Donald Trump said Washington did not need a ceasefire deal with Iran to get enriched uranium from the country as Hezbollah rejected a new ceasefire in Lebanon.
Trump also said that he did not want to meet with Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
"We could get it right now. I don't think they could stop us if we wanted, but there's no reason to. It's entombed," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
Oman has reportedly suspended oil loading operations at the Mina al Fahal terminal following an explosion near the facility. The blast occurred between the terminal's SBM 1 and SBM 2 single-buoy mooring berths and was allegedly caused by a drone attack, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Iran-backed Hezbollah on Thursday rejected a new US-brokered ceasefire proposal in Lebanon, saying the group was not involved in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Israel continued strikes in southern Lebanon, with defence minister Israel Katz saying military operations would continue and troops would not withdraw.
Key Points
- Trump says he does not need deal with Iran to get enriched uranium
- Oman suspends oil loading at Mina al Fahal terminal following explosion, sources say
- Hezbollah rejects ceasefire as Israel vows to keep troops in Lebanon
- UN nuclear watchdog says it's been unable to inspect Iranian facilities
Oil executives warn Trump that Iran war will cause gas prices to spike within weeks due to dwindling supplies: report
06:53 , Shweta Sharma
Several oil industry executives have reportedly privately warned the White House that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is straining global oil inventories and could lead to gas price spikes in the coming weeks.
For more than three months, Americans have been forced to confront high gas prices as a result of President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. The conflict has disrupted global oil production because Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 34 percent of the world’s oil passes.
But executives from unidentified oil companies have warned senior administration officials in recent weeks that they’re concerned prices could rise further as a result of diminishing oil supplies, four executives told Politico.
Oil execs warn Trump that gas prices could spike due to dwindling supplies: report
US urges caution across Middle East amid regional tensions
06:38 , Shweta Sharma
The US State Department has urged Americans across the Middle East to remain cautious as tensions continue in the region.
In an advisory issued Thursday, the department said the security environment remains volatile and can change rapidly, encouraging US citizens to closely monitor news developments.
The warning comes despite secretary of state Marco Rubio saying the conflict with Iran is "over", as the two sides continue to exchange attacks.
The alert says “due to high tensions in the region, the security environment remains complex and can change quickly.”
Iranian strikes on Kuwait on Wednesday reportedly killed one person and injured dozens.
The State Department said travel advisories for Bahrain, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain at Level 3, advising travellers to reconsider travel. Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Yemen remain under Level 4 "Do Not Travel" warnings.
US House rejects Lebanon war powers resolution
06:26 , Shweta Sharma
The US House of Representatives on Thursday voted 324-92 to reject a Lebanon war powers resolution introduced by Representative Rashida Tlaib.
The measure would have required the president to withdraw US armed forces from Lebanon within seven days of its adoption.
Democratic leaders opposed the resolution, saying there are currently no US troops engaged in combat operations or hostilities in Lebanon.
They instead backed a separate, narrower proposal from Tlaib that would prohibit US involvement in hostilities in Lebanon while allowing continued security cooperation with the Lebanese military and protection of diplomatic facilities.
“I am grateful to the 90 members of Congress who joined me and my sister-in-service Delia Ramirez in voting to put an end to US support for these war crimes and mass atrocities,” Tlaib said in a statement.
Tlaib added that “far too many of my colleagues continue to fail to recognise the humanity of the Lebanese people”.
“This fight is not over. The Lebanese people continue to be subjected to violent forced displacement, illegal military occupation, and deadly US-funded bombs.”
US boasts about 500 days of Trump's 'Golden Age' as Iran war drags on
06:11 , Shweta Sharma
The United States has boasted about 500 days of President Donald Trump's “Golden Age” as the Iran war drags on.
The war has caused gas prices to soar while Americans were already struggling with the cost of living.
Crossing 500 days of President Trump’s Golden Age this week. The best is yet to come 🇺🇸💪 pic.twitter.com/PmYkPYtXHJ
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 4, 2026
Trump says he does not need deal with Iran to get enriched uranium
05:59 , Shweta Sharma
At least 12 injured in Israel's strike in Lebanon's Tyre
05:51 , Shweta Sharma
Israel launched four missiles that struck near the Jabal Amel Hospital in Tyre, Lebanon, today.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said the strikes wounded 12 people and destroyed a bank building.
