• Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it launched a missile and drone attack on two bases hosting US forces in Jordan in retaliation for a US strike on Iran’s Larak Island. Jordan says it intercepted eight missiles over its airspace.
• The US says its attack on Larak had targeted two IRGC launchers, claiming they were preparing to launch naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran says the US attack killed and wounded an unspecified number of fighters and civilians.
• Iran says it stopped a ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Oil has risen more than 2 percent on news of the US attack on Iran.

Developing stories US attack Larak Island

Iranians ‘curious’ whether more US-Iran exchanges will follow this escalation

Iranian authorities have claimed responsibility for this attack. They announced that they attacked the US military bases inside Jordan.

However, neither the Iranian side nor the US side has mentioned any number on the casualties that they have caused in Jordan on these bases. So far, we haven’t heard that anyone was killed or wounded.

Apparently, this was also a contained attack as retaliation for the American attack on Larak Island. Because, as soon as the attack happened, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard acknowledged the attack, saying that several Iranians, including some fighters, had been killed and injured. But they didn’t give out any specific numbers.

So in Iran, too, everybody is curious whether there is going to be more for this escalation.

Is it just a retaliation for the US attack on Larak Island, or will Iran attack more throughout the night? This is unclear for now.

Iranian missiles can lay naval mines in Hormuz Strait’s southern route

David Des Roches, a former director of Arabian Peninsula affairs in the US Defense Department, about the US attack on Larak Island:

“The specificity of the strikes suggests that the Trump administration is actually doing what it says,” Des Roches told Al Jazeera, after Washington claimed it had seen the deployment of missiles capable of laying naval mines.

“It is probably Fajr-5,” he said, referring to Iran’s 333mm long-range multiple launch rocket system, which has a reported range of 75km (47 miles).

“It can range the naval channels there,” Roches said, referring to the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, near the Omani coast. “Some ships are going through Omani waters to circumvent the Iranian attacks on neutral civilian shipping,” he added.

“[These Iranian rockets] have the potential to lay mines in those waters. So it would complicate the southern route. It is a pretty significant potential Iranian capability.”

Trump may be enforcing ‘zero tolerance’ on Iran laying mines in Hormuz

This is a case where President Trump is putting his money where his mouth is.

There was no signaling from the administration that this is representing any sort of major escalation in this conflict. But the attack on Larak Island is the largest escalation, and most significant escalation seen in weeks, at least in terms of kinetic force by the United States.

All of this stems from that reporting earlier on Sunday that US intelligence suggested that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was preparing – or believed to be preparing – to launch mines into the Strait of Hormuz, something that the Trump administration has been very staunch and adamant about having a zero-tolerance policy over, in fact touting that shipping along the Strait of Hormuz was largely normalised.

So, at this point, there are still very important details that we don’t know regarding both of these latest incidents (including Iran’s strike on US bases in Jordan), but we are working on giving you the latest information as we’re receiving it here in Washington, DC.

".. was preparing – or believed to be preparing – .."

The US has been claiming that Iranians are trying to lay sea mines. But earlier this week the IRGC was saying that the strait is under their control and there are no sea mines, and the Iranian officials were saying that the US is trying to create an excuse through the claim of the sea mines to jump into the strait.

Vessels crossing Strait of Hormuz dropped to 5 per day over weekend

The number of visible commodity vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz dropped to five per day over the weekend, according to shipping data.

The actual number of ships passing the strait could be higher, as some vessels have switched off their automatic identification system to evade attacks.

On Sunday, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a delayed report that a tanker had been struck while transiting “inbound in the Strait of Hormuz”, 12 nautical miles (22km) to the north of an Omani port.

Before the war began in late February, nearly 20 percent of global oil transited through the strait.

Mere maritime ‘uncertainty’ in Hormuz enough for disruption

David Des Roches, a former director of Arabian Peninsula affairs in the US Defense Department, has been saying more about the Iranian capabilities to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, using rockets instead of small boats.

“It’s not a normal way of deploying sea mines, but something you do at extremes,” he said. “But Iran doesn’t really have the ability to send a maritime equivalent of a squad-size raid or a small boat.”

He said Tehran is facing difficulties taking on a task at a distance from its waters. “A lot of their capabilities were destroyed. So, it’s not ideal [to use rockets to lay mines], but it is a known capability with the Fajr-5, which I’m assuming it would be.”

Roches added that Iran’s efforts in the Strait of Hormuz “are not directed against the US Navy but against neutral civilian shipping”.

“Iran only has to introduce uncertainty, and the maritime insurers of the neutral civilian ships will raise rates to a prohibitive level,” he said.

US Central Command says IRGC’s ‘minelaying forces’ on Larak Island posed ‘imminent threat’

US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces “took limited, precise action against IRGC mine laying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz” in its attack on Larak Island.

“In essence, Iran created the threat, and the US military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce,” CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X.

CENTCOM rejected the Iranian statement that the strikes were “an act of aggression”.

