Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed despite Tehran agreeing a temporary transit route through the key waterway with Oman.
“We agreed with Oman that the entry route to the Strait of Hormuz will be through our territorial waters, and part of the exit route will also be through our territorial waters,” deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said.
However, he added: “The understanding between Iran and Oman does not mean the opening of the Strait of Hormuz”.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump threatened to launch new strikes on a nuclear site as well as Iranian military ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US president said he was informed by his navy that all mines in the waterway had been removed.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed. Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other nuclear sites,” he said on Truth Social.
The Trump administration also threatened that any country with financial ties to Iran would face US sanctions.
Read MoreAmerica’s might has failed in Iran – an ‘economic D-Day’ is also unlikely to succeed
USS Lincoln to dock in Thailand for ‘rest and recreation’ after sailors’ grueling deployment
The US promised ‘the toughest sanctions ever’ on Iran. Here’s what Trump’s team actually delivered
There are gas lines in Iran, but no sign yet that its leaders will bow to US sanctions
Key Points
- Temporary route agreed with Oman doesn’t mean reopening Hormuz, Iranian deputy foreign minister says
- China warns about US sanctions threat disrupting its cooperation with Iran
- Trump says US is watching 'every square inch' of Strait of Hormuz and Pickaxe Mountain
- Iran vows heavy blows against US sanctions
- What's included in the new US sanctions campaign?
- USS Lincoln to dock in Thailand next week, says Thai official
US sanctions four India-based companies and three Indians over involvement in Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trade
06:20 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe US has sanctioned four India-based companies and three Indian nationals over their alleged involvement in Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trade.
The targeted firms are accused of importing or facilitating the import of Iranian petroleum products worth tens of millions of dollars, with one company allegedly involved in imports worth about $69m.
The sanctions are part of the US’s wider effort to cut off Iran’s oil revenues, with Washington targeting around 60 Iran-linked individuals, entities and vessels.
The move comes as the US threatens further penalties against countries continuing to trade with Iran, although it has so far stopped short of imposing secondary sanctions on countries themselves.
A tanker is hit and disabled off Oman's eastern coast
06:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA strike on an oil tanker on Monday night off Oman's coast disabled the ship's engine, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation reported.
It said all crew were reported safe.
There were no immediate reports of any environmental impact.
Iran periodically fires at vessels attempting to transit the strait to enforce its control of the waterway, though there was no immediate claim for Monday's attack.
The U.S. has also fired on vessels while imposing a blockade of Iranian ports.
Temporary route agreed with Oman doesn’t mean reopening Hormuz, Iranian deputy foreign minister says
05:40 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran says it has agreed with Oman on establishing a temporary 11km-wide transit route through the Strait of Hormuz, with the entry point and part of the exit route passing through Iranian territorial waters.
However, deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the arrangement “does not mean opening the Strait of Hormuz”.
“We agreed with Oman that the entry route to the Strait of Hormuz will be through our territorial waters, and part of the exit route will also be through our territorial waters,” Gharibabadi said.
He said activating the route would “mean closing the southern route in the strait”, which the US had opened “under pressure from Oman”, arguing that the move violated Article 5 of the two countries’ memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.
Iran says Iraq can play ‘decisive role’ in shaping new regional order
05:20 , Maroosha MuzaffarIranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has reportedly said Iraq could play a “decisive role” in shaping a new regional order, particularly in the Gulf, as US forces prepare to withdraw from Iraq.
Speaking to the president of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zaidan, Ghalibaf described the moment as “historic” for both countries.
“A new regional order is being created. The situation is sensitive and historic for Iran and Iraq. The fact that the American coalition forces are going to withdraw from Iraq is a historic honour for the Iraqi government and people,” Ghalibaf told Zaidan, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
He said the US started its war against Iran with “the intention of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and expanding American hegemony in West Asia and the Islamic world”.
He said Iran’s resistance “clearly defeated” US war goals.“America lost the military and political war against Iran, and it will also fail in economic measures,” Ghalibaf told Zaidan.
Mojtaba Khamenei's voice heard for the first time
05:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTrump ‘grossly profiting’ from ‘illegal’ war on Iran, US senator says
04:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarUS senator Chris Van Hollen has accused Donald Trump of personally profiting from the “illegal” war with Iran, citing a Democratic report that found the president’s oil and gas holdings may have gained up to $15.5m this year.
Van Hollen alleged that Trump had turned the White House into a “pay-to-play casino” and was “grossly profiting off of a senseless war”, while claiming Trump had “pocketed over a billion dollars” since returning to office.
Trump’s turned the White House into a pay-to-play casino. While prices are going up for Americans, things couldn’t be going better for his stock portfolio.
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) August 25, 2026
Trump continues to profit off Americans’ pain – including the senseless war he started in Iran.
Pure corruption. pic.twitter.com/Eb85DoVnAz
He later wrote on X: “While prices are going up for Americans, things couldn’t be going better for his stock portfolio.”
“Trump continues to profit off Americans’ pain – including the senseless war he started in Iran.“Pure corruption.”
China warns about US sanctions threat disrupting its cooperation with Iran
04:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarChina has warned that expanded US sanctions targeting entities and individuals linked to Iran, including some based in China, “should not disrupt” or “undermine” its cooperation with Tehran.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China-Iran cooperation has complied with international law.
China is one of Iran’s biggest trading partners and buys most of the country’s oil exports.
The warning came after the US treasury department announced sanctions on nearly 60 Iran-linked entities on Monday, including several in China, although it stopped short of imposing secondary sanctions on countries trading with Iran.
Iran and Oman working towards reopening and managing ship traffic through Strait of Hormuz
04:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarOmani foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi discussed a framework in Tehran on Tuesday that includes a “joint temporary navigational corridor” and efforts to clear mines from the waterway.
Iran said ships entering the Persian Gulf would initially pass entirely through Iranian waters, while outbound vessels would use both Iranian and Omani waters, with the two countries negotiating over the next 30-60 days to “reach an understanding on a new permanent and sustainable route”.
The talks follow an attack that disabled an oil tanker off Oman.
It remains unclear whether the US will accept the proposed arrangement, with Donald Trump having threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of efforts to reopen the strait.
USS Lincoln to dock in Thailand next week, says Thai official
04:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe USS Abraham Lincoln, a US aircraft carrier, will dock in Thailand next week, a Thai official said on Tuesday, following a prolonged deployment in the Middle East and reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions aboard.
The Lincoln, which left the Middle East on Saturday, has not made a port call in more than 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers.
The ship, which has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, will be in Thailand for "rest and recreation after their long sea journey", the official said, asking not to be named.
Trump ignored warnings from Tulsi Gabbard and US intelligence the Iran war would backfire: report
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Donald Trump was warned against attacking Iran in February by U.S. intelligence chiefs, who suggested it could backfire and usher in an even more hard-line regime, according to a report.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the then-director of national intelligence and military veteran Tulsi Gabbard was summoned to the Oval Office to discuss the issue before strikes were launched on February 28.
Trump was reportedly buoyed at the time by the success of the previous summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela and wanted her assessment on the proposed new assault.
Trump ignored warnings from US intelligence that Iran war would backfire: report
Iran and Oman issue statement on talks to manage the strait
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOmani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaid met with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Tehran, Iran's capital, to discuss a framework for managing ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
A joint statement by the two countries, located on opposite sides of the narrow strait, said the proposed framework includes a “joint temporary navigational corridor” and both countries working to clear mines from the waterway.
The statement said Iran and Oman will continue technical negotiations toward establishing a permanent shipping corridor and an agreement on the future administration of the strait.
About a fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through the strait before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28.
It’s unknown whether the US will accept the emerging deal.
US President Donald Trump last week threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of American efforts to reopen the strait.
US Secret Service aware of Iranian video threat against Barron Trump
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe US Secret Service is aware of a video broadcast by Iranian state television discussing a potential plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump's youngest son, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
"The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees. Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence," Secret Service spokesperson Nate Herring said in an email.
A three-minute video broadcast by Iranian state TV discussed a potential plot to assassinate Barron Trump, 20, claiming that he was being monitored and alleging that a $10 million bounty had been offered for his killing.
The United States and Iran have kept up hostile rhetoric during a nearly six-month-old war started by the US and Israel in February.
Reuters reported earlier this month that the US has received several warnings from Israel over the past year that Iran intended to assassinate Trump, according to officials, including before a secret Air Force One ruse in Turkey.
Oil transits through Strait of Hormuz down
Wednesday 26 August 2026 00:01 , Daniel KeaneOil transits through the Strait of Hormuz were at 5 million barrels per day on Monday, provisional data from shiptracker Vortexa showed.
This is down from more than 20 million per day before the war or about one of every five barrels consumed worldwide.
Watch: Hegseth refuses to rule out US strikes against Iran
Tuesday 25 August 2026 23:00 , Daniel KeaneWhat's included in the new US sanctions campaign?
Tuesday 25 August 2026 22:00 , Daniel KeaneU.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced what his department called "an economic onslaught" against Iran on Monday that combined new sanctions with threats against Tehran's trading partners.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added specific sanctions on nearly 60 entities, individuals and vessels that it says are enabling Iranian activity.
The new sanctions target the Iranian defence ministry's ballistic and nuclear procurement network, a cyber group the U.S. says is behind attacks on its infrastructure, and the shipping, trading and financial network involved in Iranian oil sales.
OFAC has also suspended several licences that previously allowed some remittance payments to Iran and Iranian access to the U.S. cultural and academic system.
There are gas lines in Iran, but no sign yet that its leaders will bow to US sanctions
Tuesday 25 August 2026 21:00 , Daniel KeaneLines have grown outside gas stations across Tehran in recent weeks as the United States has tightened its blockade and threatened more severe sanctions, with some people waiting for two hours or more to fill up.
The uncertainty deepened on Tuesday, after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to fully sever the country from the global economy. In recent days, Iranian officials have spoken of a possible reduction in heavy gas subsidies as they seek to endure the tightening blockade.
“Maybe we will face a shortage of fuel,” said Hashem Abadi, a 34-year-old barber. “I rush to the filling stations whenever my tank is down to half or so.”
Read the full story below.
There are gas lines in Iran, but no sign yet that its leaders will bow to US sanctions
Watch: Iranian finance minister claims Tehran 'fully prepared for US sanctions'
Tuesday 25 August 2026 20:01 , Daniel KeaneUS 'prepares to send diplomats back to Middle East embassies'
Tuesday 25 August 2026 19:30 , Daniel KeaneThe US State Department is preparing to return diplomats to embassies in the Middle East that were evacuated before and during the war with Iran, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing an internal State Department document.
The return of foreign service officers and the scaling back of emergency measures at U.S. missions in the region could begin as early as this week, the report said.
Embassies slated to restore higher staffing levels include those in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait, according to the report.
Oman and Iran propose temporary shipping lane through Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday 25 August 2026 19:00 , Daniel KeaneOman and Iran have agreed on a proposed framework to resume safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz that includes establishing a joint temporary shipping lane and a project to demine the waterway, they said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
Oman's foreign minister arrived in Iran earlier on Tuesday for talks with his Iranian counterpart on future arrangements for the strait.
Trump's new sanctions could be seen by Iran as tantamount to 'military escalation' - expert
Tuesday 25 August 2026 18:30 , Daniel KeaneDonald Trump’s “economic D-Day” could be interpreted by Iran as tantamount to a military escalation, experts have warned.
Professor Maziyar Ghiabi, Director of the University of Exeter’s Centre of Persian and Iranian Studies, said: “The latest US measures against Iran include a wide and all-encompassing economic strangulation strategy which aims to cut off Iran’s economy from the wider neighbourhood and traditional partner networks.
“It is a sign of US failure at achieving its goals through military means, but also a risky move which many in Iran will see as tantamount to a military escalation.
“It is also likely to trigger a backlash from regional countries in West Asia and nations that have sought a friendly relationship with Iran. China, Türkiye, India, Iraq, and others may find it both impractical and degrading to fall in line. This step may well be the prelude for a further expansion of the conflict.”
The US promised ‘the toughest sanctions ever’ on Iran. Here’s what Trump’s team actually delivered
Tuesday 25 August 2026 18:00 , Maira ButtAfter days of promising the “toughest sanctions in history”, the US announced punitive measures against Iran on Monday and threatened sanctions against Tehran’s trade partners.
Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said nearly 60 Iran-linked entities, individuals, and vessels would be sanctioned as part of Operation Economic Outcast, without offering specific details on the measures.
“Let there be no ambiguity as to the position of the United States," Bessent said at a press conference. He said the scheme would amount to “economic asphyxiation” on the regime and warned that superpower China - Tehran’s largest trade partner - would not be beyond its scope.
The US promised ‘the toughest sanctions ever’ on Iran. Here’s what they delivered
USS Lincoln to dock in Thailand next week, says Thai official
Tuesday 25 August 2026 17:30 , Maira ButtThe USS Abraham Lincoln, a US aircraft carrier, will dock in Thailand next week, a Thai official said on Tuesday, following a prolonged deployment in the Middle East and reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions aboard.
The Lincoln, which left the Middle East on Saturday, has not made a port call in more than 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers.
The ship, which has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, will be in Thailand for "rest and recreation after their long sea journey", the official said, asking not to be named.
Tuesday 25 August 2026 17:00 , Maira ButtWatch: Iranian Finance Minister Claims Tehran 'Fully Prepared For US Sanctions'
Tuesday 25 August 2026 16:30 , Maira ButtTrump says mine boats in Hormuz will be destroyed and threatens new strike on nuclear site
Tuesday 25 August 2026 16:17 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDonald Trump has threatened new strikes on a nuclear site as well as Iranian military ships on the Strait of Hormuz.
It comes after the US president said he was informed by the US Navy that all mines “have been removed” from within the Strait.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed. Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites.
“There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Trump ignored warnings from Tulsi Gabbard and US intelligence the Iran war would backfire: report
Tuesday 25 August 2026 16:00 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump was warned against attacking Iran in February by U.S. intelligence chiefs, who suggested it could backfire and usher in an even more hard-line regime, according to a report.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the then-director of national intelligence and military veteran Tulsi Gabbard was summoned to the Oval Office to discuss the issue before strikes were launched on February 28.
Trump was reportedly buoyed at the time by the success of the previous summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela and wanted her assessment on the proposed new assault.
Trump ignored warnings from US intelligence that Iran war would backfire: report
Trump says US is watching 'every square inch' of Strait of Hormuz and Pickaxe Mountain
Tuesday 25 August 2026 15:35 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump has issued new comments on Iran, warning that the US is watching “every square inch” of the Strait of Hormuz and Pickaxe Mountain.
“I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed. Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites.
“There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect.”
Iran says position on Hormuz has been communicated to US through Pakistan
Tuesday 25 August 2026 15:00 , Maira ButtIran has “clearly” communicated its position and conditions regarding the Strait of Hormuz to the US through Pakistani mediators, according to an informed source cited by Tasnim news agency.
US public support for Iran war falls, reveals poll
Tuesday 25 August 2026 14:30 , Maira ButtUS public approval of the war with Iran fell to its lowest level since the conflict's early days, helping to hold president Donald Trump's popularity at a record low, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The four-day poll showed just 31 per cent of Americans support US military action against Iran, down from 37 per cent in a March Reuters/Ipsos poll and 34 per cent earlier this month.
The decline was driven by fewer self-identified Republicans backing the conflict. Some 69 per cent of Republican respondents support the war, compared with 77 per cent in March.
US sanctions Singapore company over Iran links
Tuesday 25 August 2026 14:00 , Maira ButtThe US has imposed sanctions on Singapore-based Wellbred Capital and its trading firms in the UAE and Switzerland, citing links with Iran, as it steps up measures to target Tehran's global financial links.
The company had ties to Iranian oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the US treasury's office of foreign assets control said on its website.
"Shamkhani built Wellbred as a company outside the network’s Iranian business, though Shamkhani is ultimately responsible for Wellbred’s operations," it added in a statement outlining the measures targeting nearly 60 companies, individuals and ships.
Iran vows to retaliate after US widens sanctions
Tuesday 25 August 2026 13:30 , Maira ButtTehran has promised to hit back against expanded US sanctions and expressed confidence that major trading partners would resist Washington’s pressure.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent unveiled the sanctions on Monday but stopped short of the most punishing measures and said countries that continued trading with Iran could risk being forced out of the dollar-based financial system.
He did not identify the countries targeted or which penalties would take effect and instead said there would be a period for them to consider their position and make amendments.
Watch: Bessent warns countries with economic ties to 'murderous' Iran regime will feel 'full reach of US power'
Tuesday 25 August 2026 13:00 , Maira ButtTrump claims Iran is killing protesters 'even when they are not protesting'
Tuesday 25 August 2026 12:44 , Daniel KeaneDonald Trump has claimed that Iran is killing protesters “even when they are not protesting”.
In a post on Truth Social, the US president wrote: “The failing Islamic Republic of Iran is not paying large segments of their military, while at the same time killing protesters, even when they are not protesting, at levels not seen before.
“It is a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, and must be stopped, NOW. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Trump justified his decision to launch the war in Iran in February in part due to a series of significant protests that rocked the country the month before.
He claimed the war and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could help usher in regime change, with the help of widespread protests. However, the widespread demonstrations he called for did not materialise.
Bangladesh could consider joining Mecca pact
Tuesday 25 August 2026 12:31 , Maira ButtBangladesh could consider joining the Mecca pact, a mutual defence agreement signed this month between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, a minister said, a move that could complicate its foreign relations, particularly with neighbouring India.
"If there is a security arrangement among Islamic nations in the Middle East, it is not unusual for us to consider participating. It is being viewed positively," said junior foreign minister Humayun Kabir.
"They are inviting the leadership of Bangladesh, particularly Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, to come and participate," he told reporters on Monday.
Iran claims there is a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump
Tuesday 25 August 2026 12:02 , Maira ButtIranian state media has claimed there is a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump, President Donald Trump’s 20-year-old son, according to a new report nearly six months into the U.S. war with Iran.
Footage broadcast on Channel 3, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was titled “Where and how should we kill Barron Trump?” Euronews reported Monday.
It reportedly displayed the location of his university, as well as Secret Service positions and escort vehicles, while claiming his whereabouts were “fully monitored.”
Iran claims there is a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump
Ship disabled by attack in Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday 25 August 2026 11:32 , Maira ButtAn oil tanker was hit with a projectile off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report Tuesday that highlighted the ongoing dangers for shipping companies attempting to use the waterway while Iran holds it in firm control.
The attack came as a high-level delegation from Pakistan, which has been a main mediator between the United States and Iran, was wrapping up meetings in Tehran with the goal of bringing a negotiated end to the nearly six-month old war.
Ship disabled by attack in Strait of Hormuz and other news from around the Middle East
Israel’s Netanyahu claims Iran tried to murder one of his sons
Tuesday 25 August 2026 11:00 , Maira ButtIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran tried to kill one of his sons.
However, he gave no details about when the alleged plot took place, which son was targeted or how close it came to being carried out.
Netanyahu's allegation underscores the heightened tensions since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in February, during which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders were killed.
Israel’s Netanyahu claims Iran tried to murder one of his sons
Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ for Iran arrives - but he is running out of cards to play
Tuesday 25 August 2026 10:30 , Maira ButtThe U.S. had agreed to lift sanctions on sales of Iranian oil for the duration of a 60-day ceasefire that expired last Monday, but these were reimposed after the deal collapsed amid disagreement over the Strait of Hormuz last month.
For decades, it has imposed measures such as freezing assets, implementing trade embargoes and applying sanctions against Iran over issues such as its nuclear development and human rights violations.
Since the war, Washington has also imposed a naval blockade, restricting Iranian oil exports as well as levying additional maritime and energy sanctions since the war broke out.
Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ for Iran arrives - but he is running out of cards to play
Turkey welcomes removal of Syria from terrorism sponsor list
Tuesday 25 August 2026 10:00 , Maira ButtTurkey has welcomed a US decision to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, saying that it had lifted “one of the biggest obstacles” to Syria’s reconstruction and economic development.
The country has been torn apart by civil war over recent years.
“We call upon the international community to unite its efforts towards the goal of a prosperous Syria and to fulfil its responsibilities to put an end to aggressive actions that jeopardise this vision,” the foreign ministry said in a statement referring to Israeli attacks on Syria, which Israel says is for its own defence and security.
