Iran proposes ‘mutual security, non-aggression pact’ among Muslim states – PressTV
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Iran War Updates: Trump says U.S. “achieving a very big victory,” war “will continue for as long as necessary”– www.cbsnews.com
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Long lines formed at gas stations in Tehran Tuesday after the United States announced fresh sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran into submission.
Washington has turned to pulling economic levers six months into a war on Iran that has ground to a stalemate militarily, with peace talks stalled and most traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz blocked.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday laid out plans for the “economic asphyxiation” of Iran, saying the “objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime.”
Though Iran’s leaders have shrugged off the tough talk, having already endured sanctions for decades, some residents of the capital feared that they would feel the pinch.
“Naturally, sanctions affect people’s lives,” realtor Mehdi Yazdian, 55, who urged the authorities to control prices, told the AFP news agency. “People are being hurt, both those who are financially well-off and those who are financially weak.”
“Yes, these sanctions are having an effect,” he said. “But naturally, our people are resilient. These sanctions have been in place for 47 years.”
The Strait of Hormuz appears to be mostly opened, but not fully safe. The Trump administration has ended all negotiations with Iran, demanding total surrender. The U.S. has switched to economic warfare against Iran, of a scale never seen before. They’ve warned their allies that any refusal to go along with the U.S. plan will result in them being removed from the U.S. dollar system.
DOJ Moves to Confiscate Iran Oil As Legal War Prize – RedState– redstate.com
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During the Revolutionary War and before, war at sea was fought with some very different presumptions. The crews of warships were often as not paid in part by prize money, money earned from the ships and cargoes they captured. This process was handled by something called a maritime prize court. These courts would adjudicate the legality of any ship and cargo seizures under existing maritime law; they could also order the sale of ships and cargoes, with the proceeds going to the ship’s company.
The recipients of prize money weren’t always regular navy forces, either. Governments, including the newly formed United States government, would, in those times, issue something called a letter of marque, authorizing privately owned warships to hunt enemy ships on the high seas; these ships and their companies were called privateers. And, yes, the unfortunate side effect of that was that some of the privateers, when the war they were authorized to help fight ended, turned to piracy.
Now, though, the Department of Justice may be reactivating the maritime prize courts, something the United States has not done since our Civil War.
The Justice Department is preparing to activate a long-dormant maritime war court to streamline military capture of Iranian oil tankers as US prizes, according to three people familiar with the plans.
Reviving prize courts, which is expected to face legal challenges, is intended to strengthen the blockade of Iran and offset the cost of the conflict.
Aaron Reitz, the Houston-based US attorney whose office is partnering with department headquarters on the initiative, confirmed DOJ is “now reviving” prize courts, which he described as an “ancient body of maritime law.”
The unfinalized plans, if adopted, would offer a faster path for federal prosecutors to claim oil and other cargo taken from enemy or neutral vessels as US property. The seized goods would then be sold with proceeds transferred to the treasury.
Trump Bombshell: More Than 100 UN Terror Employees Referred for Taking Part in Hamas’ October 7 Atrocities– gellerreport.com
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President Trump dropped this bombshell: A report from USAID confirms that over 100 United Nations ‘ UNRWA employees have been referred for participating in October 7th Hamas atrocities.
The UN is an arm of the global jihad.
🚨 WOW! President Trump dropped this bombshell: A report from USAID confirms that over 100 United Nations pro-Palestine employees have been referred for participating in October 7th Hamas atrocities
The UN is FILLED with Islamists.
They should never have been trusted in the… pic.twitter.com/YEmUjKJfr8
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 27, 2026
USAID report finds more than 100 UNRWA employees participated in Hamas atrocities on Oct. 7
The agency referred a former United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees school teacher and Hamas operative for debarment for allegedly receiving and holding civilian hostages beginning on October 7, 2023.
By Misty Severi, August 26, 2026 8:25pm
The United States’ Agency for International Development’s Inspector General’s office announced Wednesday that it has referred more than 100 current or former employees of a United Nations relief agency to the State Department over their participation in the October 7 terror attacks in Israel.