Larak Island central to Iran’s monitoring of Strait of Hormuz

Sina Azodi, director of the Middle East Studies program at George Washington University, said that the US struck Larak Island because “I believe it’s where Iran has dispersed its assets to control the Strait of Hormuz”.

He said Washington was trying to degrade Iran’s ability to monitor and surveil the ships passing through the waterway, not only its capacity to strike them.

The island fits a pattern going back to July, Azodi said, when the entire southern shore of Iran was on the US target list.

He said the US claim that Iran was preparing to lay mines was plausible, adding that he “would not be surprised if they wanted to assert their power and control over the strait”.

Asked whether Iran had been waiting for an opening to hit Jordan, he said Tehran’s war plans “were formed in advance”.

US official says that US forces intercepted Iran’s retaliatory missiles against Jordan

US forces were able to intercept Iran’s retaliatory attacks against Jordan after Washington said it hit Tehran’s mine laying capabilities on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a US official has said.

“The missile attack on US forces in Jordan proves that Iran is no longer the power it once was,” the official said, adding that Tehran had launched medium-range ballistic missiles towards Jordan.

Last night:

Jordan’s military says it intercepted eight missiles that entered the country’s airspace on Monday.

Oil jumps more than 1 percent after US-Iran trade attacks

Oil prices have jumped more than $1 a barrel after the US struck Larak Island and Iran responded with an attack on Jordanian bases hosting US troops.

Brent crude futures climbed $1.08, or 1.23 percent, to $89.18 a barrel as of 00:40 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $84.32, up 92 cents, or 1.10 percent.

“Looks like we are in another escalation phase. How long that lasts is impossible to determine. Could be days, could be weeks,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore told Reuters.

Hosting US bases ‘an asset’ as well as ‘a liability’ for Jordan

Rob McBride says Jordan has been “very much on the front line of the fighting” since February, with missiles exchanged between Israel and Iran crossing its airspace, and some intercepted over its territory.

Jordan hosts about 4,000 US personnel at two main bases, Azraq and King Hussein airbase, along with drones, fighter jets and Patriot air defenses. Forces have been moved there from more exposed Gulf positions because it “keeps them still in theatre but not in such a vulnerable position”, McBride said.

That has also made the country a repeated target. Its bases have been hit before, and several American casualties in the war have occurred there.

Amman remains a close US ally, and gains financially from the bases, though its relationship with Israel “leaves a lot to be desired”, said McBride. Like many Gulf states, McBride said, it is coming to terms with the cost of hosting American forces.

“As well as an asset, it can at times, as we have seen, also become a liability,” he said.

Any country in the region that host a foreign attacking belligerent is a co-belligerent by international law, and makes itself a military objective for Iran.

Iran ‘is not looking for war,’ says President Pezeshkian

In his first comments since the US attack on Iran’s Larak Island, President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran “is not looking for war”, but would “never sit still in the face of any aggression” either.

Pezeshkian made the comments as he was leaving for Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to attend the summit of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries.

According to Iran’s Fars news agency, Pezeshkian said that Iran “will give a decisive response to the aggressors” if attacked.

“Instability and unrest in the region are not in the interest of any country and will challenge everyone,” he added.

IRGC says it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said that it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz as both countries trade attacks after nearly a month of relative quiet.

Iran’s Fars and Mehr news agencies cited a statement from the IRGC that said that its air defences had intercepted “a long-range American MQ9 drone” over the Strait of Hormuz, which then fell into the Gulf.

Interesting if Iran used expensive rockets, instead of boats to lay mines

Harlan Ullman, a retired US senior naval officer, about the US’s claims of attacks on Iran’s mine-laying capabilities by targeting rocket launchers on Larak Island:

Ullman said he found it “interesting that Iran would try to implant sea mines with a rocket, in such an expensive way, when they have got far more efficient ways of doing it, like underwater swimmers and small boats”.

He added that, despite all the operations, one could never be sure if the channels in the Strait of Hormuz are free from mines. “Mines may or may not be there, but even the suggestion raises the psychological question for insurance companies,” he said, noting therefore that disruption in shipping becomes inevitable.

“The mine sweeping capability of the United States Navy regrettably is very, very limited,” Ullman added.

UAE air force responds to drone ‘approaching from Iran’

The UAE’s air force has responded to a drone over its territorial waters approaching from Iran.

Further details on the drone, including whether it was shot down or hit its intended target, were not provided by the Ministry of Defence.

The armed forces “remain on a high state of readiness to address any potential threats, while air defence systems continue to monitor and safeguard the country’s airspace around the clock”, said a ministry statement.

Iran’s army says it struck US military assets at Al Minhad base in UAE with drones

Iran’s army says it attacked US military assets at the Al Minhad airbase in the UAE.

In a statement reported by Iranian news agencies, the army’s public relations department said dozens of drones were launched at the base starting “early in the morning”.

The army said the attack targeted ⁠locations where US forces ⁠and helicopters were stationed at ⁠the base.

The attack, it said, was revenge for members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and civilians who were killed in a US strike on Iran’s Larak Island, the statement said.

