Iran has warned that ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz may be hit by “anti-ship mines in the main transit routes” due to the “state of war” as it advised vessels to follow alternative paths.
The Navy stressed all vessels must stay in touch with security forces to avoid “potential collisions with naval mines.”
The notice by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was released a day after confusion ensued over a fragile Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Iran and Pakistan say the 14-day truce included Lebanon but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House say it did not. Oil prices rose again amid the uncertainty.
President Donald Trump threatened to restart attacks against Iran, adding that all American military personnel would remain stationed around the region until the agreement is “fully complied with” and that “bigger, and better, and stronger” attacks would follow if it was breached.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister has called Israeli attacks on Lebanon a “grave violation” as Lebanon said over 250 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours with more than 1,000 wounded.
UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the “escalation” from Israel as “deeply damaging” and called for Lebanon to be “urgently included” in the agreement.
Read MoreOil prices rise as concerns grow over fragile US-Iran ceasefire deal
The Iran ceasefire is a relief but not a cure for the madness Trump has brought the world
Key Points
- Iran warns of ‘regret-inducing response’ if attacks on Lebanon continue
- Oil prices rise amid fragile ceasefire as Iran warns Strait of Hormuz may be mined
- Netanyahu says Israel will continue to attack Lebanon as over 250 killed in 24 hours
- US 'must choose' whether it wants war or peace, says Iranian deputy foreign minister
- Trump threatens 'bigger, better' attacks on Iran if ceasefire violated
Oil prices rise amid ceasefire uncertainty as Iran warns Strait of Hormuz may be mined
12:00 , Maira ButtIran has warned that ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz may be hit by “anti-ship mines in the main transit routes” due to the “state of war” as it advised vessels to follow alternative paths.
The notice by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was released a day after confusion ensued over a fragile Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Iran and Pakistan say the 14-day truce included Lebanon but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House say it did not. Oil prices rose again amid the uncertainty.
Uranium, sanctions and the Strait of Hormuz: The key sticking points between US and Iran ahead of talks in Islamabad
11:32 , Maira ButtThe ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States looked increasingly fragile on Thursday as Washington dismissed a string of key demands and Tehran appeared to hold its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump overnight rubbished a widely reported 10-point plan that Iran said Washington had already agreed to in principle to serve as a basis for future peace talks.
Iran made clear the ceasefire was conditional on an end to hostilities in Lebanon, as the White House said the deal did not include Israel’s parallel war with Hezbollah.
James C Reynolds reports:
The key sticking points between US and Iran ahead of talks
Netanyahu says Israel will continue to attack Lebanon
11:12 , Maira ButtIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his government will continue to attack Lebanon in a statement released on Thursday.
Over 1,500 people have been killed in six weeks with over 200 killed on Wednesday alone.
The actions have sparked international calls for the country to be included within a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US.
But Netanyahu said on Thursday that the operation, which he says is to defeat Hezbollah, will continue.
“Whoever acts against Israeli civilians will be struck,” he said.
“We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever required, until we restore full security to the residents of the north.”
British-Palestinian surgeon treating wounded in Beirut after Israeli strikes describes ‘absolute massacre’
10:48 , Maira ButtBel Trew and Mohammad Dawood report:
A British-Palestinian surgeon working in Beirut has described the aftermath of Israeli strikes as an “absolute massacre,” as hospitals struggle to cope with a surge of casualties.
At least 182 people have been killed in Lebanon after Israel launched what it described as its largest wave of air strikes in the conflict, hitting more than 100 targets in just 10 minutes on Wednesday (8 April).
Speaking to The Independent, Ghassan Abu Sittah said patients began arriving almost simultaneously, “And so the emergency departments have been flooded across the whole of Beirut,” he said.
The surgeon described the situation as “horrendous”.
“A lot of people brought in are dead, a lot of children with severe injuries,” he said.
