U.S. Donald Trump has said he has cancelled planned strikes on Iranian oil and gas ports announced earlier on Thursday. Trump said he made the decision after senior leadership in Iran agreed to peace talks.
Iranian forces did not allow a tanker to enter the Strait of Hormuz without coordination to pass, Iranian state media reported early on Friday, shortly after sounds of explosions were heard near the port city of Bandar Abbas.
Iran has not yet made a final decision on a possible agreement with the U.S. and will not compromise on its "red lines" in negotiations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Thursday, according to Iran's IRNA news agency.
Baghaei said reports regarding a time and place of signing the agreement remained speculative and that nothing had been finalised. He added that a large part of the negotiating text had been finalised, but the U.S. repeatedly changed its positions during the talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed an emerging memorandum of understanding with Iran on negotiations, with Netanyahu welcoming Trump's commitment that any final deal would require Iran to dismantle its enrichment infrastructure and remove enriched material, Netanyahu's office said.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a threatened U.S. military operation against Kharg Island was off the table for now as he girded for what could be an agreement with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Everyone in Iran, including the country's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Kamenei, has agreed to the peace agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump has said.
"I understand the answer is yes," Trump said when asked by a reporter at the White House whether Khamenei had approved the deal.
The U.S. has accepted the text of a peace agreement proposed by Iran and the likelihood of a deal being approved by Iranian officials is high, Iran's IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency has reported
A peace deal between the U.S. and Iran may be signed over the weekend, probably in Europe, Donald Trump has said. The U.S. President said that Vice-President JD Vance would be at any signing, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would open as soon as any such deal was formalised.
An Iranian attack targeting Kuwait International Airport's radar earlier in the day caused injuries and serious material damage to radar facilities and equipment linked to air traffic management, the Gulf state's civil aviation authority has said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he has cancelled strikes against Iran shceduled for later on Thursday evening.
"I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening," he said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said he changed his mind about the strikes after the Iranian leadership agreed to talks, which had been approved by all major countries in the region and negotiating countries such as Pakistan.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he is "deeply concerned" by the continued escalation in the Middle East, including strikes by the U.S. on Iran and Iranian strikes on its neighbors, a spokesperson for the intergovernmental organisation has said in a statement.
"He urges the parties to return to the full implementation of the ceasefire and avoid any further deterioration, which, as he told the Security Council yesterday, could trigger a full resumption of the conflict, with unpredictable consequences for the region and the world, especially the most vulnerable countries," the spokesperson added.
Iranian oil and gas exports are "for everyone... or for noone," Iran's top joint military command has warned in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to seize major oil and gas ports from the country.
Tehran's military officials added that any U.S. attacks would receive a response "more severe than before," adding that Washington was the main cause of instability in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump can expect a "stronger and more painful response," if he orders attacks on Iran, the Head of Iran's National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament has warned.
Earlier, Trump threatened to hit Iran "very hard tonight," and to seize Khrag Island and other major oil and gas ports.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to seize Kharg Island and other major oil and gas ports from Iran.
You can read more below.
All 20 Indian crew members aboard the tanker Jalveer are safe and being evacuated after a fire broke out on the vessel off the coast of Oman, India's shipping ministry said.
Indian officials said the Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker was struck by the U.S. Navy, marking the third incident involving Indian-crewed vessels this week amid Washington's blockade of Iran-linked shipping.
The Kremlin has called on the U.S. and Iran to exercise restraint and continue negotiations, as both sides trade fresh attacks.
The appeal comes after overnight U.S. strikes on Wednesday, marking the latest escalation since a fragile ceasefire was agreed in early April.
Türkiye’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, has called on Iran and the U.S. to stop their renewed attacks and return to negotiations to avoid further escalation.
Speaking in Sofia, Hakan Fidan said Ankara was in close contact with Washington, Tehran and mediators including Pakistan, urging all sides to focus on securing a peace agreement.
A senior Chinese energy official met with a Saudi Aramco executive in Beijing this week to discuss global energy security and bilateral oil and gas cooperation, according to China's National Energy Administration.
The talks come as disruptions linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran raise concerns over global energy supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the European Union should be prepared to impose new sanctions on Iran if Tehran fails to help bring an end to the Middle East crisis.
Speaking in parliament, Meloni said the EU must be ready to increase pressure through targeted measures if Iran continues "down the wrong path".
A fire broke out in the engine room of a tanker 21 nautical miles northeast of Oman's Sohar on Thursday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), citing local authorities.
No environmental impact has been reported, and authorities are monitoring the situation.
An 11-year-old girl suffered minor injuries after debris from intercepted Iranian drones fell in Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said.
The debris damaged homes in Hamad Town and Manama and sparked fires in several vehicles after the drones were intercepted and destroyed.
Kuwait has resumed air traffic and reopened its airspace after a temporary suspension prompted by Iranian attacks, the civil aviation authority said.
Flights had been diverted to alternative airports earlier on Thursday as a precautionary measure.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the Middle East is being pulled deeper into crisis, saying the consequences extend far beyond the region.
In a post on X, Guterres said recent attacks had further eroded an already fragile ceasefire and cautioned against allowing a "lesser-fire" to become a full-scale conflict. He urged all parties to pursue a diplomatic solution, adding: “No more attacks. No more excuses.”
The U.S. State Department has urged people in Jordan to seek immediate shelter, warning that missiles, drones or rockets have been reported in Jordanian airspace.
The advisory instructed individuals to “seek overhead cover and shelter in place immediately”.
Israel's cabinet is expected to approve funding for the de facto establishment of 61 new settlements in the West Bank, according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, signaling a major expansion of settlement activity in the territory.
Kuwait's army said its air defence systems were engaging hostile aerial targets amid heightened tensions across the Gulf.
Iranian state media said the army launched drone attacks against the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain in response to American strikes in southern Iran.
Meanwhile, Bahrain's interior ministry said warning sirens were sounded again.
U.S. Central Command said its forces carried out strikes on Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defence sites across the country.
CENTCOM said the strikes were conducted in self-defence following what it called Iran’s ''unwarranted and continued aggression.''
Iran's state media has denied claims that Iranian officials have been in contact with U.S. President Donald Trump following American strikes on targets in southern Iran, dismissing the assertion as "false".
The U.S. military said commercial vessels continue to move through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran's claim that the strategic waterway has been closed to shipping.
Iran has warned that any ship seen approaching the Strait will be considered to be 'cooperating with the enemy' thus prone to attacks.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defen...
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svet...
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister....
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defence, cybersecurity, trade and education.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Pakistan is set to become a founding member of the China-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelling to Shanghai on Thursday to sign the founding agreement during a two-day visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defence, cybersecurity, trade and education.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has warned that Tehran would target remaining infrastructure in the region if the Islamic Republic’s infrastructure were attacked by the U.S. military, according to the Defa Press military news website.
Uzbekistan will establish an intermodal logistics centre in Belarus before the end of 2026 and launch more than $100 million worth of new regional investment projects as the two countries accelerate implementation of their newly established strategic partnership.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invited Chinese technology companies to expand investment in Kazakhstan during a business roundtable in Shanghai on 16 July, promoting the country as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.
Officials from more than 20 oil-producing countries have agreed on a roadmap to strengthen international cooperation in the oil industry during a meeting in Azerbaijan. The plan aims to deepen collaboration across key areas, including markets, technology, investment and regulation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment