• Iran’s state media reports that explosions have been heard in the city of Sirik in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province, though the cause remains undetermined.
• Oman says a planned regional meeting between Gulf states and Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz has been postponed in the “interests of consensus”.
• Iranian foreign ministry official says the postponement of the planned meeting in Oman was made at the request of certain regional countries and through a joint decision by Tehran and Muscat.
• Iran’s customs office says that the southern province of Bushehr exported more than $2.3bn worth of goods over a five-month period despite US sanctions.

War with Iran plays into hands of hardliners, US senator says

US Senator Chris Murphy has said that going to war with Iran is only playing into the hands of hardliners in Tehran.

In a post on X, the Democratic senator said that “another completely knowable consequence of war with Iran (and the decision to start it by assassinating the new leader’s father, wife, and daughter)” was “the empowerment of radical hardliners who desire more war and a nuclear weapon.”

US forces redirect 101 commercial vessels as blockade continues

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has provided an update on its ongoing naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

It said that as of September 13, 101 commercial vessels have been redirected by the US Navy in the strait.

The US reinstated its blockade on Iranian ports in July following the breakdown of talks between Washington and Tehran.

No data is available showing the names of the 100 vessels, their IMO registration, position where they were "redirected," and date and time. 

Strait of Hormuz vessel transits fall to single digits over the weekend

Preliminary ship-tracking data shows vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz falling to single digits over the weekend, remaining well below the 10-day average of 14, Reuters reports.

Citing preliminary figures, Reuters said that a total of 14 vessels transited the waterway, with four exiting the Gulf and 10 entering it.

The data remained initial and subject to updates, as certain vessels navigated the passage with their Automated Identification System transponders switched off, meaning they were excluded from the official counts.

Oil prices climb above $107 a barrel

Oil prices rose more than 3% on Monday, with Brent crude futures gaining $3.21, or 3.1 percent, to reach $107.82 a barrel as of 03:40 GMT.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude went up $3.17, or 3.2 percent, to trade at $103.22.

The increases follow new Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and attacks on ships in the Gulf, compounding supply concerns after Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline was temporarily shut down following a drone attack.

The shutdown of the pipeline, which allows exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, threatens up to 4% of global oil supply.

Families in Iran’s Lamerd mourn children killed in US-Israeli sports hall strike

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson says Iran will seek international justice and punishment over the attack on a sports hall in February.

Esmaeil Baghaei visited the sports arena in the city of Lamerd, which was hit on the first day of the US-Israeli bombing.

More than 20 people, including children, were killed and about 170 others were injured in that attack.

IRGC says intercepts, destroys drone over Hormuz

Iran’s IRGC says it has intercepted and destroyed an advanced MQ-1 drone that was flying over the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said the interception occurred minutes ago under its new aerospace defence system.

Iran seizes property of nearly 250 ‘traitors’

Iranian authorities have seized properties from 240 people accused of affiliations with Israel and other “hostile countries”, state broadcaster IRIB reports.

The individuals “carried out propaganda or practical actions against the country”, the judiciary said, resulting in “extensive damage” to Iran’s infrastructure.

“These properties belong to the Iranian nation and the judiciary will follow up so that these properties can be used to compensate the victims,” a Ministry of Justice spokesperson told IRIB.

Iran passed an enhanced espionage law last year allowing the death penalty and confiscation of all assets for aiding the US, Israel, or any other “hostile” state or group.

Offences range from “conferring legitimacy” to Israel to sharing images or information with foreign networks.

Iran foreign ministry spokesman addresses media

Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, has told a press conference that the United States and Israel committed “war crimes” by bombing and killing civilians since the start the war on the country in February.

He listed the names several ordinary Iranians killed in air strikes, including children killed on a football pitch. Baghaei accused the “American-Zionist enemy” of deploying cluster munitions during attacks.

“This is an utter violation of all humanitarian standards and human values,” he told reporters in Tehran.

Pakistani citizens among those wounded in attack on Iranian vessel

Baghaei has addressed the attack on an Iranian commercial vessel near Qeshm Island that killed one person.

Among the casualties were two Pakistani citizens who were working on board the vessel, he said.

The US and Israel “continue to target security in the Persian Gulf”, he added.

Iran says Hormuz policy won’t be ‘dictated’ by ‘outside forces’

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman says Oman and Iran “have taken a joint decision aimed at arriving at a responsible” approach to the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting planned for today with Gulf officials in Muscat was an “opportunity to demonstrate the significance of these decisions”, Esmaeil Baghaei said.

The meeting was cancelled because of “the events unfolding in Yemen”, he added.

“Had this meeting took place, it would have been a very suitable opportunity [to discuss the new policy]. I do not believe any responsible country would accept in any shape, way, or form to be dictated to or be subjected to pressure from any outside forces.”

Iran’s Baghaei denies nuclear activity at Pickaxe Mountain

US claims of nuclear activities at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain site are baseless, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman has said.

“It cannot be claimed there are nuclear facilities within the Pickaxe Mountain,” Baghaei said, adding the reports were “part and parcel of the media and psychological warfare” put forth by Washington.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike the site.

International community now standing up against US’s ‘unipolar order’: Iran

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson says US rivals and even its allies are now rebelling after its actions that have violated the longstanding international order.

“Iran can never be isolated. On the contrary, look at the US stature on the international landscape. They have committed ugly crimes by attacking a sovereign country, the Islamic Republic of Iran, joining hands with the cowardly, criminal entity that perpetrated an ethnic cleansing and genocidal war on Gaza,” Baghaei told a news conference.

“All these international laws have been disregarded by the United States.”

He said BRICS nations and even US allies are now “standing up to the unipolar order imposed by the United States”.

South Korea, US to hold defence talks amid Hormuz deployment considerations

South Korea and the US plan to hold senior-level regular defence talks this week, Yonhap reports, citing a statement by the country’s Defence Ministry.

The two sides, according to the Yonhap report, are expected to discuss the possibility of South Korean military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz amid US pressure on Seoul to join efforts to secure the crucial waterway.

South Korea previously sent a team to the UAE to assess the security situation near the strait, the agency reported.

Iran nuclear chief blocked by US from Vienna meeting

Iran’s nuclear chief was prevented from attending an annual conference at the headquarters of the UN’s nuclear agency in Austria after opposition from the United States.

“Mohammad Eslami and his delegation took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States,” the official state broadcaster reported.

Eslami was to attend the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog, which runs until Friday in Vienna. Tehran summoned Austria’s Charge d'Affaires in response to the decision to bar Eslami.

“The Austrian government’s refusal to issue visas to the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a completely unjustified decision,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said.

“It is clear to us that this incident occurred under American pressure, but that does not absolve the Austrian government of responsibility.”

Austria says ‘lack of consensus’ at UNSC led to ban on Iran’s nuclear boss

The Austrian Foreign Ministry sent a statement explaining the move.

“Austria, as the host country of the International Atomic Energy Agency, applied to the relevant committee of the United Nations Security Council for an exemption from the existing UN travel ban for Mr Mohammed Eslami,” it said.

“Subsequently, Austria was informed by the president of the United Nations Security Council that the request had been rejected due to a lack of consensus. Entry could therefore not be permitted in view of Austria’s international obligations,” the statement added.

“Austria wants to make negotiations in Vienna possible. We do so on the basis of international law and our international obligations.”

Iran condemns Austria’s barring of nuclear chief ahead of IAEA conference

The spokesperson for Iran’s atomic energy agency has condemned Austria’s barring of the organization's chief from entering the country ahead of the UN nuclear watchdog’s annual conference, suggesting it was the result of US pressure.

Vienna did not grant AEOI chief Mohammad Eslami permission to enter the country to attend the International Atomic Energy Agency’s General Conference. Eslami had addressed the meeting in person every year since taking over the agency in 2021.

Behrouz Kamalvand, AEOI’s spokesperson, said in a statement that the IAEA and other nations had a duty to press the US government to adhere to the IAEA’s rules and to refuse to yield to pressure.

“Preventing Mr. Eslami from attending the General Conference sets a precedent that will affect everyone. For this reason, we must stand firm against such coercion and political pressure,” the spokesperson said.

Iranian strait authority issues updated list of sanctioned vessels

Iran’s ⁠Persian ⁠Gulf Strait Authority – set up ⁠to manage the ⁠Strait of Hormuz – has published an updated list of 77 ‌vessels accused of “violating Iranian protocols” for the waterway.

The ships listed will face restrictions on future ⁠passage, with provisions for “fines, detention ⁠or confiscation”, said the authority. It said commercial vessels cooperating with the US and its allies will ‌be added to the list.

Iran continues to deny US claims that it controls the strait. Trump has repeatedly said the US military is in “total control” of the critical waterway. That claim has been met with angry denials from Iran, which says it will not reopen the strait until demands regarding US aggression, reparations and sanctions are met.

Oil prices continue to surge amid regional unrest

Oil prices keep climbing rising more than 3 percent following new strikes on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Brent crude futures jumped $3.43, or 3.3 percent, to $108.04 per barrel as of 9:30 GMT. West Texas Intermediate futures gained $3.49, or 3.5 percent, to $103.54 per barrel.

Oil prices increased 9 percent last week as attacks rocked the region with Brent rising above $100 a barrel for the first time since July, pushing US diesel prices above $6 a gallon for the first time ever.

Gulf States fear Iran’s ‘double game’ through proxies, public policy expert says

Sultan Barakat, professor of public policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, says Gulf nations are concerned Iran may be playing “a double game” by using its proxies throughout the Middle East to foment turmoil while calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

“Saudi and others know that even if they were not directly involved, they have the facility, the authority for some of those actors – be it in Iraq or in Yemen – and they could have chosen to calm them down,” he said.

Barakat highlighted the meeting between Gulf states and Iran planned in Oman for Monday that was cancelled after days of Houthi attacks throughout Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

“But I think what makes the Saudis worry is the timing of all this. Suddenly, the Houthis spot this opportunity, they move to the western coast of Yemen threatening the traffic through the Red Sea … and that must have given them the impression that Iran is continuing to play a double game,” he said.

“On one hand they [the Iranians] are inviting them as independent sovereign states to come and sit and talk eye to eye about collective security. On the other hand, they continue to exert pressure on them indirectly through their allies.”

Arab states face economic maelstrom over Hormuz blockade

Gulf countries must accept that freight passage through the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to go back to pre-war days, an analyst says.

“I think that is now impossible. Iranians having been through all of this, they will not allow military ships, armed forces associated with the United States or Israel to continue to pass through the Strait freely,” Sultan Barakat, professor of public policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, said.

He said Arab states have to compromise as they face many risks as markets adapt to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and other waterways. “The Arab states have got to accept some kind of new arrangement, they have to have a degree of compromise, because ultimately it is them who are paying the highest price. 90% of their exports aren’t going anywhere, the international market isn’t waiting for them to recover and to reconnect. They are already finding alternatives on a daily basis, although the prices went up, there has not been a real critical crisis of supplies in the international markets until now” Barakat added.

Covert oil shipments through Strait of Hormuz rising, US energy secretary says

The seven-day ⁠rolling average ⁠of covert oil shipments accompanied by the US Navy through the Strait of Hormuz is rising ⁠and will continue to rise, according to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

“The trend in that seven-day rolling average has been going up and will continue ⁠to go up,” Wright said during a meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog.

He added that a peak of 17 ⁠million barrels in one day ⁠on September 1 was in fact higher: “There was one ship not counted. ‌It turned out it was almost spot on 18 million ‌barrels that day.”

Control of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains a major stumbling block in stalled talks to end the US-Israel war on Iran, now in its seventh month.

Bahrain says transit through Hormuz ‘must be without fees’

The Bahraini government says commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz must be allowed without fees or permits.

In a statement, the Bahraini government said any proposal on navigation in the crucial strait must involve the participation of all Gulf Cooperation Council states.

“Any arrangement regarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be based on the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and endorsed by the International Maritime Organization,” it said, also condemning Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain has said it will not participate in an Iran planned meeting on control over the Strait of Hormuz that was planned for Monday in Oman but was cancelled. Bahrain has borne the brunt of Iranian attacks since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in February.

Trump says he will ‘determine whether or not the USA will choose to engage’ with Iran

President Trump has once again claimed that “Iran wants to make a deal” but added that he will “determine whether or not the USA will choose to engage”.

“The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly. I will determine whether or not the U.S.A. will choose to engage – The concept of which we are open to,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

Trump added that countries that did not “help the US” to restore the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz “should and will reimburse the United States”.

Iran security chief dismisses US signals on talks, says conditions must be met

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has dismissed what he called “mixed” signals from US President Donald Trump, saying there can be no talks until Tehran’s conditions are met.

“Don’t get distracted by the U.S. president’s mixed signals—from ‘no negotiations’ to ‘we’re ready to talk,'” he wrote on X. “The stakes around oil and the straits have changed. Damage control won’t stop what’s coming. No talks until Iran’s conditions are met. Period!”

Iran war pressures Gulf economies, jeopardizing $4 trillion US partnerships

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran could make it harder for three Gulf countries – Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE – to deliver on nearly $4 trillion in economic commitments to the US announced under Trump’s “America First” agenda, according to a new analysis from the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE).

The 15-page report released Monday says the Gulf states are facing growing economic pressure from the US and Israel’s war on Iran, including the need to spend more on defence, energy infrastructure and trade.

Pezeshkian says US sanctions aim at Iran’s internal collapse

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says that US sanctions seek the implosion of Iranian society, accusing some Iranians abroad of making common cause with Tehran’s enemies and stoking discord.

“The US aims to cause social collapse through the problems and restrictions they have imposed,” Pezeshkian said at an event at the Labour ministry in Tehran.

“Some Iranians abroad, aligning themselves with the enemy, seek to incite the public within the country,” he added, according to a readout of his remarks carried by the presidency’s website.

The US Treasury Department announced “Operation Economic Outcast,” on August 24 with the aim of cutting off Tehran’s revenue from foreign trade. A US naval blockade and tougher sanctions are curbing Iran’s oil exports, restricting access to foreign currency and straining the economy.