The referrals include three people they suggested be debarred by the department, including a former United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees school teacher and Hamas operative who allegedly received and held civilian hostages beginning on October 7, 2023.
The agency did not give a full number of employees it referred, but said its investigation has resulted in one total debarment so far, after the individual was found to have coordinated communications with other suspected Hamas members during the terror attacks while serving as an UNRWA school principal.
Iranians ‘shopping with a smile’ despite US sanctions – RT reports from Tehran (VIDEO) — RT World News– www.rt.com
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Shops are cutting prices and offering installment payments as household budgets shrink, RT reports from the ground in Tehran
Iranian businesses are increasingly turning to discounts and installment payments to keep customers shopping, as sanctions and the economic fallout from the US-Israeli war squeeze household budgets, RT’s Salman Khujuri reports.
The trend comes nearly six months after the US and Israel launched the war against Iran in late February. Large-scale fighting has subsided under a series of temporary agreements, but efforts to reach a lasting settlement have stalled as Washington ramps up economic pressure on Tehran.
Businesses in the Iranian capital are adapting to soaring prices and falling purchasing power, with some allowing customers to spread purchases over several payments.
Bobak Shirpour, who runs a large clothing retail business in Tehran, told RT on Thursday that worsening economic conditions after the war and years of sanctions prompted his company to seek suppliers offering better prices and quality. With many larger families unable to pay in cash, the retailer also introduced discounts and installment plans.
“People have welcomed it, they come in with a smile and leave with a smile,” Shirpour said, adding that despite the narrower profit margins, business remains steady.
Shoppers interviewed by RT said installment plans have become increasingly useful as household budgets come under pressure. “They allow people to buy things they can’t afford to pay for in cash and pay in four installments instead. It gives people some peace of mind and helps them meet some of their basic needs despite these difficult circumstances,” one customer said.
Iranian households have been cutting spending on food and other essentials as inflation and the falling rial erode purchasing power, according to recent media reports. Installment shopping has also expanded to Iranian companies offering deferred-payment services as consumers struggle with the rising cost of living, the Financial Times reported earlier this month.
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Iran and Turkey Advance 324-Kilometer Cheshmeh Soraya Railway Project to Link Asia and Europe – Nomad Lawyer
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U.S. weapons shortage from Iran war alarms allies confronting China – The Washington Post
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Urgent Warning Issued As Two Tankers Are Struck In Strait Of Hormuz– trendingpoliticsnews.com
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Another oil tanker was blasted by a mystery projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, setting the vessel ablaze as Iran tightens its grip on one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued a warning Thursday after local authorities reported that the tanker had been struck near Oman. The attack itself was reported Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. UTC.
“Local authorities have reported a tanker has been hit by an unknown projectile causing fire to the vessel which has since been extinguished,” the organization wrote in its warning.
“All crew are reported as safe and accounted for and there has been no report of environmental impact,” the warning continued.
No country or military group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The identity of the vessel was not disclosed, and officials did not reveal what type of projectile struck it.
“Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the message concluded.
BREAKING: Disturbing Details Emerge On Potential Threat To Melania Trump– trendingpoliticsnews.com
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An armed man arrested at President Donald Trump’s California golf club allegedly had first lady Melania Trump’s schedule and a trove of sensitive information about the Secret Service agents assigned to protect the president, prosecutors revealed Wednesday.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, possessed seven notebooks containing 208 pages of writings, drawings and sketches connected to Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, according to reports.
The material included copies of Melania Trump’s schedule, lists of Secret Service schedules and details about individual security personnel, prosecutors said during a Los Angeles County court hearing.
Taele’s writings also contained detailed lists about surviving “off the grid,” The Associated Press reported.
Los Angeles County Judge John Lonergan Jr. called the allegations “alarming” during Wednesday’s hearing.
“This case itself is alarming in this day and age with the violence that is creeping into our everyday lives, especially with our partisanship in the political environment” ahead of the midterms, Lonergan said, according to the AP.
Houthis claim strike on Saudi tanker in latest Red Sea escalation– www.euronews.com
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Yemen’s Houthis said on Monday that their forces hit a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile, as the Iran-backed group continues to pursue a maritime blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, another crucial artery for global shipping.
