US president Donald Trump says there are “very friendly negotiations” taking place with Iran amid a pause in military action, adding that he believes they have a good chance to end the war.
However, Trump has also warned that the US would resume “strong military action” if the talks fail.
Tehran has denied that any direct negotiations with Washington are taking place, and says it is only receiving messages from the US via mediators.
Meanwhile, Iran has threatened to retaliate against Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of a missile strike on a tanker in the Caspian Sea.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the reported strike on a commercial vessel “cannot go unanswered” in a call with the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Kyiv’s forces struck a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
Tehran said that Kyiv had attacked an Iranian commercial vessel and killed a sailor, describing the incident as an act of aggression and accusing Ukraine of trying to expand the Russia-Ukraine war.
Key Points
- Trump's UN envoy says president paused Iran attacks for talks
- Pentagon website adds 142 wounded US service members to Iran war casualty count
- Iran accuses US of protecting Netanyahu from prosecution
- UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target
- Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Oman-Iran Hormuz talks make progress as US pauses strikes
05:25 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Oman and Iran are reportedly moving closer to an agreement on managing the Strait of Hormuz, though they remain divided over Tehran's proposal to charge transit fees.
Progress in the Oman-Iran talks, backed by China, Qatar and Pakistan, is believed to have influenced the US decision to pause its attacks on Iran after nearly two weeks.
Watch: Trump says Iran requested meeting after US ‘hit them very hard’
04:55 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Iran denies direct negotiations with the US
04:25 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Tehran has rejected Donald Trump’s characterisation of the talks, with foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei saying there are currently no direct negotiations with Washington and that only mediators are passing messages between the two sides.
“Mediators may convey messages from the American side to us regarding current developments in the region. But at present we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States,” he said, according to the Guardian.
Trump warns of renewed military action if diplomacy with Iran fails
03:55 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Donald Trump said the US would resume “very strong military action” against Iran if ongoing diplomatic efforts do not produce a rapid resolution to the crisis in the Middle East.
“We are in very deep talks with Iran. If they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action,” the US president told Axios.
He told reporters later on Air Force One: “They want to meet, and we’re meeting. Without what we did, they wouldn’t even be talking to us … They would not have requested the meeting if we were doing poorly. The only reason they want to meet is because we’ve been hitting them very hard.”
European gas reserves at ‘historically low level’ - but fears of 2022 price shock played down
03:00 , Harriette Boucher
The Independent’s Karl Matchett writes:
Europe faces a gas shortage this winter due to lower global production and reserves being run down due to the Iran war, an analyst has warned.
Liquified natural has (LNG) is a key part of the overall energy mix for the UK and Europe. On the continent, natural gas as a whole accounts for around a fifth (21 per cent) of total energy consumption, according to Eurostat’s research, with LNG representing around 40 per cent of that gas usage in 2024.
An estimated 89 per cent of Europe’s overall gas supply in 2025 came from outside the EU - including the UK - and analysts at Wood Mackenzie have cautioned that the continent “is approaching energy crisis territory.”
Research from the firm shows European inventory is “only just above 50 per cent, an historically low level” for this period of the year.
“Low European inventories, strong Asian demand and limited new LNG supply growth almost guarantee elevated prices through this winter and into 2027,” said Massimo Di Odoardo, Wood Mackenzie’s vice president of gas research.
European gas reserves at ‘historically low level’ - but fears of price shock rejected
Watch: Trump keeping 'all options on the table' on Iran, US ambassador says
02:00 , Harriette Boucher
Houthis looking to replicate Iran's Hormuz strategy in Red Sea, says foreign minister
01:00 , Harriette Boucher
Yemeni Houthis are looking to copy Iran's Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea by disrupting shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb.
Yemen's top diplomat said that the movement has been emboldened by an insufficient international response.
Foreign Minister-designate Afrah Al-Zouba told journalists on Monday: “The Houthis want to copy the Iranian model and this will shut down two main straits, the gateways into the Gulf and Red Sea.”
The Red Sea has become a new front in the Iran war, with the Houthis taking an escalatory approach against Saudi Arabia by firing missiles and drones at the kingdom and declaring a blockade on Saudi shipping.
Pentagon change appears to make it harder to tally military deaths and injuries
Tuesday 28 July 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
The Independent’s Isabel Keane reports:
The Pentagon has made changes to the way it reports military casualties, potentially making it more difficult to track the number of deaths and injuries overseas.
Casualties reported overseas since July 7 — when the U.S. cease-fire with Iran collapsed and the conflict intensified — are no longer listed on the Pentagon website under “Operation Epic Fury,” where earlier casualties were listed.
As of Sunday, the Defense Department appears to be tracking casualties in the “Defense Casualty Analysis System,” under a new category labeled “overseas operations casualties.”
This means that to track all U.S. casualties since the Iran war began February 28, the numbers from the two separate webpages must be added up.
With the change, four fatalities that had been scrubbed from the website last week were added back but on a new webpage. Those deaths include First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad, Private Isabella Gonzales and Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton.
Pentagon change appears to make it harder to tally military deaths and injuries
Trump says there is 'good chance' of deal with Iran
Monday 27 July 2026 23:00 , Harriette Boucher
There is a chance with a deal between the US and Iran following “good talks”, Donald Trump said on Monday, warning that strikes would resume if the negotiations failed to deliver.
It comes as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq reported drone attacks today, despite the US abruptly suspending a two-week campaign of air strikes on Iran on Saturday
“We're having good talks,” he said. “I think there's a good chance that something could happen, and if it does, good, if it doesn't, we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago.”
At a campaign rally in Michigan later on Monday, Trump said of Iran: “You can't bribe them. You've got to beat them, and we'll beat the hell out of them. But we'll see how it turns out. Right now, there are very friendly negotiations going on.”
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that messages were still being passed between the sides through mediators and Iran had not forsaken diplomacy, but reports that it requested negotiations were “fabricated.”
“This is not in our DNA,” he said.
Most Americans think Trump has failed to explain his goals in Iran
Monday 27 July 2026 22:10 , Harriette Boucher
Just one in three Americans support the war on Iran, the lowest reading in a Reuters/Ipsos poll since the five-month-old conflict's early days, with most respondents saying that Donald Trump has failed to explain his goals.
The poll, conducted Friday through Sunday, also showed the Republican president's approval rating ticking higher to 37 per cent, up three points from last month when his rating tied the lowest of his presidency.
Trump has offered shifting objectives for the conflict such as aiding Iranians to topple their leaders, taking out Iran's ballistic-missile capabilities and preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The poll found that 69 per cent of Americans — including four in 10 Republicans - think Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump will not make decisions based on “fluid opinion polls” and reiterated the president's resolve to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe,” Wales said.
Stocks jump as US-Iran pause sees oil price fall
Monday 27 July 2026 21:43 , Harriette Boucher
The FTSE 100 closed higher in London on Monday as investors welcomed a temporary pause in hostilities between the US and Iran, which helped drive the oil price sharply lower.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 45.52 points, 0.4%, at 10,781.75. The FTSE 250 ended up 96.61 points, 0.4%, at 23,898.10, while the AIM All-Share closed down 1.29 points, 0.2%, at 771.69.
In the Middle East, the US held fire at the weekend after 13 days of attacks on sites in Iran, and Donald Trump’s UN envoy said the US president was “giving talks some space”.
Tehran said in turn it would stop its retaliatory attacks on regional neighbours, handing Gulf shipping and the oil industry a respite.
David Morrison at Trade Nation said it is “unclear” if this is a precursor to a resumption of peace talks, or a tactical move militarily.
Stocks jump as US-Iran pause sees oil price fall
Saudi Arabia says it destroyed drones launched by Iran-backed groups in Iraq
Monday 27 July 2026 20:41 , Harriette Boucher
Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq that attempted to target oil facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province and Riyadh, the Saudi Defence Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry called on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent Iraqi territory from being used as a launchpad for attacks against Saudi Arabia.
Iraq's prime minister ordered an investigation into the incident, his media office said Monday evening, adding Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against neighbouring countries.
The ministry said the drones were launched by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack against the kingdom, reaffirming its right to respond to the sources of "the aggression" and deter those responsible.
Oil prices fall back sharply on renewed Iran war ceasefire hopes
Monday 27 July 2026 18:30 , Daniel Keane
Oil prices have retreated below 90 US dollars a barrel as a pause in fighting between the US and Iran boosted hopes of rekindling a peace deal and reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.
The cost of benchmark Brent crude dropped 8% to 87.55 US dollars a barrel at one stage in ongoing heightened volatility in oil and gas markets caused by the Middle East conflict.
