Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei has threatened “earthquake-like” retaliation should US president Donald Trump take any further action.
Tehran has also cautioned its Gulf neighbours against joining Donald Trump’s “economic D-Day” sanctions after the US said it would look to hit Iran’s financial interests.
Should Trump "take action, our confrontation will be like an earthquake," Rezaei said.
He added: “If the countries surrounding Iran join the Americans in their economic war, not a drop of oil will leave the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and we will also target other oil export routes from the Persian Gulf.”
Trump has promised to wage "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale” on Iran in what he called the “toughest sanctions in history”. In response, Tehran accused Trump of threatening “economic terrorism”.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Saturday said that the imminent US announcement of new economic sanctions on Iran was an "assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations".
Read MoreStrait of Hormuz tracker: The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened
Trump threatens to crush Iran with ‘Economic D Day’ - but he is running out of cards to play
Trump cannot let Iran make him ‘look like a loser,’ says former Fox News personality
Key Points
- Tehran warns Gulf neighbours against joining US 'economic D-Day'
- Iran asks Qatar to transfer 'detained pilots' to hospital on land
- Iran 'not ready to make right deal', says Trump
- Iran says Trump's sanctions 'assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty'
- Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries - including Iran
Iran threatens Trump with 'earthquake-like' retaliation
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei has threatened “earthquake-like” retaliation should US president Donald Trump take any further action.
Trump said earlier this week that he would impose a "most crushing economic operation" against Tehran as the war nears its six-month anniversary.
Should Trump "take action, our confrontation will be like an earthquake," said Rezaei.
Israel drops proceedings over airstrike on Gaza convoy that killed Polish volunteer
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPoland's foreign ministry has summoned Israel's ambassador in Warsaw, expressing that it was "very disappointed" after Israel decided against pursuing criminal proceedings over a 2024 attack on a volunteer convoy in Gaza that killed a Polish citizen.
Damian Sobol, a volunteer from Przemysl in southeastern Poland, was among seven individuals working for celebrity chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen who died in the April 2024 central Gaza airstrike, an incident that prompted an international outcry.
More here.
Israel drops proceedings over airstrike on Gaza convoy that killed Polish volunteer
Everything you need to know as US threatens 'economic D-Day' on Iran
05:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane• US president Donald Trump has issued another economic threat against Iran, vowing “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences” for any country that trades with Tehran
• In a rant on Truth Social, he wrote: “This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat”
• He also said Iran are not ready to make the "right deal" and called the Strait of Hormuz “American territory”
• In response, Tehran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that the threats would only bring Trump “further defeat” as he struggles to find an exit strategy from an unpopular war
• Iran also gave permission to a number of Iraqi tankers to progress through the Strait on Saturday
Recap: Iranian official urges Qatar to move detained pilots to hospital on land
05:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAn Iranian military official has called on Qatar to transfer detained Iranian pilots to a hospital on land, saying they were being held on water and were in "poor physical condition"”.
Tasnim news agency reported that Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, said the location where the pilots were being held was unsuitable and requested that the International Committee of the Red Cross send an air ambulance to Qatar to expedite the return of injured and sick detainees to Iran.
Qatar denied last week that it was holding Iranian pilots, saying they had violated Qatari airspace earlier this year and failed to respond to attempts to contact them.
Doha said it had contacted Iran to coordinate the handover of the remains of one pilot and had invited Tehran to review details of its search and rescue operations, but had received no response.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that the invitation remained open for an Iranian delegation to visit over the pilots issue.
In his latest statement, Mr Baqerzadeh welcomed Qatar’s decision to receive a team of Iranian experts and called on Doha to provide them with the necessary cooperation.
Mr Baqerzadeh had previously said an Iranian Air Force expert and fact-finding team had been waiting for months to enter Qatar and accused Qatari officials of repeatedly delaying the investigation.
Trump cannot let Iran make him ‘look like a loser,’ says former Fox News personality
04:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePresident Donald Trump cannot let Iran make him “look like a loser” because his legacy is tied up in the war with the Islamic Republic, a former Fox News personality says.
