Donald Trump has claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is “very functional” despite the occasional rocket or drone attack in another bizarre rant.
Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, the US president repeated his claim that the vital oil waterway is “open” and had been fully demined despite continued attacks on ships.
“It's a functioning Strait. Yes, every once in a while there'll be a drone or a rocket or something shot, but it is a very functioning Strait. A lot of oil is pouring out,” he said.
His comments came as Oman and Iran said that an agreement on future control of the Strait had not yet been finalised.
"The Strait of Hormuz belongs to Iran and the country of Oman. We have been in negotiations with Oman for about a month, and we have reached results that are acceptable to both sides," Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said in comments published by Iranian state media.
Trump has warned Oman against cooperating with Iran, telling Fox News on August 17: "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the s*** out of them."
Read MoreThe 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
China criticizes Trump’s threat of sanctions against Iran
Iran has caused ‘billions’ in damage to American intelligence assets, report says
What is happening in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump’s strange rant?
Key Points
- Iran and Oman reach agreement on Hormuz revenues
- Trump expresses skepticism over diplomatic dealings with Tehran
- Trump insists Strait of Hormuz is 'a very functioning strait'
- Washington will 'gain nothing' from economic pressure, says Iranian president
- Iran to expand air defence systems, says commander
Watch: Iranian finance minister claims Tehran 'fully prepared for US sanctions'
04:03 , Rachel DobkinTanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says
03:53 , Shweta SharmaA tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire that was later extinguished, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said early on Thursday.
All crew members were safe and accounted for, and no environmental impact was reported, it added in an advisory note.
The creation of a ‘Muslim Nato’ shows Trump is losing his grip in the Middle East
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAs Donald Trump continued his attacks on Iran earlier this month, a deal that could radically reshape security in the Middle East was quietly being done in Saudi Arabia.
On 7 August, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence agreement, a Nato-style mutual defence pact that states an attack on any one of the group will be considered an attack on all.
The timing is significant. All three countries have been the target of Iranian retaliatory attacks across the Middle East since US-Israeli strikes killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February.
Read more by Maira Butt here:
Why new ‘Muslim Nato’ shows Trump’s authority in the Middle East has collapsed
The life and light of Mariam Abu Dagga – Independent Arabia journalist killed by Israel in Gaza
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMariam Abu Dagga, a mother and journalist, was killed in a 2025 Israeli double-tap attack on the last functioning hospital in South Gaza - she had a way out of Gaza but stayed to cover the slaughter.
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports:
Reaching into the body bag, and gently cradling her face, a family member places a mobile phone next to Mariam Abu Dagga's ear.
It is a devastating moment. Mariam, a journalist for Independent Arabia, has just been killed in an Israeli double-tap strike on the last functioning hospital in southern Gaza. She is surrounded by mourners in a tableau of grief.
On the phone is her only child, 14-year-old Ghaith. And he is saying goodbye.
The life and light of Mariam Abu Dagga – journalist killed by Israel in Gaza
A night locked inside Jerusalem’s holiest church with clergy and pilgrims
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe doors were pushed shut, the clanking bolts secured from the outside. Several clergy, pilgrims and one journalist — me — were locked for the night inside one of Christianity's holiest sites in Jerusalem.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built over the places where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead.
Through many centuries, as Muslim rulers governed this region and changing politics affected the influence of religious powers, an arrangement evolved as unique as the church's jumbled architecture. Today, the Armenian Apostolic, Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches share the ownership of the worship space.
A night locked inside Jerusalem’s holiest church with clergy and pilgrims
The US promised ‘the toughest sanctions ever’ on Iran. Here’s what Trump’s team actually delivered
Thursday 27 August 2026 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAfter 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,” Mr 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.
Maira Butt has more:
The US promised ‘the toughest sanctions ever’ on Iran. Here’s what they delivered
Iran and Oman still working on Strait of Hormuz accord, says senior Iranian source
Wednesday 26 August 2026 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran and Oman are still working on the details of an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source said on Wednesday, after Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the two countries had agreed how to share the waterway and its revenues.