Rights groups say Iranian twin brothers sentenced to death for alleged spying
05:37 , Shweta Sharma
Two 20-year-old twin brothers have been sentenced to death in Iran on charges of spying for Israel, according to rights groups.
Iran Human Rights said Hassan and Hossein Amiri were convicted by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran. The group said Hassan was arrested in March after authorities allegedly found an image of a bombed site on his phone.
A source cited by the organisation claimed Hassan was tortured and forced to confess that his brother possessed additional images on a laptop, despite neither brother owning one.
Hossein, a car mechanic from Karaj, was arrested days later. Both men were subsequently transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison for interrogation.
Another rights group, HRANA, said prosecutors based the espionage case on images of damaged buildings allegedly found in the brothers' possession.
Hezbollah rejects ceasefire as Israel vows to keep troops in Lebanon
05:03 , Shweta Sharma
Iran-backed Hezbollah has rejected a new US-brokered ceasefire proposal in Lebanon, while Israel says it will not withdraw its forces or halt military operations.
The developments have complicated president Donald Trump's push for a broader regional peace deal.
Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any agreement with Washington and has warned it could intervene directly if Israeli attacks continue.
However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the proposed pact between Israel and the Lebanese government, saying the group was not involved in the negotiations.
Despite Trump saying he believed progress was being made and that Lebanon "deserved peace", Israel continued strikes in southern Lebanon.
Defence minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in the country, while a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Israel must at least return to positions held before the war began.
The US just had its highest number of people file for unemployment benefits since the Iran war started
05:00 , Matt Ott
Applications for unemployment benefits in the United States reached their highest level in four months last week, signaling growing economic uncertainty exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Iran, even as overall layoffs remain historically low.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that US applications for jobless aid for the week ending May 30 climbed by 13,000 to 225,000. This marks the highest figure since early February, prior to the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, though it still represents a historically low level. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had anticipated 211,000 new applications.
Read on...
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US employment benefit filings reach highest level since Iran war began
Oman suspends oil loading at Mina al Fahal terminal following explosion, sources say
04:21 , Shweta Sharma
An explosion near Oman's Mina al Fahal terminal has led to the suspension of oil loading, two people familiar with the matter said today.
The explosion happened near its single-buoy mooring (SBM) berths, between SBM 1 and 2 berths due to an alleged drone attack, they said.
It was not immediately clear when the attack took place.
Several supertankers were seen anchored off the port on Friday, shipping data from LSEG showed.
The terminal could not be immediately reached for comment outside office hours.
Iranian state media on Wednesday reported that Tehran targeted a US military ship hosting a "control and command center" while it was approaching Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, which the US Central Command has denied.
Trump says he does not need deal with Iran to get enriched uranium
04:20 , Shweta Sharma
US president Donald Trump on Thursday said that Washington did not need a deal with Iran to get enriched uranium from the country.
"We could get it right now. I don't think they could stop us if we wanted, but there's no reason to. It's entombed," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
Trump also said that he did not want to meet with Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
But he added that if Washington and Tehran reached a deal, it was possible that the two would meet and added: "If it happened ... I'd be respectful".
Watch: Trump claims US military 'wants to' wipe out' all of Iran and is 'ready to do it'
04:00 , Rachel Dobkin
UN nuclear watchdog says it's been unable to inspect Iranian facilities
03:47 , Shweta Sharma
The UN nuclear watchdog has been unable to inspect nuclear facilities in Iran affected by the war last June, according to a confidential report by the UN nuclear watchdog circulated to member states and seen Thursday by The Associated Press.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that it "cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran or whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities.
"The IAEA warned that it was "unable to discharge its safeguards responsibilities" that it has under the Safeguards Agreement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding that it is "indispensable and urgent" for Tehran to implement its obligations under that Treaty.
The only nuclear facility inspected in Iran by IAEA inspectors since the last report in February has been the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was visited on June 1-3.
The reactor currently running at Bushehr uses uranium from Russia enriched to 4.5 per cent, a low level needed for power generation in such plants.
The confidential report comes as tensions have flared in the Middle East.
