Kuwait arrested four members of an IRGC-linked group as they tried to enter the country by sea, the Gulf state's KUNA news agency reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a senior IRGC officer said Iran had expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz to include a far wider area.
A 4.6-magnitude earthquake was reported in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday, according to Iranian state media, citing the country's seismological center.
The quake was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles), according to the center.
There were no reported casualties or material damage from the quake, which struck the border area between Tehran and Mazandaran, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.
An earthquake was reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Tuesday, according to Iranian media, though no further details were provided.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will have a long talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war in Iran during his upcoming trip to China, but added that he does not think he needs Xi's help.
"I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise," Trump told reporters when departing the White House for China.
The leaders of the world's two largest economies will hold their first face-to-face talks in more than six months as they try to stabilize ties strained by trade, the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran and other areas of disagreement.
Trump is heading to China amid an unresolved Iran war with diplomatic negotiations to end it at an impasse. Beijing maintains ties with Iran and remains a major consumer of its oil exports.
Trump has been leaning on China to use its influence to push Tehran to make a deal with Washington and end the conflict that began when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February.
The Republican president is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday, ahead of talks set to take place Thursday and Friday. It will be his first trip to China since 2017.
Trump later told reporters: "We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn't say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control."
The trading arm of Vietnam's state oil company has urged the U.S. Navy to allow a crude oil tanker laden with Iraqi oil to sail through its blockade in the Middle East Gulf and provide a Vietnamese refinery with critical supplies, PV OIL said in a letter on Tuesday.
The U.S. military has expanded its shipping blockade on Iran to include cargoes deemed contraband, although it has said other oil exports from the Gulf are free to sail through.
The Maltese-flagged Agio Fanourios I supertanker, carrying two million barrels of crude oil, sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz on 10 May and was sailing in the Gulf of Oman before making a U-turn on 11 May, ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed on Tuesday.
It was not clear whether the vessel had been stopped by the U.S. Navy and detained.
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has prompted the closure of the Strait of Hormuz with hundreds of ships stranded and global energy supplies disrupted from the critical waterway through which 20% of the world's energy supplies pass.
"This cargo is of extreme importance to Nghi Son Refinery (NSRP), to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and to the Vietnamese people," Petrovietnam Oil Corporation (PV OIL) Vice President Hoang Dinh Tung said in a 12 May letter seen by Reuters and sent to U.S. military and diplomatic missions.
"NSRP's feedstock inventories are critically low; any further delay risks halting refinery throughput, with cascading consequences for millions of Vietnamese consumers, businesses, public services and industries."
PVOIL said it "unequivocally" confirmed that the vessel loaded Iraqi Basra crude oil sold by the Iraqi oil company SOMO after the tanker was loaded between 10-14 April with oil.
U.S. officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cuba will announce new prices for fuel at the pump beginning on 15 May in order to better reflect the actual costs of importing gas and diesel, the Ministry of Finance and Prices said on Tuesday.
The announcement comes after two weeks in which fuel has all but disappeared from state-run gas stations amid a U.S. fuel blockade on the island that has largely strangled supply and led to strict rationing.
The Cuban government said some avenues for imports continue to exist despite the blockade but said prices would vary according to the provider, shipping costs, routes, insurance, risks and international market price fluctuations.
Britain said on Tuesday it would contribute autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS Dragon to a multinational defensive mission aimed at securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Defence minister John Healey announced the commitment during a virtual summit with more than 40 of his counterparts from other nations involved in the mission, which he said would become operational when conditions allowed.
"With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible," he said in a statement.
The Iran war has sharply curtailed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting oil exports and sending energy prices higher. About a fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait.
Britain's contribution will be backed by 115 million pounds ($155.53 million) of new funding for mine-hunting drones and counter-drone systems, as London seeks to reassure commercial shipping of its commitment to freedom of navigation amid heightened regional tensions.
The package will include autonomous systems to detect and clear naval mines, high‑speed drone boats, Typhoon jets for air patrols and HMS Dragon, an air defence destroyer that is already on its way to the Middle East.
Britain already has more than 1,000 personnel deployed in the region as part of existing defensive operations, including counter-drone teams and fast jet squadrons.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is 100% certain that Iran will stop enriching uranium and abandon its efforts to produce nuclear weapons, in an interview with New York radio station WABC.
Trump, quoted Iranian officials, who he said told him they would hand over enriched uranium to the U.S. He added that the U.S. would also remove nuclear dust from bombed nuclear facilities in Iran, adding that discussions on the matter were ongoing.