The elite force's spokesperson, echoing Tehran's official stance, also said the strait would not open unless the US met Tehran's conditions under an interim ceasefire agreement that was struck in June before unravelling.
Those conditions include an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, compensation and removal of sanctions.
Iran and Oman have held on-and-off talks for weeks about controlling traffic through the strait, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February.
Most shipping has since been shut down, driving global energy prices higher, as Tehran and Washington have tried to assert control over the channel, imposing separate blockades.
Iranian oil exports increased by 10% during the war, say officials
Wednesday 26 August 2026 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Hamid Pourda, has said that Iranian oil exports increased by roughly 10 per cent during the war.
Speaking to Fars News Agency, Pourda said: "For several years, we have not officially announced production and sales statistics, because we do not want the enemy to obtain accurate statistics on the performance of the oil industry in the country.
"Our production is certainly higher than the figures announced in some official institutions,” he added.
There are gas lines in Iran, but no sign yet that its leaders will bow to US sanctions
Wednesday 26 August 2026 21:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainLines 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.”
There are gas lines in Iran, but no sign yet that its leaders will bow to US sanctions
Iran and Oman reach agreement on Hormuz revenues
Wednesday 26 August 2026 20:00 , Suha KidwaiIran and Oman have concluded month-long negotiations over territorial shares and revenue-sharing mechanisms for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to IRGC spokesperson, Hossein Mohebbi.
Speaking to state-operated Tasnim news agency on Wednesday, Mohebbi confirmed that both nations have mutually agreed to the terms.
The official also accused the United States of actively obstructing diplomatic progress, claiming that American intervention stalled the final rollout of the agreement.
Mohebbi added that the maritime corridor will not reopen until Washington accepts the terms of the bilateral deal.
ICC president responds to US threats to dismantle the court
Wednesday 26 August 2026 19:30 , Suha KidwaiThe president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said that the institution “must never be shut down.”
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Tomoko Akane said she “won’t give up.”
Akane’s comments come after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to dismantle the ICC last month, accusing the body of pursuing officials “whose government has not consented” to its jurisdiction.
Rubio’s comments appear to refer to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant.
The ICC issued arrest warrants citing war crimes and crimes against humanity for both ministers in November 2024.
Trump expresses skepticism over diplomatic dealings with Tehran
Wednesday 26 August 2026 19:00 , Suha KidwaiThe US president has cast doubt over the prospects of reaching a diplomatic settlement with Iranian leadership.
Speaking on The Glenn Beck Program, Trump dismissed Tehran's willingness to honour potential commitments.
He said: "You make a deal with them, it's like not the most honourable group. I will tell you that."
The president’s comments follow Netanyahu’s referral to Iranians as “savages” with whom “an agreement can not be reached.”
'Hostile media' outlets may be ‘potential military targets,’ says Iranian official
Wednesday 26 August 2026 18:30 , Suha KidwaiIran’s armed forces spokesperson has announced Wednesday that Western-backed, Persian-language news organisations have been added to Tehran's list of potential military targets.
In remarks released on Wednesday, brigadier general, Abolfazl Shekarchi accused foreign Farsi news outlets of serving as intelligence proxies rather than genuine press agencies.
"The bulk of the enemy’s media empire is in the possession of the Zionists; media outlets such as the BBC, Iran International, and Radio Farda are directly related to the Mossad, the CIA, and enemy intelligence organisations, and receive orders and money from them," Shekarchi stated.
Claiming these organisations promote global violence and psychological disruption, the general emphasised that Tehran views their personnel as foreign combatants operating under hostile state control.
Iranians not protesting because of brutal crackdowns, Trump says
Wednesday 26 August 2026 18:00 , Suha KidwaiPresident Donald Trump offered an explanation as to why Iranian citizens are not engaging in mass protest, arguing that violent regime suppression has made anti-government demonstrations impossible.
