Oil tankers have begun moving through the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports, but Iran has warned it will not remain open if the US blockade continues.
Reuters reports that a group of four liquefied petroleum gas carriers and several oil product and chemical tankers passed through Iranian waters south of Larak Island with more tankers following from the Gulf, according to MarineTraffic data.
It the first major movement of ships in the vital route since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran seven weeks ago.
Iran reopened the strait following a separate ceasefire agreement by Israel and Lebanon on Thursday.
However, Iran’s speaker of parliament and senior negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned it "will not remain open" if the US blockade continued.
It came after Donald Trump said on Friday that he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed by Wednesday.
"Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona. "So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again."
Read MoreUK to make ‘wide-ranging military contribution’ to mission, says top diplomat
Trump says key issues have been resolved with Iran: ‘We will straighten it out’
US weighs plan to unfreeze $20 billion in assets for Iran in exchange for enriched uranium: report
Key Points
- Trump threatens to end ceasefire with Iran if no deal reached by Wednesday
- US-Iran talks set to resume Monday: report
- Iranian official warns Strait of Hormuz will close again if Trump's blockade continues
- Trump declares ‘victory’ over Iran after Strait of Hormuz oil channel is reopened
- Strait of Hormuz naval blockade remains 'in full force' until deal struck: Trump
- Trump reiterates Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon
Friday saw first cruise passed through Strait of Hormuz since conflict began
08:53 , Dan HaygarthFirst cruise ship transits Strait of Hormuz since conflict began
— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) April 17, 2026
The cruise ship Celestyal Discovery has become the first passenger vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the conflict. The Malta-flagged vessel departed Dubai on 17 April after remaining docked… pic.twitter.com/3wR1P6Lc6G
Strait of Hormuz "will not remain open" if the US blockade continues, Iran says
08:31 , Dan HaygarthIran's speaker of parliament and senior negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, posted on social media that the Strait of Hormuz "will not remain open" if the US blockade continued.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had announced on social media that the strait was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the 10-day truce that was agreed on Thursday by Israel and Lebanon, which was invaded by Israel after the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group joined the fighting.
Iran has said all ships crossing the strait must coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was not the case before the war.
The Defence Ministry said in a statement quoted by state television that military vessels and ships linked to "hostile forces" - the U.S. and Israel - were still not permitted to pass.
First major movement of tankers across strait since war began
08:20 , Dan HaygarthA convoy of oil tankers was crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the first major movement of ships in the crucial waterway since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran seven weeks ago, Reuters reports.
The group of four liquefied petroleum gas carriers and several oil product and chemical tankers, was passing through Iranian waters south of Larak Island with more tankers following from the Gulf, according to MarineTraffic data.
Donald Trump hours earlier had cited "some pretty good news" about Iran, declining to elaborate. He also said a ceasefire in the war may not be extended without a deal by Wednesday.
Iran reopened the strait, which before the war carried a fifth of the world's oil trade, following a separate US-brokered ceasefire agreement on Thursday by Israel and Lebanon.
Iranian leader threatens with closure of Strait of Hormuz
08:20 , Namita SinghIran's speaker of parliament and senior negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, posted on social media that the Strait of Hormuz "will not remain open" if the US blockade continued.
Foreign minister Abbas Araqchi had announced on social media that the strait was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the 10-day truce that was agreed on Thursday by Israel and Lebanon, which was invaded by Israel after the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group joined the fighting.
Vessel traffic data showed a group of around 20 ships, including container ships, bulk carriers and tankers, moving through the Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday evening, but most ended up turning back, although it was not clear why. The group included three container ships operated by French shipping group CMA CGM, which declined to comment.
A cruise ship that was stranded in Dubai, the Celestyal Discovery, however crossed the strait and was headed to Oman on Saturday morning, according to Marine Traffic vessel tracking data.
Iran has said all ships crossing the strait must coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was not the case before the war. The Defence Ministry said in a statement quoted by state television that military vessels and ships linked to "hostile forces" - the US and Israel - were still not permitted to pass.
Shipping companies have said they would require clarifications, including about the risk of mines, before vessels moved through the entry point to the Gulf.
The US Navy warned seafarers that the mine threat in parts of the waterway was not fully understood and said they should consider avoiding the area.
Uncertainty persists over peace talks as key issues remain unresolved
08:18 , Namita SinghUncertainty persisted over the US-Iran peace talks with a lack of clarity about whether both sides would address Tehran's nuclear program, which has been a key sticking point in peace talks.