“The strike was accurate and direct, resulting in a fire breaking out aboard the vessel and causing a number of other ships that were present in the target area to flee,” the Houthis said in a statement.
“This targeting comes as part of the implementation of the Armed Forces’ decision to ban maritime navigation by the Saudi enemy.”
The Houthi claim came hours after a British maritime agency said a tanker struck by an “unknown projectile” caught fire off Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
“The Company Security Officer reported a tanker has been struck by (an) unknown projectile causing a fire to the vessel on the main deck,” said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
“All crew are safe and accounted for and no environmental impact has been reported,” it added.
Approval of Iran war hits record low– www.washingtontimes.com
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Americans’ support for the war with Iran has fallen to the lowest level since the conflict began, helping keep President Trump’s approval rating at a record low.
Support for U.S. military action against Tehran dipped to 31%, down 3 points from earlier this month and down 6 points since the start of the war, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week.
This drop is attributable to fewer self-identified Republicans supporting the war. Roughly 69% of Republicans backed the Trump administration’s actions against Iran, compared with 77% in March, just after the U.S. and Israel first launched strikes on Iran.
The war’s unpopularity mirrors Mr. Trump’s approval numbers.
Another Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed Aug. 17 put Trump’s approval at 33% and disapproval at 64%, the lowest of his second term and tied with the low point of his first term.
The poll also found 80% of Americans, including 71% of Republicans and 87% of Democrats, believed the Iran conflict would drag on for an extended period.
The poll out this week put that figure at 83%.
Mideast live: Oil tanker struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz off Oman– www.france24.com
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German GDP growth revised upwards, defying Iran war turmoil
German growth rose faster than previously thought in the second quarter thanks to strong exports, official data showed, as Europe’s biggest economy defied the turmoil unleashed by the Iran war.
Gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent from April to June compared with the first three months of the year, according to revised data from the statistics office Destatis. A first estimate in July had put growth at 0.2 percent.
What could new US sanctions on Iran entail?
The US says it is preparing to announce new sanctions on Iran. It’s been billed an “economic D-day” and is expected to add further pressure on the country’s economy that’s already been battered from previous sanctions and a US naval blockade.
The renewed economic pressure would not be the first time the US has used economic tools at its disposal to corner Iran.
US sanctions oil trader Wellbred over Iran links
The US imposed sanctions on Singapore-based Wellbred Capital and its trading firms in the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland, citing links with Iran, as it steps up measures to target Tehran’s global financial links.
The company had ties to Iranian oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said on its website on Monday.
“Shamkhani built Wellbred as a company outside the network’s Iranian business, though Shamkhani is ultimately responsible for Wellbred’s operations,” it added in a statement outlining the measures targeting nearly 60 companies, individuals and ships.
Six months of war: 20 dead in 68 incidents near Hormuz, IMO says
The Strait of Hormuz has been the main focus of the six-month war between Iran and the US and Israel, with many commercial vessels targeted in the vital conduit for oil and gas shipments.
In total, 68 incidents have been confirmed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in the Gulf and neighbouring bodies of water, the equivalent of one every 2.6 days.
Across all incidents, at least 20 seafarers or port workers were reported killed, 35 wounded and one missing, the UN maritime agency said.
About half of the incidents have involved tankers, 20 percent container ships and 15 percent bulk carriers.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) classified 47 of the incidents as attacks.
Liberia-flagged vessels have been most affected, being involved in 13 incidents, followed by 10 vessels each from Panama and the Marshall Islands.
Iran-flagged vessels were reported as being involved in four incidents.
Pakistan says army chief held talks with Iran focussed on preventing further escalation of Middle East conflict
Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir held discussions with Iran that were focussed on measures including the prevention of a further escalation of the conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the Pakistani military said in a statement on Tuesday.
Munir discussed regional peace and ways to reach a negotiated settlement to disputes, the statement added.
Commodity vessel transits through Strait of Hormuz fall to three-month low, data shows
Only one commodity vessel transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the lowest number since May 7, preliminary shipping data showed on Tuesday.
