Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Thank you for following the live blog. You can read a wrap-up of all the main developments from Monday (9 March) in the article below. We'll be back again tomorrow.
In an interview with CBS, the U.S. President added that Washington was "very far ahead" of his initial four to five week estimated timeframe, according to a CBS reporter on X.
The force and frequency of Iranian missile launches will increase, and their range will become wider, Iranian state media cited the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force as saying on Monday (9 March).
"We are not there yet," French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told reporters in Brussels, Belgium on Monday (9 March).
Following the meeting, G7 finance ministers released a statement saying: "We stand ready to take necessary measures, including to support global supply of energy such as stockpile release."
The G7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned after a missile was intercepted over the city of Gaziantep in south-central Türkiye earlier on Monday (9 March). The Turkish Defence Ministry said the missile was fired from Iran.
Speaking on Monday (9 March), Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to work with European customers again in long-term cooperation free from political pressure.
Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the European Union to lift sanctions on Russian energy. It comes as the price of oil climbs past $119 a barrel.
Russia is the world's second largest oil exporter and holds the world's biggest reserves of natural gas.
Following a cabinet meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara on Monday (9 March), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: "Iran continues to take wrong and provocative steps."
The airline said on Monday (9 March) that it will maintain its suspension of flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until March 12, and to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 13, owing to the security situation in the region.
Wang Yi made the remarks during a phone call with his Kuwaiti counterpart Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Monday (9 March).
Wang Yi stressed that the sovereignty, security and the terrirotial integrity of Gulf countries should be fully respected, according to statements from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
In a post on social media, U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Australia for allowing the players to be sent home to Iran, saying it was making '"a terrible humanitarian mistake."
Iran's national women's team stood in silence during the playing of the country's national anthem, during their first match against South Korea in the Australia hosted Asian Cup tournament on March 2.
The players' decision was labelled the "pinnacle of dishonour" on Iran's state Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
A Greek-operated oil tanker has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, analysis from ship tracking platforms Kpler and Lloyd's List Intelligence shows.
Traffic through the narrow passage has all but halted since conflict in the Middle East started more than a week ago.
The Shenlong Suezmax tanker, with a capacity of one million barrels, loaded crude in the Saudi port of Ras Tanura, separate ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform shows. The ship's destination is the Indian port of Mumbai.
After a balistic missile was destroyed above Türkiye earlier on Monday (9 March), NATO has reiterated that it is prepared to defend members of the alliance from any threat.
NATO air missile defence systems neutralised the missile over the city of Gaziantep in south-central Türkiye, the Turkish Defence Ministry confirmed earlier.
Photos taken by AnewZ's Touraj Shiralilou show people in the streets of Tehran as Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei is sworn in as Supreme Leader on Monday (9 March, 2026).
You can see more photos from Tehran in Touraj's article:
The French Navy will deploy two frigates in the Red Sea as part of the European Union's naval mission, Aspides, French President Emmanuel Macron has said.
After a meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Cyprus, he said: "We are in the process of setting up a purely defensive, purely escort mission, which must be prepared together with both European and non-European states."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called on the EU to stop sanctioning Russian energy. Rising fuel prices in Hungary, fuelled by the soaring cost of oil, have piled pressure on Orban ahead of his bid for re-election in April.
It comes as the price of oil surged above $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March), amid conflict in the Middle East.
The Turkish President's Communication Director has issued a warning to Tehran after a ballistic missile was intercepted by NATO defence systems above Türkiye.
The statement said: "Türkiye attaches great importance to good neighbourly relations and regional stability.
However, we once again emphasise that all necessary steps will be taken firmly and without hesitation against any threat directed at our territory or airspace. We remind all parties that heeding Türkiye’s warnings in this regard is in everyone’s interest."
A ballistic missile fired from Iran towards Türkiye has been destroyed by NATO air missile defence systems over the city of Gaziantep in south-central Türkiye, the Turkish Defence Ministry has confirmed.
A spokesman for the EU Commission has said G7 leaders are discussing whether to release strategic oil reserves.
It comes as the price of oil has surged above $119 a barrel, amid conflict in the Middle East.
Lebanon's parliament has extended its mandate by two years. A statement from the speaker's office said 76 members of the 128-seat body had voted in favour of the extension.
Beirut's lawmakers have taken similar actions before over security concerns. The 2009 parliament had voted to extend its mandate until 2017, linking the decision to the then war in neighbouring Syria.
Saudi Aramco has cut output at two oilfields, sources say, amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Neighbouring producers, including Kuwait and the UAE, have also trimmed supply.
Some Aramco cargoes are being rerouted via the Red Sea, while oil prices continue to rise, tightening markets.
The EU is planning to act as a middleman between Ukraine and Middle Eastern countries in need of anti-drone systems, EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said on Monday.
Speaking at a conference for EU ambassadors, Kallas described a new initiative to match Ukraine’s industrial output with the region’s military requirements.
Iran’s foreign ministry has dismissed the idea of negotiations as long as the country is under attack, Student News Network (SNN) reported on Monday.
Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would continue to defend itself, targeting only “facilities used by aggressors,” and denied any attacks on Türkiye, Azerbaijan or Southern Cyprus, calling reports of such strikes “false flag attacks.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK and United States are working together “every single day,” when asked if the special relationship was in trouble.
He added that decisions on Britain’s interests are “for the Prime Minister of Britain” alone.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as Iran’s new leader, the Kremlin said on Monday.
Putin expressed confidence that Khamenei would continue his father’s work “with honour” and unite the Iranian people “in the face of severe trials,” adding that Russia would maintain its “unwavering support” for Tehran.
Oil prices reached an almost four year record high on Monday with prices skyrocketing to just under $120 per barrel due to the ongoing hostilities between the United States and Israel against Iran and here's what's been going on so far:
Meanwhile the U.S President Donald Trump has called the oil surge "a small price to pay" for safety and peace adding that it was only "temporary".
The European Union will continue to back Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, regardless of other crises, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared on Monday.
Speaking at a conference for EU ambassadors, von der Leyen insisted that the bloc remains committed to delivering on its financial pledges to Kyiv.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that the EU can no longer rely solely on a “rules-based” system to defend its interests, as regional conflicts already produce unintended consequences and spillover effects.
Speaking at the annual EU ambassadors’ conference, she said: "We will always defend and uphold the rules-based system that we helped to build with our allies, but we can no longer rely on it as the only way to defend our interests or assume its rules will shelter us from the complex threats that we face."
"We urgently need to reflect on whether our doctrine, our institutions and our decision making – all designed in a postwar world of stability and multilateralism – have kept pace with the speed of change around us.
Whether the system that we built – with all of its well-intentioned attempts at consensus and compromise – is more a help or a hindrance to our credibility as a geopolitical actor," she added.
Iran warns that Iranians abroad could face asset seizures and legal penalties if they back the U.S. or Israel after Ali Khamenei’s death.
The Iranian prosecutor general's office said this on Monday following diaspora celebrations in Europe and the United States after the death of Khamenei and the naming of Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor. Telegram channels are reportedly highlighting critics overseas.
"A warning has been issued to those Iranians living abroad who in different ways sympathise, support or cooperate with the American-Zionist (Israeli) enemy," the prosecutor general's office was quoted as saying by state media.
"They will be met with the confiscation of all their properties and other legal penalties in accordance with the law."
U.S. President Donald Trump said the recent spike in oil prices is temporary, linking the increase to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Writing on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump said higher prices were “short term” and would fall quickly once what he described as the “destruction of the Iran nuclear threat” is complete.
European shares fell to a more than two-month low on Monday as surging oil prices fuelled inflation concerns amid the ongoing U.S.–Israeli war on Iran.
The pan-European STOXX 600 dropped 2.3% in early trade, extending last week’s sharp losses after crude prices surged more than 25% to just below $120 a barrel.
Bank, tech and airline stocks led the declines, while energy shares edged slightly higher.
EU leaders will hold a video conference with Middle Eastern counterparts on Monday to discuss the situation in the region.
European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will join the talks, a spokesperson for Costa said on Friday.
“The exchange will provide an opportunity to hear leaders' assessments of the situation and to discuss further support from the EU and its member states to countries in the region, as well as ways to bring the current conflict to an end,” the spokesperson said.
