Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
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Flotilla organisers on Thursday said that Israel intercepted aid ships heading to Gaza in international waters, near Greece.
U.S. seeks international coalition to restore navigation in Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran are continuing by telephone, rather than through face‑to‑face meetings.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that the extended U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran has harmed the Caspian Sea and its coastline.
U.S. President Donald Trump reignited a war of words with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, saying that Merz should focus on trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop "interfering" in the Iran conflict.
Iran will participate in the World Cup and will play matches in the United States, FIFA's President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday.
Here are the top stories that made the headlines on Thursday:
The United Arab Emirates has banned its citizens from travelling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, and urged Emiratis currently in those countries to leave immediately and return home, citing regional developments, the foreign ministry said.
Iran's air defences were engaging small drones and surveillance UAVs over parts of the capital Tehran, with air defence fire continuing to be heard in western, central and southeastern areas of the city, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters that he was "ok" with Iran playing in the FIFA soccer World Cup, which will be held in North America in June and July.
Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino insisted Iran would participate in the competition and play matches in the United States.
"Let me start at the outset. Of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino told the football governing body's congress in Vancouver, Canada.
Iran will participate in the World Cup and will play matches in the United States, FIFA's President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday,
But his assurances were complicated by the absence of Iran's delegation from the football governing body's congress in Vancouver, Canada.
"Let me start at the outset. Of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino said.
Officials from the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) turned back at Toronto Airport on their way to the event after what Tehran described as "unacceptable behaviour," by Candian immigration authorities.
The FFIRI's President Mehdi Taj is a former member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
In 2024, Canada designated the IRGC a terror group, barring its members from entering the country.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that members of the IRGC were prohibited from entering Canada in a statement.
"We have a series of screenings, and we take action. And no members have entered the country. Action has been taken appropriately," he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump faces a deadline on Friday (1 May) to either end the Iran war or make a case to Congress for prolonging it.
Analysts have said they either expect Trump to notify Congress that he plans a 30-day extnesion or to disregard the deadline and instead argue that the current ceasefire with Iran marks an end to the conflict.
Iran said on Thursday that if Washington renewed attacks it would respond with "long and painful strikes" on U.S. positions.
Opinion polls show that the Iran war is unpopular among Americans, six months before November elections that will determine who controls Congress next year.
The U.S. naval blockade of Iran has resulted in an increasing stockpile of crude piling up on tankers, as storage sites in the country run out of space, shipping data suggests
Just a handful of carriers carrying Iranian crude left the Gulf of Oman between 13 April and 25 April, oil analytics firm Vortexa said.
It marks a more than 80% reduction relative to a comparable period in March, when Iran exported 23.4 million barrels, LSEG data shows.
The loss of Iranian crude oil supply further squeezes a market which is already heavily squeezed due to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command said on Wednesday that there were 41 tankers storing $69 million barrels of oil that Iran can't sell due to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, has said Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz will allow it and its neighbours to enjoy a future free from American interference.
"Iran, by exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz, will ensure that it and its neighbors enjoy the precious blessing of a future free from the presence and interference of America, " he wrote on X.
Before Iran's blockade of the sea passage, roughly 20% of the world's daily oil and liquified natural gas moved through the strait.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe's oil and gas supply was relatively unaffected by the Strait of Hormuz blockade, in remarks at a town hall event in the northern German town of Salzwedel on Thursday.
"We still have (...) enough oil and gas supplies. Relatively little of the supply for Europe passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The majority comes from other sources," he said.
But Merz added that international shortages meant his government was doing everything possible diplomatically to reopen the sea passage.
"Nevertheless, the shortages on the global markets are, of course, also an important signal for price developments here. Therefore, everything is aimed, including my own efforts, at making every possible contribution to reopening the Strait of Hormuz."
U.S. President Donald Trump reignited a war of words with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, saying that Merz should focus on trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop "interfering" on the Iran conflict.
On Monday (27 April), Merz said the U.S. was being humiliated in the war with Iran. Trump hit back earlier in the week on social media website Truth Social, saying that Merz didn't understand what he was doing, and taking a swipe at the German economy.
On Wednesday, Merz tried to downplay the spat between the two leaders, inisting their relationship remained strong.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that Tehran will secure the Gulf region and eliminate what he described as “the enemy’s abuses of the waterway,” according to state TV.
He also said a “new phase” is taking shape in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on 28 February.
Khamenei added that new management of the Strait of Hormuz will “bring calm and progress” and deliver economic benefits to all Gulf nations while warning that “foreigners who commit evil” have no place but ''in the depth of water''.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Iran must return to the negotiating table and “stop playing for time.”