One very large gas carrier entered the strait from the Gulf of Oman on Monday, initial data from shiptracker Kpler showed at 0251 GMT, compared with six vessels of all types on Sunday. The figures could change as some ships had switched off transponders on their way through.
Oil tanker struck by projectile off Oman
An oil tanker was struck and disabled by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, causing damage but no casualties, a British maritime agency said early Tuesday.
“The Master of an oil tanker reports the vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile causing damage to the engine room and disabling the vessel,” with the crew reported as safe, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
The incident occurred nine nautical miles (16.7 kilometres) northeast of Ash Shishah in Oman, it said.
The online statement did not specify the vessel’s nationality or direction of travel.
Oil prices steady as investors weigh impact of expanded US sanctions against Iran
Oil prices steadied on Tuesday, after falling more than 2% in the previous session, as investors assessed the impact of harsher US secondary sanctions against Iran.
Brent crude futures were down 9 cents, or 0.1%, at $92.16 by 0104 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 1 cent at $85.02 a barrel.
Both contracts fell more than 2% on Monday with US crude oil falling to a one-week low on profit taking after prices rallied over the previous two weeks.
Trump launches ‘Operation Economic Outcast’ on Iran as he tries to isolate regime with damaging new sanctions– www.thesun.co.uk
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DONALD Trump has launched his crushing “Operation Economic Outcast” on Iran by threatening crippling sanctions on any country propping up the regime.
The US president last week vowed to unleash the “MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN” to strong-arm Tehran into accepting his peace terms.
Washington has now upped the ante with a new plan to slap severe sanctions on any country maintaining economic ties with the regime.
Iran has meanwhile vowed it will retaliate against any country participating in the US-led isolation campaign.
Netanyahu claims ‘Iran tried to murder one of my sons’ — RT World News– www.rt.com
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The Israeli leader offered no evidence or specifics as his coalition trails in polls ahead of October’s election
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons, making the explosive allegation without saying which of his children was allegedly targeted, when the supposed plot took place or how close it came to being carried out.
The bombshell came almost in passing during a telephone interview with Israel’s Channel 14 on Monday about security arrangements for Netanyahu’s political rival Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief who is challenging him ahead of the October 27 general election.
“This is an unbelievable case. Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to murder him, tried to murder one of my sons,” Netanyahu said, arguing that round-the-clock protection for Eisenkot was “not a luxury” and warning that without it, the Iranians “will succeed.”
Netanyahu has two sons, Yair and Avner. He did not identify which one he was referring to, nor did he say where or how Iran allegedly planned to attack him.
Israeli media have separately reported that Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, and both sons were granted expanded state protection in July. Channel 12 reported that the alleged Iranian plot had been known to Israel’s security establishment for several months but had been subject to a military gag order.
The claim comes as Netanyahu faces a difficult reelection campaign. Successive surveys have put his governing bloc short of the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority, while polls have shown Eisenkot competing closely with or overtaking Netanyahu and his Likud party. Reuters reported in July that surveys were pointing to a defeat for Netanyahu’s coalition, although the fragmented opposition also lacks a straightforward path to forming a government.
US President Donald Trump also claimed that Tehran had repeatedly tried to kill him – even before the initial salvo of US-Israeli strikes on February 28 killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I got him before he got me,” Trump boasted in an interview with ABC News shortly after the strike that also killed Khamenei’s daughter Boshra and 14-month-old granddaughter Zahra, as well as a son-in-law and daughter-in-law.
During the NATO summit in Türkiye in July, Trump was secretly removed from Air Force One and transferred inside a catering truck to another military aircraft after Israel relayed intelligence about another alleged Iranian assassination threat. The extraordinary operation was concealed even from some members of his traveling party.
US intelligence reportedly assessed the Israeli-supplied information with “low confidence,” while Tehran has denied broader accusations that it sought to assassinate Trump or other American officials.
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Trump Announces New Development in Strait of Hormuz– townhall.com
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President Donald Trump says that there are no more mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as he warns that any “new mines” will result in a military response.