Speaking on The Glenn Beck Program, Trump pointed to rooftop snipers and machine-gun posts targeting crowds, noting that even massive rallies disperse when casualties begin to mount.
"It's very hard to protest when you have people that are willing to shoot you and kill you, and that's why they're not protesting," the US leader said.
Trump claims US dominance, saying the Iranian economy and military has collapsed
Wednesday 26 August 2026 17:30 , Suha KidwaiPresident Trump has said that the US has achieved total military dominance over Tehran, asserting that key branches of Iran's armed forces have been effectively destroyed.
"Their navy is, as you know, totally gone. Their air force is totally gone," he said during an interview on The Glenn Beck Program.
Trump added that he believes military cohesion is crumbling on the ground, stating that "many of [Iran’s] soldiers aren't being paid."
The leader also pointed to severe hyperinflation as proof that Washington's pressure campaign is working. "They have ... 300 per cent inflation.
“Their money is almost valueless now. They're not doing very well," the president stressed, citing strikes dating back to B-2 bomber operations against nuclear targets as the foundation of current US leverage.
$1 now costs 2 million rials in Iran
Wednesday 26 August 2026 17:00 , Suha KidwaiThe Iranian rial has fallen to a new all-time low against the US dollar.
Iran’s currency has dropped past 2 million rials to $1 on the free market after Washington launched what it has termed an “economic D-day” on Tehran’s economy.
Officials have expressed concern that the spike in prices stands to impact ordinary citizens the most, where Iranian diplomat, Gholamhossein Darzi, has urged the international community to recognise the “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.”
US victory in Iran is imminent, Trump says
Wednesday 26 August 2026 16:30 , Suha KidwaiThe US president took to The Glenn Beck Program on Wednesday to state that an American victory in the region is on the horizon.
Praising US military efforts, Trump said: “We took out 22 boats last night.
“Our navy has been unbelievable. Our military has been unbelievable.
“Our financial strength is unbelievable, and those things are going toward a very big victory. We had the victory in Venezuela, and we're going to have a big victory here very soon."
US inflation remains above pre-war levels ahead of July PCE release
Wednesday 26 August 2026 16:00 , Suha KidwaiThe Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index —the Federal Reserve’s primary inflation benchmark, is expected to remain elevated.
The US Commerce Department is set to release July’s PCE data later on Wednesday.
The figure rose 3.7 per cent year-over-year in June — significantly higher than the 2.8 per cent recorded prior to the outbreak of the US-Iran war on February 28.
PCE inflation stood at 2.5% when President Donald Trump assumed office in January 2025.
At present, core PCE is expected to hold near 3.3 per cent — well above the country’s long-term target of 2 per cent.
Trump insists Strait of Hormuz is 'a very functioning strait'
Wednesday 26 August 2026 15:30 , Suha KidwaiPresident Donald Trump has asserted that maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz has resumed, stating "we have the Strait open."
"We got rid of the mines," the president added.
"But the Strait — it's functioning, it's a functioning strait.
“Yes, every once in a while there will be a drone or a rocket or something shot, but it is a very functioning strait.”
The president added: “A lot of oil is pouring out. 10 million gallons. 10 million barrels yesterday."
Trump’s comments come as commercial transit through the waterway remains severely constrained following months of military conflict and reciprocal blockades.
While Washington has pointed to mine-clearing operations and ongoing U.S. naval enforcement as an indication of stability, international shipping data shows tanker traffic remains well below pre-war levels.
Iran's leader is not dead, Trump says
Wednesday 26 August 2026 15:00 , Suha KidwaiPresident Donald Trump has said that he believes Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but "very seriously wounded" following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes earlier this year.
Speaking on The Glenn Beck Program on Wednesday, Trump dismissed reports of the leader's death as a "pretty good show" by Tehran, while expressing deep skepticism toward diplomatic engagement with Iranian leadership.