Political commentator Bill O’Reilly, the former host of The O’Reilly Factor, made the remark on Tuesday night as the six-month anniversary of the start of the war draws closer.
Appearing on NewsNation’s On Balance, O’Reilly began by saying that he believes the US does have a strategy going forward in the conflict with Iran.
You can read more below:
Trump cannot let Iran make him ‘look like a loser,’ says former Fox News personality
Three admit arson attack at Persian media company’s UK base
03:00 , Sam RkainaTwo men and a teenage boy have admitted taking part in an arson attack on the UK office of a Persian media company.
On April 15, the offices of Volant Media, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International, were allegedly targeted.
Police had been alerted after an “ignited container” was thrown towards the site in Wembley, north-west London, landing in a car park where the fire immediately went out.
There were no injuries and the suspects left the area in a black four-wheel-drive vehicle, police had said.
Nathan Dunn, 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of arson being “reckless as to whether life is endangered” on April 15.
During an Old Bailey hearing on Friday, a 17-year-old boy denied that charge but admitted the lesser alternative offence of arson.
The prosecution indicated his plea was not accepted and he faces a trial on February 1 next year.
Previously, the driver of the car, Oisin McGuinness, 21, had pleaded guilty to arson, which was accepted by the Crown.
He has also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in north-west London on the same date and possession of the class A drug cocaine.
Trump threatens to crush Iran with ‘Economic D Day’ - but he is running out of cards to play
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe US president has threatened to impose unprecedented economic punishment on Iran, but experts tell Maira Butt that China may prove a huge obstacle.
Trump threatens Iran with ‘Economic D Day’ - but he is running out of cards to play
Recap: Trump says he will declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory
01:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDonald Trump has threatened to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory, escalating his rhetoric over control of the waterway amid the war with Iran.
The US president said he would make the designation “pretty soon”, as Tehran and Washington remain at an impasse over the future of the strait nearly six months after it was closed when the US and Israel launched their war on 28 February.
“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz strait a territory of the United States,” Mr Trump told a crowd of law enforcement officers.
“Essentially, that’s what it is. We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.”
You can read the full report below:
Trump says he will declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory
Watch: Netanyahu puts NYC mayor Mamdani alongside Iran’s Ayatollah on enemies list
Sunday 23 August 2026 00:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFrom a 230-year-old ally to a bombing target: How Trump is trying to wreck the US-Omani relationship
Saturday 22 August 2026 23:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOn Monday, President Donald Trump made yet another unprecedented and violent threat against a country in the Middle East.
But this time the target of his ire was unexpected. Oman, an American ally for almost 200 years, would be bombed “to s***” if it interfered with a potential US-Iran peace deal, Trump told a FOX News reporter.
It was not the first time that Trump had threatened Oman, previously warning the country in May to “behave” or face potential military action.
But Trump, growing increasingly frustrated with deadlocked talks after a 60-day interim deal expired on Monday, lashed out at the US ally on Monday warning: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s**t out of them.”
You can read more about how President Trump’s growing frustration threatens to damage the US-Omani relationship below:
How Trump is trying to wreck a 230-year-old alliance with Oman
Strait of Hormuz tracker: The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened
Saturday 22 August 2026 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneShipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged to single digits as US-Iran peace talks have ground to a complete halt.
Only seven commodity vessels passed through the waterway on Thursday, some of the lowest numbers seen in weeks, according to Kpler data. Four ships entered the Gulf while only three exited.
This number was down from 14 on Wednesday. No supertankers or liquefied natural gas carriers were recorded passing through the vital chokepoint through which one fifth of the world’s energy passes.
Between 130 to 140 vessels transited the passage every day, before US-Israeli strikes sparked the war with Iran on 28 February.
You can read the full story below:
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the Strait of Hormuz has reopened
Tehran warns Gulf neighbours against joining US 'economic D-Day'
Saturday 22 August 2026 21:19 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTehran has cautioned its Gulf neighbours against joining Donald Trump’s “economic D-Day” sanctions after the US said it would look to hit Iran’s financial interests.
Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran will look to target the interests of Gulf countries that join the US president’s sanctions.