Both the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran have said they are in charge of the strait, which has global significance for cargo transportation, but the U.S. currently has the upper hand by a wide margin, according to CNN.
The comments come as the president said earlier this month that there no longer talks occurring between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic, as the war now shifts to an economic focus.
Trump says all mines have been removed or have been detonated in the Strait of Hormuz.
He says Iran has been notified that “any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed.” pic.twitter.com/xrtHYUN3WA
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) August 25, 2026
Iran faces ‘greatest financial offensive ever’, says US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent– www.bbc.co.uk
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EXCERPT:
The US announced a host of sanctions against Iran and threatened its supporters in what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said was “the single greatest financial offensive ever”.
Labelling it an “economic D-Day” for Iran, Bessent said the US would sever all economic ties with the country and added that any nation financially partnering with Iran would also be isolated.
However, the latest threat to the Iranian regime follows several U-turns and extended deadlines from the White House in its efforts to end the conflict.
The war has led to hikes in global oil prices, and in response to the latest threat Iran warned it would shut down all oil exports from the region if the war continued.
The Iranian regime has also issued a fresh warning to shipping to not pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its permission, according to Reuters.
One fifth of the world’s oil and gas usually passes through strait, a narrow waterway south of Iran, but the flow has been effectively blocked by the country since the conflict began at the end of February, leading to higher oil prices globally.
South Korea says US cancels joint marine drill over Iran war– www.channelnewsasia.com
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SEOUL: South Korea said on Monday (Aug 24) that the United States had cancelled a large joint amphibious landing exercise scheduled for next month due to constraints on force availability caused by the war with Iran.
The biennial Ssangyong drills involve marine forces from South Korea and the US and are designed to strengthen combined operations, typically involving warships, aircraft and ground forces rehearsing amphibious landings.
The cancellation follows US President Donald Trump’s order last week to scale down the separate annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, cutting the joint drills from 11 days to five.
Trump at the time cited their high cost and said they sent an “inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea, while highlighting his relationship with its leader, Kim Jong Un.
“The US Marine Corps formally notified our forces in June that its ability to deploy forces during this year’s Ssangyong exercise would be constrained due to the situation in the Middle East,” Han Seung-jeon, a spokesman for the South Korean Marine Corps, told reporters at a news briefing.
Seoul and Washington were continuing consultations on resuming the amphibious exercise, he said, without giving details.
Iran’s rial currency hits new record low as US prepares to announce more sanctions– abcnews.com
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TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s currency hit a record low Monday as Washington prepared to announce new sanctions it said would add further pressure on an economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade.
The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets. Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.
The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth, but has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.
Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and prices of beef are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that GDP will contract more than 5%.
Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of congressional elections.
The UAE Just Delivered a Crushing Blow to Iran’s Economy– townhall.com
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EXCERPT:
The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran after accusing Tehran of firing two ballistic missiles toward the Gulf state, an incident that triggered nationwide shelter warnings for the first time in weeks.
The decision could deal a severe blow to Iran’s already strained economy.
The UAE has suspended all trade and financial activity with Iran after accusing it of firing two ballistic missiles pic.twitter.com/6YA5lkwQ8f
— TRT World (@trtworld) August 19, 2026
The UAE’s total trade and financial cutoff of Iran, if enforced, may be the most consequential economic action of this war for Iran. This could be even more significant than the embargo being put on by the United States.
Here’s why. The U.S. naval blockade seals the Gulf of… https://t.co/0qvISQEPwG
— Miad Maleki (@miadmaleki) August 19, 2026
Iran official says support for new sanctions would be ‘act of war’– abcnews.com
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The new head of Iran’s top security body warned Sunday that Tehran will see any country’s support for new U.S. economic measures against the Islamic Republic as an “act of war,” while Iran’s president defended a memorandum of understanding with the United States as the best way out of the stalled conflict.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday is expected to announce the new measures after the U.S. vowed to impose an “unprecedented” level of economic warfare and isolation on a country that has lived for decades under sanctions. Also Monday, Pakistan’s army chief is expected to visit Iran as mediators try to revive talks.
