The United Kingdom will send drones, jets and a warship to aid a multinational defensive mission to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Defence minister John Healey said on Tuesday: “With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent and credible.”
Autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS dragon will be contributed to the mission as part of £115m of new funding for the operation.
Healey said the mission would become operational when conditions allowed.
It comes as Iran threatened to start enriching weapons-grade uranium if Donald Trump reopens the conflict, with the ceasefire agreement on “life support” after the US president dismissed the latest proposal to end the war.
Ebrahim Rezaei, Iran’s parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission spokesperson, said on Tuesday that Tehran could enrich uranium up to 90 per cent purity if the country is attacked again.
Sources told CNN that Trump is considering reopening the conflict with diplomatic efforts to end the war held at an impasse.
The president met with with his national security team at the White House again on Monday to discuss options moving forward as Iran insisted there was no alternative to its latest offer.
Iran war quagmire threatens to leave Trump with little from China trip besides ballroom envy
The three issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
Iran claims supreme leader recovered from ‘scratch behind the ear’ after reports of serious injury
Modi urges Indians to work from home as US-Iran war sparks fuel crisis
Key Points
- Trump calls his Iran plan ‘military genius’ as ceasefire now ‘on life support’
- Trump 'considering resumption of military action' - report
- Iran could enrich uranium to weapons grade if attacked, lawmaker warns
- US issues new sanctions over Iran's oil shipments to China
- Oil prices rise as ceasefire appears to collapse
Trump accuses media of 'treason' for saying Iranian army 'doing well'
22:06 , Maira ButtPresident 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.”
Watch: Trump dismisses concerns about financial impact of Iran war on Americans
21:30 , Maira ButtAnalysis: A humiliated Trump will be played by China
21:00 , Maira ButtDonald Trump was expecting a “big fat hug” from China when he visits Xi Jinping this week in thanks for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
He won’t get one, though, because he’s failed to end the throttling of Beijing’s oil supplies. Good news for China, because Trump is indifferent to his own failure.
Bad news for Taiwan. Bad news for the West. Bad news for US allies around the world. Bad news for democracies in general.
The US president will arrive for his summit with China exasperated that he has achieved none of his many and varied war aims in Iran. He will arrive having been humiliated by a weaker but dogged regime that survives in Tehran.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Watch: Hegseth grilled over rising prices Americans are facing for war in Iran that ‘many strongly oppose’
20:30 , Maira ButtTrump says he doesn't need Xi's help on Iran
20:00 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump said that he does not need Chinese President Xi Jinping’s help in the war in Iran as he departed the White House for China. However, he said he would speak to the leader at length about the conflict.
“I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
The leaders of the world's two largest economies will hold their first face-to-face talks in more than six months as they try to stabilize ties strained by trade, the US and Israeli war with Iran and other areas of disagreement.
Trump is heading to China amid an unresolved Iran war with diplomatic negotiations to end it at an impasse. Beijing maintains ties with Iran and remains a major consumer of its oil exports.
Hezbollah leader urges Lebanon to quit direct Israel talks
19:30 , Maira ButtThe leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group called on the government Tuesday to withdraw from direct talks with Israel, calling them a concession and urging “indirect negotiations.”
Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold two days of talks in Washington starting Thursday in an attempt to end the latest fighting that broke out two months ago, following the Iran war, and discuss the future of relations between the two sides that have been at war since Israel was created in 1948.
Hezbollah leader urges indirect talks
Naim Kassem said in a letter directed to the group’s officials that direct negotiations benefit Israel and that they are “concessions by Lebanese authorities.” He said Lebanon’s government should instead resort to indirect negotiations with Israel, as in previous years, such as when a ceasefire was reached in November 2024.
Indirect talks are usually done through a third party.
Saudi Arabia carried out retaliatory attacks on Iran, sources tell Reuters
19:10 , Maira ButtSaudi Arabia carried out unpublicised retaliatory strikes on Iran during the conflict earlier this year, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
It follows reports that the United Arab Emirates also conducted attacks on the Islamic Republic.
Tehran threatens to accelerate nuclear weapon programme after Trump rejects ‘garbage’ peace proposal response
18:55 , Maira ButtIran has threatened to accelerate its nuclear weapon programme after Donald Trump lashed out at its “garbage” response to a US peace proposal.
Tehran could enrich uranium up to 90 per cent purity - a level considered weapons-grade - if the country is attacked once more, a top parliamentary official, Ebrahim Rezaei, said on Tuesday.
"One of Iran's options in the event of another attack could be 90 percent enrichment. We will review it in the parliament," he posted on X.
It follows reports in CNN that Donald Trump is considering new military strikes on the country, as he grows impatient with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and feels a division in the Iranian leadership is obstructing progress towards a deal.
James C Reynolds reports:
Iran threatens to accelerate nuclear programme after Trump rejects ‘garbage’ proposal
More than 40 nations reported to be involved in mission
18:35 , Maira ButtDefence minister John Healey’s announced the UK’s commitment to contribute military support during a virtual summit with more than 40 of his counterparts from other nations involved in the mission, which he said would become operational when conditions allowed.
Iran previously warned UK presence in Hormuz will be met with 'decisive response'
18:25 , Maira ButtIran issued a stark warning to Britain on Sunday, urging it not to “escalate the crisis” in the Middle East by sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that the presence of French and British warships in the key shipping route, effectively controlled by Tehran in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks, “will be met with a decisive and immediate response”.
It came after the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the Royal Navy was sending the HMS Dragon warship to the Middle East, where it could join an international mission to safeguard shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sir Keir Starmer had originally said the mission, planned alongside French president Emmanuel Macron, would only take place once fighting in the region ends.
UK defence minister Healey says 'multinational mission will be defensive, independent and credible'
18:19 , Maira ButtThe United Kingdom will send drones, jets and a warship to aid a multinational defensive mission to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Defence minister John Healey said on Tuesday: “With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent and credible.”
Autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS dragon will be contributed to the mission as part of £115m of new funding for the operation.
The UK and European allies had previously expressed a reluctance to get involved in the conflict.
Breaking: UK to send drones, jets and warship to join defensive mission securing Strait of Hormuz
18:15 , Maira ButtBritain said on Tuesday it would 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.
Watch: Defense Department says Iran war has cost $29Bn so far
18:00 , Maira ButtPakistan and China discuss Iran-US tensions ahead of Trump's China visit
17:30 , Maira ButtPakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed regional developments and Islamabad's ongoing efforts to mediate an end to the Iran conflict on Tuesday.
“Both sides underscored the importance of continuing a durable ceasefire and ensuring normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement.
The phone call came ahead of planned talks in Beijing later this week between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
UAE has secretly been carrying out military strikes on Iran, report says
17:00 , Maira ButtThe 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.
Alex Croft reports:
UAE has secretly been carrying out military strikes on Iran, report says
Humanitarian crisis worsening in Lebanon as strikes continue with 1 in 5 forced from homes
16:30 , James ReynoldsCivilians across Lebanon are facing a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis, with strikes continuing despite a ceasefire agreement and around 1 in 5 people displaced from their homes, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned.
More than one million people have been forced from their homes in Lebanon, with over 126,000 now living in overcrowded makeshift shelters while clashes between Israel and Hezbollah rage on.
Kelly Razzouk, IRC Vice President for Global Policy and Advocacy, said: “Last week in Lebanon, we met thirteen-year-old Bassem, who is living in a shelter after his home was destroyed. When I asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he said, ‘an architect, so I can rebuild my house.’ Bassem is one of the over 360,000 displaced children who are now facing fear and uncertainty over their future.
“Nearly every family we met spoke of overwhelming anxiety, grief, and depression. Children are struggling to sleep. Parents are carrying the impossible burden of trying to provide security while coping with trauma themselves. As needs continue to rise, access to mental health support is becoming increasingly urgent.”
US income inequality is at its largest it has been in generations
16:00 , James ReynoldsU.S. wealth inequality is the highest it has been in nearly four decades, according to federal data, as the economy under the Trump administration appears to increasingly favor the rich.
As of late 2025, the top 1 percent of households held 31.7 percent of wealth, the highest share on record since the Federal Reserve began tracking the figure in 1989.
Observers point to a variety of factors to explain the divide, including a stock market that has continued to break records all year, buoyed by hopes about the AI boom, even as the Iran war has thrown global energy markets into chaos and driven up gas prices.
Read the full story:
Gap between America’s wealthiest and everyday citizens is biggest in generations
Watch: Iran accuses Trump of making ‘unreasonable’ demands after rejecting peace proposal
15:30 , James ReynoldsTrump shares Iran war memes ahead of Xi summit
15:08 , James ReynoldsAround preparing for his historic summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Donald Trump has been reeling off memes on his Truth Social platform.
The president posted edited images of the US Navy shooting down an Iranian plane with lasers, and a Reaper drone blowing up Iranian ships.
Iran executes graduate accused of spying for CIA and Mossad
15:00 , James ReynoldsIran has executed a man the regime accused of spying for both the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad intelligence service.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said Erfan Shakourzadeh had worked at a scientific organisation involved in satellite activities and had shared classified scientific information with foreign intelligence services.
Shakourzadeh, a 29-year-old aerospace engineering graduate, was arrested in 2025 and was forced into his confession, according to rights group, Iran Human Rights Society.
Japanese snack giant ditches colour printing amid war shortages
14:27 , James ReynoldsShortages caused by the Iran war has forced Japanese snack giant Calbee to switch to monochrome packaging, the firm announced.
Crisps and prawn crackers packaged in black and white bags will start to appear in shops in Japan from 25 May, the company said, citing supply issues with raw materials “amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East”.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has squeezed global supplies of oil and other materials, pushing up prices around the world.
US war in Iran has cost $29 billion, Pentagon says
14:23 , James ReynoldsThe war in Iran has cost the US $29 billion so far, a senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday, up $4 billion from late last month.
Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the comptroller, told lawmakers the cost included updated repair and replacement of equipment and operational costs.
Iran claims supreme leader recovered from ‘scratch behind the ear’
14:00 , James ReynoldsIran has claimed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is suffering from a “small scratch” behind his ear after initial reports that he sustained life-altering injuries in US-Israeli attacks.
The ayatollah is in “full health” after he suffered injuries to his kneecap and back, the regime said, although their leader has not been seen publicly since the attacks began on 28 February which killed his father, Ali Khamenei.
According to reports, Ayatollah Khamenei required plastic surgery on his face and was awaiting a new prosthetic leg.
Read the full story:
Iran says supreme leader recovered from ‘scratch behind the ear’ after injury reports
Iran has expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz into a "vast operational area" far wider than before the Iran war, according to a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.
The strait is no longer viewed as a narrow stretch around a handful of islands but instead has been greatly enlarged in scope and military significance, said Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political director of the IRGC Navy, the state-affiliated Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.
"In the past, the Strait of Hormuz was defined as a limited area around islands such as Hormuz and Hengam, but today this view has changed,” Akbarzadeh said.
About a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply normally passes through the strait, which is the gateway to the Gulf and main export route for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
Akbarzadeh said the strait is now defined as a strategic zone stretching from the city of Jask in the east to Siri Island in the west, describing it as “a vast operational area”.
Japan’s biggest crisp-maker swaps colourful packaging for black-and-white as Iran war triggers shortages
13:12 , James ReynoldsJapan’s biggest crisp-maker is stripping the colour from its famous packets as the US-Israeli war on Iran is disrupting supplies of petroleum-derived printing materials.
Calbee said on Tuesday that 14 of its products, including the flagship potato chips, Kappa Ebisen prawn crackers, and Frugra cereal, were temporarily getting monochrome packaging from 25 May because of “supply instability affecting certain raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East”.
