the world to replace it, economists said. U.S. average gasoline prices have climbed to $3.48 a gallon from just under $3 a week earlier, according to AAA. Economists warn the disruption is spreading beyond fuel costs to fertilizer shipments, food supplies in low-income countries, and the policy choices facing central banks including the Federal Reserve.
Vice President JD Vance joined the family of Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington of Glendale, Kentucky, as his remains were brought to the United States on Monday evening. Pennington died Sunday after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said.
As the war in Iran ratchets up, crude oil prices have swung sharply and risen, with consumers beginning to feel the impact at the gas pump and beyond. The Associated Press reported that Brent crude was trading above $110 a barrel as gasoline, diesel, heating and transportation-linked costs rise. Economists interviewed by AP said the oil shock could also add to inflation and constrain consumer spending, especially for lower-income households.
In remarks to Republican lawmakers at his golf club near Miami, President Donald Trump said Monday that the war against Iran could be “short-term.” He also left open the possibility of wider escalation if Iran disrupts global oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, posting a message threatening U.S. strikes “TWENTY TIMES HARDER.” Hours earlier, Iran had selected Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader as fighting continued.
The Trump administration and Israel launched a war in Iran after a U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that American military intervention was unlikely to lead to regime change in the Islamic Republic, according to two people familiar with the findings. The National Intelligence Council’s February assessment said neither limited airstrikes nor a broader, prolonged campaign would likely produce a new government, even if Iran’s top leader was killed. U.S. officials disputed the war’s end-state even as the strikes removed prominent figures in Iran’s leadership, and Iran’s senior clerics later selected Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader.
A day after U.S. and Israeli forces started a war against Iran, President Donald Trump said the conflict could be short but later threatened to intensify the campaign if Iran attempts to disrupt global oil supplies. His remarks moved oil prices and U.S. stock markets while Iran named a new hard-line Supreme Leader to oversee the fight.
The State Department ordered nonessential personnel and families to leave additional U.S. diplomatic missions in and around the Middle East on Monday, as it faces renewed criticism over contingency planning for the current Iran-related conflict. Department officials said the latest moves include ordering departures from Saudi Arabia and the U.S. consulate in Adana, Turkey. The department has also advised Americans in multiple Middle East countries to leave, and it said it has assisted more than 23,000 people with information or seats on charter flights.
The Iran war is threatening key oil and gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, including LNG terminals, ports, pipelines and refineries, the Associated Press reported March 9. Strikes by Iranian drones have disrupted some facilities and raised the risk of attacks to the point that the Strait of Hormuz has effectively closed, cutting off a main shipping route for energy.
Oil prices swung sharply in early trading amid fears the widening Iran war could disrupt oil production and shipping across the Middle East. The sharp move came after President Donald Trump told CBS News he thinks “the war is very complete,” shortly after Brent crude briefly surged above $119 a barrel on Monday.
Surging oil prices tied to the war with Iran are rippling through African economies, threatening higher fuel costs, rising inflation and renewed pressure on currencies, an Associated Press analysis said. With many countries reliant on imported petroleum products, disruptions linked to Middle East tensions—especially the Strait of Hormuz—can quickly feed into broader price pressures.
The war with Iran is sending energy prices sharply higher and threatening food supplies worldwide, economists warned Monday, as the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil flows — remains largely shut following the Feb. 28 US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The State Department authorized up to $40 million in emergency funds Tuesday to pay for charter evacuation flights for Americans leaving the Middle East, where the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has disrupted commercial air travel since hostilities began Feb. 28, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately waived the federal requirement that private Americans repay the government for such transportation. The department confirmed it had tapped the emergency account in response to a query but declined to specify how much it had authorized.
Iran has been firing cluster munitions toward Israel on a "nearly daily basis" throughout the ongoing war, Israeli military officials said Tuesday, deploying weapons that scatter dozens of bomblets across wide areas that Israel's air-defense networks are not built to stop. At least three people have been killed by the submunitions, including two workers at a construction site in central Israel.
The U.S. military said Tuesday it had destroyed 16 Iranian vessels used for mine-laying in Gulf waters, releasing declassified images as evidence, even as President Donald Trump claimed on social media that there were no reports of Iran placing explosives in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard simultaneously vowed it would not allow "a single liter" of oil to be exported from the region to hostile nations. The conflicting signals emerged on the 11th day of the U.S.-Iran war, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged the most intense U.S. strikes yet and the Pentagon disclosed that seven American service members have been killed and approximately 140 wounded since the conflict began.
The State Department has authorized up to $40 million in emergency funds to charter flights for Americans leaving the Middle East, officials said Tuesday, as those government-organized aircraft have flown at less than 40 percent of capacity on average and the department faces mounting criticism over its response to travel disruptions caused by the Iran war.
Tens of thousands of Iranians have left Tehran and other cities under aerial bombardment, driving into the countryside to wait out the U.S.-Israeli campaign in small villages and remote towns, according to the United Nations refugee agency and accounts gathered by The Associated Press. The U.N. said roughly 100,000 people fled Tehran in the first two days of the conflict alone — a figure officials said likely understates the total displacement from a capital of about 9.7 million people.
A land crossing near Turkey’s Van province has offered some Iranians a temporary route to the rest of the world as Iran’s airspace shuts down following strikes on Tehran that triggered wider conflict in the Middle East, the Associated Press reported March 8. At the Kapıköy border crossing, many travelers said they planned to leave for a limited period, while only a small number told AP they intended to stay in Turkey indefinitely.
MOSCOW (AP) — As U.S. and Israeli strikes hit Iran, Russia has largely limited itself to condemnations and diplomacy, with President Vladimir Putin focused on Ukraine and seeing potential long-term gains from the widening Middle East conflict. In recent days, Putin sent condolences to Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Russia’s foreign ministry denounced the attacks as aggression against a U.N.-member state.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was chosen Sunday by the Assembly of Experts to succeed his father as the Islamic Republic's paramount decision-maker, assuming command of Iran's military and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard during an ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States. Khamenei, who had never been elected or appointed to a government position, will now hold final say over all matters of state, including Iran's ballistic missile arsenal and a stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
President Donald Trump said his vice president, JD Vance, was “philosophically a little bit different than me” at the outset of the war in Iran, while also dismissing the idea of a disagreement between them. Speaking to reporters Monday at his golf club in Doral, Florida, Trump said Vance was “maybe less enthusiastic about going” but that launching U.S. airstrikes in Iran alongside Israel was necessary.
US stocks held steadier Tuesday as Wall Street looked for the next sign on how long the war with Iran may last. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%, the Dow slipped 0.1% and the Nasdaq edged higher by less than 0.1%, after oil prices swung sharply earlier this week.
Americans are divided along party lines on U.S. military action against Iran, according to recent polls conducted since the war began, with most showing opposition higher than support. Many voters also say the strikes make the United States “less safe” and express concern that the conflict could raise oil and gasoline prices and last “months,” if not longer. The polls also suggest skepticism about President Donald Trump’s decisions as the conflict faces uncertainty over how far it could expand.
US stocks swung sharply on Monday, erasing an early loss and finishing higher as oil prices dropped from near $120 a barrel to below $90 amid shifting Iran-war expectations. The moves followed comments from President Donald Trump on CBS News that he believes the war “may not last” and that Iran has “nothing left” militarily, calming worries that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could be disrupted.
Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel for the first time in more than three and a half years Sunday, driven by disruptions to production and shipping as the Iran war entered its second week. Brent crude, the global benchmark, settled at $107.97 after trading resumed on Chicago’s futures exchange, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate was about $106.22.
Oil prices surged for the second straight week as the Iran war escalated after major U.S. and Israeli attacks, leaving ships unable to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The resulting supply disruptions and damage to oil and gas infrastructure have pushed up prices consumers are already seeing at the pump in the United States and abroad.
The price of oil has surged since the U.S. and Israel began their war against Iran, and President Donald Trump is now turning to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help cool markets. The Trump administration confirmed it will release 172 million barrels starting next week, with deliveries spread over about 120 days, as part of a wider emergency-stockpile effort led by the International Energy Agency.