UAE rejects Iran’s claims of missile attack on al-Minhad airbase

UAE’s Defence Ministry has rejected Iran’s claims and reports that al-Menhad airbase was targeted by missiles.

In a statement, the ministry said the media reports “are false”.

Iranian state TV, citing the army, has earlier said the airbase was targeted with with drones in response to ⁠the killing of IRGC personnel and civilians on Larak Island.

• On March 18, 2026, the media reported that the Australian presence on the airbase was hit.
• On March 21, 2026, Iran had launched attacks on air bases in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
• UAE fails to provide proof that media reports are false.

US strike on Iran poses a challenge for diplomatic efforts

There is confirmation both for the strikes that took place by US forces against Larak Island inside Iran, the first strikes in over a month at this point, and confirmation about those retaliatory strikes by Iran against US assets in Jordan.

There is no signaling from the administration to suggest that these strikes by the US against Iran were part of a broader campaign that could suggest more escalation here.

For US officials, particularly US diplomats who have been working behind the scenes, trying to work with intermediaries, with other countries to try to bring a diplomatic off-ramp to this conflict, this is, in many ways, precisely the scenario that you don’t want to see play out.

The Trump administration has been signaling over the course of the last week that talks have deteriorated, that diplomacy has lost momentum, and we have seen that shift in strategy away from kinetic action and towards economic pressure.

This is something that the treasury secretary spoke about specifically on Sunday, saying that there would be more sanctions coming up in the next few days.

So again, this latest round of escalation, particularly for US diplomats, is precisely the scenario that they did not want to see play out.

Iran will respond decisively to further aggression, Foreign Ministry says

Iran has said that it will respond decisively to any further military aggression, and that the US and parties supporting its actions bore full responsibility for any escalation.

In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that the country’s armed forces struck US military bases in Jordan in response to a US attack on Larak Island.

The ministry said the US bases in Jordan had been used to launch and support the attack on Larak that killed and wounded members of Iran’s armed forces and civilians.

Iran’s decision to target Jordan is ‘a political statement’

Harlan Ullman, a retired US senior naval officer, said that Iran’s decision to target Jordan in its retaliatory attacks is “a political statement”, irrespective of damage, if any, inflicted upon the US forces there.

“They are signaling to Jordan that it is a target,” he said, adding that Iran chose it over other targets like US bases in the UAE or Qatar.

“It is a politically significant target,” he said, adding that the Iranian attack was carried out “with malice aforethought, not necessarily to impose damage on the Americans, but to tell the Jordanians: Are you sure you want to support the Americans?”

Why did Iran target US bases in Jordan

Following the US strike on Larak Island and Iran’s missile retaliation against US bases in Jordan, Sina Azodi, director of the Middle East Studies Program at George Washington University, says that it is “really up to the American side” whether the conflict escalates further.

He warned that if the US attacks again, Iran will be “left with no choice” but to respond, potentially leading back to “full military confrontation”.

Oil prices continue to rise after US attack on Iran’s Larak Island

Oil prices were trading more than two and a half percent higher ⁠after the US attacked Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, drawing retaliation from Tehran, as their conflict extended into its sixth month.

Brent crude futures climbed $2.21, or 2.51 percent, to $90.31 a barrel as of 04:36 ⁠GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $85.23, up $1.83, or 2.19 percent.

UAE’s presidential adviser urges de-escalation in Strait of Hormuz

UAE Presidential Adviser Anwar Gargash says the region needs “realistic and sustainable” political solutions which must begin with de-escalation and restoring shipping through Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement on X, Gargas said the approach must go “beyond” the MoU which he says “failed to outline a practical and acceptable roadmap”.

This statement comes hours after Iran said it targeted UAE, claims that Abu Dhabi has denied.

UAE says Iran’s drone attack over its territorial waters a ‘dangerous escalation’

The UAE has condemned an Iranian drone attack intercepted over its territorial waters, calling it a “dangerous escalation”.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on X that it “strongly condemned the hostile Iranian attack on the country involving a drone that was intercepted by air defence systems over UAE territorial waters”, adding that the UAE reserved the “full and legitimate right to respond”.

This comes after Iran said it attacked US military targets in Jordan and the Al Menhad airbase in the UAE following US attacks on Larak Island in southern Iran.

The UAE has rejected reports that Al Menhad airbase was targeted.

Reported US attack on Larak Island ‘a definite escalation’

There’s been no official confirmation from CENTCOM at this stage, but a number of US officials are confirming that this attack [in the vicinity of Larak Island] took place.

The target was apparently two missile launchers that were being manned by IRGC. According to the US officials, the missiles were about to be loaded with sea mines and launched into the Strait of Hormuz.

This is not the first attack on Larak Island. There was one back in the end of July that came under similar circumstances. This is definitely an escalation in what has been a period of relative calm in this ongoing conflict.

Iranian deputy FM: US must learn a ‘serious lesson’ after Larak Island bombing

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said “foreigners must be cut off” from the region following the US attack on Lark Island, Fars news agency reports.

Gharibabadi said that the US needed to “learn a serious lesson” so they don’t “repeat their aggressions”.