The company said the move was meant to “help maintain a stable supply of products” and would not affect the quality or safety of the food.
Why Japan’s biggest snack-maker is swapping colourful packaging for black and white
In full: Frustrated Trump ‘weighing new strikes on Iran’ as he flies to China for high-stakes meeting with Xi
13:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump is considering new military strikes on Iran after dismissing Tehran’s latest peace proposal as “garbage”, according to a report, as he prepared for a high-stakes meeting with Xi Jinping in China.
Sources told CNN that Trump has grown impatient with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and feels a division in the Iranian leadership is obstructing progress towards a deal.
Several officials now doubt whether Tehran is willing to adopt a serious negotiating stance, they said, driving the administration to reconsider their strategy.
Donald Trump ‘seriously considering resuming combat operations’
Qatar probes oil and gas off coast of Syria
12:44 , James ReynoldsQatarEnergy has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding for oil and gas exploration off Syria.
QatarEnergy is a state-owned national petroleum and natural gas company.
Recap: UN warns millions face starvation if Strait of Hormuz is not opened as Trump weighs more strikes
12:31 , James ReynoldsMillions of people will be forced into hunger and starvation within weeks unless the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz is resolved, the UN warned as hopes of a ceasefire waned.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office for Project Services, told the AFP news agency that some 45 million people are at risk if the blockades continue to squeeze global fertiliser supplies.
“We have a few weeks ahead of us to prevent what will likely be a massive humanitarian crisis,” he said. “We may witness a crisis that will force 45 million more people into hunger and starvation.”
Around a third of the world’s fertiliser travels through the strait in peacetime, as well as a fifth of global oil and gas shipments.
Oil prices shot up again as Donald Trump warned the ceasefire was on ‘massive life support’ and sources told CNN he was considering resuming attacks, with diplomacy held to an impasse.
Turkey opposes 'weaponisation' of the Strait of Hormuz
12:15 , James ReynoldsTurkey supports the push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, foreign minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday, adding the channel should not be used as a "weapon" during the Iran war.
Speaking at a press conference in Doha alongside his Qatari counterpart, Fidan also said Ankara was contributing to efforts led by Pakistan to find a negotiated end to war between Iran and the United States.
The three issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
12:00 , James ReynoldsThe war in Iran looked at risk of escalation again as Donald Trump dismissed Tehran’s latest peace proposal over the weekend, undermining hopes the 10-week-old conflict would end soon.
“I don’t like it -- TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE,” the US president wrote on social media to end a week of cautious diplomacy around a new push to end the war.
The latest Iranian response, sent to mediator Pakistan on Sunday, focused on ending the double blockade around the Strait of Hormuz, lifting American sanctions and drafting guarantees to end the war permanently.
With no clear end to the war in sight, The Independent reviews the key sticking points still blocking a peace deal.
The three issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
In pictures: Smoke billows after Israeli airstrike hits Lebanese village
11:31 , James Reynolds
Four 'affiliated with IRGC' arrested trying to enter Kuwait
11:25 , James ReynoldsKuwait's interior ministry said on Tuesday it had arrested four infiltrators affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards after they attempted to enter the Gulf state by sea, according to the state news agency KUNA.
The ministry added that one member of Kuwait's armed forces was injured in clashes with the infiltrators.
Comment: A humiliated Trump will be played by China
11:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump will arrive in China exasperated that he has achieved none of his war aims in Iran – something President Xi will use to his advantage, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
BRICS foreign ministers to meet this week
10:54 , James ReynoldsIndia’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that foreign ministers of the 11 BRICS nations - which include Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - will meet in New Delhi on Thursday and Friday.
US envoy says Israel sent Iron Dome battery, personnel to UAE
10:27 , James ReynoldsUS Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday that Israel had sent an Iron Dome battery and personnel to operate the air defence system to the United Arab Emirates.
Huckabee was speaking at an event in Tel Aviv.