Oil execs warn Trump that Iran war will cause gas prices to spike within weeks due to dwindling supplies: report
03:00 , Ariana Baio
Several oil industry executives have reportedly privately warned the White House that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is straining global oil inventories and could lead to gas price spikes in the coming weeks.
For more than three months, Americans have been forced to confront high gas prices as a result of US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. The conflict has disrupted global oil production because Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 34 percent of the world’s oil passes.
But executives from unidentified oil companies have warned senior administration officials in recent weeks that they’re concerned prices could rise further as a result of diminishing oil supplies, four executives told Politico.
“We’re at dangerously low levels already”, one unnamed industry executive told Politico. “We have shared those concerns at the highest levels of government about what’s coming in mid-to-late June … I hope they are paying attention to inventories right now. You’re hitting tank bottom”.
A White House official denied Politico’s reporting, claiming oil executives have not spoken with senior officials on oil reserve issues.
Read on...
Oil execs warn Trump that gas prices could spike due to dwindling supplies: report
US boasts about 500 days of Trump's 'Golden Age' as Iran war drags on
02:00 , Rachel Dobkin
The United States has boasted about 500 days of President Donald Trump's “Golden Age” as the Iran war drags on.
The war has caused gas prices to soar while Americans were already struggling with the cost of living.
Crossing 500 days of President Trump’s Golden Age this week. The best is yet to come 🇺🇸💪 pic.twitter.com/PmYkPYtXHJ
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 4, 2026
US military shares photos of space forces that hold 'the ultimate high ground across the Middle East '
01:00 , Rachel Dobkin
U.S. Space Forces Central, CENTCOM's space component, holds the ultimate high ground across the Middle East as America's warfighters execute missions in support of regional security and stability. Space Force has offensive and defensive capabilities ready to be employed 24/7.… pic.twitter.com/81qX1Ah0gW
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 4, 2026
More than 3,500 people killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon
Friday 5 June 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
About 3,526 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
Latest figures show 10,733 people have been wounded and more than a million people displaced.
Inflation and ICE fears threaten to dampen World Cup economic benefits in US
Thursday 4 June 2026 23:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
When the U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994, the event drew unexpectedly large crowds. At that time, soccer wasn’t as popular among Americans as it is now, so expectations for attendance had been fairly low.
So as the U.S. prepared to host the World Cup again in 2026, expectations for tourism were high.
But in the run-up to this year’s World Cup, the ongoing war in Iran has resulted in soaring inflation and high fuel prices, neither of which bodes well for tourism or event attendance.
Read more here:
Inflation and ICE fears threaten to dampen World Cup economic benefits
Watch: Kuwait releases footage of 'brutal Iranian drone attack' on airport terminal
Thursday 4 June 2026 23:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Trump rants about ‘grandstanding’ Republicans after they vote to block him striking Iran
Thursday 4 June 2026 22:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
President Donald Trump has ranted about “grandstanding” Republicans after the House of Representatives voted to block strikes on Iran on Wednesday.
“Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers, right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
“Who would do such an unpatriotic thing. They know where the negotiations stand. The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome. They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that’s a whole other story - They’re GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves. MAGA!!! President DJT”.
Trump says he is not Mojtaba Khamenei’s 'favourite person'
Thursday 4 June 2026 22:18 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has admitted he is probably not Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei’s, “favourite person”.
It comes after the US president said although he didn’t want to meet him he would be “honoured” if he did.
Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei - Mojtaba's father - was among those killed in the strikes, while Mojtaba himself was thought to have been seriously injured.
Trump said: "I would say I'm not his favourite person. But, that being said, he's probably a professional in some circles. He has a very good reputation, actually."
Trump says he would be 'honoured' to meet Iran's supreme leader
Thursday 4 June 2026 22:13 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has said if he did meet Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei he would be “honoured”.
"I don't want to meet. But if I did meet, I'd be honoured to meet him," the US president said.
"But if we make a deal, it's possible that I would meet him. I'd be okay with that."
Trump added that he is unsure if he would host the supreme leader in the US, but adds he would "be respectful".
Trump insists US will 'win' and wrap up the conflict in Iran
Thursday 4 June 2026 22:02 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump reiterated that he’s certain his administration is on track to successfully wrap up the conflict.