US forces bombed Larak Island, killing and wounding several Iranian civilians and soldiers, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.

Iran’s president after US attack on Larak Island in southern Iran

“We do not seek war, that has been our message to the world,” said President Pezeshkian.

“However, in the face of aggression, we will not stand by. We are capable of delivering a decisive response. Instability in this region would affect everyone and create serious problems.”

Iran’s politicians and IRGC respond differently to latest escalation

Iran’s president was saying Iran did not want to get into this war but it had to respond.

Iran’s foreign minister saying the US is being dragged into war by Netanyahu.

The IRGC has issued a harder response saying that the US violated the UN Charter and they had to retaliate and will retaliate in a harsher way if these attacks continue.

So basically, the political side says that they are trying to protect Iran’s sovereignty by self-defense procedures, but don’t want to start the war and that it is the US who first fired the bullet. But on the other hand, the IRGC seems to be speaking with a harder line.

Iran's ruling system is not like in most countries, as each part of that system can make their own decisions. The problem is that such kind of autonomy causes differences in view.

Larak Island part of Iran’s strategy to create ‘new reality’ in Hormuz

Iran is trying to create “a new reality” in the Strait of Hormuz, says Rob Geist Pinfold, lecturer in defence studies at King’s College London.

“What Iran has been trying to do since the start of the conflict is mine the middle of the Strait of Hormuz. The reason that Iran has done that is because it wants to create a new reality where ships still use the strait,” he said.

“But it wants ships to pass around the Iranian coastline, particularly next to islands like Larak, in order to control the strait on a long term basis.

“So Iran seems to be trying to basically enforce the whole Strait of Hormuz. Not necessarily close the strait but create new facts on the ground and Larak Island is part of that simply because it is located in a very strategic point of Hormuz.”

Two killed in Larak Island attack, Iran’s state media says

Iranian state media IRNA, quoting governor of Qeshm, says two people were killed and several wounded in the overnight US attack on Larak Island.

Trump says US will respond to any Iranian attacks

Trump has warned that the US will respond to any Iranian strikes on its forces in Jordan.

The president told Fox News that all of Iranian missiles fired at Jordan last night were intercepted except one, which was identified as not posing a threat.

Trump also reiterated his claim that Iran is begging for a deal with the US.

Iran targeted an air base in Jordan on Sunday night in response to US attacks on Larak Island, the first clashes between the two sides in weeks.

US must be ‘besieged in the region’: Iran’s deputy parliament speaker

Iran’s deputy parliament speaker says the US must be “besieged in the region” and that Tehran should target all oil-exporting countries to increase economic pressure on Washington.

“Breaking the siege against us will not be achieved through military attack alone. Rather, we must besiege America in the region,” Hamidreza Haji Babaei said.

“Anyone who has taken a position in the enemy’s camp, whether economically [or] politically through their presence in cyberspace, in terms of technology, or in any other way that helps America, should be targeted.”

What's with the rocketed sea mines?

The US has broken a one-month lull in its war on Iran by striking military targets on Larak Island, in what US officials claim is a bid to prevent Tehran from using rockets to deploy sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Sunday night’s strikes were aimed at Iranian rocket launchers positioned on the island in the strait. The US called the strikes a “limited, precise action” against mine-laying forces.

The US military’s Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins said US forces, which are currently blockading Iranian ports in and around Hormuz, had observed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines.

Iran’s leaders condemned the attack as an “act of aggression”, and the IRGC has since launched retaliatory attacks on two bases in Jordan used by US forces. In a statement, the IRGC said the US strikes killed members of its forces and civilians. The semiofficial Tasnim News Agency said at least two people were killed and two injured.

".. had observed.."

The US isn't telling how it had "observed" and did not support its claim with evidence.

Death toll from US attack on Iran’s Larak Island rises to three

The death toll from the US attack on Iran’s Larak Island has risen from two to three, after a person succumbed to their injuries in hospital, according to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

Following this attack, Iran’s IRGC targeted the King Hussein and Al Azraq airbases hosting US forces in Jordan, said Tasnim, adding that “significant damage was inflicted on these facilities”.

IRGC says it shot down US MQ-9 drone over Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s IRGC says its air defences have intercepted a US MQ-9 drone in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement cited by Iranian news outlet Press TV, the IRGC said it used a new and advanced air defence system to shoot down the drone.

Earlier on Monday, Trump promised to respond to Iranian attacks on US personnel in Jordan. Tehran carried out the strikes late on Sunday in response to US attacks on Larak Island.

Trump sending message to Iran with Kharg Island post: Vice President Vance

US President ⁠Donald Trump is sending a message to Iran with his social media post about Kharg Island being blown to smithereens, according to Vice President JD Vance.

“The president likes to switch it up on social media a little bit. He would be the first to say he doesn’t ‌make announcements about military actions on social media, but I think that he’s sending a message to the Iranians,” Vance said on Monday when asked about Trump’s post.

Trump’s one-line social media post on Sunday was accompanied by an AI-generated ⁠video clip.