The Israel Defence Forces has warned residents of eight towns in southern Lebanon - outside the so-called buffer zone - to evacuate immediately ahead of planned strikes.
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda says he supports joining a U.S.-led freedom of navigation mission in the Strait of Hormuz, adding he will present the proposal to the country’s defence council.
Iranian state media reports that a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will shortly be published to mark ''national Persian Gulf day'', a key national occasion observed annually on 29-30 April.
Emerging market stocks and currencies edged lower on Thursday as fears of an escalation in the Iran war sent oil prices soaring more than 7%, adding to inflation worries. Brent crude hit a fresh four‑year high after reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is set to be briefed on possible new military strikes on Iran.
Despite the daily losses, EM assets remain on course for strong monthly gains, supported by a brief easing in tensions after a temporary ceasefire was announced earlier this month. However, analysts warned that with no clear progress towards peace, markets are increasingly pricing in a longer conflict, keeping oil prices elevated.
Sentiment was further weighed down by a hawkish signal from the U.S. Federal Reserve, which held rates steady but showed rare internal division, prompting investors to scale back expectations of rate cuts this year and adding pressure across risk assets.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that the extended U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran has had a negative impact on the Caspian Sea and its coastline, stressing that the region must remain a zone of peace and cooperation.
Speaking in Astana after talks with Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev, Lavrov described last month’s strike on Iran’s port city of Bandar Anzali as unacceptable, noting that the port serves the shared trade and logistics interests of all five Caspian states.
He said both sides supported a swift political resolution to the crisis in the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle East, while also highlighting continued instability in Lebanon and the absence of clear progress towards the creation of a Palestinian state.
The world is facing its most severe energy crisis on record as disruption linked to the conflict involving Iran continues to batter global markets, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned on Thursday.
Speaking at a conference in Paris, Birol said oil and gas markets were under intense strain, noting that crude prices had risen above $120 a barrel, increasing pressure on economies worldwide.
UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese criticised Israel’s interception of the Gaza‑bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, describing the action as “apartheid without borders.” In a post on X, she questioned how Israeli forces could seize vessels near Greece, saying the incident should alarm Europe.
The flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona on 12 April to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, was intercepted late on 29 April in international waters off Crete, organisers said. Officials claim Israeli forces seized 21 boats, while others escaped into Greek waters.
The convoy carried 345 participants from 39 countries, though no verified details are yet available on the fate of those aboard.
Amazon said on Thursday that damage to its cloud infrastructure in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates during the conflict in the Middle East has left the affected regions unable to support customer applications.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) said billing has been suspended in both locations while technical teams work to restore services, a process the company expects could take several months.
Amazon did not immediately respond to questions on whether the facilities were struck by drones or damaged by nearby attacks. Reuters previously reported last month that AWS’s Bahrain region had been disrupted by drone activity in the area.
Serbia will extend its ban on crude oil and fuel exports for a further month to protect domestic supplies amid global energy disruption and rising prices linked to the war involving Iran, the country’s energy minister said on Thursday.
The restrictions will remain in force until the end of June, with Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic also announcing the release of an additional 30,000 metric tonnes of diesel from state reserves, while fuel excise duties have been cut by 25% in an effort to curb price increases.
Rolls‑Royce said it remains on track for profit to rise by at least 16% this year and expects to fully offset any disruption caused by the war in the Middle East.
The British engineering group said engine flying hours from Middle Eastern airlines are recovering, with some back at pre‑conflict levels, while growth in other regions has helped as airlines adjust capacity, despite higher fuel costs linked to the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran are continuing by telephone, rather than through face‑to‑face meetings, telling reporters at the White House that negotiations no longer require lengthy travel.
While saying he would prefer direct talks, Mr Trump stressed that any agreement would depend on Iran fully abandoning any ambition to develop nuclear weapons.
His comments come after a ceasefire agreed on 8 April and the collapse of Pakistan‑mediated negotiations, which prompted the United States to announce a naval blockade on 13 April and begin intercepting Iran‑linked vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran responding by seizing several ships in the same area during the escalation.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday that the outcome of negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran remains uncertain, while urging the government to step up efforts with stronger and more effective measures to ease the burden of rising living costs.
President Donald Trump's administration is seeking support from allied countries to form an international coalition aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a State Department cable seen by Reuters.
The initiative, known as the Maritime Freedom Construct (MFC), was approved by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and is being developed jointly by the State Department and the Pentagon as part of a proposed post‑conflict maritime security framework for the Middle East.