Britain and France to host meeting on the Strait of Hormuz
10:15 , James ReynoldsBritain and France are expected to hold a new meeting on reopening the Strait of Hormuz with partners on Tuesday, despite the lull in diplomacy aimed at ending the war.
Coalition partners are expected to outline the military contributions they can make to safeguard the strait once the conflict ends.
John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin will chair the session together.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the timing of the meeting “doesn’t make sense”, however.
Iran also warned Britain and France against getting involved in policing the strait.
"Any deployment and stationing of destroyers around the Strait of Hormuz, under the pretext of 'protecting shipping', is nothing but an escalation of the crisis,” said Kazem Gharibabadi, the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, on social media.
Recap: Trump ‘considering military action’ after calling Tehran’s proposal ‘garbage’
10:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump is considering resuming attacks on Iran after negotiations between the countries appear to have hit a deadlock, CNN has reported.
The US president has grown increasingly frustrated with the Iranians during peace talks, sources told the outlet. Earlier in the day, he warned that a US-Iran ceasefire is now “on life support”.
He said that the agreement is now “unbelievably weak”, adding that it’s “the weakest right now after reading a piece of garbage they sent us”.
Trump “didn’t even finish reading” Tehran’s latest proposal, he said. “Am I going to waste my time reading it? I would say it's one of the weakest right now. It's on life support ... I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support.”
Iran hit back earlier after previous comments by Trump, calling their suggestions “totally unacceptable”.
Recap: Trump says Iran ceasefire is on 'massive life support'
09:26 , James ReynoldsIran could enrich uranium more if attacked, threatens lawmaker
09:00 , James ReynoldsIran could enrich uranium up to 90% purity, a level considered weapons-grade, if the country is attacked once more, parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei said on Tuesday.
"One of Iran's options in the event of another attack could be 90 percent enrichment. We will review it in the parliament," Rezaei posted on X.
Pakistan to increase oil imports from Russia
08:45 , James ReynoldsPakistan plans to increase oil imports from Russia amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported, citing Pakistan's ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi.
US issues new sanctions over Iran's oil shipments to China
08:28 , Alex CroftThe Trump administration has announced sanctions against three people and nine companies, including four based in Hong Kong and four in the United Arab Emirates, for aiding Iran's shipment of oil to China. The ninth company is based in Oman.
The US Treasury move follows sanctions announced on Friday on individuals and companies aiding Iranian purchases of weapons and components used to make drones and ballistic missiles.
It comes days before US president Donald Trump's planned meeting with Xi Jinping, where he is expected to press the Chinese leader to help resolve the standoff with Iran and reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Treasury said the new designations by the Office of Foreign Assets Control were aimed at individuals and entities that helped Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sell and ship its allotment of Iranian oil to China using a series of front companies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would keep using sanctions to deprive the Iranian government and military of funding for weapons, its nuclear program or support for proxies in the region.
“Treasury will continue to cut the Iranian regime off from the financial networks it uses to carry out terrorist acts and to destabilize the global economy,” Bessent said.
Trump says Iran ceasefire is on 'massive life support' - ICYMI
08:12 , Alex CroftRecap: What happened overnight?
07:52 , Alex CroftAs night fell over Europe and the Middle East, US president Donald Trump was still speaking about Iran’s proposals to end the war that began more than two months ago.
Tehran’s response to a US proposal for a peace deal threatened the status of a ceasefire that began on 7 April, Trump said.
"I would call it the weakest right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us. I didn't even finish reading it," Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to end the ceasefire, told reporters.
The US had proposed an end to fighting before starting talks on more contentious issues, including Iran's nuclear program.
The US also imposed new sanctions on individuals and companies on Monday that it said were helping Iran ship oil to China, part of efforts to cut off funding for Tehran’s military and nuclear programs, while also warning banks about attempts to evade existing curbs.
And oil prices rose again, with Brent crude oil climbing above $104.50 a barrel, as the deadlock left the Strait of Hormuz largely closed.