A US official says the military didn’t target Kharg Island in overnight strikes, while an Iranian official dismissed Trump’s post as “laughable”.

Attacking ⁠Kharg, which handled 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports before the US-Israel war began at the end of February, would severely disrupt its energy trade and put huge pressure on its economy.

In describing the first ‌known US military strikes since late July, a US official said forces attacked two Iranian launchers ‌on ‌Larak Island.

Trump refuses to say whether latest hostilities with Iran signals return to full-scale war

US President Donald Trump said at the Oval Office, he was actually deflecting a question that he had been asked regarding whether or not this latest escalation was signaling a return to full-scale war.

The escalation on Sunday began with a US strike against Larak Island, right at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians then responded with a retaliatory strike against US assets in Jordan, with Jordan’s armed forces intercepting eight missiles.

Trump did not answer that question directly. Instead, Trump said that Iran is a failed nation, that they have no currency, that their leaders are mostly dead; that their military is gone, but that this “doesn’t mean that we won’t smack them to see what happens”.

President Trump went on to say that the US is doing a good job in Iran. This part was very interesting: he characterized the ongoing conflict with Iran as a relatively small war for the US, something that obviously can be very difficult to reconcile with as we now have officially crossed the six-month mark of a conflict that Trump had initially said would only take four to six weeks.

GCC condemns Iranian attacks on Jordan

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has expressed the bloc’s “full solidarity” with Jordan as it confronts “all threats to its security and stability”.

Albudaiwi said in a statement published on X that the attacks posed a “direct threat to the security and stability of the region”.

Supertanker catches fire after being hit by sea mines in Hormuz Strait, says IRGC

Iran’s IRGC has said that a supertanker, which was attempting to pass through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, has “caught fire and was completely stopped after being hit by two sea mines”, the country’s state TV has reported.

“The IRGC Navy once again warns that the fate of ships that violate the security regulations of the Strait of Hormuz will be no different,” the IRGC said in a statement. “It is mandatory to comply with the regulations issued by the IRGC Navy for passage and navigation.”

Though Iran has largely shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a few vessels have transited through the waters closer to Omani coasts, at times with US assistance. Tehran has warned repeatedly against using what it calls “unauthorised” or “illegal” routes.

“Shipping companies should not be deceived by the provocations of the child-killing American army and should not unnecessarily expose the property and lives of their ships’ crews to destruction,” the statement added.

IRGC says tanker on fire after hitting two mines in Strait of Hormuz

An oil tanker caught fire after hitting two sea mines while attempting to take an “illegal” route through the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC says.

The vessel was “completely stopped after being hit by two sea mines”, said the IRGC statement, carried by state-run broadcaster IRIB.

The IRGC did not provide details on casualties or the extent of the damage.

UKMTO says tanker struck by 3 projectiles in Strait of Hormuz near Oman

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says a tanker reported being struck by three unknown projectiles while completing an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz, 17 nautical miles (31km) east of Khasab, Oman.

No casualties or environmental impact have been reported.

UKMTO receives report involving tanker, military forces in Indian Ocean, near Oman

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping, said they “received a report of an incident involving a tanker and military forces in the Indian Ocean”.

They attached a map of the Strait of Hormuz to the announcement posted on X.

EU says it will continue to work with US and G7 to keep up pressure on Iran

The EU says it will continue to work closely with the US and other G7 countries to “maintain pressure on Iran”.

In a statement on its website, the EU also restated its stance that Iran has to “curb” its nuclear program, its ballistic missile program and “refrain from destabilizing activities”, including its military support for Russia’s war on Ukraine and “repression against its own people”.

It will also remain ready to take “further measures where necessary to protect its security and interests, including freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.

Europe must choose between independence or subservience to US: Iran’s Foreign Ministry

Esmaeil Baghaei, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, says Europe cannot continue to portray itself as independent and sovereign while acquiescing to US demands.

“In ‘Discours de la servitude volontaire’, Étienne de La Boétie identifies a fundamental truth about the enablers of tyranny: domination is not sustained by force alone; it often endures through the acquiescence of those who are capable of acting independently,” Baghaei wrote on X.

“Europe can no longer speak of ‘strategic autonomy’ while merely executing Washington’s orders. Strategic autonomy is not secured by grandiose declarations. It is realized through the capacity to decide independently and responsibly – even if those decisions diverge from the position of a greater power.

“Europe must choose: to behave like an independent actor, or to grow so accustomed to echoing another’s policies that it mistakes that echo for autonomy,” he said.

China’s biggest airlines post heavy losses as fuel shock from Iran war bites

China’s three biggest state-owned airlines have reported first-half losses for the seventh consecutive year, battered by surging jet fuel prices caused in large part by the US war on Iran.

Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines posted combined first-half net losses of about 8.2 billion yuan ($1.22bn), having warned last month that the figure could reach as high as 9 billion yuan, Reuters reported.

The trio was confronted by what China Eastern described as a profit environment “severely undermined” by disrupted international routes and persistently elevated jet fuel prices linked to the war.

Fuel costs at each of the carriers rose between 35 percent and 38 percent in the first half.