“If the countries surrounding Iran join the Americans in their economic war, not a drop of oil will leave the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and we will also target other oil export routes from the Persian Gulf,” Al-Jazeera reported him as saying on Saturday night.
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Saturday 22 August 2026 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Pentagon is considering reducing US military presence in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Iran war, according to a report.
Troops could be withdrawn from the Persian Gulf, officials told The Washington Post, following months of attacks by Iranian forces that have targeted US bases across the region since the war began in late February.
The Pentagon’s policy office is evaluating US regional presence, with US Central Command (Centcom) and Joint Staff also looking at the situation, a senior Pentagon official told the outlet.
While no formal review has been ordered by U.S. defence secretary Pete Hegseth, “decisions are going to have to be made on some of this stuff,” the official told The Post.
You can read more below:
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Watch: Trump sheds light on plan to increase Iran sanctions
Saturday 22 August 2026 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIran says the world has accepted it has defeated the US
Saturday 22 August 2026 19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has called for the conflict with the US to end and claimed the world has already accepted that Iran has won.
Speaking at a meeting of doctors on Friday, he said: “The entire world approved our victory and the U.S. is hated,” according to IRNA news agency.
The remarks came as the Trump administration threatened a crushing financial campaign against Iran, promising an “economic D-Day” against the country.
President Donald Trump announced that the US would be imposing an “unprecedented” level of economic warfare and isolation on Iran, aiming to force its leadership to cave to demands to end its nuclear program and fully reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.
Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries - including Iran
Saturday 22 August 2026 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA federal judge in New York has vacated a Trump administration policy that suspended the processing of visas from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration deemed likely to require public assistance in the United States.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, set aside the policy Friday as "contrary to law and in excess of statutory authority."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority by issuing the policy, which "runs afoul" of the Immigration and Nationality Act by mandating "the refusal of visas to eligible applicants without any basis in law," the judge ruled.
Ms Vargas said the policy also undermines the congressional requirement that puts consular officers at the forefront of any visa decision.
"Congress imbued these officers with exclusive authority and discretion to determine if an immigrant is eligible for a visa based upon review of specific and detailed criteria set forth in the statute," she wrote.
"The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme."
The policy was challenged by two nonprofit organizations along with 11 individuals, including six whose family members had been refused visas. The remaining five are outside the country and had filed "employment-based petitions" to come to the United States.
Strait of Hormuz traffic at virtual standstill despite Trumps claims
Saturday 22 August 2026 17:10 , Sam RkainaShipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged to single digits as US-Iran peace talks have ground to a complete halt.
Only seven commodity vessels passed through the waterway on Thursday, some of the lowest numbers seen in weeks, according to Kpler data. Four ships entered the Gulf while only three exited.
This number was down from 14 on Wednesday.
No supertankers or liquefied natural gas carriers were recorded passing through the vital chokepoint through which one fifth of the world’s energy passes.
Between 130 to 140 vessels transited the passage every day, before US-Israeli strikes sparked the war with Iran on 28 February.
Two US tanker aircraft leave Bulgaria a month after deployment upset Iran
Saturday 22 August 2026 16:42 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTwo US tanker aircraft have left Bulgaria’s Bezmer air base, Bulgaria's defence minister said on Saturday, nearly a month after their deployment in the Balkan country angered Iran.
The United States, which has been at war with Iran since February 28, requested their temporary deployment under an agreement governing the joint use of military facilities.
Iran said at the time that their deployment would constitute complicity in "aggression and war crimes", a charge that Sofia dismissed.
The two US Air Force KC-135 planes left Bulgaria on Friday, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters.
The US authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.
The deployment of the aircraft, approved by Bulgaria's parliament on July 22, led to protests by nearby residents who feared the planes would be attacked by Iranian missiles and drones.
Stoyanov said all the aircraft's flights during their temporary deployment had been training missions over allied countries and that Bulgaria had "no information about direct threats to our national security."
"We are working in full coordination with the US government and had prior information, which is why all our decisions were well-founded," he said.
