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 $...
European foreign ministers are set to meet Iran’s top diplomat in Geneva for urgent nuclear talks amid growing fears that the Israel-Iran conflict could spiral into a broader regional war.
The foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Britain will hold high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran’s foreign minister in Geneva on Friday, a German diplomatic source told Reuters.
Before the joint session, the ministers will meet with European Union Freign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas at Germany’s permanent mission to the United Nations in Switzerland's city.
The aim of the talks between Iran and the Europeans, which the German source said are taking place in coordination with the United States, is to persuade the Iranian side to firmly guarantee that it will use its nuclear programme solely for civilian purposes.
This diplomatic push follows a sharp escalation in the Middle East, where Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iran last week, prompting missile retaliation from Tehran. While U.S. President Donald Trump has not confirmed whether Washington will join the military campaign, his silence has heightened global anxiety over a potential regional conflict.
The Geneva talks are expected to continue with structured technical discussions at the expert level.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced support for Israel’s actions, urging Iran to de-escalate or face further consequences—remarks that angered Tehran. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also urged Iran to commit to dialogue, saying, "It's never too late to come to the negotiating table."
Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran denies that its nuclear programme is for military purposes.
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.
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.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
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.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
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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