Unlike many Asian and European rivals, Chinese airlines hedge little of their fuel purchases, leaving them more exposed to oil price swings.

US commanders warn Hegseth over sustaining Iran war, US media outlet says

Several top US military officials have advised the country’s defence chief, Pete Hegseth, against continued large-scale operations against Iran, warning that it leaves the military stretched thin globally.

The warnings came from the heads of the army, navy, air force and commanders responsible for US forces in Europe, Asia and Latin America, according to The Washington Post.

The warning appeared in a regularly released classified report outlining US global military deployments. The senior officials filed a formal notice that they disagree with the deployment orders but will carry them out.

Ships, aircraft and equipment have been taken from those regions for the war on Iran, they say, leaving commanders less able to carry out missions and train their troops.

More than 50,000 US troops have been held on alert for months in case Trump orders new attacks on Iran, as he presses Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept US terms for ending the war.

Treasury secretary says US plans to sanction another bank over Iran transactions

The Trump administration is planning to impose sanctions on another bank this week in an effort to clamp down on Iranian transactions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has told The Associated Press.

“This is going to be financial violence if we have to. We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop, Bessent said, speaking ahead of the G20 meetings in Asheville, North Carolina.

Last week, the US cut Banque Misr’s UAE operations off from the US financial system after accusing Egypt’s second-biggest bank of doing business with the Iranian government.

Bessent said he would speak to his Chinese counterparts at the G20 and “all options are on the table” in terms of sanctioning Beijing for its continued purchases.

Trump posts AI video depicting Iran’s Kharg Island ‘being blown to smithereens’

Trump has shared an AI-generated video on his Truth Social platform depicting the bombing of Iran’s Kharg Island.

The footage shows an oil storage tank and an oil tanker exploding, as watched from an aircraft above.

“Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT,” the post reads.

Before the war started, Kharg Island handled the majority of Iran’s oil exports, making it a vital economic node.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to seize or destroy the island since the start of the war.

Head of National Iranian Oil Company ridicules Trump’s Kharg Island attack post

The head of the National Iranian Oil Company has mocked an AI-generated video that President Trump posted on social media showing an attack on Iran’s Kharg Island, saying his “tweets are laughable” and that oil operations there have not stopped, Fars News Agency reports.

Trump posted the video depicting the island with the caption “Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT” after the US attacked Iran’s Larak Island earlier on Sunday in the first such strike since July.

There was no other evidence that the Iranian energy hub was under ‌‌attack, Reuters reported.

The statement added that the situation there is calm and that the reconstruction of infrastructure from previous attacks is continuing.

Kharg Island handled 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports before the war.

Trump reiterates that Iran must not be allowed a nuclear weapon

Trump has repeated his position that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon in an interview with Fox News.

“You cannot let them have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said, describing Iran’s leadership as “very violent, evil people”.

Trump argued that Tehran would have used such a weapon had it acquired one, saying the Middle East “would have essentially been gone” and that Israel would have been destroyed, with the US or Europe possibly next.

Describing Iran as a “failing nation” Trump also said he was shocked when Tehran began targeting Gulf nations at the start of the war.

“Everybody was shocked. I was surprised,” he said. “I thought it was a real good thing because they lost all the support that they had.”

Trump ‘cannot dream of trying to make Strait of Hormuz’ US territory

The chief spokesperson of Iran’s army, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, says Trump “cannot dream of trying to make the Strait of Hormuz” a US territory.

According to a report by Iran’s Tasnim news agency, in an interview with Iran’s Defa press about the war, Shekarchi said: “We will not allow the presence of Americans in this region; we are determined to expel Americans from the West Asian region”.

Trump calls Iran a ‘failed and dead nation’

Trump has called Iran a failed and dead nation, repeating his claims in a social media post that Iran has no navy and air force.

He also alleged that they have no currency and are not paying their soldiers or police.

He claimed inflation in Iran is at “300 percent”, and said the country’s leadership “is in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country”.

Trump says Strait of Hormuz in ‘extremely good shape’

US President Donald Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is in “extremely good shape”, adding US Navy assisting movement of average of “30 ships a night”.

He also said Iran’s economy, military and leadership have been largely deteriorated, but “it doesn’t mean we won’t smack them to see what happens”.

US Treasury secretary says goal of sanctions is to get Iran to ‘come to the table’

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the goal of United States sanctions on Iran is “to create the conditions that they will want to come to the table” for negotiations.

In an interview with CNBC, Bessent also claimed that Iran was launching military attacks because it is suffering economically and that its leaders are in a state of shock due to the country’s deteriorating situation.

Earlier today, Bessent told the Associated Press that the US plans to impose sanctions on another Iranian bank this week as part of the US’s plan to economically isolate Tehran, though he declined to name the bank.

Washington’s withdrawal and later return of Middle East diplomats shows lack of strategy: Ex-US envoy

The Trump administration’s decision to have regional diplomats leave their posts at the outbreak of the war and then return within six months demonstrates a lack of strategy, says Adam Ereli, a former US ambassador to Bahrain.