Meanwhile, attacks calmed on the Strait of Hormuz but posturing did not, as a recently created Iranian authority listed dozens of vessels it said will face restrictions on future transits.
Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Sunday. Full coverage can be found here.
The hard-line leader of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, issued his latest warning on X, with the comments quickly shared by Iranian state media.
It came a day after Rezaei’s most extensive public comments since being named to the post this month.
“If (Trump) wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner,” he had told the state broadcaster in an interview that aired late Saturday. He said Iran would target other oil-shipping routes from the Persian Gulf — alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran War Updates: U.S. to unveil new sanctions Trump said would hit Iran with an “economic D-Day”– www.cbsnews.com
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The South Korean military said Monday the U.S. canceled a large, joint military exercise that had been scheduled to take place next month due to force limitations amid the war with Iran.
The Ssang Yong (Twin Dragons) exercise is a joint amphibious landing drill conducted regularly since 2012 by the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps alongside U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. British and other allied forces have taken part in previous years.
A spokesperson for the South Korean Marines said its U.S. counterparts had notified the force in June that “due to the situation in the Middle East,” the U.S.’s ability to deploy forces for the exercise was constrained this year.
The news of this year’s Ssang Yong drills being called off came a week after the U.S. cut short another major joint military exercise with South Korea, on President Trump’s orders, fueling concern in Seoul, and in Japan, that Washington is becoming a less dependable ally in the face of rising threats from North Korea and China.
China warns US of retaliation if Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ sanctions hit their Iran oil trade– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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China has warned the US that it could retaliate if Washington significantly expands secondary sanctions on Chinese companies doing business with Iran
China has warned that it could take retaliatory measures if the United States significantly expands secondary sanctions targeting Chinese companies doing business with Iran, according to reporting by the Financial Times.The warning came after the Trump administration on Monday announced new sanctions targeting companies in Hong Kong and mainland China as part of a broader crackdown on Iran’s oil trade. The measures, however, did not target major Chinese financial institutions, FT reported.A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that Beijing would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights and interests, while reiterating China’s opposition to what it described as unilateral sanctions lacking a basis in international law or United Nations Security Council authorisation.The spokesperson also called for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and negotiations.
CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports– www.bbc.co.uk
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The trip is thought to be Ratcliffe’s first trip to Russia as CIA director, although he has maintained contact with his intelligence counterparts in Moscow.
John Foreman, who served as a British military attaché to Moscow between 2019 and 2022, told Radio 4’s PM programme that the visit could be focused on “escalation management” given speculation recent drone activity in Germany could be linked to Russia.
He said: “The Americans don’t normally send such a high ranking official to Moscow unannounced at short notice unless something is up.”
Foreman said the trip could also concern the release of US detainees currently being held in Russia.
Ratcliffe played a role in negotiations for the release of Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina, who was jailed in Russia for over a year after being accused of providing support to Ukraine.
Trump Says Navy Has Cleared Iranian Mines From Strait of Hormuz › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
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President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. Navy has cleared all remaining mines from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, while warning Iran that any attempt to deploy new mines will draw an immediate military response.
Iran placed mines in the strategically critical waterway during its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, disrupting maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
“I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump warned Tehran that the United States would enforce a “Zero Tolerance” policy against renewed mining operations.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump said.
Israeli soldiers block Knesset member from besieged Palestinian home | Israel-Palestine conflict News– www.aljazeera.com
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Israeli soldiers blocked Knesset member Ofer Cassif from reaching a Palestinian family home in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, where settlers have maintained a 17-day siege. Cassif eventually reached the families and expressed his support.
MS NOW Blowhard Falls for Iranian Propaganda Ghostwritten in the U.S.– www.newsbusters.org
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So committed is MS NOW to the parroting of Trump-deranged talking points that the network is now enthusiastically promoting Iranian propaganda. On some shows, they’ll even “analyze” Iranian propaganda.