Oil had touched 100 dollars last week on renewed hostilities between the US and Iran.
But prices have eased back on renewed hopes of a resolution, with a pause in attacks for three days in a row and mediators in neighbouring countries looking to get the US and Iran back to the negotiating table.
Read our full story below.
Oil prices fall back sharply on renewed Iran war ceasefire hopes
Houthis claim attack on Saudi east-west oil transport
Monday 27 July 2026 18:00 , Daniel Keane
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they targeted a number of sensitive crude oil supply and transport sites linking eastern Saudi Arabia to the critical Red Sea oil export hub of Yanbu.
Saudi state oil giant Aramco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the operation was in response to what he described as Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace.
GOP loses faith in Hegseth over Iran war and military firings
Monday 27 July 2026 17:30 , Daniel Keane
Republican senators have expressed a loss of confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war and a series of high-profile firings, according to a report.
A number of GOP lawmakers told The Hill they found the recent removal of senior figures in the U.S. military “troubling”, and raised concerns about the way the stalling Middle East conflict had become a “quagmire”.
Foremost among Hegseth’s critics was North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who said: “I don’t have any confidence in him anymore. I think he’s all over the place – he’s accelerating the retirement or forcing out some of the most distinguished leaders in the Department of Defense that we have.
“I think he’s got a massive insecurity complex, he has a lack of experience in large organizations, he micromanages too much. He’s lost my confidence.”
Read our full story below.
GOP loses faith in ‘all over the place’ Hegseth over Iran war and military firings
Saudi's air defences intercepted and destroyed drones coming from Iraq
Monday 27 July 2026 17:00 , Daniel Keane
Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq that attempted to target oil facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province and Riyadh, the Saudi Defence Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry said the drones were launched by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq.
Netanyahu says Iran is top of agenda in meeting with Trump
Monday 27 July 2026 16:30 , Daniel Keane
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran was top of the agenda ahead of his first-to-first talks with Donald Trump since they launched a war on the Islamic Republic.
It will be Netanyahu's eighth meeting with Trump since the US president returned to office, and their first since February, right before Israel and the United States launched a joint aerial campaign against Iran.
"In these complex times, you need to act with both great determination and great wisdom. We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, primarily Iran,” Netanyahu said in a video statement upon departure.
“Of course, our goal is to protect our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us.”
Watch: Trump keeping 'all options on the table' on Iran, US ambassador says
Monday 27 July 2026 16:00 , Daniel Keane
Catch up: Iran says it still controls strait, not seeking talks
Monday 27 July 2026 15:31 , James Reynolds
Iran said on Monday it was still in control of the Strait of Hormuz and not seeking to resume peace talks with the United States, after President Donald Trump halted a two-week bombing campaign that his top brass told him had run its course.
Following 13 successive nights of intensifying bombing that provoked Tehran to fire on U.S. bases in response, Trump halted the campaign over the weekend. Iran said it would pause its own attacks for as long as the U.S. pause in bombing endures.
Trump's decision to suspend the campaign reflected advice from his top brass that the bombing, aimed at breaking Iran's grip on strait, had reached the limits of what it could achieve, according to a U.S. official and widespread U.S. media reports.
The U.S. official told Reuters that military commanders had advised the president that they were running out of targets. The official said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, had also expressed concern over the depletion of air defence weapons used to protect U.S. bases in the region.
The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, said in a televised press conference on Monday that Iran had not asked to resume peace talks with the United States.
And in a clear bid to signal that the U.S. bombing had failed in its objective, Tehran indicated it was still in control of the world's most important waterway for energy markets.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years, new poll shows
Monday 27 July 2026 15:03 , James Reynolds
Americans are not buying Donald Trump’s predictions that the Iran war is nearing its end, nor do they believe that Iran has lost the will or the means to keep fighting.
A CBS News poll found that only a single digit percentage of Americans now believe the White House’s predictions — that the war will be over within days, or a couple weeks.
Instead, more than half believe the opposite — that the war will likely continue for many months or even years, as the conflict approaches the five-month mark and senior Trump officials appear unable to break a deadlock in the negotiations.
In full:
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
Days disrupted: Across the world, Iran war's effects trickle into everyday life one human at a time
Monday 27 July 2026 14:31 , James Reynolds
Across seven countries, seven people woke up to days that no longer looked the way they once did.