“If you have a strategy, you know what you want to accomplish and you know what you’re willing to do to accomplish that,” Ereli said.

Over the course of this conflict, the Trump administration instead appears to have adopted the attitude of “you try one thing, if that doesn’t work, try another thing. If that doesn’t work, try something else”, Ereli said.

This lack of strategy regarding the war extends to the Trump’s administration view on career diplomats, which “has never been positive”, Ereli argued.

This is evidenced by the fact that very few countries in the region have an ambassador “and that’s because [the Trump administration] doesn’t trust diplomats to do the job and all the decisions are being made back in Washington”, Ereli said.

Sending these diplomats back to their posts is not about sending a message, it’s just simply “time to go back”, he added.

National security to determine US military strategy, ex-State Department official says

The US military strategy will continue to be guided by national security considerations as diplomats return to the Middle East, says former senior State Department official Jennifer Gavito.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran are rising as the US begins returning diplomatic staff and their families to embassies in the region.

“I think a lot of these diplomats would prefer to be back,” Gavito said. “We, historically, have had diplomats continue to work in very difficult, even dangerous conditions. Whether that [was] in Israel during previous wars with Gaza [or] elsewhere around the Middle East – certainly during the Arab Spring.”

Gavito added that the situation of “no war, but no peace” between the US and Iran is not feasible in the long-term, and that the status quo will be disrupted if an alternative solution does not arise.

US focused on upcoming midterm elections rather than reaching peace settlement with Iran

It appears that the Trump administration is attempting to pursue a “calculated” conflict with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, says Mohammad Eslami, a research fellow at the University of Tehran.

“We should consider that this war was based on miscalculations in Washington, DC, and right now it seems that they are very confident about their decisions” regarding the trajectory of their war on Iran, Eslami said.

However, there is a strong possibility that these latest strikes between the US and Iran will further escalate tensions in the region, but by just how much remains to be seen, said the professor.

While Iran and Oman have reached a framework regarding the strait based on US information, “the Americans are thinking that they don’t need any kind of diplomatic settlement right now. [Instead] they want to wait until after the November midterm elections” and continue exerting economic pressure on Iran, said Eslami.

White House spokesperson says ‘all options are on the table for Iran’

A White House spokesperson has said that all options are on “the table regarding Iran” and that Washington’s “economic tools are very strong”.

The comments come hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the goal of US sanctions on Iran were “to create the conditions that they [Tehran] will want to come to the table” for negotiations.

‘Mutual return’ to MoU remains ‘clearest path’ to de-escalation after tit-for-tat US-Iran attacks

Negar Mortazavi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, says renewed escalation between Iran and the United States became inevitable after the collapse of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in June.

“Iran has made its position clear: if Washington returns to the MoU, Tehran will return as well; if the United States continues to prioritize military pressure, Iran will escalate,” she said.

Mortazavi said Iran’s recent attacks on US bases demonstrated that Tehran would respond to military action. “Its message is that no US strike on Iran will go unanswered.”

She warned that both sides risk losing control of the escalation.

“Trump appears to believe that economic pressure combined with limited military action can force Iran to negotiate on Washington’s terms, but Tehran will not capitulate under pressure. Both sides may believe they can control the escalation, but every new exchange increases the risk of a wider regional conflict,” she added.

“A mutual return to the MoU remains the clearest path to de-escalation,” Mortazavi opined.

Iran war entered ‘low-level conflict’ stage, ex-US diplomat says

Joey Hood, former acting director at the US State Department’s Office of Iranian Affairs, says Trump’s decision to reinforce sanctions on Iran is the result of discovering the limits of military action.

As such, Hood says the conflict has moved to a new phase.

“It’ll be like a low-level conflict, which is why President Trump has allowed diplomats and some family members to return to embassies of the United States around the region,” he said.

Hood added that despite this new phase of a relatively low-level conflict, the situation remains potentially explosive.

“Now, that doesn’t mean that Iran won’t lash out and do something or a surprise that will be of a strategic nature possibly in October to influence US and Israeli elections. That is entirely likely,” Hood said.

Iran should be prepared for consistent US pressure, ex-US diplomat says

Joey Hood, the former acting director of the Office of Iranian Affairs at the US State Department, says Iran should not count on relief beyond the upcoming elections in the US and Israel, because Washington’s economic and military actions are part of a consistent strategy across the political spectrum.

“The US government has been implementing sanctions on Iran for 47 years now, through Republican and Democratic administrations,” Hood told Al Jazeera.

“I don’t think that Tehran should assume that after an election or after a few months, or even with a new US president, that somehow, these sanctions are going to let up. I don’t think that they will in the absence of a comprehensive deal.”

Iran reiterates warning to regional countries to not allow US to launch attacks from their soil

Iran’s army has reiterated its warning to countries in the region to not allow the US military to launch attacks from their soil or risk retaliation.

“As we have demonstrated on the ground, while respecting the national sovereignty of our neighbors, we will never tolerate any form of aggression and will respond with a far heavier retaliation,” the military said in a statement.