Iran could enrich uranium to weapons grade if attacked, lawmaker warns
07:46 , Alex CroftWe’ve just heard from Ebrahim Rezaei, Iran’s parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission spokesperson, on X.
He says Iran could enrich uranium up to 90 per cent purity, a level considered weapons-grade, if the country is attacked once more.
"One of Iran's options in the event of another attack could be 90 percent enrichment. We will review it in the parliament," Rezaei posted.
The threat comes amid fears growing fears that a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran could collapse.
یکی از گزینههای ایران در صورت حمله مجدد میتواند غنیسازی ۹۰ درصد باشد. در مجلس بررسی میکنیم.
— ابراهیم رضایی (@EbrahimRezaei14) May 12, 2026
Trump 'considering resumption of military action' - report
07:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump is more seriously considering a resumption of major combat operations in Iran, CNN reported citing sources.
The US president has grown increasingly frustrated with how the Iranians are handling negotiations to end the war, the report said.
Yesterday, Trump said the fragile ceasefire with Iran was on “massive life support” after negotiations hit a deadlock.
He told reporters that the agreement is now “unbelievably weak”, adding that it’s “the weakest right now after reading a piece of garbage they sent us".
Urance and UK to host Hormuz meeting
07:16 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarFrench defence minister Catherine Vautrin and her British counterpart John Healey will co-chair a multinational meeting on military plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The coalition partners are expected to outline the military contributions they can make to the defensive mission to safeguard the strait in the future.
The UK has already announced the deployment of HMS Dragon to the region so the destroyer can play a role in the multinational mission, should the conditions allow.
Iran executes man linked to Baloch militant group
06:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran has executed a member of the Sunni militant group Ansar al-Furqan active in the country's southeastern province of Sistan Baluchestan, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
The defendant, named Abdoljalil Shahbakhsh, was convicted on charges including armed rebellion against security forces and membership in a terrorist group, with the death sentence upheld by the supreme court.
Iran says it has deployed mini submarines
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran says it has deployed small submarines to act as an “invisible guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz amid a series of rejected peace deals between Tehran and the US.
The Islamic Republic has at least 16 of the Ghadir-class midget submarines, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Each has a crew of fewer than 10 people and can carry either two torpedoes or two Chinese-designed C-704 anti-ship cruise missiles.
But they are noisy compared with most modern submarines, according to a person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Their crews also have limited experience and the vessels are known to have maintenance issues, the person said.
Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas is transported, since the US and Israel first attacked on 28 February.
Its decision to deploy the mini submarines, reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, came as US president Donald Trump told Fox News he was considering a revival of a plan to use the US military to escort ships.
New Israeli law sets military tribunal for Hamas
05:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsrael's parliament passed a law last night establishing a military tribunal to try hundreds of Palestinian militants who took part in the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, a step lawmakers said would help heal national trauma.
At least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in a surprise attack by Hamas on 7 October.
Israel responded by launching an assault on Gaza that killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and displaced millions of people.
Israel has been holding an estimated 200-300 fighters - the precise number is classified - captured in Israel during the attack, who have not yet been charged.
The special military court established by the law, to be presided over by a three-judge panel in Jerusalem, could also try others captured later in Gaza and suspected of participating in the attack, or of having held or abused Israeli hostages.
The new law was backed by a wide majority of 93 of the Knesset's 120 lawmakers, in a rare show of Israeli political unity.
Rubio discusses Iran, Strait of Hormuz with UK and Australia
05:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS secretary of state Marco Rubio held separate calls with his Australian and British counterparts on Monday to discuss Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, the state department said.
Rubio discussed "Iran and ongoing efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," the state department said in separate statements after his calls with Australian foreign minister Penny Wong and British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper.
Iran executes graduate accused of spying for CIA and Mossad
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran has executed a man the regime accused of spying for both the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad intelligence service.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said Erfan Shakourzadeh had worked at a scientific organisation involved in satellite activities and had shared classified scientific information with foreign intelligence services.