The United States began a large military exercise with South Korea on March 9 that involves thousands of troops, even as the U.S. wages an escalating war in the Middle East. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said about 18,000 South Korean troops will take part in “Freedom Shield,” which runs through March 19.
The U.S. said it destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels Tuesday as the Iran-Israel war entered its 11th day. In response, Iran’s leadership vowed to block Gulf oil exports and said it would not allow “even a single liter” to be shipped to its enemies, while regional governments reported fresh missile and drone activity.
The International Energy Agency agreed Wednesday to release 400 million barrels of emergency oil reserves — the largest collective release in the organization's history — as a widening war in Iran halted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and sent crude prices surging well above pre-war levels. The release, coordinated among 32 member nations, came as Brent crude settled at $91.98 a barrel Wednesday, more than 30 percent above the roughly $70 level at which it was trading before the war began less than two weeks ago.
The Iran war's disruption of global oil and gas supply chains has prompted U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and some energy analysts to argue that the conflict may accelerate a shift to homegrown renewable energy — even as other experts warn that fossil fuel shocks more often push nations toward dirtier alternatives. Bombed refineries, disrupted shipping channels, and surging fuel prices have reignited a debate that last surfaced when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, only to fade as European nations replaced natural gas with coal.
New footage, first analyzed by open-source investigative group Bellingcat, shows what researchers say is likely an American Tomahawk cruise missile striking a compound in Minab, Iran, meters from a school where at least 165 people died on Feb. 28, the Associated Press reported Monday. A U.S. official familiar with internal deliberations told the AP the strike was likely American, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the matter. The unclaimed blast hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in Iran's southern Hormozgan Province.
Missiles and drones from the war that began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have come within range of hundreds of desalination plants along the Persian Gulf coast — facilities that supply drinking water to millions across one of the world's driest regions. Bahrain accused Iran on Sunday of damaging one of its desalination plants. Iran's foreign minister said a U.S. airstrike damaged a plant on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, cutting water to 30 villages.
Iran's Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei — the 56-year-old son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as the Islamic Republic's next supreme leader on Monday, as Iranian forces widened missile and drone strikes against oil and water infrastructure across Gulf Arab states. The announcement came as the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel entered its second week, with the war's toll surpassing 1,600 dead and global oil prices climbing above $100 a barrel.
President Donald Trump dismissed reports Saturday that Russia has provided Iran with targeting information to strike U.S. military personnel in the Middle East, calling the intelligence sharing inconsequential one week into the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. Trump spoke aboard Air Force One after attending the dignified transfer for six Army reservists killed in a drone strike in Kuwait — the day after the U.S. and Israel launched the war.
Families and supporters of six Americans detained in Iran warned Friday that their loved ones face escalating danger from the intensifying military conflict, including the risk of becoming unintended casualties of Israeli and American airstrikes or victims of retaliation by Iranian authorities. At least two of the detainees are held at Evin Prison, the high-security Tehran facility that houses many of Iran's political prisoners and that Israel's military has warned nearby residents to evacuate amid continuing strikes.
As U.S. and Israeli forces continue strikes on Iran now in their second week, Democratic lawmakers and defense experts are raising questions about the long-term adequacy of American weapons stockpiles — particularly the Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors central to the missile defense campaign. The Trump administration has insisted the military has what it needs, while announcing that major defense contractors have agreed to quadruple production of certain munitions.
State-linked influence operations — including accounts associated with the Iranian government and a Russia-aligned network — have flooded social media with fabricated and misrepresented visual content since U.S. and Israeli forces bombed Iran last weekend, researchers and information-operations analysts said. The misinformation has focused on who is winning the conflict and how many casualties each side has taken.
President Donald Trump said Friday that questions about the ongoing war in Iran were "easy" compared to his efforts to regulate college sports and rein in athlete salaries — an extraordinary remark he appeared to soften only moments later. Trump spent more than an hour at a White House roundtable with college sports figures, pressing Congress to overhaul NCAA rules even as U.S. and Israeli forces continued military operations against Iran that began a week earlier.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance joined the families of six fallen U.S. soldiers Saturday at Dover Air Force Base for the dignified transfer of service members killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. The soldiers — all Army Reserve members from the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa — died one day after the United States and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran, according to the Associated Press.
More than 58,860 Indonesian pilgrims were stranded in Saudi Arabia as of Thursday after the war in the Middle East disrupted air travel during the Umrah pilgrimage season, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said. About 1,600 Malaysian pilgrims were also stranded, Malaysia's consul general in Jeddah said. The disruptions began when the conflict broke out on Feb. 28, forcing last-minute itinerary changes and cancellations for thousands of worshippers in the kingdom during Ramadan.
Israel renewed its assault on southern Lebanon early Sunday, targeting commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, a day after striking a Tehran oil storage facility in what appeared to be the first attack on a civil industrial site in the conflict. Missiles and drones struck Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain as the war expanded across the Gulf.
President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer of six American service members killed in the war in the Middle East at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday, standing silent as flag-draped transfer cases were received. Trump, wearing a blue suit, red tie, and a white USA hat, did not speak during the ceremony. "It's a very sad day," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Florida later Saturday afternoon, saying that he was "glad we paid our respects."
The House narrowly rejected a resolution Thursday that would curb President Donald Trump’s war powers in the Iran conflict, a vote that underscored early congressional unease as the dispute widens. The measure was defeated 212-219, the second such vote in as many days after the Senate voted down a similar effort. Republicans backed Trump while Democrats mostly opposed the resolution.
Wall Street closed out its worst week since October on Friday as Brent crude settled at $92.69 a barrel — its highest close since September 2023 — after the expanding Iran war disrupted Middle East energy infrastructure, while a government report showing U.S. employers cut more jobs in February than they created sent the S&P 500 down 1.3% to 6,740.02. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 453 points and the Nasdaq composite fell 361 points to close at 22,387.68.
Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft, and other assets in the Persian Gulf, two U.S. officials said Friday — the first reported sign that Moscow has sought involvement in the week-old war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive intelligence publicly, cautioned that U.S. intelligence has not established that Russia is directing Iran on how to use the information.
Satellite imagery, expert analysis and a statement from a U.S. official point to a United States airstrike as the cause of a Feb. 28 explosion that killed more than 165 people, most of them girls, at a primary school in southern Iran, the Associated Press reported Thursday. The explosion at Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab — a city in Hormozgan province roughly 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) southeast of Tehran — produced the highest civilian death toll of the ongoing U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran, according to Iranian state media. Neither the United States nor Israel has claimed responsibility for the attack. Iran has blamed both countries.
A Brooklyn jury convicted Pakistani business owner Asif Merchant on Friday on terrorism and murder-for-hire charges, following a weeklong trial in which Merchant himself testified that Iran's Revolutionary Guard directed him to arrange the killings of American political figures during the 2024 presidential campaign. Merchant, 47, faces up to life in prison.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused the American press of reporting U.S. military deaths in the Iran war to damage President Donald Trump's standing, remarks that drew swift rebuttals from journalists who said casualty coverage has been standard practice under administrations of both parties. Hegseth made the comments at a Pentagon briefing while addressing the deaths of six U.S. Army reservists killed in an Iranian attack on an operations center in Kuwait.
A U.S. submarine's torpedo attack that killed at least 87 people aboard the Iranian warship IRIS Dena did not violate international or American military law, legal experts said. The strike took place in international waters in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, as part of the broader U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran, and hit a lawful military target, experts said — though what happened in the attack's immediate aftermath raises a separate and still-unresolved legal question.
Thousands of Americans stranded across the Middle East after Israeli-U.S. attacks on Iran began Feb. 28 largely navigated their own way home — relying on WhatsApp group chats, private drivers and alternative border crossings — as U.S. government repatriation efforts lagged behind those of allied nations, multiple travelers said Friday. The first U.S.-chartered repatriation flight did not arrive until Thursday, days after Poland, Australia, France and other countries had already dispatched military or chartered aircraft for their citizens. As of Friday, about 27,000 Americans had returned to the United States since the conflict began, the State Department said, with the vast majority traveling without government help. More than 29,000 of roughly 51,000 flights scheduled in or out of Middle East airports had been canceled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, as airspace over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria remained closed.