Repair of Iran's South Pars phase 14 refinery is 70% complete
Saturday 22 August 2026 16:10 , Sam RkainaThe repair of Iran's South Pars Phase 14 gas refinery, hit during an Israeli attack in June last year, is 70% complete, the Pars Oil and Gas Company's chief executive said, according to Iran's oil ministry news agency SHANA.
The refinery would be fully restored by the end of the year, CEO Touraj Dehqani said, and the damaged section will be fully integrated into the production cycle, he added.
Iran denounces new US plans for 'toughest sanctions in history'
Saturday 22 August 2026 15:32 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIran has strongly denounced US plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
After nearly six months of war, the conflict has reached a stalemate with sides not firing at each other but also showing no sign of pursuing peace talks.
Oil shipments are at a virtual standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran threatening to strike any unauthorised oil tankers that try to transit the vital waterway, and Iran's economy is already under immense pressure from sanctions.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is due to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) on Monday after threatening "the toughest sanctions in history" on Iran.
Bessent has also urged cooperation with Washington by China, which buys more than 80 per cent of Iran's shipped oil, according to 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler. In response, Beijing has urged diplomacy.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Saturday the imminent US announcement of new economic sanctions was an "assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations."
"Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law," he said in a post on X.
Mother of Palestinian girl found dead after Israel fired on family car wants inquiry
Saturday 22 August 2026 15:15 , Sam RkainaThe mother of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl found dead days after Israeli forces fired on her family’s car in Gaza City wants an independent inquiry into her death.
The widely publicized recording of Hind Rajab’s January 2024 phone call with her mother and emergency dispatchers made her one of the Israel-Hamas war’s most prominent casualties.
Israel’s military this week admitted to firing at the family’s car as it fled an Israeli invasion and firing toward an ambulance dispatched to help them.
It said it would launch a criminal investigation into its troops’ conduct. All six people in the car and two paramedics were killed. But both Rajab’s family and emergency responders from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society doubt the Israeli investigation can deliver justice.
Iran grants permission for number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through Hormuz
Saturday 22 August 2026 14:12 , Sam RkainaIran has granted permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad through various channels, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.
IRNA said obtaining special permission for Iraqi tankers was one of Baghdad’s main requests during Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf’s visit to Iraq.
Iraqi President Nizar Amedi said on Saturday that Iran had facilitated the passage of vessels carrying Iraqi oil through the Strait in recent days and Baghdad had discussed the export of Iraqi oil through Hormuz with Iranian officials.
The issue remained complicated, he added, speaking at the Baghdad Dialogue policy conference.
Iranian official urges Qatar to move detained pilots to hospital on land
Saturday 22 August 2026 13:31 , Sam RkainaAn Iranian military official has called on Qatar to transfer detained Iranian pilots to a hospital on land, saying they were being held on water and were in "poor physical condition", Tasnim news agency reported.
Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, said the location where the pilots were being held was unsuitable and requested that the International Committee of the Red Cross send an air ambulance to Qatar to expedite the return of injured and sick detainees to Iran.
Qatar denied last week that it was holding Iranian pilots, saying they had violated Qatari airspace earlier this year and failed to respond to attempts to contact them.
Iranian army says threats will get a 'devastating response'
Saturday 22 August 2026 12:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi, promised yesterday that Iran would respond to enemy threats militarily with "crushing, punishing and devastating responses".
Still, President Masoud Pezeshkian called for a diplomatic solution.
"It would be better to end the war today, when we are powerful and have dignity, and the whole world acknowledges our victory and emphasizes that America, contrary to all regulations, attacked our schools, hospitals, and infrastructure and is hated in the world," Pezeshkian said, according to the ISNA news agency.
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Saturday 22 August 2026 11:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Pentagon is considering reducing US military presence in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Iran war, according to a report.
Troops could be withdrawn from the Persian Gulf, officials told The Washington Post, following months of attacks by Iranian forces that have targeted US bases across the region since the war began in late February.
The Pentagon’s policy office is evaluating US regional presence, with US Central Command (Centcom) and Joint Staff also looking at the situation, a senior Pentagon official told the outlet.
More here.