The war in Iran began months ago and thousands of miles away. But its effects quickly ricocheted across the world — oil markets first, sending fuel prices higher. Then the shock moved outward — into farms, factories and family budgets. Into the fabric of life.
The global economy remains tethered to fossil fuels that also drive climate change. A severe shock to that system could push 45 million more people into poverty, the United Nations Development Program warned.
For those far from the battlefield, the war arrived not as missiles or air raids, but through the disruptions of everyday life: businesses that no longer worked, goodbyes filled with fear, and livelihoods pushed closer to the edge.
Days disrupted: Across the world, Iran war's effects trickle into everyday life one human at a time
The latest: Trump halts attacks and Ukraine strikes in Caspian
Monday 27 July 2026 14:00 , James Reynolds
- An Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that Iran would halt its attacks so long as the US does the same.
- That development comes as the United States pressed pause on its bombing campaign after president Donald Trump's advisers told him they were running out of targets and expressed worries about depleting the US arsenal.
- Axios reported that the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended that the US stop bombing Iran “because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness”, citing two unnamed sources.
- Ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell on Sunday after Yemeni Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast, while transit through the Strait of Hormuz stayed low over the weekend, shipping data from Kpler showed on Monday.
- Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that talks with Oman about the future control of the Strait of Hormuz were positive, but that the waterway remains closed. He also said Iran would not allow the US to determine the end of the war.
- Iran on Sunday said that Ukraine had struck an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a soldier. The foreign ministry said that the attack “cannot go unanswered”
- Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his military had carried out “long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship”.
Recap: Top US commander says 'no point' in continuing bombing
Monday 27 July 2026 13:30 , James Reynolds
The United States has paused its bombing campaign against Iran after president Donald Trump's advisers told him they were running out of targets and expressed worries about depleting the US arsenal.
Axios reported that the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended that the US stop bombing Iran “because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness”, citing two unnamed sources.
The Centcom commander relayed that a possible next step would be to resume major combat operations to finish the remaining 20 per cent of targets the military designated but didn't strike during Operation Epic Fury, according to Axios’ Barak Ravid.
But he stressed there was no point in continuing the bombing campaign of the previous two weeks, sources told the outlet.
In full: Tehran threatens retaliation after accusing Ukraine of missile strike on tanker
Monday 27 July 2026 13:00 , James Reynolds
Iran has threatened retaliation after accusing Ukraine of a missile strike on a tanker in the Caspian Sea.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the reported strike on a commercial vessel “cannot go unanswered” in call with the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Kyiv’s forces struck a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
Tehran said that Kyiv had attacked an Iranian commercial vessel and killed a sailor, describing the incident of an act of aggression and accusing Ukraine of trying to expand the Russia-Ukraine war.
The latest flare up came despite the US pausing attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, according to the US ambassador to the UN.
Recap: Trump keeping 'all options on the table' on Iran, US ambassador says
Monday 27 July 2026 12:30 , James Reynolds
Catch up: Trump pauses nightly attacks to make room for talks, says ambassador
Monday 27 July 2026 12:00 , James Reynolds
President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, said US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.
Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that Trump was "giving talks some space; he's giving it a little bit of room".
His statement comes as the US and Iran paused their attacks for a second straight day Sunday, as efforts continued to bring them back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal largely undermined by recent exchanges of fire.
Waltz also told CBS that dialogue with Iran was “continuing at every level, from working-level staff to the highest ranks”. CNN previously cited a source to say Trump’s military operations were “on a hold.”
Meanwhile, an oil tanker exploded after hitting a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news agency said.
Tasnim said the tanker struck the mine after leaving the route designated by Iran in the strategic waterway. There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the incident.
Oman and Iran had reportedly taken part in “productive” talks surrounding the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Change to Pentagon website adds 142 wounded to Iran war casualty count
Monday 27 July 2026 11:30 , James Reynolds
The Pentagon acknowledged an additional 142 service members wounded in President Donald Trump's Iran war by quietly adding a new category to its online database of U.S. military casualties, according to reports Sunday.
The change also resulted in the restoration of four fatalities that had been removed from the Defense Casualty Analysis System, triggering outrage among military families, veterans and lawmakers.
The new category, titled "Overseas Operations," tallies casualties inflicted by Iran since July 7, when fighting resumed following a fragile ceasefire that began April 8.
Read the full story:
Quiet change to Pentagon website adds 142 wounded to Iran war casualty count
The latest: Trump halts attacks and Ukraine strikes in Caspian
Monday 27 July 2026 11:00 , James Reynolds
- An Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that Iran would halt its attacks so long as the US does the same.