“We're going to win one way or another,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
It comes as a series of strikes by the US and Iran this week has raised fresh concerns that the ceasefire could collapse.
How Iran’s ‘bazaar style’ negotiation tactic is stalling deal discussions to its benefit
Thursday 4 June 2026 22:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Negotiations between the US and Iran over an end to the war on the country have been languishing in a stalemate for weeks as both sides remain intransigent about key issues including nuclear development and the situation in Lebanon.
The US is insistent that Tehran surrender its right to ever develop highly enriched uranium and appears to have been manoeuvring to install a government more sympathetic to Western interests.
Read more here by Maira Butt:
How Iran’s ‘bazaar style’ negotiation tactic is stalling deal discussions
Trump says he does not need deal with Iran to get enriched uranium
Thursday 4 June 2026 21:58 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump told reporters that Washington did not need a deal with Iran to get enriched uranium from the country.
But he added that if Washington and Tehran reached a deal, it was possible that the two would meet and added: "If it happened ... I'd be respectful".
"We could get it right now. I don't think they could stop us if we wanted, but there's no reason to. It's entombed," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
Trump also said that he did not want to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Trump responds to Hezbollah rejecting the new ceasefire agreement
Thursday 4 June 2026 21:23 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has responded to Hezbollah rejecting the new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon and insisting "resistance will continue".
Speaking to a reporter in the Oval Office he said: "They didn't reject me.”
"I will tell you, they called us and they said, 'How about stopping?'
"I think you're going to see things happen over there."
Watch: Video released by Iranian military shows missiles and drones launched in new exchange of fire
Thursday 4 June 2026 21:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Trump spins ‘meaningless, unpatriotic’ Iran war powers rebuke after House Republicans revolt against his authority
Thursday 4 June 2026 20:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed Congress’ efforts to restrain him from launching new attacks against Iran without their approval and said he wasn’t concerned about the Senate joining the House of Representatives in adopting a resolution invoking the 1973 War Powers Act against him.
In a brief phone interview with The Independent, Trump said he was “not concerned” about the legislation to rein him in following a close House of Representatives vote to do the same a day earlier.
“It's a meaningless, unpatriotic waste of time, very unpatriotic to do, but that's okay — it means nothing,” he said.
Read more here by Andrew Feinberg:
Trump spins ‘meaningless, unpatriotic’ Iran war powers rebuke after House GOP revolt
UN peacekeeper in Lebanon is seventh killed in the country since March
Thursday 4 June 2026 20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
A Serbian UN peacekeeper in Lebanon died from wounds sustained when mortar shells hit his position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon.
He is the seventh peacekeeper killed in the country since March.
The UN said two other peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were wounded in the incident, one from El Salvador and the other from Spain.
The soldier killed was Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic of Serbia's 27th Mechanized Battalion, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news briefing at UN headquarters in New York.
He said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing of Jovanovic, who would have turned 37 on Saturday.
He was married, with a son and a daughter, and was on his first peacekeeping deployment.
"We reiterate that attacks on peacekeepers must stop," Dujarric said. "They are grave violations of international humanitarian law and ... may amount to war crimes."
"Those responsible must be held to account," Dujarric said.
Pictured: Thousands gathered in Tehran to commemorate Eid al-Ghadir
Thursday 4 June 2026 19:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Watch: Trump claims US military 'wants to' wipe out' all of Iran and is 'ready to do it'
Thursday 4 June 2026 19:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
EU to send €100m to support the Lebanese Armed Forces
Thursday 4 June 2026 18:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
The European Union is set to send €100m to reinforce the Lebanese Armed Forces, as it operates in the fragile ceasefire.
The funding, announced by the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, is drawn from the European Peace Facility.
“The best way to reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah is to strengthen the Lebanese state, empower its institutions, and restore its monopoly on the use of force,” Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.
The latest ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon offers a chance to prevent a return to full-scale hostilities.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 4, 2026
But the death of a UNIFIL peacekeeper and continued skirmishes underscore the tenuous nature of what was agreed.