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Here’s why Gaza peace deals keep unravelling
Saturday 22 August 2026 11:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump’s Board of Peace published a 15-point roadmap for Gaza in late July in which Hamas would hand its weapons to a committee of Palestinian technocrats, certified by an international verification body, and Israel would withdraw from the strip in phases.
After Israel officially rejected the plan on August 9, US envoy Jared Kushner flew to the Egyptian coast to meet Hamas representatives.
From there, he travelled to Jerusalem where it was proposed the weapons would instead be handed over under the supervision of an American general. This change to the disarmament process is a clear illustration of what has gone wrong with each agreement reached over Gaza since January 2025: none have established, in advance, who certifies compliance.
More here.
I’m a legal expert. Here’s why Gaza peace deals keep unravelling
Iran says Trump's sanctions 'assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty'
Saturday 22 August 2026 10:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said this morning that the imminent US announcement of new economic sanctions on Iran was an "assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations".
"Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law," he said in a post on X.
US president Donald Trump, who has warned of economic consequences against any country that provides "any type of lifeline to Iran," said yesterday that Washington was observing "what happens" in the conflict.
Iran asks Qatar to transfer 'detained pilots' to hospital on land
Saturday 22 August 2026 10:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran has claimed that Qatar was holding its pilots captive in "poor physical condition" on water.
Iranian officials have called on Qatar to transfer the detained pilots to a hospital on land, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Qatar on Tuesday said that an Iranian delegation travelled to Doha and collected the remains of one of its pilots.
However, Tehran has claimed that three pilots who went missing after their aircraft entered Qatari airspace and were shot down in March were still in the country.
Pentagon says more than 750 US troops wounded and 18 killed in Iran war
Saturday 22 August 2026 09:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Pentagon says 756 US service members have been wounded and 18 killed in the war against Iran since late February, bringing total US military casualties to 774.
The figures, per the Defence Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) data, were updated after the Pentagon added 50 wounded personnel to its casualty database.
The update comes amid renewed US strikes on Iran, stalled efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and US president Donald Trump’s announcement of a major new economic campaign against Iran.
Iran grants Iraq permission for its oil tankers to pass through Hormuz
Saturday 22 August 2026 09:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran has agreed to allow some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, after Iraqi parliament speaker Haibat al-Halbousi requested special permission from his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
According to Iran’s official IRNA news agency, the move is aimed at protecting Iraq’s oil exports and economic interests, but Iran has not said how many tankers will be allowed through or for how long.
Reza Pahlavi condemns Iran fuel price hikes
Saturday 22 August 2026 08:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarReza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has criticised the government’s proposed fuel price increases, calling them an “unforgivable mistake” that would worsen hardship for Iranians.
In a post on X, Pahlavi wrote: “While the Islamic Republic squanders the nation's resources on foreign terrorists and domestic oppressors, the regime's officials and their cronies compete with one another in plundering national wealth, and the regime's ineptitude in governing the country has broken the backs of households and impoverished Iranians. Imposing fuel price hikes on the people is an unforgivable mistake and a profound betrayal. Fuel prices cannot be compared to those in other countries when Iranians' incomes are in rials and below the poverty line.
“Fuel and energy issues are managed on a daily basis without crisis in nearly every country in the world, even many with far fewer resources than Iran.”
He continued: “On one hand, the IRGC smuggling mafia siphons off tens of millions of litres of Iran's capital daily through tankers, pipelines, and smuggling docks; on the other, the automotive mafia foists low-quality, high-consumption vehicles on the nation. This criminal sect, incapable of solving the problem, uses its propaganda apparatus to shift the burden of fuel shortages onto the people, portraying them as the cause of increased consumption and fuel smuggling.
“The Islamic Republic is an incompetent, corrupt, and anti-Iranian regime that is itself the root of these disorders and will never be capable of resolving them.”
Iran army warns of ‘broader’ response to any attack
Saturday 22 August 2026 08:13 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran’s military has adopted a more “offensive” approach from a “defensive” one following the experience of recent wars, army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said, according to Iranian state media.
Akraminia said: “Our country’s military doctrine was defensive in the past, but gradually during these two wars, we witnessed the military doctrine moving from a defensive posture towards an offensive one.”