Watch as resident MS NOW bloviator Lawrence O’Donnell fawns over the knowledge of American culture contained within a tweet published on the account of Iran’s Speaker Ghalibaf:
WATCH: Noted MSNOW blowhard @Lawrence fawns over the American cultural fluency of a tweet published on the account of Iran’s Speaker Ghalibaf, blissfully unaware that it was ghostwritten in California. Great job, everyone!
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: The most striking response to Scott… pic.twitter.com/O7xWPfgLsh
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 26, 2026
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: The most striking response to Scott Bessent’s childish threat came from the Speaker of Iran’s parliament who taught Natalie Harp and Donald Trump a thing or two today about devastatingly effective social media posting, exhibiting a fluency in American culture that no one in the Trump White House has with Iranian culture.
The speaker of Iran’s parliament actually tweeted this: “Him: ‘Economic D-Day.’ Also him, five seconds later, LOL. ‘Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?’ Sir, this ain’t Normandy, this is improv night and you forgot your own script.”
Leading off our discussions tonight is Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama and an MS NOW political and national security analyst. He is the author of All We Say, The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches.Ben, please help me with this. Who are these people? Who in Iran could possibly have written that tweet? “Improv night, uh, LOL”, these, these, this is presumably someone who’s never been to the United States. I mean, most, most people in the Iranian regime in their lifetimes have never been to the United States. How do they get this kind of fluency in our culture?
Iran, Oman Discuss Temporary Hormuz Corridor As Impasse With US Drags On– www.ndtv.com
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Iran said it had restarted talks with neighbor Oman to manage the Strait of Hormuz as it faces heightened economic pressure from US President Donald Trump in the wider conflict.
Iran and Oman have been in on-and-off talks for weeks about controlling traffic through the strategic waterway, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February.
Most shipping has been shut down since then.
The two countries said on Tuesday that they discussed “a joint temporary navigational corridor” through the strait and agreed to clear it of mines.
Trump said all mines in the strait had been cleared, repeating comments that he has previously made.
The on-again, off-again (and not-quite, but nearly) ceasefire trend of the Iran War continues. President Trump has cut off all negotiations with Iran, however, and is calling on Iran to surrender. The administration announced plans to step up its economic war against Iran. The administration also claims it has mostly re-opened the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump declared, “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.”
Iran war live: Tehran accuses Trump of ‘economic terrorism’ – The Independent
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EXCERPT:
Iran has accused US president Donald Trump of threatening “economic terrorism” after the US treasury said it would introduce the “toughest sanctions in history” against Tehran.
Trump has promised to wage “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale”, suggesting the US will extend sanctions to allies that have helped mediate peace talks.
Israel has informed the United States that it will not agree to any deal with Hamas that does not include their complete disarmament. As a response, the U.S.’s negotiator, Jared Kushner, stated “We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarization occurs. Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again.”
‘We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt’ until Hamas disarms, Kushner says | Israel-Palestine conflict News– www.aljazeera.com
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EXCERPT:
United States envoy Jared Kushner has stressed that the administration of President Donald Trump will not allow reconstruction in the devastated Gaza Strip until Hamas gives up its weapons.
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, but the meeting did not produce a breakthrough to implement a roadmap for Gaza that Hamas already agreed to.
“We have a plan to rebuild Gaza, but we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarisation occurs,” Kushner told Fox News in an interview.
“Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again.”
Scott Bessent urges US partners to back plans to ‘squash’ Iran economy– www.bbc.co.uk
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EXCERPT:
The Iranian economy has long been struggling under the weight of decades of international sanctions, which left it in tatters.
Earlier this year, Iran experienced weeks of protests due to the spiralling cost of living and inflation – with everyday Iranians blaming the regime for their difficulties.
Official figures show that in the 12 months to February 2026, the price of basic necessities increased by an average 60%, while food prices doubled in the same period.
At the time, Trump told demonstrators “help is on the way” as he urged them to “keep protesting”.
A little over a month later, the US joined Israel in its attack on Iran – and later implemented a blockade on Iranian ports, threatening further sanctions.
In April, the US launched a wave of sanctions on foreign banks and firms doing business with Tehran after it became apparent military operations had not led to the overthrow of Iran’s regime nor its surrender, as Trump had initially hoped.
