Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran is making very big concessions.
"We're winning by a lot. Iran is making very big concessions. We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said the United States will not do anything that would undermine the security of U.S. allies in the Gulf region when it comes to dealings with Iran.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed bilateral relations and regional developments with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Wednesday, including the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States.
Oman’s state news agency said discussions between the two sides at Al Baraka Palace in Muscat addressed the course of the ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations and diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war and reaching a settlement to the crisis.
Oil prices fell sharply on Wednesday, with Brent crude dropping to its lowest level since before the U.S.-Iran conflict, as rising tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and progress in peace talks eased supply concerns.
International benchmark Brent crude fell 4.6% to below $74 per barrel, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped below $70 per barrel as investors priced in a faster normalisation of Gulf oil flows.
The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait has resumed operations that were suspended following attacks in March by Iran, a State Department spokesperson said.
The embassy will immediately resume emergency services for American citizens while other services will be phased in, the spokesperson said.
The State Department shut down embassy operations in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in March after Iranian drones fired at the missions following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Ships have already sailed through the Strait of Hormuz under a newly launched evacuation scheme by the UN's shipping agency, a spokesperson said.
At least two dry bulk ships and one cargo ship have sailed through Hormuz under the scheme in past 12 hours, LSEG ship tracking data showed on Thursday.
Another 35 commercial vessels, mainly dry bulk, cargo and container vessels were preparing to sail through the strait.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with top United Arab Emirates officials on a Middle East tour, seeking to reassure Gulf allies who view a proposed Iran peace deal as too generous to a state that attacked them in the war.
President Donald Trump’s deal, signed last week, includes a proposed $300 billion fund and the waiver of some sanctions.
Arriving in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi late on Tuesday for a three-day tour, Rubio is undertaking his first high-level diplomatic mission on the agreement to end the four-month-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf made his remarks at a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, as Iran and the United States seek to conclude a lasting peace agreement.
“The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation,” Ghalibaf said at a conference.
“That is why the Islamabad memorandum of understanding became a declaration of America’s defeat.
The UN nuclear watchdog will carry out inspections in Iran soon following an interim peace accord between the United States and Iran, but modalities have yet to be finalised, the agency's chief Rafael Grossi said.
The two sides signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding last week setting out broad agreements in principle to end the war. The interim accord paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear program.
"The inspections will indeed take place," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi told a press conference in Japan, an audio recording of which the IAEA posted online.
Airlines should continue to avoid the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon and remain cautious across the region despite the framework deal between Washington and Tehran, because violations remained possible, the EU aviation safety agency EASA said.
EASA said on Wednesday it was extending its conflict-zone advisory for the region until 1 July.
Short-term violations of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire remain possible, in particular in and around the Strait of Hormuz and neighboring airspace, the agency said.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has arrived in Azerbaijan on a working visit and will take part in the 20th Session of the Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States in Baku, according to Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis.
Iranian authorities are preparing week-long funeral and burial processions for former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, starting on 4 July in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad.
The ceremonies will include a nationwide public holiday, with additional local holidays in provinces hosting the events.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has concluded a one-day visit to Pakistan, his first foreign trip since the end of the Israel-U.S. war on Iran.
During the visit, he held talks with Pakistan's prime minister, president and army chief, while Islamabad announced its president would visit Iran in early July to attend funeral ceremonies for former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran and Oman said they discussed issues related to the Strait of Hormuz during talks in Muscat, according to a joint statement issued after a visit by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said the country expects to resume normal liquefied natural gas production within weeks, according to the Financial Times.
Four vessels operated by South Korean shippers have exited the Strait of Hormuz and are heading to their destinations, including one bound for South Korea, the maritime ministry said, as shipping traffic gradually resumes through the key waterway.
The United States has eased travel restrictions on Iran's World Cup squad, allowing the team to enter the country two days before their next match in Seattle after complaints over earlier rules that limited arrivals to one day before games.
Oman said it had coordinated with the International Maritime Organization to establish a temporary maritime corridor for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway in line with international law.
The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to direct President Donald Trump to halt military action against Iran, marking the first time both chambers of Congress have approved a war powers resolution ordering a president to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities.
The measure, passed 50-48 with support from four Republicans, is largely symbolic and is unlikely to immediately affect U.S. policy as the Trump administration continues efforts to negotiate a peace agreement with Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration was working towards a fair deal with Iran and that the two countries were "getting along well"
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Afghan authorities in Kabul and Herat have sought wider investment, trade and environmental cooperation with Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and an international aid organisation.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
President Ilham Aliyev is holding his annual question-and-answer session with international journalists at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum in Azerbaijan.
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Afghan authorities in Kabul and Herat have sought wider investment, trade and environmental cooperation with Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and an international aid organisation.
Türkiye delivered 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Venezuela on Monday, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the country's reconstruction after last month's devastating earthquakes.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Sunday that 3.7 million children under five in Afghanistan face an increased risk of malnutrition as the peak wasting season from July to September approaches.
Uzbekistan is preparing for one of its hottest weeks of the year, with electricity demand expected to approach a record as temperatures are forecast to reach 44-46°C across parts of the country. Authorities are taking measures to maintain power supplies during the extreme heat.
Iran has said it remains determined to pursue legal action against Israel and the United States over the deaths of senior officials and civilians during recent military confrontations, insisting it will seek accountability through international bodies.
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