Tehran has held a huge pro-regime march in defiance of Donald Trump’s threat that he could ‘annihilate’ Iran.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians are said to have rallied in a government-organized event Friday, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel attacked in February.
It comes after the UN this week accused Tehran of crimes against humanity in a crackdown of anti-regime protests that killed thousands of people earlier this year.
The state-sanctioned march also took place the day after US president Donald Trump warned he could “annihilate” Iran as the war continues with no end in sight.
“I have a big decision coming up,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “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 on Friday, a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
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
- Tanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz
- 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
Saudi launched 26 strikes in Yemen in past 24 hours, Houthis say
01:00 , Suha KidwaiYemen's Ansar Allah – popularly termed the Houthis – say Saudi Arabia has carried out 26 air strikes on their positions over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of Saudi raids to 300 over the last week.
The barrage comes as fighting escalates between the group and Yemen’s Riyadh-backed government forces following a Houthi attempt to push toward the Red Sea coast.
Saudi forces have since intervened with heavy air support in an attempt to halt the advance and help government troops reclaim lost territory.
The revived civil war directly threatens critical maritime infrastructure along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the narrow southern entrance to the Red Sea through which millions of barrels of Saudi crude transit daily.
US midterm voters weigh in on Iran war as voting begins
00:00 , Suha KidwaiAs early voting for the US midterm elections got underway in Virginia, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Idaho on Friday, the ongoing conflict with Iran emerged as a focal issue driving voters to the polls.
Voters casting early ballots cited the war as a primary motivation, reflecting broader national anxieties over prolonged foreign intervention and economic fallout.
In South Dakota, Diane Briest, whose son was disabled in Iraq, stated she voted Democratic due to fears of endless war, criticising Congress for failing to check executive authority.
In Virginia, conservative voter William Curry noted that while he largely supports President Trump, the administration is "in a mess he can't get rid of" in Iran.
The conflict continues to intersect with domestic economic concerns, particularly rising gas prices and inflation triggered by Middle East instability and shipping disruptions in the Persian Gulf.
With control of Congress at stake, candidates on both sides are navigating heightened public scrutiny over the war's financial and human costs.
US troop deaths in Iran war exceed Pentagon count by at least four, says report
23:00 , Suha KidwaiMore US service members have died during the war with Iran than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed, according to internal Defence Department casualty data cited by The Washington Post.
Six US officials familiar with internal casualty accounting revealed there have been at least 22 military fatalities — four more than the 18 deaths officially listed on the Pentagon’s public database. Five of the officials confirmed the higher toll.
The discrepancy highlights ongoing transparency concerns surrounding casualty reporting during the conflict. While the exact identities and circumstances behind the undisclosed fatalities remain unconfirmed, officials noted that not all omitted deaths were direct combat casualties, with some involving service members stationed in the region as hostilities escalated.
The Defence Department has not yet provided a public explanation for the gap between its internal records and public tracking systems.
More pictures from Iran regime march
22:00 , Sam Rkaina
US Air Force officer recalls 'free-falling' to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran
21:00 , Maira ButtMacklemore controversy could boost Gaza support, UNICEF says
20:00 , Sam RkainaAid agency officials said the boost in celebrity attention from the Macklemore controversy could help bring more support to Gaza, where nearly all residents rely on aid for food, water, medical care and shelter.
“But what's really most important is that people who have been so generous keep fighting over a sustained time,” said Toby Fricker, a local official with UNICEF.
“That's why we really call for sustained support, not one-off peaks, but sustained.”
Hussein Murtaja, who runs a Gaza humanitarian group that provides mental health support to children, said Macklemore's solidarity matters more than the money he donated.
”When artists of this stature, with this many followers or fans, all come to know more about the cause, and support reaching a political solution, support achieving peace for the people of Gaza... That means a great deal to us.”
Mural of rapper Macklemore painted in Gaza after Sheeran tour furore
19:00 , Sam RkainaArtists in Gaza have painted a mural of US rapper Macklemore wrapped in a Palestinian flag on a huge slab of concrete in the ruins of Gaza City, after the was kicked off Ed Sheeran's upcoming tour for calling for a "Free Palestine".
The mural, on a slab that leans against ruined buildings surrounded by rubble, depicts the “Thrift Shop”rapper raising a fist in the air.
”Thank you for using your voice for Palestine,”it reads.
”We wanted to send a message to thank rapper Macklemore in this simple way,” said Anne Redwan, 26, who designed and painted the mural with fellow artist Qusai al-Helo.
”As an artist living under siege here in Gaza, we are waiting for support from anyone who can see (the) persecution we live under,” she told Reuters.
“We can paint murals bigger than this to express our feelings.”
Macklemore, who has long supported Palestinian causes, was cut from British pop star Sheeran's musical lineup over remarks on stage criticizing Israel's military assault in Gaza, which was launched after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October 2023.
Marches come after brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests
18:00 , Sam RkainaFridays marches suggest that hard-liners like Taeb among Iran's leadership will be more prepared to suppress any future demonstration against the theocracy.
In January, shortly before the war, Iran saw some of its largest nationwide protests in history, which began over the struggling economy and turned to wider grievances.
Activists have said a crackdown killed over 7,000 people and saw tens of thousands detained.
In May, government officials said more than 30 million people in Iran — which has a total population of some 90 million — had volunteered via an online form or at public gatherings to lay down their lives for the theocracy.
Iran showed off military hardware at rally
17:45 , Sam Rkaina“I am here to tell Trump that we Iranians have no fear about his threats against our homeland,” said Marzieh Afaghi, 24, who attended the rally with her toddler and husband.
“No one in history could invade Iran and remain there.”
The rally was also a chance for Iran to show off military hardware.
Anti-aircraft batteries were on display, while female Guard members in black headscarves sat with truck-mounted machine guns.
The Guard displayed drones that have been used against ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran's attacks and threats have severely affected the Gulf region’s shipments of oil and natural gas to the rest of the world.
Marchers chant 'Death to America' in Tehran
17:00 , Sam RkainaTehran’s Guard chief, Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, told the state broadcaster that over 600,000 people had registered to participate in the demonstrations, with over one million expected to take part in the training.
On Friday morning, the broadcaster estimated over 300,000 people were on the streets.
The new head of the Basij, Hossein Taeb, declared in a speech as the rally began that the volunteers will be ready for “full-fledged defense” and similar rallies will take place in other cities soon.
The new trainees will make a “nightmare” for Iran's enemies, Taeb added, as President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders and other senior officials watched the march.
Some participants trampled flags of the U.S. and Israel. Others chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Iranians rally by the hundreds of thousands
16:02 , Sam RkainaHundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied in a government-organized show of defiance after months of war, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel attacked in February.
Tehran has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions.
Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as “Janfaday-e Iran,” or the “ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran.”
They marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.
For days, state media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, saying training with assault rifles would begin soon.
The volunteers would be an additional layer of security to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in quashing anti-government protests.
EU naval mission raises alert level in Red Sea
14:48 , Sam RkainaThe EU naval mission in the Red Sea has raised the alert level of its vessels after the situation in the area worsened.
“Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are unacceptable and sabotage the global economy,” European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.
Kallas added that she had spoken with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud about diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Yemen and restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Italy calls for more ships to protect Red Sea navigation
13:43 , Sam RkainaItaly's defence minister has called for a stronger naval presence in the Red Sea to protect merchant shipping amid concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway threatened by the widening Middle East conflict.
The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have made rapid advances in recent weeks along the Red Sea coast, further complicating routes in a region that also includes the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic had already dwindled because of the U.S.-Iran war.
Italy, part of the European Union's Aspides mission, launched in 2024 to protect shipping from Houthi attacks, on Thursday said it was preparing a naval mission in the area, saying it could not wait for the EU to respond to the new crisis.
“After what I said, something moved within Aspides, but we need more ships,” Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, a senior ally of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, told Reuters.
“The only nations really supporting (security efforts) are Italy and Greece,” he said, declining to estimate how many vessels would be needed to secure the area.
Iran says it has struck tanker in the Strait of Hormuz
12:49 , Sam RkainaIran says it has struck an oil tanker trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran said it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state broadcaster reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
It is not yet clear if this is the same incident reported by United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations earlier on Friday.
The monitor reported a ship “security incident” 16 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, which lies on the other side of the strait.
The crew was safe and no environmental impact had been confirmed, said.
Macron holds emergency meeting on Iran and Ukraine wars
12:20 , Sam RkainaFrench president Emmanuel Macron is holding an emergency meeting today on the wars in both the Middle East and Ukraine.
Party leaders and heads of intelligence agencies have been summoned to discuss the “rapid deterioration in the international situation.”
The meeting is expected to focus on the country’s security and rising energy prices, the same issues that have affected a number of nations since the two wars began.
“When oil is under pressure, pump prices climb,” Macron said in a statement on X. “I know what that means for the French.
“What happens thousands of miles from our shores always ends up weighing on our daily lives.
“So I'm taking action to reduce tensions, secure our supplies, and ease the pressure on prices.”
Tanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz
11:21 , Sam RkainaA tanker has been hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations have said.
The strike caused a fire that has since been extinguished, with all crew reported safe and the environmental impact unconfirmed.
Traffic in the key shipping route continues to be low after Tehran all but closed it following the start of hostilities with the US.
Trump threatens ‘dirty dogs’ who keep leaking on Iran war
10:56 , Sam RkainaPresident Donald Trump has lashed out at leakers in his own administration after a series of behind-the-scenes reports on the Iran war.
As the conflict Trump claimed would be over in six weeks drags into its seventh month, insiders have repeatedly claimed the president was warned against taking action by his own advisors.
“Keep on leaking you dirty dogs! When we find you, you will pay a big price!!!” declared on his Truth Social Thursday night.
Click here for the full story.
Watch: Trump says high cost of gas is 'a very inexpensive priceto pay' for Iran war
09:30 , Stuti MishraUS Air Force officer recalls 'free-falling' to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran
09:00 , Stuti MishraBarclays predicts November interest rate hike from Bank of England, warns of more amid Middle East conflict
08:30 , Stuti MishraBarclays expects the Bank of England to raise interest rates by 25 basis points in November, citing a "dramatically changed" medium-term energy outlook, and warned that a prolonged Middle East conflict could bring further tightening.
Barclays joins JP Morgan, which also expects hikes in November and February 2027 and has similarly warned the Middle East crisis could push rates higher. JP Morgan had previously expected one hike in November followed by two cuts in 2027.
The Bank kept interest rates on hold at 3.75 per cent on Thursday, as expected, but forecast inflation could top 4 per cent early next year.
Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis exchanged fresh strikes across their border yesterday, widening the Middle East conflict, while the US and Iran have held no peace talks since an interim agreement collapsed weeks after being reached in June.
ICYMI: Iran sports centre was also hit in 'war crime', UN says
08:00 , Stuti MishraThe 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.
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.