Under the plan, the State Department would act as the diplomatic hub coordinating with partner nations and the shipping industry, while the Pentagon, through U.S. Central Command, would manage real‑time maritime operations in the strait.
Countries could participate through diplomacy, intelligence sharing, sanctions enforcement or limited naval support, the cable said, noting the effort is separate from Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran. The proposal follows a sharp slowdown in shipping through the strait after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February and Tehran’s subsequent blockade.
Asian markets fell on Thursday as oil prices surged to four‑year highs on fears the United States could launch further strikes on Iran, unsettling investors despite mostly solid earnings from major technology firms.
Brent crude jumped more than 6% to around $125 a barrel, dragging MSCI’s Asia‑Pacific index down 1% and pushing Japan’s Nikkei 1.4% lower, while Hong Kong stocks fell over 1.2%.
Rising oil prices and fading hopes of rate cuts triggered a global sell‑off in bonds, lifting yields and boosting the dollar.
Türkiye and Spain’s foreign ministers spoke by phone on Thursday, condemning Israel’s interception of the Gaza‑bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near Crete. Ankara said the action endangered civilians of multiple nationalities and violated international law.
Israeli forces seized several aid vessels late Wednesday as they headed to challenge the Gaza blockade.
Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, warned on Thursday that any U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would “fail,” saying Tehran has multiple ways to bypass it and could turn to confrontation if the pressure continues.
Rezaei said in remarks aired on state television that Iran would not accept a prolonged blockade and would act to break it if necessary.
Rezaei also outlined scenarios for a possible future war, warning it could focus on southern coastal regions and extend toward Isfahan, with some activity in western Iran, and even include bombings and assassinations in Tehran.
His comments come weeks after a U.S.–Israeli offensive on Iran ended in a ceasefire announced on 8 April and later extended indefinitely by U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. Central Command has drawn up plans for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran that could include infrastructure targets, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. officials.
According to the report, CENTCOM commander General Brad Cooper is expected to brief U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday on new military options related to Iran.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the Axios report.
Flotilla organisers on Thursday said that Israel intercepted aid ships heading to Gaza in international waters, near Greece. The organisation condemned the move, which they said was "an escalation of Israel's impunity."
Another flotilla left the ports of Barcelona in Spain on 12 April, hoping to break through Israel's blockade to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
The Global Sumud Flotilla that organised the aid delivery said that Israel seized both vessels while they were still hundreds of miles away from Gaza and called the seizure "Piracy".
In a tweet, they said that the vessels were surrounded by Israeli military boats and that they had lost communications with 11 vessels. Israeli media claims that 7 boats have been intercepted. Read more about the 11 vessels and how they were intercepted -
In a statement, the group said that "This is the unlawful seizure of human beings on the open sea near Crete, an assertion that Israel can operate with total impunity, far beyond its borders, with no consequences."
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Iran said on Thursday it would respond with “long and painful strikes” against U.S. positions if Washington resumed attacks, while also reasserting its claim over the Strait of Hormuz, complicating U.S. plans to form a coalition to reopen the waterway.
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran that does not deal with its nuclear programme. Washington is insisting that any talks must address Iran’s nuclear activities.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in St Petersburg on Monday after visits to Pakistan and Oman for talks on bilateral ties and regional developments, including a fragile ceasefire, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and stalled peace negotiations with the U.S.
A report published by Minval Politika has raised new questions over alleged efforts by Luis Moreno Ocampo to shape international pressure against Azerbaijan and influence political dynamics around Armenia.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
Shares in Meta Platforms fell sharply in extended trading on Wednesday after the tech giant raised its annual capital spending forecast by billions of dollars.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressional war powers 1 May deadline, arguing that the absence of any military exchanges for more than three weeks removes the need for further authorisation.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated after renewed warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that military action against Iran has not been ruled out, alongside claims that Iranian leadership is eager to reach a deal.
The Iranian leaders have commemorated the National Day of Persian Gulf stressing Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S. maritime blockade of Iran’s southern ports, a fragile ceasefire, and stalled negotiations.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressional war powers 1 May deadline, arguing that the absence of any military exchanges for more than three weeks removes the need for further authorisation.
Iran said on Thursday it would respond with “long and painful strikes” against U.S. positions if Washington resumed attacks, while also reasserting its claim over the Strait of Hormuz, complicating U.S. plans to form a coalition to reopen the waterway.
The United Nations has said that at least 21 people have been executed in Iran and more than 4,000 arrested since the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel on 28 February.
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