The comments come amid mounting speculation over the 56-year-old leader, who took power after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on February 28.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not made a public or televised appearance since assuming office, fueling widespread rumors of severe injury or incapacitation, despite official Iranian claims that he remains healthy.
Iranian oil exports increased by 10% during the war, say officials
Wednesday 26 August 2026 14:30 , Suha KidwaiThe CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Hamid Pourda, has said that Iranian oil exports increased by roughly 10 per cent during the war.
Speaking to Fars News Agency, Pourda said: "For several years, we have not officially announced production and sales statistics, because we do not want the enemy to obtain accurate statistics on the performance of the oil industry in the country.
"Our production is certainly higher than the figures announced in some official institutions,” he added.
Washington will 'gain nothing' from economic pressure, says Iranian president
Wednesday 26 August 2026 14:00 , Suha KidwaiSpeaking at a meeting held at the venue of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) on Wednesday, Iran’s president has said that Iran will not succumb to Trump’s increase in economic pressures.
“Our approach is understanding and resolving issues through interaction and negotiation, but at the same time, we have stood and will continue to stand firmly against economic pressure,” stated Pezeshkian.
Washington stands to “gain nothing” from heightening stresses to the domestic economy, the leader added.
The statement follows the launch of “Operation Economic Outcast,” on Monday — a sweeping range of sanctions described as an “economic asphyxiation” of the Iranian economy, according to US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent.
Tehran advances controversial bill that would monitor Iranians with foreign contacts
Wednesday 26 August 2026 13:30 , Suha KidwaiIran’s parliament has now approved Article 2 of a controversial "infiltration" bill designed to criminalise unauthorised contact with foreign entities and set up a state tracking system for foreign interactions.
The measure categorises foreign nations into three tiers —ranging from officially designated hostile states like the US and Israel, to countries deemed harmful to Iranian interests.
It also mandates the creation of an online registry to monitor contact with foreign nationals.
The legislation has triggered rare pushback from Pezeshkian administration officials, including Vice President Majid Ansari, who has warned the bill violates constitutional rights and citizens' fundamental freedoms.
Iran to expand air defence systems, says commander
Wednesday 26 August 2026 13:00 , Suha KidwaiIran’s Air Defence Force commander has announced that Tehran is scaling up domestic production of its “successful” air defence systems following lessons learned from the recent 40-day conflict with Israel and the US.
Speaking at a ceremony at Iranban Hospital on Wednesday, brigadier general, Alireza Elhami said that Iran is modifying its platforms to counter technological threats and relying entirely on domestic capabilities.
The commander emphasised that Iran’s air force is now at “100-percent and full readiness.”
Iran urges Qatar to clarify fate of missing Iranian pilots, state media says
Wednesday 26 August 2026 12:30 , Suha KidwaiTehran has urged Doha to “step up” search efforts after Qatar stated it remains unaware of the fate of three missing Iranian airmen, state media has reported.
The dispute stems from an intercept in March earlier this year, where Qatari air defences shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers near Al Udeid Air Base.
Iran alleges that while one pilot died, three airmen survived and are being held in floating or offshore custody.
Qatar has denied holding any surviving crew members, maintaining its search-and-rescue teams only recovered human remains.
Trump's options narrow ahead of midterm elections
Wednesday 26 August 2026 12:00 , Suha KidwaiTrump’s options to continue waging war against Tehran are narrowing ahead of the midterm elections set to be held November.
Domestic support for war against Iran has plummeted to 31 percent, driven by sharp fuel price hikes: gasoline has risen 30 percent over the past year, while diesel has surged over 50 percent, fuelling broader inflation.
Experts have cautioned that continued conflict will leave Washington will little leverage to lower pump prices.
Netanyahu says deal with Iranian 'savages' is impossible
Wednesday 26 August 2026 11:30 , Suha KidwaiHailing US President Donald Trump's new campaign of economic pressure, the Israeli prime minister has said that a diplomatic deal with Iran does not seem possible, according to AFP.