The U.S. Treasury Department granted India a 30-day exemption to continue buying Russian crude oil and petroleum products, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Friday, as the Iran war's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz drove oil prices sharply higher and raised concern about costs for American consumers. The waiver runs through April 4. The measure covers Russian oil stranded on tankers without buyers. Analysts estimated the affected supply at roughly 125 million barrels, according to the Associated Press.
Hundreds of Pakistani Shiites staged rallies Friday in Islamabad and other cities to denounce the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes, as the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad issued a security alert urging American citizens to limit their movement outside. About 300 protesters held a sit-in in the capital under heavy police presence, carrying posters of Khamenei and chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."
Explosions lit the western Tehran skyline early Saturday as Israel said it had launched a broad new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital, and Iran responded with a fresh volley of missiles toward Israel. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the conflict's most intense bombardment had not yet begun. President Donald Trump approved a new $151 million arms sale to Israel and posted on social media that there would be "no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender."
Satellite imagery, expert analysis, a U.S. official and information released by the American and Israeli militaries indicate a Feb. 28 blast that killed more than 165 people at an Iranian elementary school was likely caused by U.S. airstrikes, the Associated Press reported Friday. Most of those killed at Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab — a city in Hormozgan Province about 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) southeast of Tehran — were children. The strike had the highest reported civilian death toll since the war with Iran began.
The United States will soon deploy an anti-drone system proven against Russian drones in Ukraine to the Middle East to bolster defenses against Iranian drones, two American officials told the Associated Press on Friday. The system, called Merops, launches drones to intercept and destroy incoming unmanned aircraft, using artificial intelligence to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed. Pentagon officials have privately acknowledged in closed-door briefings with lawmakers that they are struggling to stop waves of drones launched by Iran, leaving some U.S. targets in the Gulf region vulnerable.
President Donald Trump said Thursday he wants to be involved in choosing Iran's next supreme leader, calling front-runner Mojtaba Khamenei "a lightweight" in an interview with Axios, as the United States and Israel entered a sixth day of strikes targeting Iran's military, nuclear program and leadership. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that American firepower over Tehran was "about to surge dramatically," and Iran's ambassador to Egypt said his country had not requested talks and that there would be "no trust in Trump."
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States cannot stop every Iranian air attack, even as he asserted U.S. superiority would allow control of Iran’s airspace. At a Pentagon news conference, he and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine described U.S. and allied air defenses as prepared while the conflict that began Saturday has widened across the region.
Congress is expected to take up a measure to restrict President Donald Trump’s war powers in the U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran after the Senate rejected a Democratic effort to limit him. The House vote Thursday would test whether lawmakers can reclaim some control in an era in which, for decades, presidents have relied on commander-in-chief authority and Congress often authorized or funded force after it began.
The House voted Thursday to reject a resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s war powers in the conflict with Iran, a measure described as a test of Trump’s strategy as the war widens and congressional support splits. The vote was 212-219, after the Senate defeated a similar measure earlier this week.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as a possible candidate to succeed his father as the war between Iran and Israel continues, according to reports. His name has circulated publicly as hard-line clerics weigh successors in the 88-seat Assembly of Experts.
Senate Republicans voted down legislation in the Senate on Wednesday that would have required congressional approval before further U.S. attacks against Iran, a rare early test of lawmakers’ approach to the conflict President Donald Trump launched.
The Trump administration faced mounting discontent from Persian Gulf allies who complained they were not given adequate time to prepare for Iranian drones and missiles that hit the region in retaliation for strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel. Gulf officials said the initial U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on Feb. 28 was not preceded by advance notice, and they said earlier warnings about the regional consequences were ignored, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. In response, the White House said Operation Epic Fury has reduced Iran’s retaliatory ballistic missile attacks by 90%.
DUBAI — Iran has unleashed thousands of drones and ballistic missiles against Israel, American military installations, and energy facilities across the Persian Gulf since the United States and Israel launched military operations Saturday and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Associated Press reported. Iranian fire has reached targets as distant as the country's borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and has struck Gulf states that maintain close ties to both Washington and Tehran.
U.S. and Israeli forces have struck more than 2,000 targets across Iran in less than a week, U.S. Central Command said, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a string of senior military and security officials in what conflict monitors describe as the most intensive American bombing campaign in the Middle East in more than a decade. An Iranian government agency says at least 1,230 people have been killed. More than 165 died when a school in southeastern Iran was struck, most of them children, according to Iranian state media.
A Pakistani man on trial in federal court in New York testified that an alleged assassination plot he was involved in included Donald Trump and Joe Biden as possible targets. Asif Merchant told jurors he acted because he feared for loved ones in Iran and anticipated being arrested before anyone was hurt.
A missile strike in Beit Shemesh on Sunday killed three children in one family and demolished a synagogue and nearby homes, according to Israeli rescue services and the family’s account. Tamar Biton, speaking after her children’s identification, said she remained hopeful they could be rescued from underneath rubble despite losing Yaakov, Avigail and Sarah.
Governments stepped up repatriation flights and other evacuation routes as an Iran war escalated and airspace restrictions disrupted travel, leaving hundreds of thousands stranded across the Middle East, according to the Associated Press. France said a flight carrying its citizens arrived in Paris early Wednesday, while countries including the United States, Britain, Ireland, Norway, Italy and Mexico reported additional departures and plans to bring people home.
Spain’s government denied on Wednesday that it has agreed to cooperate with U.S. military operations in the Middle East using Spanish bases, contradicting a White House claim during Donald Trump’s meetings with European leaders. The dispute intensified after Trump said he wanted to “cut off all trade with Spain” over NATO spending and the bases question, prompting backlash from Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez.
President Donald Trump faces sharp criticism of his early Iran-war decision from some conservative media figures, including Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, according to comments they made this week. The discontent has highlighted tensions within the MAGA-aligned media ecosystem and prompted White House pushback, as administration officials worked to defend the operation. The criticism has also spilled into public exchanges among conservatives, with figures trading barbs over what they say about U.S. casualties and Israel’s role.
Iran launched missiles at Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East early Thursday after the United States sank an Iranian warship, with air sirens sounding in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, the Associated Press reported.
China reacted cautiously to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, urging an immediate ceasefire and a return to dialogue. Chinese officials said the attacks were unacceptable, and analysts pointed to Beijing’s reluctance to project military power beyond its near periphery even as its economic and energy interests remain in the background.
The Iran war has effectively halted oil tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz and is now disrupting global shipping far beyond oil, including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and fertilizer supply. Cargo ships are idled in the Persian Gulf or taking longer detours, while planes carrying air cargo from the Middle East have been grounded as some airspace and airports close. Supply-chain specialists warn that shortages and price increases could follow if disruptions continue.
Iran’s capital was rocked by explosions early Saturday, as Tehran retaliated with missiles aimed at Israel and the United States warned of a forthcoming bombing campaign. Associated Press footage showed smoke rising over western Tehran while Israel said it had launched a broad wave of strikes.
Iranian media and officials said a U.S. submarine sank the frigate IRIS Dena in international waters off Sri Lanka, after the ship took part in naval exercises hosted by India. Sri Lanka’s navy said it recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 Iranian sailors. India’s defense ministry said the frigate participated in the International Fleet Review and the multilateral exercise MILAN 2026.
Global oil and natural gas shipments are being squeezed by disruptions around the Persian Gulf as the Iran war continues, pushing prices higher and increasing risks for Asia—where many countries rely on imported fuel shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. The Associated Press reports that about 13 million barrels of oil a day moved through the corridor in 2025, and that a large share of liquefied natural gas flows to Asia. Analysts also warned that a spike in fuel costs could ripple through food prices and broader inflation.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry said a second Japanese national has been detained in Iran and demanded the early release of both people, adding that it believes the detainee is safe and in good health.
Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq said they are preparing for a potential cross-border operation into Iran, with U.S. officials asking Iraqi Kurdish authorities for support, Kurdish officials told The Associated Press on March 4. One Kurdish official said some forces had moved near the Iranian border and were on standby, while another said their fighters were ready to cross in about a week to 10 days.
Kurdish Iranian dissidents based in northern Iraq said they are not planning an imminent cross-border attack on Iran but would join a U.S. ground invasion if one occurs. In comments to The Associated Press, officials from the Kurdistan Freedom Party PAK sought to reassure Iraqi Kurdish authorities that Iraq’s Kurdish region would not be used as a launching pad.
The Pentagon identified two more of the six U.S. service members killed when a drone struck a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, and Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, were released by the Defense Department on Wednesday, completing the names of the six killed.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been mentioned by some in Iran as a possible candidate to replace him as the war with Israel and the United States rages. The Associated Press reported that Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the Israeli airstrike that killed Ali Khamenei and his wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, on Saturday, and that state-run Iranian media have not reported on his whereabouts.
The war with Iran pushed oil prices to their highest level since summer 2024 on Thursday, dragging U.S. stocks broadly lower and erasing what had been a small year-to-date gain for the S&P 500. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% to 6,830.71, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 784.67 points to 47,954.74 after briefly plunging more than 1,100 points intraday, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 58.50 points to 22,748.99. Benchmark U.S. crude settled at $81.01 per barrel, up 8.5% for the session.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez this week refused to allow the United States military to use Spanish bases for operations against Iran, prompting President Donald Trump to threaten a total trade cutoff and opening a public rift between Madrid and Washington.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday expressed support for the U.S. war with Iran even as she mourned the deaths of four Iowa residents in military service since December, including two soldiers killed last weekend in a retaliatory drone strike in Kuwait. "I believe in the mission right now," Reynolds, a Republican, said at a Des Moines news conference, her voice breaking at times. Reynolds said she had spoken with the father of one of the Iowa soldiers killed in Kuwait and the wife of the other.
President Donald Trump and his top officials have offered multiple, sometimes contradictory explanations for Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israel military campaign that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some 40 senior Iranian officials. Rationales offered in public statements range from neutralizing Iran's nuclear program to preempting its ballistic missiles to preventing a unilateral Israeli strike, with officials at times contradicting one another and the president contradicting himself.
The House on Thursday narrowly rejected a resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s war powers in the Iran conflict, an early sign of unease in Congress as the fighting reshapes U.S. priorities. The vote was 212-219, after the Senate defeated a similar measure, and the measure would have halted the president’s ability to conduct the war unless Congress approved it.
The fight over whether Congress can curb President Donald Trump’s military authority in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is headed to the House, after the Senate rejected a Democratic effort to place limits on him. The debate revives a recurring constitutional struggle over war powers as lawmakers spar with Trump’s claims of broad discretion as commander in chief.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged that some Iranian drone or missile strikes may still reach their targets, even as he said U.S. forces have established air dominance. Speaking at the Pentagon on Wednesday, he and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine told reporters the U.S. has prepared maximum possible defense before launching broader operations and said the risk to troops remains high.
LONDON (AP) — Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump are at odds over whether Britain should join U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, stressing a relationship Starmer had worked to strengthen. Trump criticized Starmer’s reluctance to let U.S. warplanes use British bases, while Starmer said the U.K. will not join “offensive action” and has offered only defensive measures as the attacks began Saturday. The disagreement is reverberating across Europe, where leaders have taken different positions on the war.
Explosions sounded in Tehran on Wednesday as the war involving the U.S. and Israel entered a fifth day, after earlier strikes on an Iranian nuclear site and Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf region. Iran’s state television reported explosions around Tehran as dawn broke, while Israel said its air defenses were activated due to incoming missile fire from Iran.
Widespread flight disruptions across the Middle East have left many travelers stranded as the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran widens, and conditions may keep changing quickly, experts warn. Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, said travelers “should absolutely expect uncertainty,” urging them to follow government, airport and airline updates and to reassess trips that aren’t necessary.
A Pakistani businessman on trial in Brooklyn testified that an alleged assassination plot on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could have targeted Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Nikki Haley. Asif Merchant told jurors he did it because he feared for loved ones in Iran and expected to be caught before any killing occurred.
President Donald Trump pushed back on Monday against mounting criticism that he has not explained why the United States started a war with Iran now and what the administration expects as an endgame. The pushback comes as the conflict spreads, energy prices surge and the death toll in the Middle East rises, with Trump’s team suggesting the fighting may be only in its opening stages.
Scores of airline passengers are stranded across the Gulf as fighting between Iran and its rivals disrupts travel, and some wealthier travelers are escaping by paying for private flights via airports farther from the conflict. The costs, brokers and security firms said, have surged after major hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha closed last weekend.
Tensions flared at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday as lawmakers questioned the Trump administration’s rationale for launching a widening campaign against Iran and pressed for details on strategy, an exit plan and the costs to Americans in lives and dollars. During closed-door briefings, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized a decision to avoid being hit first, while other lawmakers warned about “mission creep,” possible boots on the ground, and what they said was a lack of a clear congressional rationale for the fight.
The broadening Iran-U.S.-Israel war has spread damage across the Middle East and beyond, with many governments ordering people to leave and airlines canceling flights as airspace closures continue. On the seventh day, Israeli warplanes struck Beirut and Tehran after Iran launched another wave of retaliatory strikes, while President Donald Trump said he was ruling out negotiations with Iran and called for “unconditional surrender.”
Satellite images released by an imaging company and shared with The Associated Press show damage at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, Iran’s main enrichment site, after the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. The images, taken Monday and compared with imagery from the previous day, show damage to buildings tied to personnel and to vehicle entrances to an underground fuel enrichment complex, with the U.N. nuclear watchdog saying the site sustained “some recent damage” and the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency saying “no radiological consequence” was expected.
President Donald Trump’s administration faced criticism for delaying more than 48 hours before making live, public remarks to explain why it decided to go to war with Iran, according to the Associated Press. In the first days of the conflict, Trump delivered pretaped statements released on Truth Social and spoke with reporters by phone, while the Pentagon briefing he oversaw drew questions from some outlets and not others.
Gasoline and diesel prices jumped overnight in the United States as the war in the Middle East disrupted shipments of oil and gas, the Associated Press reported. Drivers in Europe waited in long lines at pumps as diesel prices spiked, reflecting constraints in regional fuel supplies. Economists and industry analysts said higher costs could spread further, particularly in areas that rely on imported fuels.
Explosions rattled Tehran on Wednesday as the conflict between the United States and Israel and Iran entered its fifth day, with strikes reported across the Gulf region. Israel said its air-defense systems were responding to missiles arriving from Iran, while Iranian state television reported explosions in the Tehran metropolitan area early Wednesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France will increase its nuclear warheads and, for the first time, allow the temporary deployment of nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries under a “forward deterrence” strategy aimed at strengthening Europe’s independence.
Misrepresented photos and videos about the Iran war have circulated widely online as attacks continue, the Associated Press reported in a fact-check roundup published March 2. The AP said several posts falsely tied older or unrelated footage to current strikes and also flagged at least one image as AI-generated.
Cyprus says a Shahed drone struck the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri early Monday, prompting interceptor missions from Britain and partner countries as officials warned the incident could signal a widening Iran war beyond the Middle East.
A federal criminal trial in New York is exploring claims that a Pakistani man, Asif Merchant, tried to hire hit men connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to kill a U.S. political figure. The prosecution has introduced evidence that Merchant searched online for rally locations for Donald Trump and that his laptop contained photos of Trump and President Joe Biden when the two were rivals for the presidency.
Iranian airstrikes targeting targets near Amazon Web Services facilities have damaged infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the company said. AWS said two data centers in the UAE were “directly struck” and that a Bahrain facility was damaged after a drone landed nearby, prompting structural repairs and power disruptions.