Lebanon must be included in ceasefire agreement, says EU's top diplomat
10:28 , Maira ButtThe European Union’s top diplomat has called for a US-Iran ceasefire agreement to be extended to Lebanon on Thursday.
A fragile two-week truce brokered by Pakistan has been thrown into uncertainty as Iran and Pakistan said the agreement included Lebanon but the US and Israel have said it did not.
“Israeli actions are putting the U.S.-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon,” Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.
“Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence.”
Iran says US 'must choose' whether it wants war or peace
10:05 , Maira ButtIranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has criticised the US after a tenuous ceasefire struggled to hold overnight with Israeli bombing of Lebanon intensifying.
“You cannot ask for a ceasefire and then accept terms and conditions, accept all the areas that a ceasefire is applied to, and name Lebanon, exactly Lebanon in that, and then your ally [Israel] just starts a massacre,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.
He added that the US “must choose” whether it wants war or peace.
“They cannot have it both at the same time,” they said.
“They are mutually exclusive, it is quite clear.”
The Iran ceasefire is a relief but not a cure for the madness Trump has brought the world
09:45 , Stuti MishraThe welcome news of a ceasefire in the Israeli-US war against Iran, for a two-week period to open trade through the Persian Gulf while Iran’s regime reels from an onslaught that Donald Trump threatened would erase a civilisation, suits one man most – Vladimir Putin.
The rest of the world has been left reeling and impoverished by an illegal conflict.
Iran ceasefire is a relief but not cure for the madness Trump has brought the world
Trump threatens ‘bigger, better, stronger’ attacks if Iran doesn’t make ‘real’ agreement
09:30 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump has warned that “bigger, and better, and stronger” attacks could be unleashed on Iran if a “real” agreement between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic is not reached.
The two countries announced a two-week ceasefire late Tuesday, shortly after Trump warned that a “whole civilisation will die.”
In his April 9 post, Trump warned that U.S. military assets will remain in place around Iran, which he described as a “substantially degraded enemy.”
Read the full story below
Trump threatens ‘bigger, stronger’ attacks if Iran doesn’t make ‘real’ agreement
Watch Live: View of Lebanon as Israel continues strikes
09:25 , Maira ButtIn pictures: Aftermath of Israeli strikes on Lebanon
09:07 , Maira Butt Israeli military says right-hand man and nephew of Hezbollah chief killed
09:01 , Maira ButtIsrael’s military has said that it has killed the nephew of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem.
It said it “struck in the Beirut area and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem,” in a statement.
Hezbollah is yet to confirm the incident.
PM Starmer arrives in UAE to meet Gulf allies
08:46 , Maira ButtPrime minister Keir Starmer has landed in the United Arab Emirates to meet with allies in the Gulf amid a fragile truce between the US and Iran.
Meeting with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the British leader said that work was needed to ensure the halt in fighting was “not a temporary ceasefire but a permanent ceasefire”.
He was welcomed by Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority, at the airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
Australian prime minister says Lebanon should be included in ceasefire
08:30 , Rachel DobkinAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said Lebanon should be included in the US-Iran ceasefire.
Albanese said the two-week ceasefire is “fragile”, but Australia wants it to “lead to an agreement.”
“The Australian government also firmly believes that this has to apply to Lebanon as well”, he said in a video shared by SBS News. “We want to see peace in this region”.
Israel unleashed a heavy bombardment on Lebanon Wednesday. Israel has said the ceasefire doesn’t apply to Lebanon.
Trump rants ‘NATO wasn’t there’ as he reportedly weighs plans to punish allies unhelpful with Iran war
08:15 , Stuti Mishra Trump rants ‘NATO wasn’t there’ as he reportedly weighs plans to punish allies
In pictures: New Yorkers protest Iran war
08:00 , Rachel Dobkin Iran delegation heads to Islamabad for ‘serious talks’ as Trump warns of stronger strikes
07:35 , Stuti MishraAn Iranian delegation is set to arrive in Islamabad for talks aimed at resolving the conflict with the US and Israel, as tensions remain high despite a fragile ceasefire.
Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said the team would reach the Pakistani capital tonight for negotiations based on proposals put forward by Tehran.
“Despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime ... Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran,” he said in a post on X.
The talks come as both sides test the limits of a recently announced ceasefire, with continued strikes in Lebanon fuelling uncertainty over whether it will hold.
Pakistan has shut down offices in its capital city ahead of the talks in what is being seen as a heightened security measure [see post below for details]
Hours earlier, Donald Trump said the US would maintain a military presence in the region until what he described as a “real agreement” is secured.
Posting on Truth Social, he said American forces would remain in place with additional “Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary”.
UK foreign secretary says escalation from Israel 'deeply damaging'
07:18 , Maira ButtBritain’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has said that “escalation from Israel on Wednesday was deeply damaging” as confusion ensued following a US-Iran ceasefire agreed earlier this week.
Israeli strikes on Lebanon have continued as both the White House and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued that Lebanon was not included in a deal to stop strikes on Iran in exchange for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Pakistan, which brokered the deal independently, both said that the halting of strikes on Lebanon were a part of the agreement. Iran’s deputy foreign minister called the attacks a “grave violation”.
Ms Cooper insisted that Lebanon must be a part of the deal.
“We want to see Lebanon included in the ceasefire,” she told Times Radio on Thursday.
“We want it extended to cover Lebanon, because otherwise that will destabilise the whole region.
“That escalation that we saw from Israel yesterday was deeply damaging, and we want to see an end to hostilities.”
On Wednesday French president Emmanuel Macron also called for attacks on Lebanon to be stopped.
Trump 'clearly disappointed' with Nato, Rutte says after White House meeting
07:00 , Stuti MishraNato chief Mark Rutte said Donald Trump was “clearly disappointed” with the alliance’s response to the Iran war after what he described as a “very frank, very open discussion” at the White House.
Speaking to CNN after the talks, Mr Rutte said: “Let me be absolutely clear, he is clearly disappointed and with many Nato allies, and I can see his point.”
“The large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lived up to their commitments.”
But the meeting failed to calm Trump’s anger, with the US president later posting on Truth Social: “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”
UN warns Israel strikes in Lebanon put Iran ceasefire at ‘grave risk’
06:45 , Stuti Mishra Pakistan shuts Islamabad offices and steps up security ahead of US–Iran talks
06:30 , Stuti MishraPakistan has declared two local holidays in its capital, Islamabad, ahead of planned talks between the United States and Iran, with authorities giving no official reason for the move.
A notification issued late last evening by the Islamabad district administration confirmed the business closures from today, just as the city prepares to host high-level negotiations linked to the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
While officials did not explain the decision, the measure is being seen as a security and logistical control ahead of sensitive diplomatic events in the capital.
Starmer calls for urgent action to reopen Hormuz after meeting with Saudi crown prince
06:15 , Stuti MishraKeir Starmer met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, warning that the fragile Iran ceasefire must hold to stabilise energy supplies.
Downing Street said the prime minister stressed “it was vital now to continue work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz”, as the UK works with allies to “agree and plan the practical steps required to give shipping the confidence to transit the Strait”.
Speaking during his visit, Mr Starmer said there was a “sense of real relief” after the pause in fighting, but cautioned it was “early days”.
“There is still a lot of work to do,” he said, adding the aim was to ensure “this ceasefire should be not a temporary ceasefire but a permanent ceasefire”.
“It is very important we get the Strait of Hormuz open. There is a lot of work to do there.”
Israel hits 100 targets in 10 minutes in Lebanon, killing 182
06:00 , Stuti MishraAt least 182 people have been killed in Lebanon after Israel launched what it described as its largest wave of air strikes in the conflict, hitting more than 100 targets in just 10 minutes.
The strikes targeted areas including Beirut’s southern suburbs, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
A total of 254 people were killed and over 1,100 wounded across Lebanon, the country's civil defence service said. The highest toll was in Beirut, where 91 people were killed.