- That development comes as the United States pressed pause on its bombing campaign after president Donald Trump's advisers told him they were running out of targets and expressed worries about depleting the US arsenal.
- Axios reported that the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended that the US stop bombing Iran “because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness”, citing two unnamed sources.
- Ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell on Sunday after Yemeni Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast, while transit through the Strait of Hormuz stayed low over the weekend, shipping data from Kpler showed on Monday.
- Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that talks with Oman about the future control of the Strait of Hormuz were positive, but that the waterway remains closed. He also said Iran would not allow the US to determine the end of the war.
- Iran on Sunday said that Ukraine had struck an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a soldier. The foreign ministry said that the attack “cannot go unanswered”
- Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his military had carried out “long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship”.
Iran still receiving messages from mediators, but not talking to the US - Baghaei
Monday 27 July 2026 10:30 , James Reynolds
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Iran is still transmitting and receiving messages from the US via mediators, but not communicating directly.
Iran has not asked for resumption of talks with US, Iranian spokesperson says
Monday 27 July 2026 10:14 , James Reynolds
Iran has not asked to resume talks with the United States to end the war, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has not changed, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Monday.
Monday 27 July 2026 10:00 , James Reynolds
European shares climbed nearly 1% on Monday, as a pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities over the weekend sent oil prices lower and boosted risk appetite, while investors braced for a pivotal week of earnings from major U.S. tech companies.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.8% at 649.34, as of 07:06am GMT.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran would halt attacks if the U.S. does the same, after Washington paused its bombing campaign amid concerns about depleting its arsenal.
Brent crude futures dropped 6% to around $90 a barrel, with energy stocks losing 2%, joining utilities as the only declining sectors in the STOXX 600.
Travel and leisure stocks led broader gains, up 2.4%, as lower oil prices boosted the outlook for airlines. Shares of Lufthansa and IAG gained 3.7% each, while Ryanair added 3.4%.
Recap: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
Monday 27 July 2026 09:27 , James Reynolds
Netanyahu set to leave for Washington
Monday 27 July 2026 09:00 , James Reynolds
Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take off for Washington DC for a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House.
The office of the Israeli prime minister told The Times of Israel that he would set off at 11am local time (9am UK time).
He is expected to meet Trump tomorrow and to attend a funeral service for the late senator Lindsey Graham, before flying home on Thursday.
ICYMI: Pentagon's official Iran war death toll no longer lists 4 troops killed during renewed fighting
Monday 27 July 2026 09:00 , James Reynolds
The four American troops killed during renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran in recent weeks are no longer listed as part of the Iran war death toll in the Pentagon’s official casualty count but have been placed in a new, separate category.
The Defense Casualty Analysis System, which Pentagon officials have repeatedly pointed to as the definitive source on the numbers of dead and wounded from the conflict, removed the four fallen soldiers as well as dozens of wounded troops from its Iran war tally last week.
Read the full story:
Pentagon's official Iran war death toll no longer lists 4 troops killed during renewed fighting
Iran says Ukrainian attack 'cannot go unanswered'
Monday 27 July 2026 08:30 , James Reynolds
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel "cannot go unanswered".
His comments came in calls with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Araqchi posted on X.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his military had carried out “long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship”.
Zelenskyy has attacked an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor. A blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel's behest to drag Europe into its war.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 26, 2026
In calls with EU High Rep Kallas and FM Lavrov, made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.
Egypt praises Irish ban on imports from Israeli settlements
Monday 27 July 2026 08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Egypt has welcomed Ireland's law banning the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The foreign ministry said Ireland's move reflects a commitment to international law and international legitimacy resolutions.
Egypt renewed its call on EU member states and the wider international community to adopt similar legal and practical measures to ensure that no direct or indirect support is provided to illegal settlements or their continued expansion.
Oman and UAE discuss regional developments
Monday 27 July 2026 07:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The UAE's foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi, to discuss regional developments as the US and Iran halted overnight strikes.
The diplomats discussed “developments in the Middle East, regional updates, and ongoing efforts to achieve lasting security and stability in the region”, the Emirati foreign ministry said.
“The two sides also reviewed the fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries and explored ways to enhance cooperation in a manner that serves the interests and prosperity of their peoples,” it added.
Oil prices ease after US and Iran pause their attacks
Monday 27 July 2026 07:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices eased in early trading, falling further from a two-month high set last week, after the United States and Iran refrained from launching military strikes in the Persian Gulf for a second straight day.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil to be delivered in September dropped 4.9 per cent to $92.02 shortly after trading resumed. The decline followed a 3.9 per cent drop on Friday.
More here.
Oil prices ease after US and Iran pause their attacks
Netanyahu 'fully' backs Trump's efforts
Monday 27 July 2026 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News he "fully" backs Donald Trump's efforts to weaken Iran and press it to end its nuclear program, adding: "If he can do so without returning to intense military fighting, that's fine. Why not?"
The prime minister indicated he would not present new information to "our good friend" Trump and instead would listen to "what he has in mind, because I think in many ways, it's his decision".
But Netanyahu warned that if Iran again attacks Israel, directly or with armed proxies, "it will make a terrible mistake".
Shipping traffic through Strait of Hormuz at three-week low
Monday 27 July 2026 06:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was at a three-week low, a maritime body overseen by the US Navy said.
It said traffic remained steady through the Bab el-Mandeb.
Iran yesterday said it continued to speak with Oman about managing the safe passage of ships on the Strait of Hormuz, which passes between the countries. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said talks had made progress and continued.
Baghaei also said the strait's status remained unchanged. Tehran has asserted that the interim deal with the US allows it to manage shipping on the waterway for now, and it has objected to US efforts to support a route through the strait that passes close to Oman instead.
The strait was considered an international waterway before the war. The US military on Saturday said its recently reimposed naval blockade against Iran continued, with a dozen commercial ships redirected, two disabled and two boarded. US forces "remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready," it added.
US-Iran peace deal hinges on Israel's attacks on Lebanon, says ayatollah
Monday 27 July 2026 06:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said peace between Tehran and Washington depends on Israel ending its attacks on Lebanon.
"Iran has designated the preservation of Lebanon’s territorial integrity, and the absolute, unconditional termination of the Zionist regime’s aggression as the primary condition for any agreement to ending the imposed war against the aggressive US," he wrote in a post on X.
Syrian president rules out military intervention in Lebanon
Monday 27 July 2026 06:04 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa has ruled out military action in Lebanon but said he is prepared to offer the Lebanese state several options to address its challenges.
“We are not considering military intervention, but Syria has several cards that it can offer the Lebanese state to use as it sees fit,” he told Al Jazeera.
His statement comes as Israel has continued its attacks on southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire deal.
He said Damascus is discussing “a range of solutions” with the Lebanese government that could help bring the country to safety.
The Syrian president said instability in Lebanon would spill over into Syria, making Lebanon’s stability a shared security interest.
Watch: Envoy says Trump keeping 'all options on the table' on Iran
Monday 27 July 2026 05:35 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Pentagon website adds 142 wounded US service members to Iran war casualty count
Monday 27 July 2026 05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Pentagon acknowledged an additional 142 service members wounded in president Donald Trump's Iran war by quietly adding a new category to its online database of US military casualties.
The change also resulted in the restoration of four fatalities that had been removed from the Defense Casualty Analysis System, triggering outrage among military families, veterans and lawmakers.
The new category, titled "Overseas Operations," tallies casualties — including the deaths of 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, Pvt. Isabella Gonzales and Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton —inflicted by Iran since 7 July, when fighting resumed following a fragile ceasefire that began 8 April.
More here.
Quiet change to Pentagon website adds 142 wounded to Iran war casualty count
Trump's UN envoy says president paused Iran attacks for talks
Monday 27 July 2026 04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, said US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.
He told Fox News that Trump was "giving talks some space; he's giving it a little bit of room".
Asked whether Trump had decided against escalation, Waltz told NBC: "I wouldn't go that far at all. The president is keeping all options on the table."
Iran accuses US of protecting Netanyahu from prosecution
Monday 27 July 2026 04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's deputy foreign minister has accused the US of protecting Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu from the International Criminal Court.
Kazem Gharibabadi said Netanyahu, who has an arrest warrant issued against him by the ICC, claimed that the US secretary of state promised to take action against the court.
"They call the ICC 'corrupt' because it dared to pursue Washington's preferred criminal," Gharibabadi wrote in a post on X.