Iran has defended its right to what it says is a civilian nuclear energy program.
Trump told Reuters the US would remove Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state TV the material would not be transferred anywhere.
Separately, a senior Iranian official said Tehran hoped a preliminary agreement could be reached in the coming days.
Oil prices fell about 10 per cent and global stocks jumped on Friday on the prospect of marine traffic resuming through the strait.
After a video conference on Friday, more than a dozen countries said they were willing to join an international mission to protect shipping in the strait when conditions permit, Britain said.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters there had been an agreement on unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets as part of the accord, without giving a timeline. Later on Friday, Mr Trump, who has repeatedly referred to a peace agreement as a "deal" or "transaction," told a rally in Arizona that "no money will exchange hands in any way, shape or form."
At last weekend's talks, the US proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise that could remove part of the stockpile.
Mr Trump told Reuters the US might not act quickly. "We're going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery," he said in a phone interview. "We'll bring it back to the United States."
Despite Mr Trump's optimism, Iranian sources told Reuters that "gaps remained to be resolved" before a preliminary agreement, while senior clerics struck a defiant tone during Friday prayers.
"Our people do not negotiate while being humiliated," cleric Ahmad Khatami said.
Petrol prices in UK finally drop for first time since start of Iran war
08:00 , James ReynoldsUK fuel prices have fallen for the first time since the Middle East conflict began, offering a glimmer of relief to motorists.
Petrol averaged 158.1p per litre on Thursday, a slight decrease from 158.3p the previous day. Diesel also saw a modest drop, from 191.5p to 191.2p over the same period.
This marked an end to 46 consecutive days of rising costs.
Read the full story:
UK fuel prices finally drop for first time since start of Iran war
Unclear if any direct talks between US and Iran this weekend
07:40 , Namita SinghIran hours earlier had temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz following a separate US-brokered ceasefire agreement by Israel and Lebanon. But subsequent statements from both sides left uncertainty over how quickly shipping might return to normal through the global oil choke point.
"It seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran," Mr Trump told reporters while returning to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona, referring to US-Iran peace talks.
"We're negotiating over the weekend. I expect things to go well. Many of these things have been negotiated and agreed to.
"The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, and that supersedes everything else."
But in sharp contrast, he said he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed before it expires on Wednesday, adding that a US blockade of Iranian ports would continue.
Mr Trump has told Reuters there would probably be more direct talks between Iran and the US this weekend. Some diplomats said that was unlikely given the logistics of gathering in Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place.
There were no signs of preparations early on Saturday for talks in the Pakistani capital, where the highest-level US-Iran negotiations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended without agreement last weekend.
The key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has been holding talks in Tehran since Wednesday.
Pope says 'reject violence' while avoiding overly-political messages
07:30 , James ReynoldsPope Leo called on Cameroonians on Friday to reject violence and be generous with their neighbours during a Mass he led in the port city of Douala.
“Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” the pope urged, in an appeal made in English during a speech that was otherwise mostly in French.
"Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive.”
Leo avoided overtly political messages on Friday.
The first U.S. pope has debuted a new, forceful speaking style on his Africa tour. In Yaounde on Thursday, he said the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants", without naming anybody.
Here’s how the pope has clashed with Donald Trump in recent days:
Trump launches furious new rant against Pope Leo over Iran
Oil prices drop after Iran says Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ for passage of ships
07:28 , Namita SinghOil prices dropped back to where they were in the early days of the Iran war, and US stocks raced to another record Friday after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is open again for commercial tankers carrying crude from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.
The S&P 500 leaped 1.2 per cent to an all-time high and closed out a third straight week of big gains, its longest streak since Halloween. A freer flow of oil could take pressure off prices not only for gasoline but also for groceries and all kinds of other products that get moved by vehicles. It could even ultimately help people pay less on credit-card interest and mortgage bills.
Report:
Oil prices drop after Iran says Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’
Spirit Airlines asks Trump administration for emergency bailout as it faces liquidation over rising fuel costs: reports
07:00 , Rachel DobkinUS-based Spirit Airlines has asked the Trump administration for an emergency bailout as it faces the threat of liquidation over rising fuel costs caused by the Iran war, according to reports.
The budget airline was expected to emerge from bankruptcy this summer, until the US and Israel began launching strikes against Iran on February 28.
When Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, oil prices surged. Tehran announced Friday that the vital oil passageway was reopened to commercial traffic.