Israel said it struck Hezbollah command centres and military sites, as fighting continues despite a ceasefire with Iran that does not cover Lebanon.
Vance signals Israel may rein in Lebanon strikes to safeguard US-Iran truce
05:45 , Stuti MishraIsrael is expected to scale back its attacks on Lebanon in an effort to preserve the ceasefire with Iran, US vice-president JD Vance has suggested.
Mr Vance said Israeli officials had indicated they were willing to “check themselves a little bit in Lebanon” to ensure ongoing negotiations succeed.
“They want to make sure that our negotiation is successful,” he said, signalling a possible de-escalation after strikes in Beirut raised fears of the ceasefire unravelling.
Tensions have persisted despite the truce, with Iran shutting the Strait of Hormuz and warning it could resume hostilities with the United States in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
Washington has maintained that Lebanon is not covered under the ceasefire, even as Israel continues to target Hezbollah, which it describes as an Iranian proxy.
Mr Vance acknowledged there were disagreements over the scope of the deal.
“It’s a legitimate misunderstanding,” he said, adding that Iranian officials had believed the ceasefire extended to Lebanon “and it just didn’t”.
The vice-president, who is due to lead further talks alongside US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, also dismissed claims from a senior Iranian official that Washington had violated the agreement.
Iran has accused the US of breaching the ceasefire and earlier launched strikes on a key oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, while Gulf states reported multiple drone attacks.
Trump says US forces will stay in place around Iran until 'real agreement' otherwise ‘shootin starts, bigger, and better'
05:25 , Stuti MishraDonald Trump has warned US forces will remain “in, and around, Iran” with additional “ammunition, weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary” until a “REAL AGREEMENT” is fully complied with.
“If for any reason it is not… then the ‘shootin’ starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Mr Trump said it had long been agreed there would be “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS” and that the Strait of Hormuz would remain “OPEN & SAFE”.
“In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward… to its next Conquest,” he added.
Oil climbs again and Asian stocks turn cautious over ceasefire concerns
05:10 , Stuti MishraAsian stocks turned cautious this morning as oil prices edged higher again, with investors reassessing risks from the fragile Gulf ceasefire.
Crude prices rose after a sharp drop yesterday, with US futures up 2.8 per cent to $96.99 a barrel and Brent gaining 2.1 per cent to $96.74, as uncertainty persisted over access through the Strait of Hormuz.
Asian equity markets lost momentum after a sharp rally in the previous session. Japan’s Nikkei hovered around flat, while South Korea slipped 0.4 per cent. A broader index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.3 per cent.
Futures for US stocks also dipped, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both down 0.2 per cent.
Investors remain wary that higher energy prices could feed into inflation, with oil still around 40 per cent above pre-conflict levels.
"You have a fifth of the world's oil supply moving through a corridor that is still effectively under the influence of one of the parties to the conflict," Nigel Green, CEO at deVere Group told Reuters. "That's not stability."
"You don't need a full blockade to move oil markets sharply higher again," he added. "Missiles are still being launched in the Gulf, Israel is still engaged on another front, and yet markets are behaving as though the region has normalised."
No recovery in Hormuz shipping despite ceasefire, analysts say
04:50 , Stuti MishraThere has been no meaningful change in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz despite the ceasefire, according to independent analysts.
Maritime intelligence firm Windward said 11 vessels transited the strait on 5 April – broadly unchanged from recent days and still well below normal levels.
Instead of recovering, traffic has shifted into a more controlled system, with vessels using two routes: a northern corridor under Iranian oversight and a newer southern pathway along the Omani coast.
Access remains restricted, with some ships operating without tracking signals, limiting visibility across the Gulf. Windward recorded hundreds of such “dark” movements, alongside continued security risks, including recent attacks on vessels.
Analysts said the situation is unlikely to stabilise quickly.
“The situation remains highly volatile, and despite the ceasefire, shipowners are unlikely to rush back into the Gulf to load fossil fuels,” Isaac Levi, senior analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told The Independent.
Others said any recovery would depend on whether the ceasefire holds.
“If the cease-fire holds, which is a big if, it would allow loaded ships waiting in the Gulf to move quickly,” Andres Cala, geopolitical analyst at Montel, said.
Iran warns of ‘regret-inducing response’ if attacks on Lebanon continue
04:30 , Stuti MishraIran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned they will deliver a “regret-inducing response” if attacks on Lebanon continue, according to state media.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said strikes must stop “immediately”, in a message reported by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
“If the aggressions against dear Lebanon are not brought to an immediate end we shall fulfil our duty and deliver a regret-inducing response to the malicious aggressors in the region,” the statement said.
State-run Islamic Republic News Agency also quoted an IRGC official as saying: “Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran.”
“The [military] field is preparing a heavy response to the regime’s savage crimes,” the official added, referring to Israel.
Trump 'clearly disappointed' with US allies' refusal to join Iran war, says Nato chief
04:22 , Stuti MishraNo casualties in Iran in first 24 hours since ceasefire announcement: report
04:00 , Rachel DobkinThere have been no casualties in Iran in the first 24 hours since a ceasefire in the war was announced Tuesday night, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.
HRANA reported at least 20 attacks across four provinces in Iran, with no records of people being killed or injured.
The zero recorded casualties “indicates a significant decrease compared with previous days”, the news agency said.
In pictures: Israel launches heavy bombardment on Lebanon
03:30 , Rachel Dobkin Hezbollah claims attacks on Israel after Lebanon bombardment: report
03:00 , Rachel DobkinIran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has claimed attacks on Israel following a heavy Israeli bombardment on Lebanon.
Hezbollah said it had attacked Manara in northern Israel with rocket fire early Thursday morning, the Associated Press reported.
“This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases,” Hezbollah said, per the AP.
On Wednesday, hundreds were killed and injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defence.
NATO chief faces scrutiny from European countries for endless support of ‘Daddy’ Trump
02:30 , Alex WoodwardAfter repeatedly threatening to pull out of the alliance over the last several months, Donald Trump’s administration now claims Nato “turned their backs” on the US after its partners refused to join the president’s war in Iran.
While the alliance contends with a possible future without the US, Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte — who has spent a year fawning over Trump in an apparent attempt to diplomatically stroke the president’s ego — is tasked with keeping the president close.
Rutte, who referred to Trump as “daddy” and sent him a swooning text message that the president posted on Truth Social, mounted a charm offensive last year to maintain a frail alliance that Trump has hollowed out with calls to war and insults directed to European allies who dared criticize his actions.
Rutte is now caught between a president who threatens to abandon the alliance and Nato members who have clashed with his own public statements supporting the US-Israeli campaign and public appeals for Americans to get behind their president.
Read on...
NATO chief faces scrutiny from Europe over endless support for ‘Daddy’ Trump
Trump officials weighing moving US troops from 'unhelpful' Nato countries: report
02:15 , Rachel DobkinThe White House is weighing moving US troops from Nato countries that Donald Trump deemed as unhelpful in his military campaign against Iran, according to a new Wall Street Journal report.
These troops would then be relocated to allied countries believed to be more supportive of the war effort, according to the WSJ.
Israel strikes more than 100 targets in Lebanon in 10 minutes: IDF
02:00 , Rachel DobkinThe Israel Defence Forces has said it hit more than 100 targets in Lebanon in 10 minutes.
“The strike targeted 100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, & command-and-control centers in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon”, the IDF wrote on X Wednesday afternoon, local time.
‼️ In 10 minutes, the IDF completed the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 8, 2026
The strike targeted 100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, & command-and-control centers in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon, including:
•…
More than 250 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, officials say
01:45 , Rachel DobkinAt least 254 people were killed and another 1,165 were injured as Israel carried out a devastating bombardment on Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defence.
Watch: White House claims conflict went ‘exactly as planned from day one’ despite fragile ceasefire
01:30 , Rachel DobkinTrump makes dig at Greenland while ranting about Nato after meeting with Mark Rutte
Thursday 9 April 2026 00:54 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump made a dig at Greenland while ranting about Nato after meeting with the military alliance’s chief, Mark Rutte.
The US president wrote on Truth Social Wednesday evening, Washington time, in all caps, “Nato wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.
“Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!!!”
Trump has tried to acquire Greenland by pressuring the Nato country into a deal, but the semi-autonomous Danish territory has resisted.
Rutte met with Trump at the White House earlier in the day, telling CNN after the meeting that the US president was “clearly disappointed with many Nato allies”.
But the Nato secretary general insisted that the “large majority” of allied nations have been helpful in Trump’s war against Iran.
Trump has grown increasingly sour towards Nato after his allies refused to help him secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil passageway that Iran effectively closed during the U.S.-Israeli strikes against the country.
Three journalists killed in Gaza and Lebanon
Thursday 9 April 2026 00:36 , Rachel DobkinThree journalists were killed, one in Gaza and two in Lebanon, during strikes carried out by Israel on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported.
Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Wishah died after his car was hit by an Israeli drone in Gaza City, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Journalists Ghada Dayekh from Sawt Al-Farah and Suzan Khalil from Al-Manar TV and Al-Nour Radio were reportedly killed as Israel launched a heavy bombardment on Lebanon following a US-Iran ceasefire agreement.
Committee to Protect Journalists Regional Director Sara Qudah said in a statement, “Journalists are being killed at a pace and scale that should shock the conscience of the world. These are not isolated tragedies; they reflect a systematic failure to uphold the most basic protections owed to civilian journalists under international law”.
Al Jazeera said it strongly condemned Wishah’s killing, which it claimed was a targeted attack.
“As Al Jazeera mourns its correspondent Mohammed Wishah, who joined the Network in 2018, it affirms that his killing was not a random act but a deliberate and targeted crime intended to intimidate journalists and prevent them from carrying out their professional duties,” the news organization said in a statement.
Avicha Adraee, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson to the Arab media, wrote on X that Wishah was a “Hamas terrorist”.
Vance suggests US and Iran agree on more about peace deal than they disagree on
Thursday 9 April 2026 00:00 , Tara CobhamSpeaking to reporters before leaving Hungary, the US vice president said Iran questioning the workability of a ceasefire because it disagrees with the U.S. on three key points "must mean there's a lot of points of agreement."
Frustration on three issues "actually means that there's a lot of agreements," JD Vance said.
The vice president, who is set to participate in negotiations in Pakistan this weekend, said "ceasefires are always messy" and often feature "a little bit of choppiness."
It wasn't all positive, though. Vance also questioned the English skills of Iran parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and his comments on the fragile nature of the ceasefire.
"I actually wonder how good he is at understanding English," Vance said "because there are things that he said that just didn't make sense in the context of the negotiations that we've had."
Nato chief says some European allies were tested and failed in Iran war
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:58 , Tara CobhamNato Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday he believes that some Nato countries were tested and failed amid Washington's criticism over European allies not getting involved in the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran.
Rutte's comments came after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House earlier in the day.
During an interview with CNN, the Nato chief was asked if he believed Nato countries were tested and failed.
"Some of them yes, but a large majority of European countries, and that's what we discussed today, have done what they promised before in a case like this," he told CNN.
Rutte said he had a "frank and open" discussion with Trump, where the Republican expressed disappointment with America's allies.
He said he pointed to Trump that European countries assisted with logistics and other commitments.
Nato chief says he told Trump most European nations have been helpful in 'frank' discussion
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:44 , Tara CobhamNato Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that he had a "frank and open" discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump, where the Republican expressed disappointment with America's allies.
"I was also able to point to the fact that the large majority of European nations has been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lift up to the commitments," Rutte told CNN during an interview after the meeting.
Australian foreign minister calls for urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:30 , Tara CobhamThe Australian foreign minister has called for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.
In a statement, Penny Wong said: “Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom remain deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation and displacement crisis in Lebanon.
“We welcome the ceasefire agreed between the United States, Israel and Iran. We call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.
“Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected from the effects of hostilities.
“Humanitarian personnel, who dedicate themselves to protecting and assisting the most vulnerable, must be respected and protected.
“Attacks that threaten the safety and security of humanitarian personnel must stop. International humanitarian law must be upheld by all parties to the conflict in all circumstances.
“Respect for international humanitarian law is essential to preserving human dignity, mitigating civilian harm, and maintaining the space needed for humanitarian action and access.
“We condemn in the strongest terms actions that have killed UN peace keepers and significantly increased the risks faced by humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon.
“Meaningful accountability and justice are critical for violations of international law that harm humanitarian personnel or impede their activities.”
Independent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:15 , Tara CobhamIndependent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, despite claims from the White House on Wednesday that there had been an uptick in the number of ships transiting the strategic waterway since a U.S.-announced ceasefire with Iran.
Windward, a maritime intelligence firm that tracks international shipping, said only 11 vessels transited the strait on Wednesday — roughly the same number from prior days.
Windward said all ships transiting the strait must still coordinate safe passage with Iranian authorities, who are requiring shippers to pay hefty tolls amounting of up to $1 a barrel for outbound oil, paid in cryptocurrency. For context, the largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude.
Windward said radio broadcasts from Iran to tankers in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday warned that those transiting without approval would be attacked.
Vance uses bizarre skydiving wife analogy as he discusses Iranian ceasefire demands
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:00 , Tara Cobham Vance makes bizarre skydiving wife analogy as he discusses Iranian ceasefire demands
White House claims US war against Iran went 'exactly as planned'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:47 , Tara CobhamThe White House has claimed that the US’s war against Iran went “exactly as planned from day one”.
In a post on X, it said: “Iran’s ability to threaten the region has been systematically dismantled.”
Achieved every single objective on schedule and exactly as planned from day one.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 8, 2026
- Iran's Navy: Destroyed.
- Defense industrial base: Annihilated.
- Nuclear weapon ambitions: Denied.
Iran’s ability to threaten the region has been systematically dismantled. pic.twitter.com/K4NkXIp48m
Greek PM says tolls for ships to cross Hormuz would be unacceptable
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:34 , Tara CobhamGreek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday it would be unacceptable for ships to have to pay a fee to cross the Strait of Hormuz as Iran has suggested, and such a move would set a dangerous precedent for freedom of navigation.
The Iran war has threatened Gulf ports and disrupted global trade through the strait, a waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.
Greece controls one of the largest merchant fleets globally in terms of cargo-carrying capacity. Amid ceasefire talks with the U.S. and Israel, Tehran, which controls the chokepoint, has proposed fees or tolls on vessels to safely pass through the strait. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested the U.S. and Iran could collect tolls in a joint venture, while the White House said the priority was reopening the strait without limitations.
Mitsotakis said the strait always had freedom of navigation and that needs to continue.
"I don't think that the international community would be ready to accept Iran setting up a toll booth for every ship that crosses the strait," Mitsotakis told CNN. "That seems to me to be completely unacceptable."
The centre-right leader added that a separate international agreement regarding the strait may be necessary.
"But this agreement cannot, I repeat, cannot include a sort of a fee that ships will have to pay every time they cross the strait. This was not the case before the war started and it cannot be the case after the war finishes," he said.
"We would be setting a very, very dangerous precedent, if that were to happen, for the freedom of navigation."
Child killed after Israeli drone shot down in Iran, local media reports
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:42 , Tara CobhamA child has been killed after an Israeli drone was shot down by air defences in Iran’s Khuzestan province on Wednesday evening, Iranian media has reported.
