The United States is preparing to send another aircraft carrier to the Middle East after Donald Trump vowed to continue the war with Iran “for as long as necessary” and without a timetable to resume peace talks.
Senior US Navy officials told CNN that the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier would be deployed for at least seven months. It is expected to relieve the George Washington, USNI reported.
News of the deployment emerged as Trump told Al Jazeera that the US is "achieving a very big victory" over Iran on the eve of the six month anniversary of the conflict.
The US president was insistent that he was “not in a hurry” to get back to peace talks with Tehran and has “no time line” to work to.
“We are winning very big,” he said. “They’ve got massive inflation, their economy is falling apart ... I have no time schedule; whatever it takes.”
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What is happening in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump’s strange rant?
Key Points
- Iran says no final deal reached with Oman over Strait of Hormuz - report
- Trump says 'no time schedule' for return to US-Iran negotiations
- Sailor who jumped from USS Lincoln to face disciplinary action
- Oil prices fall to extend multi-day losses
- Tanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says
Pakistan not bound by US sanctions, Islamabad declares
16:00 , Suha KidwaiForeign ministry spokesperson, Taher Andarab has said that Washington’s sanctions on Iran do not adhere to international law, and that issues should be resolved through dialogue rather than an “economic D-day”.
Addressing reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, Andarab stressed that diplomacy is the pathway to ending the US-Iran conflict.
Following the outbreak of the war, Pakistan has acted as the primary mediator between both states.
Iranian president calls for unity among Muslim nations
15:00 , Suha KidwaiPresident Pezeshkian has made a call for unity among Muslim states in an address on Thursday.
He said: “Defending Iran does not mean hostility toward Muslim nations or neighbouring countries.
“No Islamic country should allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for aggression against another Islamic country.
“No Islamic country should seek its own security through the insecurity of its neighbours,” he added.
The comments come as months of Iranian strikes on US military bases in the Gulf have heightened tensions in the region.
No military vessels to be allowed in Hormuz, Iran says
14:00 , Suha KidwaiUnder the Iran-Oman deal agreed on Wednesday, no military vessels will be allowed to enter the Strait of Homuz, Tehran has said.
Speaking to state media, Iran’s foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi said: "If the agreement becomes binding, no military vessel will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz ... No military vessels whatsoever."
The deal is currently subject to US approval, and uncertainty continues to dominate the future of the waterway.
Tehran slams Trump's policies as 'pure parody'
13:00 , Suha KidwaiIranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei has ridiculed Washington’s latest economic pressure campaign, describing US policy toward Tehran as having "reached pure parody."
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Baqaei criticised the Trump administration for boasting about allied support from Bahrain, noting that the Gulf state has "virtually no meaningful economic exchange with Iran" to demonstrate that its coalition is working.
Washington’s Iran policy has reached pure parody.
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) August 26, 2026
It turns to Bahrain - a country with virtually no meaningful economic exchange with Iran - to prove that its “coalition” is working.
It then “stops” Iranian sports and academic exchanges that had already been effectively dead…
Accusing Trump of dressing up symbolic policy moves, Baqaei added that additional US measures such as halting Iranian sports and academic exchanges targets programs that have already been defunct for years.
Pakistan says Iran talks focused on de-escalation
12:30 , Suha KidwaiPakistan's foreign ministry has said that talks held between military chief, Syed Asim Munir and Tehran focused on regional de-escalation.
A spokesperson for the ministry shared: “The discussions during the visit focused on regional de-escalation, breaking the military stalemate and exploring a negotiated settlement, restoring regional peace and stability.”
Pakistan continues to be a primary contributor to mediation efforts in the region, where the state hosted the landmark Islamabad Peace Talks in April, facilitating the first direct, high-level, in-person negotiations between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 revolution.
Greek Patriot battery intercepts drones over Saudi oil hub
12:00 , Suha KidwaiA Greek-operated Patriot air defence battery in Saudi Arabia has intercepted a drone swarm over its Yanbu region on Thursday, Greek security sources told Reuters.
The Greek system, which was deployed to safeguard major energy infrastructure, fired three interceptor missiles in coordination with Saudi forces.
While nobody has claimed responsibility for the drones, security context indicates that Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement may be the source of the swarm.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Yanbu —Saudi Arabia's crucial Red Sea oil export terminal — using asymmetric drone and missile strikes to disrupt bypass routes around the Strait of Hormuz.
Watch: US Treasury chief Scott Bessent issues stern warning to Iran's 'enablers'
11:32 , Rachel DobkinCIA chief pressed Russia to reduce support for Iran during Moscow trip
10:15 , Shweta SharmaCIA director John Ratcliffe used a rare, unannounced visit to Moscow on Tuesday to press Russian officials to reduce their military and economic support for Iran, Politico reported, citing a person familiar with the trip and a UK official with knowledge of the visit.
Ratcliffe also warned Russia against escalating conflict with US Nato allies, particularly Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, amid concerns over Moscow’s growing threats to alliance members supporting Ukraine.
The trip was the first known visit to Moscow by a CIA director under president Donald Trump and was not publicly acknowledged by the administration until Wednesday.
Trump described the visit as “semi-routine” and said it was aimed at helping bring the war in Ukraine to an end.