When asked if he was under any pressure to make a deal with Iran, Trump replied, "I'm not under any pressure, we're not rushing anything, we have a lot of cards to play."
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have discussed the ongoing Middle East conflict in a phone call, according to an official statement from Sharif's office.
Sharif said he “deeply appreciated” Aliyev’s comments regarding Pakistan’s efforts to advance peace, dialogue and diplomacy in the region.
The phone call comes as Pakistan, which is mediating between Iran and the U.S., continues its efforts to revive stalled direct talks between Washington and Tehran and bring about an end to their conflict.
The two leaders also reaffirmed the “deep fraternal bonds” between Pakistan and Azerbaijan and their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, energy and people-to-people ties, a statement from Sharif’s office said.
"A ceasefire means the fire is ceasing," U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told a White House committee on Tuesday, after being challenged on whether a formal written agreement denoting the cessation of hostilities between the U.S. and Iran existed.
Hegseth made the remarks after Democrat Representative Pete Aguilar pressed the U.S. Defence Secretary for written proof of a ceasefire in place between Washington and Tehran.
“As you know, for the most part, a ceasefire means the fire is ceasing, and we know that has occurred while negotiations occur,” Hegseth told Aguilar.
A Pakistani-mediated ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran began on 8 April, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The ceasefire was later extended by U.S. President Donald Trump without a set deadline.
On Monday (11 May), Trump said the ceasfire was on "life support," after he dismissed Iran's latest set of conditions for a peace deal.
Two Lebanese Civil Defence members have been killed in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Nabatieh, while carrying out a rescue mission, Lebanon's state news agency NNA has reported.
The U.S. war in Iran has cost $29 billion so far, a senior Pentagon official has said, an increase of $4 billion from an estimate provided late last month.
Jules Hurst, the American government official charged with overseeing accounting, told lawmakers that the cost included updated repair and replacement of equipment and operational costs.
The U.S. military has said that 65 commercial ships have been redirected so far during its naval blockade of Iran.
The rerouted ships were either trying to enter or leave Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for overseeing military operations, said.
A further four ships have been disabled as part of Washington's operation.
“USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) continues operations in the Arabian Sea, including enforcement of the US blockade against Iran,” U.S. Central Command said in a post on X.
The U.S. has maintained a blockade against Iran since 13 April.
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has said that it's the duty of regional countries to ensure that fighting between the U.S., Israel and Iran doesn't restart.
Al Thani made the remarks at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Doha.
Al Thani said, "It is our responsibility to ensure that the war does not restart, and the only solution for this is diplomacy," adding that Iran shouldn't use the Strait of Hormuz as a tool to pressure Gulf countries.
Eurozone bond yields climbed on Tuesday, and markets were pricing in three interest rate rises by the European Central Bank this year, as hopes faded for a peace deal in the Iran war.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was "on life support" after Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal to end the conflict and stuck to a list of demands that Trump has described as "garbage".
"Clearly there has been a lot of back and forth gyrations that we've had over the last few weeks when it seemed there was no hope, then there was a lot of hope, then we're back to little hope. So it's very hard to know what the final endpoint is," Sandra Horsfield, Economist at Investec, said.
Germany's two-year yield DE2YT=RR, which is regarded as more sensitive to rate expectations, was 5.1 basis points higher at 2.6971%.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in Doha that Ankara supports efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that it should not be used as a “weapon.”
Türkiye has repeatedly called for de-escalation and diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran, while backing measures to ensure safe navigation in the key chokepoint.
Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday it arrested four infiltrators affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after they attempted to enter the country by sea, according to state news agency KUNA.
The ministry added that one member of Kuwait’s armed forces was injured during clashes with the infiltrators.
Iran has expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz into what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy described as a “vast operational area” with broader military significance, according to state-affiliated Fars news agency.
Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political director of the IRGC Navy, said the strait is no longer viewed as a narrow corridor around islands such as Hormuz and Hengam. It now stretches from Jask in eastern Iran to Siri Island in the west, he noted.
Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the zone’s width has effectively expanded from an estimated 20-30 miles to between 200 and 300 miles, forming what Tasnim described as a “complete crescent”.
The reported expansion marks the second widening of Iran’s declared operational area since the start of the conflict with the U.S. and Israel.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Israel had sent Iron Dome batteries and personnel to the United Arab Emirates to help operate the air defence system amid ongoing Iranian attacks.
Speaking at an event in Tel Aviv, Huckabee said the deployment reflected the “extraordinary relationship” between Israel and the UAE under the Abraham Accords.
A source briefed on the matter told Reuters the systems were sent to help defend the UAE during the conflict with Iran.