Oil slips 5% as US and Iran pause fighting
Monday 27 July 2026 04:19 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices tumbled 5 per cent this morning after the US and Iran paused strikes over the weekend after two weeks of attacks, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution that would de-escalate the conflict.
Brent crude futures fell $4.89, or 5.05 per cent, to $91.89 after briefly slipping under the key support level of $90 earlier in the session.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $84.64 a barrel, down $4.67, or 5.23 per cent.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
Monday 27 July 2026 03:58 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Americans are not buying Donald Trump’s predictions that the Iran war is nearing its end, nor do they believe that Iran has lost the will or the means to keep fighting.
And one of his top advisers is no longer sticking to that timeline, either.
UN ambassador Mike Waltz appeared on NBC, and unlike other senior Trump administration officials who’ve appeared on the Sunday circuit previously, the ambassador would not commit to the war ending before the end of 2026.
"I'm not going to put some kind of timeline on it,” said Waltz.
More here.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
Monday 27 July 2026 03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
Monday 27 July 2026 02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
U.S. gas prices will continue climbing for weeks — and maybe months — due to the resumption of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, experts warn.
Patrick DeHaan, petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said Friday on social media that while oil prices were “taking a breather for today” after recently surging by $20 a barrel, he’s still expecting the national average cost of a gallon of gas to soon reach $4.20 to $4.30.
Read more here:
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
Recap: US pauses attacks on Iran for a second day
Monday 27 July 2026 01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The US paused its its attacks on Iran for a second day on Sunday and Tehran said it had done so too.
It was not clear why the US has paused attacks after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions.
“President Trump has always been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, but he continues to retain all options if Iran continues terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against allies," White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
“It would be wise for Iran to work toward a negotiated deal. Otherwise, they know what will happen.”
Since the US has halted attacks for the past two nights, Iran has as well, its army spokesperson told Iran’s state TV on Sunday.
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Monday 27 July 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Saturday that they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, in another escalation over vital shipping routes in the Middle East while the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, said in a prerecorded statement that the attack targeted facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense said alerts sounded multiple times early Saturday in both cities, but the Kingdom hasn't commented further.
Read more here:
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Watch: Trump inflates Vietnam war dead number by 142,000 as he defends Iran deaths
Sunday 26 July 2026 23:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Israel’s Netanyahu welcomes ICC prosecutor’s removal
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the removal of International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan.
In a post on X Netanyahu said: “I welcome the decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of countries, to remove Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. This decision exposes the truth.”
Karim Khan, was removed from office after the court’s governing body concluded in June that he had committed serious misconduct in connection to allegations of sexual abuse.
Khan has repeatedly denied all the allegations against him.
In May 2024, Khan sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
I welcome the decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of countries, to remove Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 26, 2026
This decision exposes the truth.
Karim Khan was accused of sexually harassing women who worked under him.
It was precisely as… pic.twitter.com/0wDsGE2ND5
Republican senator breaks ranks with Trump over controversial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
A prominent GOP senator is splitting with Donald Trump over his plans for a controversial nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, the latest sign that the White House’s Middle East policy is dividing the Republican Party.
The deal signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright is designed to streamline the development of a civilian nuclear program for Saudi Arabia, which does not currently possess nuclear weapons and is considered one of the U.S.’s main strategic allies in the region. Just hours later, Trump himself confirmed that the normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia would be a factor on which the deal was contingent.
Now, a key Republican senator who has previously stopped from going as far as publicly condemning the president’s Middle East strategy is doing just that.
Read more here:
GOP senator breaks ranks with Trump over controversial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
Watch: Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The US has released new footage of forces boarding a commercial tanker in Iran as the blockade continues.
The US military said it boarded a tanker in the Arabian Sea on Saturday (July 25) as part of its naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to reports.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said US forces have so far redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled two vessels that failed to comply, and boarded two ships for verification.
A Centcom spokesman said: “American forces remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.”
Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Pope Leo calls for attacks in Middle East to stop
Sunday 26 July 2026 20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pope Leo XIV has renewed his called for peace in the Middle East, warning against escalating violence that is endangering lives.
“I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person,” he said in a post on X.
“At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion,” he added.
I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the #HolyLand, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim. I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 26, 2026
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
Sunday 26 July 2026 19:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz
Sunday 26 July 2026 18:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
An oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with a naval mine.
The tanker struck the mine after leaving the route designated by Iran in the strategic waterway, Iran's `semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the incident.