“Those facilitating US aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran should know that our powerful armed forces – the IRGC and the Army, standing shoulder to shoulder – will decisively target the source of any aggression.”

Iran issued what it dubbed a final warning to countries that continue to allow the US to use its military bases to launch attacks against it: “We warn you: you have repeatedly tested the strong resolve of our armed forces and our courageous and resilient people. Do not test it again.”

Iran’s Pezeshkian expected to hold talks with Putin at SCO summit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he is likely to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to reports.

The two-day summit begins on Monday, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expected to attend. Earlier, the Iranian and Russian foreign ministers met in July during the SCO’s Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.

Iran joined the bloc in 2023 and continues to maintain close military ties with Russia and an energy partnership with China.

Pezeshkian tells Modi that US ‘interested in continuing war’

Iran’s President Pezeshkian says there are people within the US that are interested in “continuation of the war”, reports Fars news agency.

In meeting with India’s PM Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, Pezeshkian insisted that “Iran never welcomes war,” but that the American side “has not fulfilled its commitments”.

The report added that the pair spoke about maritime cooperation related to Strait of Hormuz and the progress of cooperation in Chabahar Port during their meeting.

Chabahar Port is in southeastern Iran with a terminal that India has invested at least $120m in equipping it. A US waiver on sanctions imposed on the project expired on Sunday.

Modi says India wants to ‘expand and diversify’ trade basket after Pezeshkian meeting

In a meeting with Iran’s President Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO summit, India’s PM Modi says he “reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors”.

“We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come. We had a discussion on the prevailing situation in the region. India will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace,” he said in a post on X.

This comes over a week after President Trump warned that any country that gives Iran an “economic lifeline” will face “tremendous” consequences.

Iran, Russia, China leaders gather at SCO summit to address sanctions, economic challenges

Whether Iran is getting backing from Russia and China will have to be determined once the [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] SCO talks are over in the days and weeks ahead.

But right now, this platform is providing an opportunity for them to sit face to face, without the prying eyes of the media and without disclosing anything that is going on behind those closed doors.

In the last few hours, there’s also been another meeting with the Iranian president with the Pakistani prime minister. Pakistan is playing a key role in the mediation efforts to try and bring the sides back to the table.

This goes to show that organisations like the SCO and BRICS provide the Global South with a united voice. The issues that are being discussed are not just limited to security and economic cooperation.

There are talks about how to … look at various issues which will bring these countries together in response to those sanctions that are unilaterally being levied against the Russians and the Iranians by the Americans.

So, there might be some discussion about the SCO Development Bank, some discussion about the SCO coming together in terms of an economic currency as well that they can put forth.

Iran’s FM says US must stop violating MoU for war to end ‘as soon as possible’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has spoken to reporters in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan where he is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

He said “one of the issues raised in all the meetings was the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed by the presidents of the two countries and violated by the United States”.

Araghchi added that “the US must return to its commitments and abide by the terms of the memorandum. Only then can we move out of the current situation, as all countries are concerned about bringing the war to an end as soon as possible”.

Turkey's FM speaking to press after trilateral meeting in Istanbul

Iran’s FM Hakan Fidan is speaking to the press following a meeting of top officials from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in Istanbul for their first meeting since signing the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement earlier this month.

Turkey working on roadmap for more countries join Mecca defence pact

Turkey's Foreign Minister Fidan says Ankara is working on a roadmap for other countries to join the Turkiye–Saudi Arabia–Pakistan joint defence pact.

Turkey's FM calls Netanyahu a ‘threat’ to international security

The Turkish foreign minister says the international system must fight against the “threat of Netanyahu”.

Fidan said the Israeli PM has become an enemy of humanity after the genocide in Gaza, while calling for urgent international action to halt his policies.

Turkey's FM says parties of ongoing war are ‘destroying the region’

Turkey's FM Fidan says the parties of the ongoing war in the region “are developing certain methods to continue a destructive war” that he says “needs to be eliminated”.

He said that “we don’t need parties to destroy each other further,” which he said “will destroy the region”.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey make first joint decisions after Mecca pact towards regional ‘peace and stability’

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey say they are working together to “achieve sustainable peace and stability” in the region.

In a joint statement published by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three countries said they would work collectively under their tripartite defence agreement to support de-escalation efforts while encouraging peaceful resolutions to crises.

As part of that push, they announced that a secretariat would be established in Saudi Arabia. The secretariat will initially be headed by a secretary-general from Pakistan for three years.

Netanyahu a ‘serpent’ that ‘suckered’ the US into war, says Iran’s FM

Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi has called Netanyahu a “serpent”, saying that addressing Israelis in Hebrew, the Israeli PM laughs about how he “influenced” America while in English, he publicly praises Trump’s leadership.

He also claimed that Netanyahu “suckered” the US Administration into a war on Iran “on behalf of Israel”.

"suckered" is a slang Araghchi had used but refers to what Netanyahu did on February 28th, by promising Trump that the war would bring the Iranian regime to a collapse.

"on behalf of Israel" may a reminder of the fact that Netanyahu is no longer taking part in his own war since last April.