Iran & Middle East
Reporting on Iran, the Iranian regime, IRGC operations, Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah dynamics, the Houthi corridor, GCC alignments, and the wider Middle East security picture.
CENTCOM Says US Shot Down Four Iranian Drones Near Strait of Hormuz
US forces intercepted four Iranian attack drones and struck Iranian radar sites overnight, threatening fragile ceasefire efforts and nuclear talks near the Strait of Hormuz.
IAEA says Iran deal is close. Tehran says talks are deadlocked.
Grossi told reporters a US-Iran nuclear framework is 'pretty close.' Hours later, a Khamenei adviser told CNN the talks are stuck and warned of a wider war.
Israel Deployed Forces to Four Countries During Iran War
CNN reports Israel sent Mossad agents and elite military units to Azerbaijan, UAE, Iraq and Somaliland during its war with Iran. Azerbaijan denies the allegations.
Israel accuses White House officials of leaking Iran war plans to Turkey
Israeli officials claim U.S. officials disclosed military strategy details to Turkish counterparts. The leak is said to have reached Tehran through backchannels.
Iran Says It Fired Warning Missiles at US Warships
Iran's military says it launched warning missiles toward US Navy vessels in the Gulf of Oman after American forces boarded the sanctioned tanker MT Davina in the Indian Ocean.
UN Warns Iran War Pushing 45 Million Into Food Crisis
The World Food Programme says 45 million additional people face acute hunger as the US-Iran conflict disrupts oil shipments, spikes fuel costs, and strains humanitarian supply chains worldwide.
Iran Sets Conditions for Accepting Trump Deal
Tehran demands 50 percent of frozen assets released upon signing any MoU with Washington, while the IRGC ties regional calm to Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories.
Oman Oil Terminal Blast Halts Crude Loading
A drone attack on Oman's Mina Al Fahal terminal halted crude oil loadings and pushed Brent above $95, signaling regional instability is spreading beyond the Iran-US corridor.
Iran's Araghchi Says Hormuz Decisions Will Be Made Jointly With Oman
Iran's foreign minister claimed Tehran and Muscat hold a "natural right" to manage the Strait of Hormuz, saying other Gulf states will be consulted but the two littoral nations will have the final say.
Iran Oil Exports Crash to Six-Year Low Under US Blockade
Iran's crude exports fell to 209,000 barrels per day in May, down 84 percent from April, as the US naval blockade chokes off shipments and strands tens of millions of barrels at sea.
IAEA: War Has Increased Iran's Nuclear Weapon Risk
The nuclear watchdog has warned member states in a restricted report that Iran's nuclear weapon probability is higher than before the February strikes — the opposite of the campaign's stated goal.
Rubio Calls Iran's Gulf Strikes 'Reprehensible' as US Rallies Allies
Iran struck Kuwait and Bahrain, both hosting US military bases. Secretary Rubio held emergency talks with Kuwait's FM and reaffirmed US security commitments to the region.
Hezbollah Rejects Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire as Israel Strikes Continue
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rejected the US-brokered ceasefire framework agreed between Israel and Lebanon, casting doubt on whether the truce can hold.
IRGC Says Opponents Must Adapt to 'New Rules' in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guard signaled a hardened posture over Strait of Hormuz transit Thursday, warning rivals to accept "new rules" as US-Iran talks stall and a House war-powers vote rattles Washington.
Khamenei Claims Victory, Araghchi Keeps Talks Alive
Iran's Supreme Leader declared battlefield victory and warned against internal divisions Thursday, even as Foreign Minister Araghchi said US-Iran contacts continue despite stalled negotiations.
Israel and Lebanon Renew Ceasefire as Trump Splits Diplomatic Tracks
A renewed Israel-Lebanon ceasefire backed by Washington gives Trump a diplomatic win while he works to separate Hezbollah talks from tougher US-Iran nuclear negotiations.
Trump Weighs Ending Ceasefire if US Troops Are Killed in Iran
President Trump is considering abandoning the ceasefire with Iran if American military personnel are killed, while demanding Iran surrender its enriched uranium as a condition of any deal.
Iran Claims US Naval Vessel Hit as Diplomacy Continues
Iran says it struck a US naval vessel while its foreign minister confirms diplomatic contact with Washington remains open, with both sides exchanging written texts.
CENTCOM Says 125 Vessels Redirected, Six Disabled in Blockade
US Central Command reports 125 commercial vessels redirected and six disabled under the Iran port blockade as the administration works on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic.
Iraq Plans to Triple Pipeline Exports as Hormuz Stays Shut
Iraq approves tripling crude oil exports through the Kurdistan-to-Ceyhan pipeline within three months as the Hormuz closure cuts OPEC's second-largest producer off from its primary export route.
Iran Strikes Kuwait Airport, Killing One in Gulf Escalation
Iranian drones and missiles hit Kuwait International Airport's Terminal One overnight, killing at least one person and suspending all flights as the conflict spreads to Gulf civilian infrastructure.
US Strikes Iran's Qeshm Island; Iran Retaliates Against Kuwait, Bahrain
The US military struck a communications tower on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones targeting Kuwait and Bahrain, triggering warning sirens across both Gulf states.
US Fires Hellfire Missile at Tanker Defying Iran Port Blockade
The US military disabled the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie with a Hellfire missile after the oil tanker ignored 24 hours of warnings and attempted to breach the naval blockade of Iran's ports.
Iran Plans Khamenei Funeral in Three Cities, Expects Millions
Iran will hold funeral ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad, with Tehran authorities preparing for 15 to 20 million participants.
Lebanon Strikes Continue as Ceasefire Claims Clash With Reality
Israeli airstrikes killed at least five in southern Lebanon hours after Trump announced a de-escalation deal, as Hezbollah reported 31 attacks on Israeli positions and Netanyahu vowed to press on.
IAEA Chief Calls Iran Uranium Transfer 'Difficult but Not Impossible'
IAEA Director General Grossi said moving Iran's 440kg of near-weapons-grade uranium out of the country is technically feasible, as Trump predicts a deal within a week and Tehran warns Israeli attacks in Lebanon could end talks.
IRGC Claims Cruise Missile Strike on 'US-Owned' Ship in Gulf
Iran's IRGC says it fired a cruise missile at the Panama-flagged container ship MSC Sariska V, calling it a US-owned vessel, in retaliation for a strike on an Iranian ship near Oman.
Hezbollah Accepts US Ceasefire Proposal as Trump Claims Direct Call
Lebanon's presidency confirmed Hezbollah agreed to a US proposal for mutual cessation of hostilities, hours after Trump said he spoke with Hezbollah representatives to end fighting in Lebanon.
IRGC Says 15 Ships Passed Hormuz With Its Permission
Iran's IRGC Navy says 15 vessels including four oil tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours only after receiving IRGC permission, asserting de facto control over the world's most critical oil chokepoint.
Iran Halts US Talks, Threatens to Close Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Iran suspended all exchanges with mediators and threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, opening a second chokepoint front as Rystad warns oil could reach $180 per barrel by August.