Azerbaijan has reopened its border crossings with Iran for all cargo traffic, restoring a key land route linking Iran to Russia, according to the Cabinet of Ministers.
The crossings were closed last week following what Baku described as an Iranian drone attack on the Nakhchivan airport, which caused injuries and heightened tensions.
Late on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, denying Tehran’s involvement and saying Iran is investigating the incident, according to Aliyev’s office.
Türkiye is deploying six F-16 fighter jets to northern Cyprus to strengthen the defences of the Turkish Cypriot community, broadcaster NTV reports, citing a civil aviation official from the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
A Turkish defence ministry source confirmed on Saturday that the deployment of F-16s is being considered as part of broader measures to ensure the security of the Turkish Cypriot state, amid rising tensions in the region.
The jets are scheduled to arrive Monday and are expected to bolster the air defence capabilities in the north of the island.
Bangladesh has announced closure of universities from Monday, bringing forward Eid holidays to conserve electricity and fuel amid an energy crisis.
The country, which relies on imports for 95% of its energy need, has also limited fuel sales, halted most state-run fertiliser factories, and bought LNG at higher prices to prevent shortages.
“We are doing everything we can to reduce consumption and ensure stability in power, fuel and import supplies,” a senior energy ministry official said.
The G7 is set to meet on Monday to consider a coordinated release of oil from emergency reserves through the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
So far, three G7 countries, including the U.S., have expressed support.
The U.S. military said on Sunday a seventh U.S. service member died in the conflict with Iran after sustaining injuries.
The military added in a statement that the service member was "seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops” in Saudi Arabia on 1 March. Their identity will remain confidential until their next of kin have been notified.
The Health Ministry of Bahrain has said that at least 32 people including children were wounded after an Iranian drone hit the Sitra area on Monday morning.
Casualties of the attack are Bahraini citizens with no foreign national thought to be injured in the incident.
The ministry added that all the injured are receiving medical treatment and remain under close observation by medical personnel.
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Southern Cyprus on Monday (9 March), to show support after last week’s drone strikes, the French Presidency announced on Sunday.
Macron will meet Southern Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss boosting security, while also calling on Iran to halt attacks and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced on Monday that the government will impose a cap on domestic fuel prices for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Speaking at an emergency cabinet meeting, he said authorities would “swiftly and boldly implement” a maximum price system on petroleum products to protect the economy from soaring costs after the Middle East conflict pushed global crude prices higher.
The United States urged non-emergency staff and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia amid rising security concerns as Iran strikes the kingdom in retaliation for attacks by Washington and Israel.
The U.S embassies in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan had already been evacuated earlier during the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that any decision to end the war with Iran will be made jointly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking to The Times of Israel, Trump added that he will consider all factors before deciding when to conclude the conflict.
"I think it’s mutual ... a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account," Trump said.
Oil prices jumped over 25% on Monday, the highest since July 2022. The surge follows the expanding U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The resulting price surge also caused the dollar to rise sharply against the euro and the yen.
In the meantime, some major Middle East producers have started cutting supplies as markets fear prolonged disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Welcome to AnewZ’s live coverage of the day following the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran. We are tracking the latest developments, reactions, and regional fallout as events continue to unfold. Stay with us for real-time updates throughout the day.
Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed Iran’s new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, according to state media. The announcement comes just over a week after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in a U.S.-Israel missile strike.
Iranian officials and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have pledged allegiance to the new leader, calling for national unity.
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers wil...
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island&rsq...
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March). ...
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of...
More than 372,000 people were left without electricity in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan after heavy rain triggered severe flooding, of...
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March).
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced doubts about the effectiveness of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign in Iran, warning that the conflict risks becoming prolonged and increasingly complex.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March).
Nepal’s ousted former prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak have been arrested over alleged negligence linked to the deaths of protesters during anti-corruption demonstrations last September.
China is moving ahead with plans to establish a nationwide long-term care insurance system, aimed at supporting its rapidly ageing population and easing the financial burden on families caring for elderly relatives.
The U.S. Congress failed on Friday (27 March) to resolve a six-week funding impasse that has disrupted airports and left tens of thousands of federal workers without pay, raising fears of further travel chaos during the busy spring break period.
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