The best way to reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah…
Major US city tacks on surcharge for taxi rides amid fuel cost rises driven by Iran War
Thursday 4 June 2026 18:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Chicago taxi riders will now see higher fares thanks to a new fuel surcharge to help drivers offset rising gas prices amid the war in Iran.
The temporary Taxi Fuel Surcharge Fee took effect in Chicago Monday and applies to all licensed taxi rides, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection revealed in a news release. It is based on the pre-tax meter fare and increases depending on the cost of the trip.
For shorter rides with a meter fare under $20, passengers will pay an additional $1. Trips ranging from $20.01 to $40 will include a $2 surcharge, while longer or more expensive rides above $40 will carry a $3 fee.
Read more here by Erin Keller In Ohio:
Chicago cabs just got more expensive thanks to the war in Iran
More than 3,500 people killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon
Thursday 4 June 2026 17:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
About 3,526 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
Latest figures show 10,733 people have been wounded and more than a million people displaced.
Hezbollah rejects new ceasefire in Lebanon
Thursday 4 June 2026 17:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The pro-Iran Hezbollah movement has rejected a new ceasefire in Lebanon and Israel said it would not withdraw troops from the country, undermining US President Donald Trump's efforts to halt fighting there to forge peace with Tehran.
Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any peace deal with Washington, and has suggested in recent days that it could intervene directly in support of its proxy Hezbollah if Israel keeps up or escalates attacks there.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the ceasefire would come into force within 24 hours of all concerned parties approving it. However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the Washington declaration, insisting "resistance will continue".
Watch: Kuwait releases footage of 'brutal Iranian drone attack' on airport terminal
Thursday 4 June 2026 16:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Oil execs warn Trump that Iran war will cause gas prices to spike within weeks due to dwindling supplies: report
Thursday 4 June 2026 16:00 , Maira Butt
Several oil industry executives have reportedly privately warned the White House that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is straining global oil inventories and could lead to gas price spikes in the coming weeks.
For more than three months, Americans have been forced to confront high gas prices as a result of President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. The conflict has disrupted global oil production because Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 34 percent of the world’s oil passes.
But executives from unidentified oil companies have warned senior administration officials in recent weeks that they’re concerned prices could rise further as a result of diminishing oil supplies, four executives told Politico.
Oil execs warn Trump that gas prices could spike due to dwindling supplies: report
Exclusive: Trump spins ‘meaningless, unpatriotic’ Iran war powers rebuke after House Republicans revolt against his authority
Thursday 4 June 2026 15:30 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed Congress’ efforts to restrain him from launching new attacks against Iran without their approval and said he wasn’t concerned about the Senate joining the House of Representatives in adopting a resolution invoking the 1973 War Powers Act against him.
In a brief phone interview with The Independent, Trump said he was “not concerned” about the legislation to rein him in following a close House of Representatives vote to do the same a day earlier.
“It's a meaningless, unpatriotic waste of time, very unpatriotic to do, but that's okay — it means nothing,” he said.
Trump spins ‘meaningless, unpatriotic’ Iran war powers rebuke after House GOP revolt
Marjane Satrapi, Iranian-French cartoonist and filmmaker behind Persepolis, ‘dies of sadness’ aged 56
Thursday 4 June 2026 15:00 , Maira Butt
Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French cartoonist and filmmaker behind the 2007 drama Persepolis, has died at the age of 56.
In a statement, the French presidency hailed her passing as “the loss of a leading figure of French culture and an artist devoted to freedom, whose work carried a universal message and earned her immense international acclaim”.
President Emmanuel Macron and his wife also paid tribute, saying that she was “a remarkable artist who transformed an Iranian childhood into a universal fable”.
Filmmaker behind Persepolis ‘dies of sadness’ aged 56
Watch: Trump claims US military 'wants to' wipe out' all of Iran and is 'ready to do it'
Thursday 4 June 2026 14:30 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Aftermath of Israeli strikes on Lebanon
Thursday 4 June 2026 14:00 , Maira Butt
House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers
Thursday 4 June 2026 13:30 , Maira Butt
Republicans joined Democrats in the US House of Representatives to pass a resolution limiting Donald Trump's war powers. The resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, but still needs approval from the Republican-controlled Senate. The vote is largely symbolic and is likely to be ignored by the White House.
Read the full story below:
House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers
