Oil prices hit four year high: Latest news on the Middle East conflict on 9 March
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $...
Tensions surged in the Middle East as the UN nuclear watchdog declared Iran in violation of its nuclear obligations, prompting Tehran to announce countermeasures ahead of critical talks with the U.S.
The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has formally declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation commitments for the first time in nearly two decades. In response, Iran announced several countermeasures, including the development of a new uranium enrichment facility and an upgrade to advanced centrifuges at the Fordow plant—steps that will significantly boost enriched uranium production.
The developments come just days before the U.S. and Iran are set to hold a sixth round of nuclear negotiations in Oman. Omani officials confirmed that talks will take place Sunday amid heightened security concerns, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about withdrawing American personnel due to rising regional risks.
An IAEA official said Iran had informed the agency about the new facility but provided no details on its location. Iranian officials reaffirmed their commitment to enrichment under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, they warned that the military is fully prepared to respond if attacked.
Trump, who originally withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal, has threatened further action if talks stall. He reiterated this stance in a recent interview, expressing doubts that Iran would stop enriching uranium unless U.S. sanctions are lifted.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers will meet on Monday to discuss a global rise in oil prices and a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 9th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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