Donald Trump has said he faces a “big decision” on how to proceed with the Iran war, in his first remarks since a UN report said two US strikes in February may have amounted to war crimes.
The president has yet to respond directly to the UN report, but in an interview with Axios he said: “I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them [the Iranian regime] or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me.”
Earlier, the UN fact-finding mission to Iran said the US struck a school in Iran “while being aware of a substantial risk of striking a civilian object”.
One of the strikes targeted a primary school in Minab, where more than 150 people were reportedly killed, including about 120 children, and another hit a sports centre in Lamerd that killed or injured 22 civilians.
The report, which also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their deadly crackdown on anti-government protests, will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Read MoreThe Iran war is driving clean energy development. It's not enough to help the planet, yet
Houthi rebels accused of targeting Mecca with drone as Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’
Key Points
- Trump says he faces 'big decision' on whether to resume major attacks on Iran
- UN experts level explosive war crimes accusation at US over Trump’s Iran strikes
- Iran’s national security chief says ‘no trust whatsoever’ in US
- China presses Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal, report says
- Netanyahu says Iran's desire to 'destroy' Israel has not disappeared
Iranian vice president apologises to public for economic hardship
07:30 , Stuti MishraIran’s vice president Mohammad Reza Aref has apologised to the public of the country for the economic hardship inflicted by the war with the US and Israel, saying the government is “ashamed”.
"We really apologise to the people," Aref said.
"We are ashamed that today the income and expenses of our dear people, especially wage earners, do not balance."
Iran’s national security chief says ‘no trust whatsoever’ in US
07:00 , Stuti MishraIran’s national security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said that Tehran has no trust in the United States, urging Washington to take practical steps to rebuild confidence.
He said Iran had “no trust whatsoever” in the United States.
This comes as Donald Trump told reporters that the US is “hopefully toward the end” of its war with Iran, adding that he has spoken with Tehran “directly”.
US approves visas for Iranian leaders to attend UN meeting despite war stalemate
06:30 , Stuti MishraThe Trump administration has granted entry visas to key Iranian figures, including the country's president and foreign minister, enabling them to attend next week’s UN General Assembly high-level sessions in New York despite an ongoing conflict between the two nations.
On Thursday, the State Department confirmed that visas had been issued for Iran’s core delegation and essential support staff. According to US officials speaking on condition of anonymity due to visa privacy laws, the main delegation features President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The decision comes amidst an extraordinary backdrop of a military stalemate lasting over six months, with no immediate indications of progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz or resuming diplomatic talks regarding Iran's nuclear program.
Read more:
US approves visas for Iranian leaders to attend UN meeting despite war stalemate
Watch: Trump says Iran conflict ‘hopefully’ nearing end and claims to be in direct talks with Tehran
06:00 , Stuti MishraRussia and China end mandate for independent monitoring of UN sanctions on Iran
05:30 , Stuti MishraRussia and China have ended a United Nations Security Council mandate for the independent monitoring of international sanctions on Iran, reviving their argument that all UN measures on Tehran had been removed under a nuclear deal with world powers.
All UN sanctions on Iran were reimposed a year ago after France, Britain and Germany accused Tehran of violating the 2015 nuclear pact meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.
This included the return of an independent panel of experts to monitor and report to the 15-member Security Council on violations and recommend further action. However, the council has been operating without a panel of experts on Iran for the past year because it has been unable to agree on their appointment, a move that must be done by consensus.
Russia and China then vetoed on Thursday a resolution that would have extended the mandate for the independent monitoring of sanctions. Eleven council members voted in favour, while Pakistan and Somalia abstained.
"Without an independent panel of experts, this council loses its principal source of impartial, evidence-based reporting on sanctions violations, creating a monitoring gap that only benefits the Iranian regime and those who profit from evading those measures," deputy US ambassador Jennifer Locetta told the council after the vote.
Trump says he faces 'big decision' on whether to resume major attacks on Iran
04:55 , Stuti MishraUS president Donald Trump said he is approaching a decision on whether to restart large-scale military attacks on Iran in a bid to bring the war to a close.
"I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me," Mr Trump told Axios.
The comments come ahead of a planned meeting on Tuesday with leaders from six Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Mr Trump said he wanted to hear directly from regional allies about the war's next steps before deciding whether to resume major combat operations, for which he would need their backing.
"I want to find out where they are and how they are doing. We have been very protective of them," he said.
China presses Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal, report says
04:30 , Stuti MishraChina has privately asked Tehran to help rein in Yemen's Houthis after an appeal to Beijing by Saudi Arabia, Reuters has reported quoting three Iranian sources familiar with the matter.
Riyadh turned to China for help after the Houthis made rapid advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, moves that have left Saudi oil exports and shipping more exposed, the sources said.
China has publicly called for restraint, dialogue and the restoration of safe navigation, but its private message went further than the public statements, they said.
Beijing wants Iran to use its influence with the Houthis to help prevent the conflict spreading further across energy routes on which China, the world's second-largest economy, depends.
The sources, who were briefed on the discussions and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide details of how the message was delivered or whether it was conveyed during a visit to China on Wednesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the news agency reported.
US clears way for $24.3bn fighter jet sale to Saudi Arabia
03:55 , Stuti MishraThe US state department says it has approved the sale of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom is drawn deeper into war in the Middle East.
A sale would mark a significant policy shift from the US, potentially altering the balance of military power in the Middle East and testing Washington's definition of maintaining its ally Israel's "qualitative military edge."
Saudi Arabia made a direct appeal for the jets in early 2025 to US president Donald Trump and has long been interested in Lockheed Martin's fighter.
The estimated $24.3bn sale, which still needs congressional approval, would include 48 of the military aircraft and 49 Pratt & Whitney engines along with communications equipment, spare parts and other support items, the state department said.
Washington weighs weapons sales to the Middle East in a way that ensures Israel gets more advanced US weapons than regional Arab states.
The Saudi embassy in Washington welcomed the proposed sale, describing it as a further step in defence cooperation between the two countries.
"The proposed F-35 sale reflects the strength and enduring nature of the Saudi-US strategic partnership and the continued advancement of our defence cooperation," the embassy said on X.
The proposed F-35 sale reflects the strength and enduring nature of the Saudi-U.S. strategic partnership and the continued advancement of our defense cooperation.
— Saudi Embassy USA (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) September 18, 2026
For decades, Saudi-U.S. security cooperation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective… https://t.co/IOurlYEcbl
South Korea says no decision made on military deployment to Strait of Hormuz
03:00 , Alex CroftSouth Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun said on Thursday that no decision had been made on any military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.
Cho was speaking to reporters before departing for Washington, where he is due to hold talks with US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
Earlier this month, it was reported that South Korea was considering deploying military assets to the Strait of Hormuz as it faced growing pressure from the US to do more in the Middle East.
Later, Seoul said that the military deployment was an option but clarified that nothing had been decided yet.
US Air Force officer recalls 'free-falling' to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran
01:30 , Alex CroftUS military helping to keep Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping, Centcom says
Friday 18 September 2026 00:01 , Alex CroftDespite an ongoing blockade of Iranian maritime trade and attacks by Iran’s military on commercial ships, the US military has said its forces have kept the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping.
The US also claimed that they are helping facilitate the movement of hundreds of millions of barrels of oil through the strategic waterway.
On Wednesday, US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said traffic through the strait “continues to flow”, rejecting suggestions that Iran controls the waterway.
“Since early May, we have assisted commercial vessels moving more than 900 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz to the global energy market,” Hawkins told Al Jazeera.
The US and Iran have continued to make competing claims over who has greater control of the critical Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
Building collapse in Gaza kills 16 as perilous conditions persist - ICYMI
Thursday 17 September 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsA building housing half a dozen families gave out in Gaza City overnight into Wednesday, killing sixteen people as they slept and leaving rescuers digging through rubble for dozens more who'd been sheltering inside the structure.
The sudden collapse of the building, which was known to be unstable due to damage from Israeli strikes earlier in the war, underscored how perilous and desperate living conditions have grown for the majority of the enclave’s population as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas stalls.
The sixteen dead include at least twelve women and children, according to Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry. The toll was expected to rise as more bodies were recovered from the wreckage.
Building collapse in Gaza kills at least 21 seeking shelter inside
Tanker reports skiff pursuit, says UKMTO
Thursday 17 September 2026 22:00 , Alex CroftA westbound tanker had reported a skiff pursued and attempted to intercept it, 75 nautical miles east of Yemen's Aden, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday
Authorities were investigating the incident, UKMTO added.
US announces sanctions on crypto exchange it says linked to Hormuz payments
Thursday 17 September 2026 21:01 , Alex CroftThe US has announced sanctions on an Iranian cryptocurrency exchange controlled by the sanctioned financier Babak Zanjani on Thursday, according to the Reuters news agency.
Washington accused it of processing payments received for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Treasury said BitBank had routed hundreds of millions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and described the exchange as a key component in Iran’s digital assets-based sanctions-evasion infrastructure. The exchange was used to transfer funds paid to Iran's newly established Hormuz Safe Marine Services Authority, Treasury said in a statement.
Zanjani has long been a key figure in Iran’s sanctions-evasion networks. He was sentenced to death by Iranian authorities in 2016 for embezzlement. His sentence was commuted in 2024. The following year he re-emerged as a backer of Iranian government economic projects.