Tehran has repeatedly targeted Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets since the war began on 28 February, including multiple attacks on the UAE during the current ceasefire period.
Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Tehran is keeping its “finger on the trigger” while remaining focused on “sustainable peace and interests-based diplomacy,” according to remarks carried by SNN.
Pakistan plans to increase oil imports from Russia amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported, citing Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi.
The move reflects Islamabad’s efforts to diversify energy supplies as disruptions and security risks in Gulf shipping routes continue amid the wider Iran-related conflict.
Pakistan remains heavily dependent on crude shipments passing through the strait, one of the world’s key oil transit chokepoints.
Iran’s parliamentary commission spokesperson Rezaei said Tehran could enrich uranium up to 90% if the United States renews attacks, adding that the parliament will discuss the option, in a post on X.
Earlier statements from Iranian lawmakers have described high-level enrichment as a possible countermeasure in the event of further confrontation.
Israeli forces demolished several houses in the Ain al-Saghira neighbourhood of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, according to the country’s National News Agency (NNA).
The agency also reported earlier Israeli air raids on the town of Srifa, alongside heavy drone activity over the Litani River, as cross-border operations in southern Lebanon continue.
Iran has executed Abdoljalil Shahbakhsh, a member of the Sunni militant group Ansar al-Furqan operating in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Tasnim reported that Shahbakhsh was convicted of armed rebellion against security forces and membership in a terrorist group, with his death sentence upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court.
South Korea will join a high-level multinational defence ministerial meeting later today to discuss security in the Strait of Hormuz, Yonhap reported.
The virtual meeting, co-chaired by the UK and France, will be attended by South Korea’s Army Major-General Woo Kyung-suk, according to the Defence Ministry, and comes amid heightened concern over maritime security in the Gulf.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that an overnight Israeli air strike hit a house in Kfar Dounine in southern Lebanon, killing six people and injuring seven others, who were taken to hospitals in Tyre.
The agency added that separate Israeli artillery fire shelled the outskirts of al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun at dawn, as cross-border hostilities continued in southern Lebanon.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate calls on Monday with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to discuss Iran and efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department said.
The United Arab Emirates has carried out covert military strikes on Iran, including an attack on a refinery on Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf in early April, the The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the strikes have not been publicly acknowledged by the UAE. Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims.
The United States on Monday imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions targeting three individuals and nine entities, including four based in Hong Kong, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
The sanctions target networks accused of helping facilitate Iranian oil shipments to China, as Washington continues to increase economic pressure on Tehran amid stalled negotiations over ending the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump received a lavish welcome in Beijing on Wednesday as he ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he le...
By the time American shoppers began noticing higher prices on everything from trainers to televisions, the worl...
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social m...
TUI has reported sustained demand for holidays despite the Iran war, as the world&rs...
TUI has reported sustained demand for holidays despite the Iran war, as the world’s biggest travel company posted lower-than-expected quarterly losses and said bookings for the second half of the year remained strong.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Beijing on 14–15 May 2026 for a high-stakes summit aimed at managing rising tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan and the Iran conflict.
Azerbaijan’s Eurovision team are confident singer Jiva will secure a place in the contest’s final after performing in the second semi-final in Vienna on Thursday evening (14 May).
Divisions over the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran are set to overshadow a two-day meeting of the BRICS group of emerging economies in the Indian capital New Delhi on Thursday (14 May).
Kuwait arrested four members of an IRGC-linked group as they tried to enter the country by sea, the Gulf state's KUNA news agency reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a senior IRGC officer said Iran had expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz to include a far wider area.
Biological samples from an Italian man were transferred to a specialist hospital for testing on Tuesday, after he was suspected of contracting hantavirus. Meanwhile, World Health Organization boss Tedros Ghebreyesus said there were “no sign” of a larger outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise.
Exclusive flight-tracking material obtained by AnewZ has raised new questions about French military aircraft movements linked to President Emmanuel Macron’s recent diplomacy with Armenia and the wider scope of France’s defence cooperation with Yerevan.
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
Divisions over the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran are set to overshadow a two-day meeting of the BRICS group of emerging economies in the Indian capital New Delhi on Thursday (14 May).
The Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has instructed his first deputy to fulfill the public’s expectations regarding the access to the Internet services and platforms amid a wartime shut-down of international connection since late February.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Americans’ financial struggles are not a factor in his decision-making as he seeks to negotiate an end to the Iran war, saying that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is his top priority.
Hopes for a peace deal on Iran faded on Tuesday after Donald Trump said a ceasefire with Iran was "on life support" as Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal to end the conflict and stuck to a list of demands the U.S. president described as "garbage".
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