He said that the change “does not mean carrying out preemptive operations against the enemy.
“We will respond to any act of aggression immediately and on a broader scale than the aggression itself.”
According to Akraminia, Iran has restored military equipment damaged in previous fighting and brought additional systems into operation. “We are working continuously so that if the enemy again makes a miscalculation, we can deliver a more crushing response than before,” he said.
Akraminia also said Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz had become a “decisive geopolitical influence” following the war, while pointing to a new Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani defence partnership as evidence of what he described as waning US influence in the region.
Israel faces backlash over building of gallows site for hanging Palestinians
Saturday 22 August 2026 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsrael’s far-right national security minister is facing a major backlash over the construction of a gallows site to execute Palestinians sentenced to death at a prison in Israel.
Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video online showing the construction of the facility in an unidentified location, which will include viewing booths for the family members of victims to witness executions.
It follows the passage of a highly controversial “Death Penalty for Terrorists Law” earlier this year that made death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks.
More here.
Israel unveils Palestinian execution wing with ‘viewing deck’
US energy secretary says 'oil flowing through Hormuz'
Saturday 22 August 2026 07:09 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS energy secretary Chris Wright has claimed that the US military has helped transit more than 15 million barrels of oil out of Hormuz on Tuesday.
"Combined with pipelines, the total oil leaving the region was close to 20 million barrels," he said on X.
He added: "Make no mistake, thanks to the US Navy, oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. The seven-day average of oil leaving the Strait is over 8 million barrels a day."
On Tuesday, the U.S. military helped ship over 15 million barrels of oil and products out of the Strait of Hormuz — combined with pipelines, the total leaving the region is closer to 20 million barrels. 7-day average of oil leaving the Strait is over 8 million barrels a day. Make…
— Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) August 21, 2026
Donald Trump declares Strait of Hormuz an 'American territory'
Saturday 22 August 2026 07:08 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz as an "American territory" and said Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump told reporters last night: “We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon; we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, or you will see some very bad things."
“They want to make a deal so badly, we don’t even know if we want [a deal] because I view the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now, it’s an American territory,” Trump added.
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened
Saturday 22 August 2026 06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarShipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged to single digits as US-Iran peace talks have ground to a complete halt.
Only seven commodity vessels passed through the waterway on Thursday, some of the lowest numbers seen in weeks, according to Kpler data. Four ships entered the Gulf while only three exited.
This number was down from 14 on Wednesday. No supertankers or liquefied natural gas carriers were recorded passing through the vital chokepoint through which one-fifth of the world’s energy passes.
More here.
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the Strait of Hormuz has reopened
Iran 'not ready to make right deal', says Trump
Saturday 22 August 2026 06:17 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump, who has warned of economic consequences against any country that provides "any type of lifeline to Iran," said that Washington was observing "what happens" in the conflict.
"They would love to make a deal, but they're not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion," Trump said of Iran.
Iran says Trump's sanctions 'assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty'
Saturday 22 August 2026 05:48 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said this morning that the imminent US announcement of new economic sanctions on Iran was an "assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations".
"Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law," he said in a post on X.
US president Donald Trump, who has warned of economic consequences against any country that provides "any type of lifeline to Iran," said yesterday that Washington was observing "what happens" in the conflict.
Recap: Iranian president calls for end to conflict
Saturday 22 August 2026 05:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for an end to the conflict with the US, telling the country’s doctors at a meeting: "It is better that we bring the war to an end now as we are in a position of power and dignity.”
He said: "The whole world acknowledges our victory and emphasises that America has attacked our schools, hospitals and infrastructure in violation of all regulations and is hated around the world."
His remarks come after the US promised “the toughest sanctions in history” for Iran after failed attempts to negotiate an end to the war.
Tehran accused US president Donald Trump of threatening "economic terrorism" after Trump promised to wage "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” suggesting he may extend sanctions to allies that have helped mediate peace talks.
In pictures: Diesel prices rise in US amid Iran war
Saturday 22 August 2026 04:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Recap: Iran threatens to attack US targets in Europe if Trump escalates war, says report
Saturday 22 August 2026 03:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIran is considering launching attacks on US military targets in Europe if President Donald Trump escalates the conflict, according to a report.