Shakourzadeh, a 29-year-old aerospace engineering graduate, was arrested in 2025 and was forced into his confession, according to rights group, Iran Human Rights Society.
More here.
Israel continues to bomb Lebanon
04:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
UAE has been secretly carrying out attacks on Iran - report
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe UAE has carried out military strikes on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The strikes, which the UAE has not publicly acknowledged, included an attack on a refinery on Iran's Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, WSJ said, adding that the attack took place in early April.
Iran acknowledged at the time that the site had been attacked by an unspecified enemy, then responded by firing missiles and drones on the UAE and Kuwait, the report found.
Trump calls his Iran plan ‘military genius’
04:35 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump has hailed the ongoing US war with Iran as an example of his “military genius” and claimed the US has no shortages of key ammunition to throw at the war effort even as he described the shaky ceasefire with Tehran as “on life support.”
Trump made the boastful comments during an event billed as a discussion on new administration programs to support maternal health which turned into an impromptu Oval Office press conference.
Asked by a reporter why he had rejected an Iranian truce proposal as “unacceptable” a day earlier, Trump did not answer directly and instead riffed on media reports indicating that he is feeling cornered with few options more than two months after he started the war that has upended the global economy and sent gasoline prices skyrocketing.
More here.
Trump calls his Iran plan ‘military genius’ in rant as ceasefire ‘on life support’
Trump says Iran ceasefire on 'life support'
04:33 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump has said the Iran ceasefire is on “life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest proposal, which officials said included some nuclear concessions. Trump also proposed suspending the federal gas tax to help with higher fuel prices caused by the war.
The stalled diplomacy and recent exchanges of fire could tip the Middle East back into open warfare and prolong the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict. Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil and gas shipments, and America is blockading Iranian ports.
Asked at the White House if the ceasefire was still in effect, Trump said it’s on “life support".
“I would call it the weakest right now after reading that piece of garbage they sent us,” Trump added. “I didn’t even finish reading it.”
Oil prices rise as ceasefire appears to collapse
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices rose in early Asian trade this morning as negotiations to end the war between the US and Iran appeared fragile, with Tehran’s response to a US proposal highlighting stark differences that kept supply concerns alive.
Brent crude futures were up 30 cents, or 0.29 per cent, at $104.51 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate gained 31 cents, or 0.32 per cent, to $98.38.
"As long as the US-Iran negotiations remain inconclusive and physical flows through the Strait of Hormuz stay restricted, we should see prices holding above $100," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.
US issues new sanctions over Iran's oil shipments to China
04:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Trump administration has announced sanctions against three people and nine companies, including four based in Hong Kong and four in the United Arab Emirates, for aiding Iran's shipment of oil to China. The ninth company is based in Oman.
The US Treasury move follows sanctions announced on Friday on individuals and companies aiding Iranian purchases of weapons and components used to make drones and ballistic missiles.
It comes days before US president Donald Trump's planned meeting with Xi Jinping, where he is expected to press the Chinese leader to help resolve the standoff with Iran and reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Treasury said the new designations by the Office of Foreign Assets Control were aimed at individuals and entities that helped Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sell and ship its allotment of Iranian oil to China using a series of front companies.T
reasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would keep using sanctions to deprive the Iranian government and military of funding for weapons, its nuclear program or support for proxies in the region.
“Treasury will continue to cut the Iranian regime off from the financial networks it uses to carry out terrorist acts and to destabilize the global economy,” Bessent said.
Iran war briefing:
04:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar- US president Donald Trump has claimed the Iran ceasefire is on “life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest proposal, which officials said included some nuclear concessions
- Iran sent its response to the latest US proposal to end the Iran war via Pakistani mediators over the weekend, but Trump rejected it in a social media post as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!”
- The US government has imposed sanctions against three people and nine companies, including four based in Hong Kong and four in the United Arab Emirates, for aiding Iran's shipment of oil to China
- Oil prices rose in early Asian trade this morning as negotiations to end the war between the US and Iran appeared fragile