The U.S. State Department is closing embassies to the public, shutting at least one consulate, ordering staff and families to depart and advising Americans in multiple countries to leave the region immediately as the United States and Israel strike Iran and the conflict widens. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 9,000 Americans have returned safely from the Middle East since the weekend.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes over the weekend, a development that reverberated quickly across the Shiite Muslim world. In Pakistan, thousands protested within hours, including clashes outside the U.S. diplomatic enclave in Islamabad and attempted moves on the U.S. consulate in Karachi. In Lebanon and Iraq, demonstrations and cross-border attacks added to fears of a wider backlash as Israel threatened further strikes.
Stocks slid Tuesday after a sell-off that began in Asia and intensified early in U.S. trading, with the Dow dropping more than 400 points by the close. Oil prices rose again on worries about a widening war with Iran, including risks around the Strait of Hormuz, though the sharpest market moves eased later in the day.
Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor and four other U.S. service members were among four Americans killed in the Iran war on Sunday, the Pentagon identified on Tuesday. Friends and relatives described the reservists, including two men whose identities were still pending, as dedicated parents and reservists serving in logistics in Kuwait.
In military-heavy communities around Fort Campbell, which hosts the 101st Airborne Division, families are weighing the unknowns of the U.S. war against Iran with memories shaped by deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Veterans, state officials, and nonprofit leaders around the Tennessee-Kentucky base described both pride in service and anxiety about what comes next.
French President Emmanuel Macron ordered France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean on Tuesday to help protect allied assets during the war in the Middle East, according to a French television speech reported by The Associated Press. Macron said the move follows developments in the conflict, including a strike on a British air force base on Cyprus and drone activity at a French naval base. He also urged Hezbollah to stop strikes, called on Israel to respect Lebanese territory, and said France cannot approve strikes by Israel and the United States against Iran carried out outside “international law.”
PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France is taking a new step in deterrence by aligning aspects of its nuclear strategy with eight European partners, while maintaining full French control over any nuclear strike decision. Macron made the announcement from a submarine base in western France, describing the move as crucial to bolstering Europe’s strategic autonomy.
President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to end trade with Spain, linking the move to Spain’s refusal to allow U.S. use of jointly operated bases in southern Spain for strikes tied to the Iran war. Trump made the comments during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as European officials said the EU would expect the U.S. to honor prior trade commitments.
In the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, China has called for an immediate halt to military operations and a return to dialogue while staying on the sidelines, according to analysts. The Associated Press report examines what Beijing’s restraint signals about its foreign-policy priorities and its relationship with Washington.
The S&P 500 rose 0.8% Wednesday, recovering most of its losses since the U.S.-Iran war began five days ago, as oil prices pulled back from intraday highs and two economic reports pointed to continued strength in hiring and the services sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 238 points, or 0.5%, to 48,739.41, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.3% to close at 22,807.48, according to the Associated Press. The day's gains followed a jarring overnight session in Asia, where South Korea's Kospi index fell 12.1% — its worst single-day loss in history.
An Iranian drone struck a U.S. military operations hub inside a working civilian port in Kuwait on Sunday, killing six American soldiers in a facility that a family member described as a shipping container-style building with no defenses, according to the Associated Press. The hub was located in Port Shuaiba, an industrial seaport south of Kuwait City, more than 10 miles from Camp Arifjan, the main U.S. Army installation in Kuwait, a U.S. official and satellite imagery confirmed to the AP.
The U.S. and Israel's joint war against Iran has stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers across the Middle East, with sweeping airspace closures and flight cancellations paralyzing Gulf state airports that normally funnel global air traffic, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Tourists, business travelers, migrant workers and others were left scrambling for next steps as the conflict continued to escalate, particularly through strikes in the Gulf states.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the U.S. and Israel’s strikes on Iran are not “endless,” while warning that more American casualties are likely in the weeks ahead. Speaking at a separate news conference with Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Hegseth also described the operation as having “decisive mission” goals aimed at eliminating Iranian ballistic-missile threats and leaving “no nukes.”
U.S. stocks swung from sharp losses to a small gain on Monday as oil prices leaped on worries that war with Iran could disrupt crude supplies and worsen inflation. The S&P 500 ended up less than 0.1% after trading lower, with the Nasdaq rising 0.4%, while benchmark U.S. crude settled 6.3% higher at $71.23 a barrel.
Some Iranians celebrated the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with videos and residents describing people dancing in streets while others expressed fear and uncertainty amid a U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign that continued into a second day on Sunday. As Iranians mourned in large crowds, authorities urged public unity after the deaths of Khamenei and other top military and security leaders, while some said security forces and the presence of the Basij would make it difficult to protest again.
Hundreds of thousands of travelers scrambled for new connections on Sunday after the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran that shut down much of the Middle East to air travel, forcing airlines to cancel flights and leaving airports unsure when they would reopen. Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace, and airspace in southern Syria was also shut, with disruptions rippling as far as Europe and Asia.
President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that he was not happy with how nuclear talks with Iran were going, then ordered a military operation called “Epic Fury” about three hours later. The Associated Press describes a sequence that included his remarks on Air Force One and U.S. intelligence work over months, culminating in a set of strikes in Tehran and other locations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said late Monday that a classified briefing left him believing Israel was ready to act against Iran “with or without American support,” as Congress moves toward a war powers resolution meant to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to keep waging the Iran war without approval.
Democrats who have largely aligned against President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda and other policies are facing new internal pressure after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reportedly killed. Congressional Democrats are debating how quickly to pass a war powers resolution that would limit Trump’s attack options, even as some members signal reservations and leaders warn the party could split.
Travelers stranded by a widening Middle East war began departing the United Arab Emirates on limited evacuation flights Monday, even as most commercial air traffic across the region remained suspended, the Associated Press reported. The limited flights began as the U.S. State Department urged Americans in 13 countries, including the UAE and other Gulf states, to “depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks,” while airspace closures and cancellations continued to reduce options.
President Donald Trump ordered a military operation against Iran on Saturday, following months of diplomacy that administration officials said Tehran resisted. In a sharp shift, Trump announced early Sunday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed, days after he dispatched special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for another round of talks.
Karachi and other Pakistani cities saw clashes on Sunday as demonstrators angered by the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tried to reach U.S. diplomatic missions, leaving at least 22 people dead and more than 120 wounded, according to authorities and hospital officials.
The Associated Press said it uses the word “war” to describe joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks. AP said the decision is based on the scope and intensity of the fighting, even though the countries have not formally declared war.
A widening Middle East conflict drew calls for de-escalation Sunday as Britain, France and Germany said they are prepared to work with the United States to help defend regional interests after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Protesters around the world expressed anger or celebrated the death, while Pope Leo XIV urged both the U.S. and Israel to “stop the spiral of violence.”
Three U.S. service members were killed and five others seriously wounded during U.S. attacks on Iran, the military announced Sunday, marking the first American casualties in a major offensive President Donald Trump said could expand in the coming weeks. The Pentagon did not immediately disclose when or where the deaths occurred as Iran retaliated over U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, died Sunday at age 86, Iran’s state media reported. The Associated Press reported that he was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes hours after President Donald Trump said the U.S. had carried out an operation that killed him.
In a video message after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump said “Now is the time to seize control of your destiny,” signaling support for regime change. But analysts said history suggests that removing Iran’s leadership would not automatically translate into a friendlier or more stable outcome.
Iranian attacks into the United Arab Emirates shook Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Saturday, prompting airspace closures, emergency reassurance from officials and damage at key sites including Dubai International Airport, according to UAE officials and the state-linked Dubai Media Office.
The U.S. and Israel carried out strikes against Iran on Sunday after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with blasts reported across Tehran and other parts of the country. Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks expanded the conflict to U.S. bases and to Arab states, killing U.S. service members and civilians, according to officials. As the region braced for further escalation, President Donald Trump said he was open to dialogue with Iran’s new leadership.
Oil prices rose sharply Monday after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, along with retaliatory strikes involving Israel and U.S. military installations around the Gulf, disrupted global energy supply chains. Traders focused on risks that attacks would slow or halt oil exports from Iran and other Middle East producers, with the Strait of Hormuz—where tankers pass in large volumes—at the center of the disruption.