The designation is part of Treasury's “Operation Economic Outcast” intended to isolate Iran economically and disrupt Iran's global financial, commercial and logistical networks, according to the statement. The strategy has targeted Iran’s illicit oil trade, financial intermediaries, exchange houses and shipping, aviation and front companies.
Watch: Trump says high cost of gas is 'a very inexpensive priceto pay' for Iran war
Thursday 17 September 2026 20:00 , Alex CroftIranian vice president apologises to public for economic hardship
Thursday 17 September 2026 19:00 , Maira ButtIran’s vice president Mohammad Reza Aref has apologised to the public of the country for the economic hardship inflicted by the war with the US and Israel, saying the government is “ashamed”.
"We really apologise to the people," Aref said.
"We are ashamed that today the income and expenses of our dear people, especially wage earners, do not balance."
Iran’s national security chief says ‘no trust whatsoever’ in US
Thursday 17 September 2026 18:00 , Maira ButtIran’s national security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said that Tehran has no trust in the United States, urging Washington to take practical steps to rebuild confidence.
He said Iran had “no trust whatsoever” in the United States.
This comes as Donald Trump told reporters that the US is “hopefully toward the end” of its war with Iran, adding that he has spoken with Tehran “directly”.
The Iran war is driving clean energy development. It's not enough to help the planet, yet
Thursday 17 September 2026 17:00 , Maira ButtCountries are embracing clean power and taking steps to use less energy because of the war against Iran, but it is not yet enough to help address climate change.
When the U.S. and Israel launched the war in February, some backers of renewables opined it could drive a green transition as oil and gas prices spiked. So far, more than 30 governments have enacted policies to move away from fossil fuels or improve energy efficiency. Yet at the same time, global emissions of greenhouse gases increased slightly and investments in clean energy fell compared to the same period last year.
The Associated Press talked to a dozen experts who said that while the Iran war appears to be helping the adoption of clean energy, the world is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels. They said it will take more time for new policies to show results.
The Iran war is driving clean energy development. It's not enough to help the planet, yet
UN experts level explosive war crimes accusation at US over Trump’s Iran strikes
Thursday 17 September 2026 16:30 , Maira ButtThe United States has been accused of committing war crimes during two military strikes in Iran this year, including a devastating attack on a primary school which killed hundreds of children.
The two strikes being investigated resulted in the deaths of at least 178 civilians, including women and children, in February this year.
The killings of thousands of protestors across Iran were also documented in the report, in which at least 221 children were reportedly killed, some as young as two years old.
UN experts level explosive war crimes accusation at US over Trump’s Iran strikes
Watch: Trump says Iran conflict ‘hopefully’ nearing end and claims to be in direct talks with Tehran
Thursday 17 September 2026 16:00 , Maira ButtChina asked Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi Arabia appeal, sources tell Reuters
Thursday 17 September 2026 15:30 , Maira ButtSaudi Arabia asked China to ask Iran to rein in the Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to three Iranian sources familiar with the matter who told Reuters.
China has publicly called for restraint but in private it apparently pushed harder in an effort to restore safe navigation after the group made advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Netanyahu says Iran's desire to 'destroy' Israel has not disappeared
Thursday 17 September 2026 15:00 , Maira ButtPrime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Iran and its proxies’ desire to “destroy the State of Israel” remains despite claims that the war has “severely damaged” its abilities to do so.
“The desire to destroy the State of Israel by Iran and its proxies has not disappeared. It has simply weakened,” he said.
“The ability to carry this out has essentially been severely damaged. We have done our duty, but there is still more work to complete, and we will complete it.”
Pakistan announces austerity measures to conserve fuel
Thursday 17 September 2026 14:30 , Maira ButtPakistan has announced austerity measures on Thursday in a bid to cut costs amid a fuel crisis caused by the Iran conflict affecting oil supplies in the Gulf.
The country said the measures would include a cut in fuel for official vehicles, bans on vehicle purchases by the state, foreign visits by officials, and official dinners, as part of a slew of austerity measures in a bid to conserve energy as fuel prices spike due to the Gulf conflict.
Iran sports centre was also hit in 'war crime', UN says
Thursday 17 September 2026 14:00 , Sam RkainaThe UN experts reached a similar conclusion over a strike on a sports centre in Lamerd.
The report said the attack damaged nearby residential buildings and a school and killed and injured 22 civilians.
It concluded that the strike was indiscriminate and therefore constituted a war crime.
US Central Command said in a statement in March that US forces did not launch any strikes into the city of Lamerd on that day.
One dead after drone intercepted in Saudi Arabia
Thursday 17 September 2026 13:45 , Sam RkainaOne person has been killed and two others injured in a drone interception in Saudi Arabia's southwest governorate of Taif, Saudi state TV said.
The death, of a Yemeni resident, is the first announced in the kingdom this month since the Iran-backed Houthis in neighbouring Yemen intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia.
