Strait of Hormuz now totally blocked — with US stopping 14 Iran-tied tankers and hundreds of others too scared to cross
It’s an international game of chicken.
· Ronny Reyes
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Newest first · UTC+11:00Trump claims Iran has ‘agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,’ not pursue nuclear weapon
WASHINGTON – President Trump claimed Thursday that the US and Iran have a “good” chance of finalizing a peace deal in the coming days after the Islamic Republic agreed to two major demands put forward by the White House — and teased that he may go to Pakistan himself to seal the agreement.
· Emily Goodin
Hong Kong banks dependent on SWIFT are warned of new US sanctions
Keep independent journalism alive
· Jeff Pao
UK wargaming food shortage scenarios as Iran turmoil extends
Property News: Australia's most expensive streets, and how much it costs to live in them.
· Adam Vidler
Trump administration expects Iranian team to travel to U.S. for World Cup
The new posture from the White House World Cup task force comes after weeks of uncertainty about whether Iran would ultimately participate.
· Sophia Cai
‘More compromises’: Trump wants an end to Iran war
While the president claims he's got the cards, he may have to give ground to get a deal.
· Eli Stokols, Phelim Kine
JD Vance meme game floods Pakistan, following his visit to Islamabad for Iran peace talks: ‘This is how we do soft power’
ISLAMABAD — Vice President JD Vance has a new base of fans — in Pakistan.
· Caitlin Doornbos
IRGC commander says Hezbollah ‘winner’ as Lebanon ceasefire holds
Iran’s Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani has said Hezbollah emerged victorious, as he commented on the ceasefire in Lebanon.
· Middleeasteye
Pope Leo slams 'tyrants' as Trump says the pontiff must understand 'nasty world'
Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised the religious leader, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran in recent weeks. Source: Getty
· Sbsaustralia
YouTube says Iran-linked AI Lego video channel removed over policy breaches | The National
YouTube said on Thursday that it had decided to suspend an account sharing pro-Iran videos with the look and feel of The Lego Movie due to breaches of policy.
· Cody Combs
Trump ‘creating problems’ for US – Lula
US President Donald Trump’s policy has ended up creating problems for Americans, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said, citing soaring energy prices linked to the war on Iran.
· RT
The top photos of the week by AP photojournalists
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, center, walks up a flight of stairs to meet with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Islamabad, for talks about Iran. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, pool, File)
· The Associated Press
Pope Leo slams 'those who manipulate religion' for war, as White House invokes divine calling
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday issued what may be his most explicit condemnation yet of the Trump administration's use of biblical invocations to justify the US-Israeli war on Iran, as tensions between the Vatican and the White House ramp up.
· Middleeasteye
US Treasury sanctions sons of Nicaragua's leaders and gold companies
Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and his wife and Vice President Rosario Murillo lead a rally in Managua, Sept. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga, File)
Lebanon reports Israeli ceasefire violations as Trump says deal with Iran 'very close'
Donald Trump said the US had "a very good relationship with Iran right now, as hard as it is to believe". Source: AAP / AP / Manuel Balce Ceneta
· Sbsaustralia
Pope Leo slams 'those who manipulate religion' for war, as White House invokes divine calling
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday issued what may be his most explicit condemnation yet of the Trump administration's use of biblical invocations to justify the US-Israeli war on Iran, as tensions between the Vatican and the White House ramp up.
· Middleeasteye
A week into ceasefire, Israelis’ storied resilience is tested by questions about what was gained
A week into the ceasefire in the Iran war, Israelis have settled into their old normal, sort of.
· DEBORAH DANAN/JTA
Trump claims Iran 'totally agreed' to give up nuclear ambitions
US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran has agreed to give up their nuclear ambitions during comments to the press outside the White House on Thursday.
· GOLDIE KATZ
War on Iran could trigger global famine – charity founder
Disruptions to fertilizer supplies caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran risk triggering a multi-year food crisis globally, World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Jose Andres has warned.
· RT
What jet fuel shortages mean for airlines, travelers
A worker fuels an Air Canada jet at DFW International Airport in Grapevine, Texas, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
· Mae Anderson
(LEAD) Trump says Iran has agreed to no nuclear weapons, negotiations may resume this weekend
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)By Song Sang-ho
· Song Sang-ho
A 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon looms: What to know today
Topic:Unrest, Conflict and War
· Matthew Doran
Pakistan’s diplomacy and America’s search for an exit
With the Americans increasingly accepting the the prediction made by the The Guardian of United Kingdom that war with Iran would become “Trump’s Vietnam”, Washington started to look for an exit strategy. The majority now believes that President Donald Trump is stuck in a quagmire, and his goals are unattainable. His…
· shanaka
LIVE: Trump warns if no deal, then 'fighting resumes'
Hello and welcome to our rolling coverage of the war in the Middle East on Friday, April 17.
· Adam Vidler
Lyse Doucet in Iran: Destruction shows huge civilian cost of the war
Parts of Iran have been ravaged by missile and drone strikes during the war with the US and Israel.
How Trump's Iran stance puts FIFA World Cup in 'uncharted territory'
The FIFA World Cup has been thrown into uncertainty by the war in the Middle East. Source: SBS, Getty / Graphic by Caroline Huang
· Sbsaustralia
Shin-Etsu's PVC business shrugs off Iran turmoil thanks to US shale gas
Shin-Etsu uses shale gas-derived ethylene to make PVC in the U.S. (Shin-Etsu Chemical)
· Staff Writer
Brent oil price near $100 again with U.S.-Iran talks uncertain and Hormuz still blocked
Crude oil prices neared $100 again on Thursday, as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains very low with no clear pathway to fully reopen the vital sea lane.
· Spencer Kimball
South Asia remains fastest-growing region, India continues as growth engine – World Bank
Despite headwinds from global energy market disruptions triggered by the Iran war, South Asia continues to be the world’s fastest-growing region, with India acting as the principal engine of growth, according to the latest report by the World Bank.
· shanaka
ASX set to dip, Wall Street steady; Oil prices climb
The US stock market is holding near its record high as Wall Street waits for more clues about what will happen in the Iran war before making its next big move.
· Stan Choe
Iran's water crisis is worse than you think
As airstrikes hit the Persian Gulf, attacks on Iran’s water infrastructure risk worsening drought, protests, and civilian suffering. Iran’s water crisis may shape the country’s future more than the conflict itself.
Iran has just weeks of oil storage left before it has to halt crude production: report
Iran has only two to eight weeks left before it must curb oil production, risking long-term damage to its oil fields, experts said.
· Ronny Reyes
PM rules out buying Russian, Iranian oil as countries scramble for supplies
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says around 50 tankers are en route to Australia to bolster fuel supplies as the turmoil from the war in Iran continues.
· Laura Tingle
Trump says U.S. 'very close' to Iran deal, negotiations may resume this weekend
WASHINGTON, April 16 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States is "very close" to making a deal with Iran, claiming the Islamic Republic has agreed not to have a nuclear weapon and noting that the next round of peace talks between the two countries may take place this weekend.
· Song Sang-ho
Trump says Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire
United States President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, a truce that could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the US and Israel after weeks of devastating war.
· AfricaNews
US House votes down latest effort to curtail Trump’s power to wage Iran war
Washington, DC – The latest effort to curtail United States President Donald Trump’s power to wage war with Iran has failed in the House of Representatives by a slim margin.
· Joseph Stepansky
Regional volatility not affecting Adnoc’s XRG investment strategy, CIO says | The National
Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz are not changing the strategy of Abu Dhabi's XRG, the global energy investment arm of Adnoc's chief investment officer said on Thursday.
· Cody Combs
House Effort To End Trump's Iran War Fails By One Vote: Guess The Lone GOP Dissenter
Two parallel war-related votes in the House and Senate reveal growing dismay and political fractures over President Trump's Iran war, as the Strait of Hormuz remains locked down and ceasefire still seems distant.
· Tyler Durden
Middle East faces one of sharpest downgrades since global financial crisis, IMF warns | The National
The Middle East’s economic outlook has sharply deteriorated following the outbreak of the Iran war, with the International Monetary Fund warning that the region faces one of its steepest growth downgrades in years and rising risks of further decline if the conflict persists.
· Salim A. Essaid
Iran war opens new rifts between Washington, Europe, the Vatican, and Israel
The confrontation around Iran has evolved into more than a military escalation. It is now a convergence point for multiple, overlapping crises - strategic, political, and symbolic - that are testing the internal cohesion of the Western alliance.
· GIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE
House resolution to curtail Trump’s war powers in Iran narrowly fails
A war powers resolution aimed at curtailing President Trump’s power to wage war in Iran failed in a 213-214 vote on the House floor Thursday, marking the third such failure for Democrats in the lower chamber.
· Ryan King
Counter-terror police investigate London arson attacks on Iranian and Jewish targets
Officers looking into attacks on Iran International media offices, synagogue and Jewish charity ambulances
· Matthewweaver, Vikramdodd
Europe could run out of jet fuel in 6 weeks — throwing flights into chaos in time for summer
Europe has “maybe six weeks or so” of jet fuel left before it’s forced to start canceling flights, if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war — just in time for summer vacation, the head of the International Energy Agency warned on Thursday.
· Ronny Reyes
Peace between US, Iran, could take six months, officials say - Bloomberg
A peace deal between the United States and Iran could take around six months to be agreed upon, officials from both the Middle East and Europe told Bloomberg.
· TZVI JASPER, REUTERS
Cámara de Representantes de EEUU rechaza retirar a las fuerzas armadas de la guerra con Irán
ARCHIVO – Una espesa columna de humo se levanta en una instalación de almacenamiento de petróleo alcanzada por un ataque de Estados Unidos e Israel en Teherán, Irán, el 8 de marzo de 2026. (AP Foto/Vahid Salemi, Archivo)
· Kevin Freking
Saudi Arabia pressed US to secure a Lebanon ceasefire to preserve Iran negotiations, sources say
Saudi Arabia pushed the US to prioritise securing a ceasefire in Lebanon in order to sustain talks with Iran, as the kingdom shifts to mediation efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, multiple US, western, and Arab officials told Middle East Eye.
· Middleeasteye
Saudi Arabia pressed US to secure a Lebanon ceasefire to preserve Iran negotiations, sources say
Saudi Arabia pushed the US to prioritise securing a ceasefire in Lebanon in order to sustain talks with Iran, as the kingdom shifts to mediation efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, multiple US, western, and Arab officials told Middle East Eye.
· Middleeasteye
Pressure on Strait of Hormuz threatens global energy, Red Sea exposed to disruption - explainer
The Strait of Hormuz is back at the center of global attention because it has become one of the main pressure points in the war that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, saying they were responding to what they described as an escalating threat from Tehran’s nuclear progr…
· STEVEN GANOT/THE MEDIA LINE
US House narrowly rejects war powers resolution as dissent grows
Resolution needed two more votes to pass, but Democrats now appear solidified in opposition
· Chris Stein
Israel and Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire as US pushes broader deal
Pause may ease tensions with Iran, with Trump eyeing White House talks, though doubts linger over prospects for a lasting peace deal
· Dewey Sim