President Donald Trump has taken the United States into war with Iran, a move that drew immediate backlash from lawmakers questioning whether it contradicts his “America first” focus and whether Congress should have approved it. In a sign of uncertainty about how the conflict could evolve, a Middle East diplomat warned of escalation risk and said de-escalation was “paramount.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump administration officials told congressional staff in private briefings Sunday that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the United States, according to three people familiar with the briefings. The officials cited a more general threat in the region from Iran’s missiles and proxy forces, while one person said the administration emphasized the threat to U.S. personnel and allies.
Cientos de miles de viajeros quedaron varados el domingo después de que el ataque contra Irán por parte de Estados Unidos e Israel cerrara gran parte de Oriente Medio al transporte aéreo, con aeropuertos y espacio aéreo suspendidos en varios países. En Dubái, Abu Dabi y Doha, centros clave para conexiones entre Europa, África y Asia, cientos de personas se apresuraron a reorganizar planes mientras los operadores saturaban líneas telefónicas.
U.S. stocks erased early losses Monday and ended nearly flat as oil prices surged on worries that fighting with Iran could disrupt global crude supplies and worsen inflation. Oil prices rose more than 6%, while investors also weighed higher natural-gas prices in Europe after a liquefied natural gas supplier said it would stop production because of the war.
WASHINGTON — Key members of Congress are pushing for a swift vote on a war powers resolution to restrain President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran unless the administration seeks Congress’s approval, according to the Associated Press. The House and Senate are preparing a rare war powers debate next week that Democrats warn could be “illegal” without authorization.
President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran Saturday is intensifying scrutiny of a transformation he has described as necessary to deter future threats—at odds with how he once attacked the Iraq War and criticized drawn-out military campaigns. The action also comes amid political pressure for Republicans heading into an election year, with some allies urging support while others warn of “another preemptive war.”
Iran’s state media and President Donald Trump said the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran. Trump said the strike gives Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country, while Iran pledged retaliation and threatened a major offensive against Israeli and American targets.
The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, and Iranian state media reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in the strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump called on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” and said the attack created what he described as a historic chance for the country. Even with leadership deaths, the article says regime change is not guaranteed, and it lists key figures across Iran’s political and religious hierarchy.
The United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, condemned U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran as the conflict was discussed at an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday. U.S. ambassador Mike Waltz and Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon defended the strikes, while Iran’s ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said they killed and injured hundreds of Iranian civilians. The meeting also included sharply worded exchanges between the U.S. and Iran, as several countries urged a halt to hostilities and a return to diplomacy to prevent further regional escalation.
America and Israel’s attack on Iran disrupted flights across the Middle East and beyond Saturday, as countries in the region closed parts of their airspace and struck key hub airports used to connect Europe, Africa and Asia. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha suspended or rerouted large volumes of traffic, stranding travelers and forcing airlines to cancel or divert flights. U.S. and Gulf-based airlines said passengers should check flight status as disruptions evolve.
El líder supremo de Irán, el ayatolá Alí Jamenei, murió en un ataque de gran magnitud atribuido a Israel y Estados Unidos, informaron medios estatales iraníes el domingo. El presidente Donald Trump anunció la muerte horas antes, al tiempo que Irán advirtió represalias y elevó las alarmas por una escalada regional. El gabinete iraní dijo que “este gran crimen nunca quedará impune”.
Iran fired missile salvos at Israel on Saturday after the U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran, sending residents in central Israel rushing between homes and shelters. In Tel Aviv’s Jaffa neighborhood, more than 100 people crammed into a public shelter under a park as sirens sounded through the day. The Israeli rescue service, Magen David Adom, said late Saturday that a woman in the Tel Aviv area died after being injured in an Iranian strike.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died at 86, Iranian state media confirmed, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said Khamenei was killed in an attack by U.S. and Israeli forces. The death came amid nationwide protests that human rights groups and activists said were met with the deadliest crackdown in decades, and as the U.S. and Iran tested nuclear negotiations alongside the threat of strikes.
Israel has killed multiple senior officials tied to Iran’s regional “armed proxies” across Gaza, Lebanon and Iran since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, according to an Associated Press review. After Iran’s state media confirmed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death, the AP described a broader campaign that has included senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders as well as Iranian military figures, with the latest deaths following a major attack involving the U.S. and Israel.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a recorded message saying Israel and the United States have started a joint campaign, “Operation Lion’s Roar,” targeting Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and missile sites. He said the operation will continue “as long as necessary” and described it as “much more powerful” than Israel’s June war against Iran.
Oil markets are set for volatile trading next week as U.S. and Israeli strikes affect uncertainty about Middle East oil supplies. International benchmark Brent crude closed Friday at a seven-month high of $72.87, signaling how quickly war-related risks are moving through markets.
Russia on Feb. 28 condemned what it described as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, calling them “a preplanned and unprovoked act of armed aggression” and demanding an immediate halt. In a statement posted to Telegram, Russia also warned the attacks could trigger a “humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe” and said responsibility lies with Washington and Tel Aviv.
President Donald Trump said in an eight-minute video posted on his Truth Social account that the U.S. has begun “major combat operations in Iran.” In the address, Trump said the U.S. military’s objective is to eliminate what he called imminent threats from Iran and appealed to Iranian people to “take over your government.”
The war in the Middle East expanded on multiple fronts Monday, as Iran and Iranian-backed militias struck Israel and Arab states while the United States and Israel continued attacks on Iran. The Associated Press report also described regional effects including disrupted shipping and air travel, alongside reports of casualties from attacks in Iran, Israel and elsewhere. The escalation follows a Saturday joint U.S.-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
BRUSSELS — World leaders reacted warily to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran after reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died, with some urging renewed diplomacy while others condemned Tehran’s retaliation. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the strikes.
Iran has not allowed the U.N. nuclear agency access to nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the United States during a 12-day war in June, according to a confidential report reviewed by The Associated Press. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it cannot verify whether Iran suspended all uranium enrichment-related activities or determine the current size and composition of enriched uranium stocks at the affected sites.
Iranian college students have staged anti-government protests on at least 10 campuses in the past week, as authorities warn them not to cross a “red line” and tighten restrictions amid threats of U.S. military action over Iran’s nuclear program. The Associated Press verified videos of clashes and demonstrations on multiple campuses, and students and witnesses described rising anger and confusion about the country’s direction.
The Pentagon is building what the AP describes as the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups. The buildup follows President Donald Trump’s warning that the United States could take military action against Iran if negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program fail.
Iran faces the prospect of major U.S. strikes in the Middle East, with potential targets including Iranian leaders, military and nuclear sites and critical infrastructure, as American forces mass in the region. U.S. officials and others have warned that any attack on Iran could spark a regional war, and Iran’s top leaders have warned of retaliation.
President Donald Trump is warning that the United States could take military action against Iran if talks over Iran’s nuclear program fail, while the Pentagon is building up what the Associated Press described as the largest American force in the Middle East in decades. The buildup includes two aircraft carrier strike groups and additional warships and aircraft, as U.S. officials and outside analysts weigh the risk of retaliation and a wider regional conflict.
Protesters gathered in Chania, on the Greek island of Crete, after the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford docked at Souda Bay as tensions with Iran escalated. The peaceful rally, backed by the Greek Communist Party, included placards with the word “Killers” in English.
Tehran shoppers are confronting sharply rising prices for food and other staples as fears of a potential U.S. attack grow, and as the country reels from protests that spread last month. An Associated Press report Friday described families struggling to keep enough basics in their carts while Iran’s economy faces long-running strain from sanctions and the currency’s rapid slide.
The Pentagon is building up the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, as President Donald Trump warns that U.S. military action against Iran could follow if nuclear talks fail. The buildup includes carrier groups in the Arabian Sea and more than 100 fighter jets and support aircraft moving toward the region, alongside a larger defensive posture intended to blunt retaliation.
The U.S. Treasury moved to sever a small Swiss bank from access to the U.S. financial system over alleged support for Iranian and Russian actors, according to a proposed federal regulation unveiled Thursday. The move comes as U.S. and Iranian officials hold indirect talks in Geneva on Tehran’s nuclear negotiations.