US Treasury secretary calls for tips on Iran’s financial lifelines

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced a new call for whistleblowers “to come forward with tips about those who facilitate Iran’s terror”.

Bessent wrote on social media that people worldwide who have “actionable information for Treasury” could reach out and potentially receive an award for sharing information.

The call comes as part of “Operation Economic Outcast”, which Bessent announced late last month to target Iran’s financial and economic lifelines globally.

US imposes sanctions on Russia’s VTB Bank over Iran links

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on Russia’s VTB Bank, a large state-owned financial institution operating in Iran, accusing it of “involvement of Iranian sanctions evasion”, according to a statement, and for “establishing correspondent relationships with sanctioned Iranian banks.”

The measures are aimed at targeting and disrupting “those who provide material, technological, or financial support that allows the Iranian regime,” said Scott Bessent, US Treasury Secretary.

Russia’s VTB Bank is one of Russia’s largest state-controlled banks which has been faced with extensive US and Western sanctions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The newly announced Treasury sanctions related to Iran add more restrictions on the bank and puts anyone doing business with the bank at risk.

The US Treasury Department says VTB Bank is “now among the most comprehensively sanctioned financial institutions in the world.”

Bessent says US will continue targeting ‘Iran’s enablers’

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says his department will continue to “target and disrupt those who provide material, technological, or financial support that allows the Iranian regime to sustain its terrorist enterprise”.

In a social media post, Bessent said “the Treasury will not tolerate any support to the regime and will continue to identify, expose and isolate Iran’s enablers”.

Earlier on Monday, the US Treasury announced sanctions against Russia’s VTB Bank, a large state-owned financial institution operating in Iran, accusing it of aiding sanctions evasion.

Bessent announced an economic pressure campaign against Iran last month, vowing to target Tehran’s financial interests worldwide.

US sanctions unlikely to change Iran’s negotiating position

US sanctions on Iran are unlikely to change Tehran’s negotiating position, says Shaho Sabbar, international relations professor at the University of Tehran.

“The sanctions have targeted national actors, and what sanctions normally do is target the poorest and most vulnerable people in society. This is not new,” he said, adding that the US was trying new approaches but is unlikely to succeed.

“Certainly, the US government is trying to be more creative and to devise new types of sanctions imposed on Iran, but I do not see these sanctions leading Iran to accept American demands,” he said.

“Yes, the pressure exists, and a large number of people are suffering because of it. But at the same time, I do not believe this pressure will make a difference to Iran’s negotiating position.

“I personally do not believe absolute victory is possible or realistic for either side. I think that if we are to find a way out of this destructive war, each side needs to think about what it needs and expects, while at the same time offering the other side a viable way out.”

IRGC says supertanker on fire after hitting mines in Strait of Hormuz

A supertanker caught fire after striking naval mines while attempting to pass through a restricted zone south of the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Fars news agency.

The IRGC navy identified the vessel as the “Algaya” and said efforts to contain the blaze had failed, with the entire ship now engulfed in flames.

It said warnings had been issued about the danger of using the route and reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz remained under its surveillance and control.

CENTCOM disputes Iran’s account of tanker mine strike

US CENTCOM says the IRGC’s claim its navy had struck the tanker El Gaia with naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz is false.

CENTCOM said the Panama-flagged tanker was hit by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable, and was struck again by an Iranian drone this weekend while sitting in waters off the coast of Oman.

The tanker is currently being towed by a regional partner, CENTCOM said in a post on X.

Fishermen missing after drone attacks two boats in southwest Iran

The deputy governor of Hormozghan province in southwest Iran says a drone attacked two fishing boats in the Gulf near the port of Kargan.

Search and rescue operations have been launched to locate missing fishermen, according to the state-run broadcaster IRIB.

Qatar affirms support for diplomacy to achieve freedom of navigation in calls with UAE, Turkey officials

Qatar’s Foreign Minister has affirmed the country’s support for diplomatic efforts to guarantee freedom of maritime navigation in the region in phone calls with his Emirati and Turkish counterparts.

He reiterated Qatar’s support for “all diplomatic efforts and endeavors aimed at a solution that guarantees freedom of maritime navigation and paves the way for a comprehensive agreement to achieve sustainable peace in the region”, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan sending signal to Islamic world with Mecca pact: Erdogan

Turkish President Erdogan says Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye have taken a step to send a signal to the Islamic world through the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement and that positive developments are now underway, Anadolu Agency reported.

Erdogan said Turkey was “throwing its weight behind the region” to help the Islamic world overcome its challenges as soon as possible, adding that the issue “cannot be taken lightly”.

Erdogan is merely referring to conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia and the war on Iran.

According to our own knowledge, the Mecca Agreement is a response to a increasing lack of trust in how Trump handles his own created chaos in the Middle East.