Donald Trump has accused the US media of “virtual treason” as it reports that American intelligence indicates Iran retains substantial missile capabilities.
“When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it’s virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement,” the US president wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.
Trump’s rant comes as The New York Times reports that Iran has restored operational access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has effectively blocked the vital oil waterway during the war.
The UK has announced it will send drones, jets and a warship to aid a multinational defensive mission to secure shipping through the waterway.
Defence minister John Healey said Tuesday, “With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent and credible”.
Iran has also threatened to start enriching weapons-grade uranium if Trump reopens the conflict, with the ceasefire agreement on “life support” after the US president dismissed Tehran’s latest peace proposal.
Ebrahim Rezaei, Iran’s parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission spokesperson, said Tuesday that Tehran could enrich uranium up to 90 per cent purity if the country is attacked again.
Key Points
- Trump accuses media of 'treason' for saying Iranian army 'doing well'
- UK to send drones, jets and warship to join mission securing Strait of Hormuz
- Trump says he does not need China's help to end Iran war
- Iran war has cost Trump administration $29bn so far
- Oil prices slip to $106 a barrel
- UAE has secretly been carrying out military strikes on Iran - report
UAE has secretly been carrying out military strikes on Iran - report
06:17 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe United Arab Emirates has carried out secret strikes on Iran during the war started by the US and Israel earlier this year, according to a report, in what would mark the first involvement of a Gulf nation in the conflict.
The Gulf monarchy was Iran’s number one target since it began its retaliatory attacks across the region, targeting states that are allied with the US.
The UAE has not publicly acknowledged the strikes, which included an attack on a refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf in early April, around the time Donald Trump announced a temporary truce, The Wall Street Journal reported.
More here.
UAE has secretly been carrying out military strikes on Iran, report says
Earthquake jolts war-torn Tehran
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Iranian capital of Tehran, according to Iranian state media, citing the country's seismological centre.
The quake was at a depth of 10km, according to the centre.
There were no reported casualties or material damage from the quake, which struck the border area between Tehran and Mazandaran yesterday, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.
Iran war has cost Trump administration $29bn so far
05:46 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Pentagon put the cost of the US war in Iran at $29bn so far, an increase of $4bn from an estimate provided late last month.
The vast bulk of the amount, roughly $24bn, is related to replacing munitions and repairing equipment but also includes operational costs to keep forces deployed, the Pentagon told lawmakers.
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers yesterday about the Trump administration’s end game for the Iran war.
“I take issue with the characterisation that munitions are depleted in a public forum,” Hegseth said. “That’s not true.”
Trump brushes off Iran war’s cost at home
05:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday said the plight of Americans finding it harder and harder to make ends meet and rising gas and consumer prices simply aren’t on his mind as the months-long Iran war and impasse over the Strait of Hormuz continue to fuel surging inflation in the United States.
Trump made the stunning brush-off statement as he departed the White House for Beijing, where he will be feted by Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a state visit, including a lavish Thursday night banquet at the Great Hall of the People.
Asked about the continuing pocketbook pressures faced by everyday consumers as a result of the war he started more than two months ago, Trump told reporters: "I don't think about American financial situation — I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon."
More here.
Trump brushes off Iran war’s cost: ‘I don’t think about American financial situation’
China tells Pakistan to step up Iran-US mediation
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarChina's foreign minister has urged Pakistan to step up mediation efforts between Iran and the US to help "properly" address the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Wang Yi spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in a call yesterday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
US president Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Beijing this evening for talks with leader Xi Jinping, whose country is a key strategic and economic partner of Iran.
"China will continue to support Pakistan's mediation efforts and make its own contribution toward this end," Wang said, according to Xinhua.
India raises gold and silver tariffs to 15% amid Iran war
05:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIndia has raised import tariffs on gold and silver to 15 per cent from 6 per cent, government orders said, as part of efforts to curb overseas purchases of the metals and ease pressure on the country's foreign exchange reserves.
The higher duties could dampen demand in the world's second-largest consumer of precious metals, although they may help narrow India's trade deficit and support the rupee, one of Asia's worst-performing currencies.
The government has imposed a 10 per cent basic customs duty and a 5 per cent Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess on gold and silver imports.
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to avoid gold purchases for a year to help protect foreign exchange reserves.
Israel continues to bomb Lebanon
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Trump says he does not need China's help to end Iran war
04:57 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump says he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran, even as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
Ahead of a high-stakes summit in Beijing, Trump said he did not think he would need to enlist Chinese president Xi Jinping to resolve the conflict, which has continued to block maritime traffic that normally provides one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
"I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise," he told reporters.
More than one month after a tenuous ceasefire took effect, the two sides have made no progress on an agreement to end hostilities.
Iran, meanwhile, has appeared to firm up its control over the Strait of Hormuz, cutting deals with Iraq and Pakistan to ship oil and liquefied natural gas from the region, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
Israeli attack kills two Lebanese paramedics
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsrael's attacks have killed at least 13 people, including two paramedics, in Lebanon, the health ministry said.
It said two paramedics from the state-run Lebanese Civil Defense emergency service were killed during an Israeli airstrike when they were responding to an earlier attack that killed one person.
A third paramedic also sustained injuries in the attack.
"This targeting constitutes further evidence of the Israeli enemy's blatant violation of international humanitarian law and its full disregard for all international norms," the health ministry added.
Oil prices slip to $106 a barrel
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices fell this morning after rising in three consecutive sessions, as investors awaited developments around the fragile ceasefire in the Iran war and US president Donald Trump headed to China for a high-stakes summit with president Xi Jinping.
Brent crude futures lost 82 cents, or 0.76 per cent, to trade at $106.95 a barrel, and US West Texas Intermediate futures fell 66 cents, or 0.65per cent, to $101.52.
Both benchmarks have largely hovered around or above the $100 per barrel mark since the US and Israel began attacks on Iran at the end of February and Tehran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.
"The length of the disruption and the scale of the supply loss - already more than 1 billion barrels - means oil prices are likely to remain above $80 per barrel for the rest of the year," Eurasia Group said in a client note.
UK to send drones, jets and warship to Strait of Hormuz
04:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe British government has announced that it will contribute autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS Dragon to a multinational defensive mission aimed at securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
"With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible," defence minister John Healey said in a statement.
The Iran war has sharply curtailed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting oil exports and sending energy prices higher. About a fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait.
Britain's contribution will be backed by £115m of new funding for mine-hunting drones and counter-drone systems, as London seeks to reassure commercial shipping of its commitment to freedom of navigation amid heightened regional tensions.
Trump accuses media of 'treason' for saying Iranian army 'doing well'
04:05 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump has accused the media of treason for saying that Iran is “doing well” in the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.
“When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it’s virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement,” he wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday, posting from his flight to China.
“They are aiding and abetting the enemy! All it does is give Iran false hope when none should exist. These are American cowards that are rooting against our Country.
“Iran had 159 ships in their Navy — Every single ship is now resting at the bottom of the sea. They have no Navy, their Air Force is gone, all Technology is gone, their ‘leaders’ are no longer with us, and the Country is an Economic Disaster.”
Iran war briefing:
04:03 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar- Donald Trump has accused the US media of “virtual treason” after it reported that intelligence indicates Iran retains substantial missile capabilities
- Trump will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday, where he will have a “long talk” about Iran with Chinese president Xi Jinping. However, Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran
- Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the US-Israel war on Iran was one between “proud people” and “professional liars who fabricated justifications for atrocity”
- Oil prices fell on Wednesday after rising in three consecutive sessions. Brent crude futures lost 82 cents, or 0.76 per cent, to trade at $106.95 a barrel