The CIA posted Farsi-language instructions on how to contact the agency securely, as President Donald Trump weighs possible military strikes against Iran. The recruitment pitch appeared on X, Instagram and YouTube and included guidance such as using a VPN and disposable devices.
Students held anti-government demonstrations at universities across Iran's capital on Monday, according to witnesses and verified videos, expressing support for the exiled crown prince while U.S. military forces gathered in the Middle East amid nuclear tensions. The demonstrations featured displays of pre-revolutionary symbols and chants calling for the overthrow of Iran's government.
President Donald Trump said Friday he is weighing limited military strikes against Iran, even as the country's foreign minister said Iran expects to present a draft nuclear agreement within days. The comments come amid unprecedented U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and intensive diplomatic negotiations.
U.S. stocks fell Thursday as investors grappled with renewed worries that artificial intelligence could disrupt business models, while oil prices rose on fears of a potential U.S.-Iran military conflict. The S&P 500 dropped 0.3% for its first loss in four days, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3%.
Iran said it temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz as it held live-fire military drills nearby, a move that came as tensions with the United States rose. The closure threatened shipping through a narrow choke point that carries a significant share of the world’s oil, and U.S. officials have warned Iran against unsafe actions near U.S. forces.
President Donald Trump said Friday that a change in power in Iran would be “the best thing that could happen” as the U.S. weighs whether to take military action against Tehran. Speaking after visiting troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Trump also confirmed plans to deploy a second carrier group to the Middle East.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday to discuss American talks with Iran, Netanyahu’s office said Saturday. In the meantime, Iran’s foreign minister warned that the country could retaliate by targeting U.S. bases in the region if the United States attacks.
Iran seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf on Thursday, state television reported, saying the vessels were smuggling fuel. The report did not say the tankers’ nationalities or what flags they flew. A Revolutionary Guard navy commander said the tankers carried about 1 million liters of fuel, including diesel, and that 15 crew members were taken into custody.
President Donald Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed Iran in a wide-ranging call as the Trump administration presses Beijing to further isolate Tehran. Trump said he also raised trade and Taiwan and discussed his plans to visit Beijing in April.
France’s foreign minister urged Iran-backed groups in the Middle East to exercise “the greatest restraint” if tensions between Iran and the United States escalate regionally, warning that a widening conflict would destabilize the area. Jean-Noël Barrot made the remarks in Beirut after visits to Syria and Iraq and as the U.S. and Iran held indirect nuclear talks in Oman.
In a sign of mounting alarm over nationwide unrest and possible U.S. action, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a harsh crackdown on protests that erupted in late December and has warned that any U.S. strike could spark a wider regional war. The Associated Press reports that Khamenei is also allowing Iran to enter negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program, reversing a previous refusal to hold talks.
Iran’s president instructed his foreign minister to pursue “fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States, a shift as tensions remain high after the Iranian crackdown on nationwide protests last month, the Associated Press reported. The announcement came as a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone approaching an aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. said.
A U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday. Central Command said the drone “aggressively approached” the carrier with “unclear intent” and continued toward it despite de-escalatory measures. The announcement came after the U.S. said Iranian forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Feb. 1 that any U.S. attack on Iran would spark a “regional war,” as President Donald Trump weighs a response to Tehran’s crackdown on nationwide protests. Khamenei made the remarks at a compound in Tehran at the start of Iran’s commemoration of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Brussels says foreign ministers agreed Thursday to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, a largely symbolic step that adds sanctions pressure amid protests Tehran says are being put down. The EU also sanctioned 15 senior Iranian officials and six organizations, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said.
The European Union agreed to list Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, the bloc’s top diplomat said Thursday, a largely symbolic move that adds pressure on Tehran amid ongoing tensions over protests. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said foreign ministers in the 27-nation bloc unanimously approved the designation. The EU’s decision comes as activists say Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests has killed at least 6,479 people.
EU officials are moving to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, as the group’s role in Iran’s recent protest crackdown and its overseas activities come under renewed scrutiny. The Associated Press said the Guard oversees Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and commands operations abroad through its Quds Force, while also running businesses at home. The designation comes as Iran faces pressure from the wider Israel-Hamas war and related regional conflicts.
A federal judge in New York sentenced Carlisle Rivera to the maximum 15 years in prison for a plot to assassinate Iranian American journalist and human rights advocate Masih Alinejad in Brooklyn in 2024. Judge Lewis J. Liman said Rivera’s conduct caused “great harm” to Alinejad and her husband, after prosecutors described surveillance efforts and planned steps toward killing her.
Iranian officials reached out to the wider Middle East over the threat of a possible U.S. military strike, while protests that began late December and spread nationwide triggered a deadly crackdown that rights groups put in the thousands. As Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates signaled they would not allow their airspace for any attack, the U.S. moved the USS Abraham Lincoln and guided-missile destroyers into the region and Iran’s rial fell to a record low.
Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Yemen issued threats as a U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East, with President Donald Trump ordering the USS Abraham Lincoln to move to the region amid protests in Iran. The threats included hints by Yemen’s Houthis about resuming attacks on Red Sea shipping and a Kataib Hezbollah warning of “total war” if Iran is attacked.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three U.S. warships have arrived in the Middle East as tensions with Iran remain high, U.S. Central Command said Monday. President Donald Trump has previously warned that military action could follow Iran’s crackdown on protesters.
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Yemen signaled Monday they were prepared to launch new attacks as the USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Middle East. The threats came as President Donald Trump's administration intensified pressure on Iran over a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, with Trump positioning the carrier "just in case" he decides to take military action against Tehran.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and three accompanying destroyers arrived in the Middle East on Monday, bringing what U.S. Central Command characterized as a renewed military presence to promote "regional security and stability"—even as President Trump has sent conflicting signals about whether he intends to launch airstrikes against Iran over its violent crackdown on protesters. The strike group's arrival comes as Trump has alternated between threatening airstrikes and suggesting Iran may have made concessions, creating uncertainty about whether the administration intends to strike. At least 5,973 people have been killed in the crackdown, according to activists, with more than 41,800 detained.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard commander warned the United States that his force is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” as U.S. warships headed toward the Middle East, according to a report carried on a Tehran-linked outlet’s Telegram channel. The remarks by Gen. Mohammad Pakpour came amid months-long tensions between Iran and the U.S. after a crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran that activists say has killed thousands and involved mass arrests.
El comandante de la Guardia Revolucionaria paramilitar de Irán, el general Mohammad Pakpour, advirtió a Estados Unidos e Israel que “eviten cualquier error de cálculo”, al decir que su fuerza está “más preparada que nunca, con el dedo en el gatillo”. El aviso se produjo mientras buques de guerra de EE. UU. se dirigían hacia Oriente Medio, en medio de la tensión regional tras las protestas en Irán que comenzaron el 28 de diciembre.
Iran unveiled a mural in central Tehran on Sunday warning the United States against military strikes, as U.S. warships including the USS Abraham Lincoln moved toward the region. The image depicts a damaged aircraft carrier with exploding fighter planes and bodies strewn across the flight deck, with the warning text "If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind" emblazoned across it.
Iran’s top prosecutor on Friday denied U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran halted executions of 800 detained protesters, calling it “completely false.” The denial came as activists said a crackdown on nationwide demonstrations has killed at least 5,032 people, with an internet blackout in Iran entering its second week. The Associated Press reported the exchange amid escalating tensions as an American aircraft carrier group moves closer to the Middle East.
The United States imposed sanctions Friday on nine tankers accused of transporting hundreds of millions of dollars in Iranian oil, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced, linking the action to Iran's internet shutdown and crackdown on nationwide protests. Bessent said the sanctions 'target a critical component of how Iran generates the funds used to repress its own people.' The government blocked internet access on January 8 as nationwide protests challenged Iran's theocratic system, and the Treasury tied the sanctions directly to the shutdown.
The Pentagon is deploying the largest force of American warships and aircraft to the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, as President Donald Trump warns of possible military action against Iran if nuclear talks fail. The buildup marks a sharp escalation of military pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program.