Spirit Airlines had planned for fuel costs averaging about $2.24 per gallon this year and $2.14 next year, Reuters reported. But jet fuel prices have now spiked to around $4.24 per gallon, according to the publication.
Read on...
Spirit asks Trump administration for bailout as it faces liquidation: reports
Trump, without elaborating, cites 'some pretty good news' on Iran
06:32 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump said on Friday there had been some "pretty good news" regarding Iran but he declined to elaborate.
"We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran," Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
"You'll hear about. I just think it's something that should happen. It's something that only makes sense to happen. And I think it will. We'll see what happens, but I think it will," Mr Trump said when asked what the good news was.
Recap: Iran has agreed to suspend nuclear programme indefinitely, says Trump
06:30 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump now says that Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely, and will not receive any frozen funds from the US, according to Bloomberg News.
- Context: Two US officials and two other sources told Axios earlier today that the US was considering releasing $20bn in frozen funds in return for Iran giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium.
- The US also proposed last weekend a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Tehran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals, via Reuters.
What did UK’s top diplomat say about mission to protect vital shipping route
06:02 , Namita SinghHailing the multinational mission to protect Strait of Hormuz trade artery, UK ambassador Sir Christian Turner said: "The very scale of that 49 country coalition, which included leaders from Africa, from Asia, South Korea, Japan, the scale and size of it shows the international resolve and willingness to act and to show Iran that it is isolated.
"And the critical and key message is that there is global agreement that there can be no tolls or restriction on the passage of trade through those through those straits.
"And I'm pleased to say that the discussion, as well as reiterating that resolve was practically orientated."
He added: "Military planning is under way, and it's focusing on marshalling capabilities to provide reassurance to the shipping industry in the aftermath of the ceasefire that we hope is going to be cemented and confirmed.
"Specifically, the UK and France have agreed that they are establishing an independent, multinational mission.
"It will be defensive but protect merchant vessels, reassure commercial shipping operators and conduct mine clearance operations as soon as conditions permit.
"And there are 12 countries of today's talks who have already offered capabilities for that mission.
"The UK itself, will be making a wide-ranging military contribution, and that will be confirmed and announced at a military planning conference, to in effect bring all of that together under a clear command and control structure, that will happen early next week."
Calling it "a significant development, a strong signal of intent", Sir Christian said: "It follows very seamlessly, I hope, from the very welcome... confirmation today that the straits are back open for traffic without restriction, and this, then hopefully, is a capability that can follow from that and ensure the freedom of navigation."
Trump says Israel ‘not allowed’ to bomb Lebanon any more
06:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump said that the US has banned Israel from bombing Lebanon, as a delicate US-brokered truce took hold.
The president said Washington would “work with Lebanon and deal with the Hezbollah situation” to ensure peace, insisting that Israel “will not be bombing Lebanon any longer”.
In an unusually firm statement posted to social media, he continued: “They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!”
‘Enough is enough’: Trump says Israel ‘not allowed’ to bomb Lebanon any more
UK to make ‘wide-ranging military contribution’ to mission, says top diplomat
05:59 , Namita SinghBritain will make "a wide-ranging military contribution" to an international mission to protect shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz trade artery, the UK ambassador to the US has said.
The commitment by Sir Christian Turner comes amid long-running concerns over the state of the nation's armed forces and warnings of under-funding.
The multinational mission, led by the UK and France, aims to provide reassurance to vessels using the critical Gulf waterway once the Iran conflict is over, Sir Christian told an event in Washington.
The initiative was announced at talks in Paris involving nearly 50 countries, which the top diplomat said signalled global resolve to prevent tolls or restrictions being imposed on the shipping route, used to move one fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies.
So far around 12 nations have committed to take part in the mission.
The move has been derided by US president Donald Trump, who used it as a fresh opportunity to criticise Nato as "useless" after it refused to support his offensive against Iran.
In response, Sir Christian pointed out the mission was not being led by the military alliance.
He said the planned steps to safeguard future freedom of navigation would follow "seamlessly" on from the announcement by Iran that it had reopened the strait to shipping as part of the cessation of hostilities in the Middle East.
US lifts sanctions on Russian oil at sea
05:30 , Rachel DobkinThe US Treasury Department has lifted sanctions on Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of Friday local time.
The pause in sanctions will continue until May 16, according to the department.
Sanctions on Russian oil at sea were previously lifted, but that waiver expired last week.
The Trump administration has looked for ways to ease the pain for consumers as gas prices surged during the Iran war.
Watch: Trump says talks will continue over the weekend as Tehran denies it will hand over uranium
05:00 , Rachel DobkinIsrael sees first 24 hours without incoming strikes since start of war
04:30 , Rachel DobkinIsrael has seen its first 24 hours without incoming strikes since the start of the Iran war, the Associated Press reported.
Since Israel and the US began their military campaign against Iran on February 28, Iran and the Iran-backed groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen have bombarded Israel. After the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire went into effect Friday, Israel experienced its first day without incoming strikes.
Trump threatens to end ceasefire with Iran if no deal reached by Wednesday
04:22 , Namita SinghThe US president Donald Trump said on Friday that he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed by Wednesday.
"Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain," Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona. "So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we have to start dropping bombs again."
US president to have ‘party’ after Iran war ends
04:17 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump said he will have a “party” at the White House when the war with Iran ends, reported White House correspondent for News Nation, Kellie Meyer.
It comes as Trump threatened to end ceasefire with Iran, if no deal is reached between the two countries by Wednesday.
President Trump tells me @NewsNation on Air Force One that he will have a "party" at the White House when the war with Iran ends.
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) April 18, 2026
H/t @LibbeyDean_ for flagging while I was in the air!
US renews Russian oil waiver after pressure from countries dealing with Iran war price shocks
04:16 , Namita SinghThe Trump administration on Friday renewed a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil at sea for about a month, even as lawmakers accused the government of going easy on Moscow as its war on Ukraine grinds on.
The Treasury Department's waiver lets countries purchase Russian oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of Friday through 16 May.
It replaces a 30-day waiver that expired on 11 April and excludes transactions involving Iran, Cuba and North Korea.
The move is part of the administration's effort to control global energy prices that have shot higher during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
It came after countries in Asia, suffering from the global energy shock, pressed Washington to allow alternative supplies to reach markets.
US to delay weapons deliveries to some European countries due to Iran war
04:00 , James ReynoldsEven as Donald Trump insists the war with Iran is winding down, US officials have told European partners that they can expect some previously contracted weapons deliveries to arrive late as the conflict continues to draw on weapons stocks.
Five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that several European countries will be affected, including in the Baltic region and in Scandinavia.
Some of the weapons in question were purchased by European countries under the Foreign Military Sales program, but have not yet been delivered, they told the agency.
"America’s military is the most powerful in the world, and we will ensure that U.S. forces and those of our allies and partners have what they need to fight and win," a Pentagon spokesperson said.
"For operational security reasons, we will not comment on any specific allied or partner requirements or ongoing efforts to support them."
US military says over 20 ships turned around since blockade enforced
03:30 , Rachel DobkinThe US military has said 21 ships have turned around since it enforced a blockade of Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman on Monday.
Guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) patrols the Arabian Sea, April 17, as U.S. forces enforce the naval blockade on ships attempting to enter or exit Iranian ports. Since commencement of the blockade, 21 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to… pic.twitter.com/2Ro1lq6ORq
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 18, 2026
Watch: Starmer announces European military will help secure and clear Strait of Hormuz
03:00 , James ReynoldsTrump slams Nato claiming it offered to help clear Strait of Hormuz after he declared it open
02:30 , Josh MarcusUS President Donald Trump tore into Nato on Friday during a speech at a rally in Arizona, alleging that the longstanding US-led alliance had belatedly offered to help America clear the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil-shipping lane that’s been reopened for the time being as negotiations continue surrounding the Iran war.
“Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is nearly over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would like some help”, Trump told the crowd at a Turning Point Action event in Phoenix.
“I told them I would have liked your help two months ago, but now I really don't want your help anymore, because they were absolutely useless when we needed them”, Trump continued. “But actually we never needed them. They needed us”.
Read on...
Trump slams NATO claiming it was too late in offer to help clear Strait of Hormuz
US-Iran talks set to resume Monday: report
02:00 , Rachel DobkinPeace talks between the US and Iran are set to resume Monday, CNN’s Iranian sources have said.
The talks are expected to take place in Pakistan with negotiators planning to arrive in Islamabad Sunday, the Iranian officials said.
Watch: Trump says Iran war ‘going along swimmingly’
01:30 , James ReynoldsIranian parliamentary speaker warns Strait of Hormuz will close again if Trump's blockade continues
01:06 , Rachel DobkinIran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will close again if US President Donald Trump's naval blockade of Iranian ports continues.
“With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open”, Ghalibaf wrote on X early Saturday local time.
Iran said Friday that the vital oil passageway was fully reopened, but Trump said the US blockade would “remain in full force” until a deal to end the conflict is made.
In pictures: Beirut on the first full day of the ceasefire in Lebanon
Saturday 18 April 2026 00:30 , James Reynolds
Trump declares ‘victory’ over Iran after Strait of Hormuz oil channel is reopened
Saturday 18 April 2026 00:01 , James ReynoldsPresident Donald Trump on Friday took a self-congratulatory victory lap after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway that Tehran had weaponised to retaliate against the U.S. by cutting off global oil supplies — was “completely open.”
The reopening could potentially end weeks of economic upheaval caused by skyrocketing fuel prices worldwide, but Trump’s war with Iran, in conjunction with Israel, remains in a fragile ceasefire heading into another weekend of negotiations.
Read the full story:
Trump declares ‘victory’ over Iran after Strait of Hormuz oil channel is reopened
Recap: Trump thanks Tehran after Strait of Hormuz declared ‘fully open’ for ships during ceasefire
Friday 17 April 2026 23:30 , James ReynoldsIranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi declared on Friday that Tehran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the remainder of the ceasefire with the US following a ceasefire agreed between Israel and Lebanon.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran,” he wrote in a post on social media.
President Donald Trump confirmed the news with a post on Truth Social on Friday afternoon, writing: “Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran is fully open and ready for full passage! Thank you!”
He added that the “naval blockade will remain in full force and effect” until an agreement is reached with Tehran. Oil prices fell 13 per cent with the news - but shipping operators still had concerns and were awaiting direction.
Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, Trump reiterates
Friday 17 April 2026 23:25 , James ReynoldsAfter several minutes praising his own presidency, Trump returns briefly to Iran and Nato.
He has been arguing that the US was in decline before his return to office, producing extraordinary figures and claims about the state of the economy since.
“We are respected again as a country, and we're respected at levels that nobody thought possible,” he says.
“Unlike past leaders, this administration does not apologise for American power. We are not ashamed of our might, and we do not hesitate to defend the American people, which is what we've been doing for the last two months, because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple.”
The crowd applauds and Trump seizes the opportunity to take a pop shot at Nato.
“If NATO teaches us any one thing, and I hope you all watched, because they weren't there for us, if it teaches us any one thing, we have to rely on ourselves. We can't rely on outside countries and outside sources.”
Trump repeats claims to have ended eight wars, including one “that would have killed 30 to 50 million”, and ominously hints at a “new dawn for Cuba”.
Watch: Trump declares Strait of Hormuz open at TPUSA event
Friday 17 April 2026 23:14 , James ReynoldsTrump boasts of ceasefire between Israel and 'Lebanon'
Friday 17 April 2026 23:07 , James ReynoldsTrump says a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has not happened in ‘78 years’, vowing to ‘make Lebanon great again’.
Israel and Hezbollah, in Lebanon, agreed to a ceasefire in late 2024, amid the Israel-Hamas war.
That truce ended on 2 March this year, when Hezbollah attacked Israel after the US and Israel struck its ally, Iran.
Watch live: Trump speaks in Phoenix after Strait of Hormuz declared ‘fully open’
Friday 17 April 2026 23:03 , James ReynoldsTrump has turned to the war in Iran, reiterating today’s talking points.
He says that the US blockade remains in place even as Iran opens up Hormuz.
He also says Iran will hand over the ‘nuclear dust’ without money changing hands.
Trump says ‘Nato’ called him offering help. Mention of the military alliance - of which the US is a part - gets a loud boo from the crowd.
Pete Hegseth quotes Samuel L. Jackson’s fake Bible verse from Pulp Fiction during sermon
Friday 17 April 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsA prayer delivered by US defence secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to paraphrase a speech from the cult classic movie Pulp Fiction, rather than scripture.
Viewers watching Hegseth’s sermon during a Pentagon worship service on Wednesday were left scratching their heads and questioning whether he had just quoted Samuel L. Jackson’s famous monologue.
While discussing the Sandy 1 rescue mission, which brought back downed pilots stranded in Iran earlier this month, Hegseth urged his audience to join him in a prayer that he said was delivered at the start of the mission.
Trump takes the stage in Arizona
Friday 17 April 2026 22:57 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump is speaking now at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona.
He arrives on stage to chants of ‘USA’, thanking a friendly crowd and paying tribute to Turning Point cofounder Charlie Kirk.
The ‘Build the Red Wall’ event is aimed at boosting support among Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in November.
The war in Iran has proven unpopular in the US, even among Trump’s base.
Iran has agreed to suspend nuclear programme indefinitely, says Trump
Friday 17 April 2026 22:30 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump now says that Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely, and will not receive any frozen funds from the US, according to Bloomberg News.
- Context: Two US officials and two other sources told Axios earlier today that the US was considering releasing $20bn in frozen funds in return for Iran giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium.
- The US also proposed last weekend a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Tehran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals, via Reuters.
Most issues have been resolved, says Trump
Friday 17 April 2026 22:26 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump played down concerns that key differences remain between Iran and the US ahead of anticipated talks, with just days left of the agreed ceasefire.
After Iran said on Friday that the two sides are still opposed on some fundamental points, including the lingering nuclear issue, Trump said he believed negotiators were almost there.
“If there are [remaining issues], we’ll have to straighten it out, but I don’t think there’s too many significant differences,” he said.
The president was optimistic about “very good discussions” with Iran in recent days. He said talks were ongoing and would continue over the weekend.
"As soon as the agreement gets signed, that's when the blockade ends,” he added.
Premium analysis: In Lebanon, has Trump really ‘solved’ his 10th war?
Friday 17 April 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsAs Donald Trump claims he has solved his 10th war, this time in Lebanon, chief international correspondent Bel Trew looks at the shaky nature of the ceasefire and explores whether it will last:
Has Trump really ‘solved’ his 10th war?
Watch: Trump says he may visit Pakistan if Iran deal is signed in Islamabad
Friday 17 April 2026 21:30 , James Reynolds‘Enough is enough’: Trump says Israel ‘not allowed’ to bomb Lebanon anymore
Friday 17 April 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump said that the US has banned Israel from bombing Lebanon, as a delicate US-brokered truce took hold.
The president said Washington would “work with Lebanon and deal with the Hezbollah situation” to ensure peace, insisting that Israel “will not be bombing Lebanon any longer”.
In an unusually firm statement posted to social media, he continued: “They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!”
Read the full story:
‘Enough is enough’: Trump says Israel ‘not allowed’ to bomb Lebanon anymore
Friday 17 April 2026 20:45 , James ReynoldsPolice in London said Friday they were investigating an incident near the Israeli Embassy involving a number of discarded items.
The Metropolitan Police said the embassy was not attacked but that its officers, including some in protective clothing, were combing the area around the nearby Kensington Gardens.
A cordon was set up and access to the gardens and the surrounding area was restricted.
“We do not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this stage, but we would urge people to avoid the area while officers carry out their work,” a police spokesperson said.
Read the full story:
Counter-terror police probe claims of drone threat to Israeli embassy in London
UK in ‘worst-case scenario’ planning for food shortages as a result of Iran war
Friday 17 April 2026 20:30 , James ReynoldsThe UK could see shortages of key supermarket goods this summer if the Iran war continues, a leaked government document has revealed.
Officials have put together contingency plans for a “reasonable worst-case scenario”, highlighting that the closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route could lead to carbon dioxide shortages.
The secret analysis – first reported by The Times – was codenamed “Exercise Turnstone” and was run by the government’s emergency committee, Cobra.
Read the full story:
UK in ‘worst-case scenario’ planning for food shortages as a result of Iran war
Investors bet $760m on falling oil prices just minutes before Hormuz reopened
Friday 17 April 2026 20:15 , James ReynoldsInvestors bet around $760 million on a falling oil price around 20 minutes before Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was reopening on Friday - the latest in a series of large, well-timed gambles to draw scrutiny.
Between 1224 GMT and 1225 GMT investors sold a combined 7,990 lots of Brent crude futures, according to LSEG data. Those trade were worth around $760m at the time.
20 minutes later, at 1245 GMT, Iran's foreign minister said that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz was declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire in Lebanon.
The announcement pushed crude down as much as 11% on the day in the minutes that followed.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is investigating a string of oil futures trades that were placed shortly before major policy shifts by Trump related to the war in Iran, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Oil prices fall 13% with reports of Hormuz reopening
Friday 17 April 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsOil prices plunged by about 13 per cent on Friday as Iran said all commercial vessels could pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures fell $12.87, or 12.95%, to $86.52 a barrel by 10:50 am EDT (1450 GMT), after falling to a session low of $86.09.
US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down $13.50, or 14.26%, at $81.19 a barrel, after touching $80.56.