Sources close to Iran’s government told the Financial Times that potential targets included a British air base in Cyprus that was targeted by a drone in March.
Other countries in southeastern Europe such as Bulgaria, which approved US access to its Bezmer air base for refuelling last month, were also weighed up as a potential target for strikes.
It follows warnings that Tehran is considering switching to a “fully offensive” strategy, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday.
You can read more below:
Iran threatens to attack US targets in Europe if Trump escalates war, says report
Watch: Trump cannot let Iran make him ‘look like a loser,’ says former Fox News personality
Saturday 22 August 2026 02:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTrump officials worked with Iran on deportation lists as tensions exploded, emails reveal
Saturday 22 August 2026 01:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNewly disclosed emails show US immigration officials worked directly with Iranian representatives to deport Iranian nationals in 2025, even as tensions between Washington and Tehran were escalating.
The records, obtained by the National Iranian American Council and released Tuesday, detail cooperation surrounding three removal flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026 that returned more than 100 Iranians.
The emails indicate Iranian representatives requested changes to proposed passenger lists and that US officials sometimes accommodated those requests.
You can read the full report below:
Trump officials worked with Iran on deportation as tensions exploded, emails reveal
Editorial: The world could face the biggest credit crunch in history – thanks to Donald Trump
Saturday 22 August 2026 00:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAs US debt reaches the barely imaginable milestone of $40 trillion, America’s ability to meet its financial obligations – coupled with the reality that the global economy depends on decisions made in Washington – should concentrate White House minds on ending its consequential war with Iran.
The world could face the biggest credit crunch in history – thanks to Donald Trump
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Friday 21 August 2026 23:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Pentagon is considering reducing US military presence in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Iran war, according to a report.
Troops could be withdrawn from the Persian Gulf, officials told The Washington Post, following months of attacks by Iranian forces that have targeted US bases across the region since the war began in late February.
The Pentagon’s policy office is evaluating US regional presence, with US Central Command (Centcom) and Joint Staff also looking at the situation, a senior Pentagon official told the outlet.
While no formal review has been ordered by US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, “decisions are going to have to be made on some of this stuff,” the official told The Post.
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US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Three admit arson attack at Persian media company’s UK base
Friday 21 August 2026 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTwo men and a teenage boy have admitted taking part in an arson attack on the UK office of a Persian media company.
On April 15, the offices of Volant Media, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International, were allegedly targeted.
Police had been alerted after an “ignited container” was thrown towards the site in Wembley, north-west London, landing in a car park where the fire immediately went out.
There were no injuries and the suspects left the area in a black four-wheel-drive vehicle, police had said.
Nathan Dunn, 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of arson being “reckless as to whether life is endangered” on April 15.
During an Old Bailey hearing on Friday, a 17-year-old boy denied that charge but admitted the lesser alternative offence of arson.
The prosecution indicated his plea was not accepted and he faces a trial on February 1 next year.
Strait of Hormuz tracker: The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened
Friday 21 August 2026 21:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneShipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged to single digits as US-Iran peace talks have ground to a complete halt.
Only seven commodity vessels passed through the waterway on Thursday, some of the lowest numbers seen in weeks, according to Kpler data. Four ships entered the Gulf while only three exited.
This number was down from 14 on Wednesday. No supertankers or liquefied natural gas carriers were recorded passing through the vital chokepoint through which one fifth of the world’s energy passes.
Between 130 to 140 vessels transited the passage every day, before US-Israeli strikes sparked the war with Iran on 28 February.
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The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the Strait of Hormuz has reopened
Watch: Netanyahu puts NYC mayor Mamdani alongside Iran’s Ayatollah on enemies list
Friday 21 August 2026 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe forgotten Iranians caught in the deadly stalemate of Trump’s war
Friday 21 August 2026 20:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneStruggling to find food, work or any semblance of normality – as well as living with the daily risk of bombing under a shaky ceasefire – the people of southern Iran tell Amirhossein Miresmaeili how they feel entirely on their own.
The forgotten Iranians caught in the deadly stalemate of Trump’s war