Iran’s military warned Donald Trump against taking action against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday, after the U.S. president called for “new leadership” in Iran. The warning came as Iran continued to deal with protests that erupted in late December amid an economic downturn and a government-imposed internet shutdown. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated alongside a U.S. naval carrier heading west in recent days, ship-tracking data showed.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the Security Council on Thursday that President Donald Trump has made clear “all options are on the table” to stop what the U.S. described as the “slaughter” of protesters in Iran. The emergency meeting came as Trump signaled possible de-escalation after the U.S.-backed prospect of retaliation for protesters’ deaths had raised tensions in the region.
Some personnel at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening, according to a U.S. official and Qatar. The notice came as President Donald Trump warned of possible action after a deadly crackdown on protesters in Iran and senior Iranian officials referred to a retaliatory attack in June at the base.
Several Middle Eastern allies of the United States urged the Trump administration Thursday to hold off on military strikes against Iran, warning that armed intervention would destabilize an already volatile region and rattle the global economy, according to an Arab diplomat familiar with the conversations. Top officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar raised those concerns in the preceding 48 hours as the White House continued to insist all options remain on the table. Iran's nationwide protests appeared increasingly suppressed a week after authorities isolated the country from outside communications and escalated a violent response that activists say has killed at least 2,637 people.
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions Thursday on Iranian officials accused of ordering violence against demonstrators in nationwide protests that have challenged Iran's government, while also targeting a shadow banking network the U.S. says has been used to launder revenue from Iranian oil sales.
The United States and Iran confronted each other Thursday at an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting called by Washington, where U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz warned that President Trump would act to stop Iran's deadly crackdown on nationwide protests. Activists say the government's security forces have killed at least 2,677 people since the demonstrations began, a toll that exceeds any prior round of unrest in Iran in decades, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The figure released Thursday represents an increase of 106 from a day earlier.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told "on good authority" that plans to execute Iranian protesters had stopped, even as Iran's judiciary chief called the same day for rapid trials and executions of more than 18,000 detained demonstrators. Trump, speaking at the White House while signing executive orders, cited unnamed sources he described only as "very important sources on the other side" and acknowledged he was uncertain whether his claim was accurate.
Some U.S. military personnel at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening, Jan. 14, according to a U.S. official and the Qatari government, as tensions with Iran mounted following a deadly crackdown on Iranian protesters. The advisory came hours after a senior Iranian official publicly referenced Tehran's June missile strike on the base, raising the specter of renewed retaliation if Washington took military action against Iran.
President Donald Trump said Monday he would impose a 25% tax on imports to the United States from countries that do business with Iran, a move aimed at pressuring Tehran to end what the White House and activists describe as a crackdown on nationwide protests. The tariffs, first described in a social media post, could also raise prices Americans pay for imports and create ripple effects for the United States’ trade truce with China.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told "on good authority" that Iran had stopped plans to execute detained protesters, even as Iranian officials publicly called for rapid trials and executions of more than 18,000 people held in the crackdown on nationwide demonstrations.
President Donald Trump held off on threatened military action against Iran on Monday as the White House said it was exploring private diplomatic outreach from Tehran, even as his administration announced 25% tariffs on countries doing business with the Islamic Republic. The decision came as Iranian security forces continued a violent crackdown on antigovernment protests that has left more than 600 dead and thousands arrested. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff was identified as the administration's key contact for any talks with Iran.
President Donald Trump told Iranian protesters "help is on its way" and cut off talks with the Iranian government on Tuesday, as his administration weighed options including military strikes in response to a crackdown that rights monitors say has killed more than 2,500 people since demonstrations began Dec. 28.
President Donald Trump said at the White House on Wednesday that he has been told “the killing in Iran is stopping” and that “there’s no plan for executions” by Tehran. His remarks came as Iranian officials and U.S. officials warned of fast trials and executions tied to the nationwide crackdown on protesters.
President Donald Trump is weighing whether to order U.S. military action against Iran as the Islamic Republic continues a deadly crackdown on protests, the Associated Press reported on Jan. 13. Hours after the White House said Trump is “exploring” messages Tehran has sent privately, Trump announced he would impose 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Iran, effective immediately.
President Donald Trump paused consideration of a U.S. military strike against Iran on Monday as his administration said it was "exploring" private messages from Tehran seeking dialogue, while Trump announced 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Iran — his first concrete penalty for the Iranian government's violent crackdown on protests that has left more than 600 dead and thousands arrested.
Israel is closely monitoring the fallout from widespread Iranian protests, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iran raise concerns the unrest could escalate. Netanyahu made the comments at the start of Israel’s weekly cabinet meeting, praising Iranians’ protest heroism while condemning the killing of civilians.
Iran's army chief threatened preemptive military action Wednesday, warning that Tehran would not tolerate what he called intensifying "rhetoric" directed at the Islamic Republic — a statement aimed at recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the protests that have convulsed Iran for 11 consecutive days. Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami, speaking to military academy students, said the Islamic Republic would "not leave its continuation without a response." The demonstrations, which began Dec. 28 following the collapse of the rial currency, have spread to more than 310 locations across 28 of Iran's 31 provinces, with at least 36 people reported killed.
Iran’s army chief threatened Wednesday a preemptive response to “rhetoric” targeting the Islamic Republic, as protests in Iran entered another day. The warning from Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami came amid international attention to U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about what happens if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters.”
Iran executed Ali Ardestani, a man convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad, Iranian state media reported Wednesday. The official IRNA news agency said Ardestani relayed sensitive information to Mossad officers in return for financial rewards, including cryptocurrencies.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s top officials exchanged threats as protests spread across Iran for a sixth straight day, according to Associated Press reporting. At least eight people were killed in violence around the demonstrations, which have been fueled in part by the collapse of Iran’s rial currency and expanded to chants against the government.
El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump advirtió a Irán que Estados Unidos “acudirá a su rescate” si “mata violentamente a manifestantes pacíficos”, mientras protestas en varias zonas de la República Islámica se extendían por al menos seis días y dejaron al menos siete muertos. En respuesta, funcionarios iraníes dijeron que rechazarán interferencias y amenazaron con medidas si se vulnera la soberanía del país, en un intercambio que elevó aún más la tensión entre Washington y Teherán tras ataques estadounidenses a instalaciones nucleares en junio.
President Donald Trump warned Iran on Monday that the United States could carry out further military strikes if Tehran tries to reconstitute its nuclear program, speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump said the threat would come if “confirmed” activity is occurring and described possible consequences as “very powerful.”
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 10 people and firms from Iran and Venezuela over alleged support for Iran’s drone and ballistic missile-related programs, according to the Treasury and State Departments. Treasury said the measures are intended to support the reimposition of United Nations sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program.
President Donald Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate that the U.S. could carry out further strikes if Iran tries to rebuild its nuclear program, speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during talks in Florida on Monday. The warning came as Trump pushed for momentum on a U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire that is in danger of stalling before a complicated second phase.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 10 people and companies from Iran and Venezuela, alleging they helped enable Iran’s drone trade and ballistic-missile program. The measures are intended to support U.N. sanctions on Iran and to further squeeze Iran’s access to the U.S. financial system, Treasury said.
Washington (AP) — The U.S. Treasury announced Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, that it has sanctioned ten people and firms in Iran and Venezuela for facilitating the sale of drones and ballistic‑missile technology to Tehran. The sanctions target a Venezuelan company and its chairman accused of buying Iranian drones, three Iranian nationals linked to chemical procurement for missiles, and a network of Iran‑based firms tied to the previously sanctioned Rayan Fan Group. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said the measures “hold Iran and Venezuela accountable for their aggressive and reckless proliferation of deadly weapons around the world.” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott added that Iran’s provision of conventional weapons to Caracas threatens U.S. interests in the region.
President Donald Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate Monday that the United States could carry out further military strikes if Iran tries to reconstitute its nuclear program, as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida. Trump’s comments came shortly after he previously said U.S. strikes had “completely and fully obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities and as Netanyahu-focused talks also centered on the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