Addressing a settlement on Tuesday evening, the leader said: “I doubt, however, that an agreement can be reached with that group there, with those savages.
"I tell you — an agreement cannot be reached.”
Netanyahu’s comments reflect a long-standing opposition to diplomacy with Tehran.
Trump joined Netanyahu in a US-Israeli military campaign against Iran in late February, but declared a unilateral ceasefire in April following sharp oil price spikes, regional shipping disruptions, and widespread domestic backlash.
This is a war 'over who can withstand pressure,' Iranian media reports
Wednesday 26 August 2026 11:00 , Suha KidwaiState-linked Iranian news outlet Nournews has described U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertions of Iran’s economic "collapse" as political propaganda, framing the ongoing confrontation between Washington and Tehran as a war "over who can withstand pressure".
The outlet, which is linked to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, argued that Washington's "Economic D-Day" campaign masks its own domestic vulnerabilities.
Highlighting America's record $40 trillion national debt and $1 trillion in annual interest costs, Nournews has asserted that long-term economic warfare inflicts severe fiscal strain on the U.S. itself.
Iranian media continues to emphasise that the war will be won by the state most capable of sustaining prolonged economic warfare.
Iranian diplomat criticises Trump's economic plans at Security Council
Wednesday 26 August 2026 10:30 , Suha KidwaiIran’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Gholamhossein Darzi, called on the UN Security Council and member states to firmly reject extraterritorial US sanctions.
Addressing a Security Council debate on global food crises, Darzi urged member states to denounce unilateral coercive measures designed to subordinate their sovereign policies to Washington.
He accused the US of weaponising trade, energy, and food access — which is a violation of international law — and reaffirmed Iran’s legal right to respond to economic and maritime pressure.
Supertankers with 4 million barrels of Saudi oil head for China, data shows
Wednesday 26 August 2026 10:00 , Suha KidwaiTwo supertankers carrying 4 million barrels of Saudi crude are bound for China after loading the cargoes via ship-to-ship transfers off Oman, according to shipping data observed on Wednesday.
The move follows Saudi Aramco’s strategic pivot to sell crude loaded outside the volatile Strait of Hormuz to bypass regional transit disruptions.
With direct vessel traffic through the strait dropping dramatically over the course of the conflict, Gulf exporters are increasingly using offshore transfer operations in Omani waters as a bypass to keep Asian supply lines open.
The US 'will have no place' in region's future, says Iranian official
Wednesday 26 August 2026 09:30 , Suha KidwaiIran’s top security official has declared that the United States "will have no place in the region's future."
Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, delivered the remarks during a Tehran meeting with Faiq Zaidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council on Tuesday, according to state-linked news agency, Nournews.
Rezaei also has affirmed support for a "strong and independent Iraq" while calling for a resolution to anti-Iranian armed groups along their border.
Iranian parliamentary speaker scoffs at ‘Economic D-Day’ threats
Wednesday 26 August 2026 09:00 , Suha KidwaiParliament speaker, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf has publicly mocked US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over what he described as “contradictory” statements regarding new sanctions against Iran.
The friction follows Bessent's announcement of "Operation Economic Outcast" — termed an "Economic D-Day" — designed to target Iran’s economy.
However, when pressed on potential global disruption on Monday, Bessent pivoted, asking, "Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?"
Qalibaf has ridiculed the exchange on X, posting: "Sir this ain't Normandy, this is improv night and you forgot your own script."
Him: “Economic D-Day.”
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) August 25, 2026
Also him, five seconds later: “[lol] why would I want to blow up the global financial system?”
Sir this ain’t Normandy, this is improv night and you forgot your own script.
#🤡-Day https://t.co/61CCGZWPfC
Tehran maintains that Washington's economic pressure campaign reflects failed military objectives and vows to retaliate against foreign entities assisting the US sanctions push.