Mike Pence warns Trump he’ll have to ‘go in and finish the job’ in Iran
09:52 , John BowdenFormer US Vice President Mike Pence has firmly backed his old boss over the Iran war - but warned that Donald Trump would soon have to “go in and finish the job” to claim a defeat.
Trump faces increasing unpopularity at home tied strongly to the war, which he and his Cabinet officials predicted would be over in a matter of “weeks” but is now approaching its six-month mark.
Pence told CNN Sunday that the Iranian military and its leadership were not recognizing the reality on the ground, and implied that the deployment of further forces inside Iran would be an “inevitable” next step.
Read on...
Mike Pence warns Trump he’ll have to ‘go in and finish the job’ in Iran
Pentagon's Nato review preparing troop options for Hegseth
08:45 , Shweta SharmaThe Pentagon will draw up at least four options for the future of US troop deployments in Europe by 6 November, months before a review of the roughly 80,000 US forces stationed across the continent is due to be completed.
The review has raised concern among Nato allies that president Donald Trump could push for major troop cuts and punish European countries he believes failed to support the US-Israeli war against Iran.
A Pentagon document seen by Reuters says the options will examine different US force levels and deployments, as well as allies’ support on basing, overflight, defence spending and other areas.
The US military’s top general in Europe is due to join a key briefing with Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby by September 18, when options for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth are expected to be shaped.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said Europe must shoulder more of Nato’s defence burden, with Hegseth accusing some allies of “free-riding”.
European officials remain sceptical of the review and fear Washington may have already decided to reduce its military footprint.
The Pentagon says the review will produce a “spectrum of options”, from maintaining current deployments to significantly reducing US forces in Europe.
Iranian president says US and Israel started war, urges neighbours to stay out of conflict
08:30 , Shweta SharmaIranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran did not start the war in the region but “stood firmly against the aggressors”.
“The US and the Zionist entity launched a war on Iran,” he said.
Pezeshkian was speaking at the 40th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran.
He also reiterated Iran’s position that neighbouring countries should not allow their territory to be used for attacks against Iran.
“No Muslim country should pursue its security in the insecurity of its neighbours,” the president said in remarks quoted by state media.
“No Muslim country’s territory should be used against another Muslim nation,” he added.
Pezeshkian also called for stronger economic ties among the 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, saying greater trade within the group could help strengthen Muslim economies.
ICYMI: Iran claims there is a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump
08:12 , Brendan RasciusIranian state media has claimed there is a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump, Donald Trump’s 20-year-old son, according to a new report nearly six months into the US war with Iran.
Footage broadcast on Channel 3, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was titled “Where and how should we kill Barron Trump?” Euronews reported Monday.
It reportedly displayed the location of his university, as well as Secret Service positions and escort vehicles, while claiming his whereabouts were “fully monitored.”
Read on...
Iran claims there is a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump
Shipping traffic through Strait of Hormuz remains weak
08:06 , Shweta SharmaTraffic through key Gulf waterways remained subdued amid continued diplomatic and political tensions between Washington and Tehran, according to shipping data cited by Reuters.
Kpler data showed cargo vessel sailings through the Strait of Hormuz edged up on Wednesday from Tuesday, but remained well below the 10-day average.
Six consequences of six months of US-Israeli war on Iran
08:00 , Shweta SharmaSix months into the US-Israeli war on Iran, the conflict has become a costly stalemate, with no clear path to an end. Here are six major consequences:
1. Trump is paying a political price
Trump’s approval rating has fallen from 40 per cent to 33 per cent since the war began, and only 31 per cent of Americans now approve of the conflict. Rising fuel prices and the war are also creating headaches for Republicans ahead of the midterms.
2. Global economy is shaken, but remains resilient
Disruption to the Strait of Hormuz sent energy prices soaring and forced the IMF to cut its global growth forecast to 3% this year. But the impact has been less severe than feared, partly because economies are now less energy-intensive.
3. Iran is wounded, but not defeated
Iran has suffered major military and economic losses but retains missiles and drones and has kept the Strait of Hormuz severely disrupted. Food inflation reached 128 per cent year-on-year in July, deepening the economic crisis.
4. The Middle East is less secure
Iranian attacks have hit US military and diplomatic facilities in Gulf states and disrupted air travel. Shipping disruptions and higher insurance and transport costs have further strained regional economies.
5. Iran’s nuclear programme is delayed, but not eliminated
US and Israeli strikes damaged key Iranian nuclear facilities and killed scientists, potentially pushing back its ability to produce weapons-grade material. But the whereabouts of hundreds of kilograms of highly enriched uranium remain unclear.
6. US military readiness is under strain
The US has lost aircraft and used large quantities of precision munitions and missile interceptors. Assets have been shifted from Europe and the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East, raising concerns about America’s ability to respond elsewhere.
Inside the Israeli military policy to ‘justify’ lethal actions in deadly attacks on civilians in Gaza
07:30 , Shweta SharmaThe Israeli military uses a de facto policy of “retrospective incrimination" for high-profile attacks that kill a large number of civilians without a clear military objective in Gaza, including deliberately counting Palestinians as “terrorists” even when unarmed, a soldier has revealed.
The whistleblower, who Israeli advocacy group Breaking the Silence put in contact with The Independent , said it is "policy" to reframe attacks with high death tolls or those on sensitive protected buildings like hospitals and schools. The same soldier said this action was deployed after Israel's 25 August 2025 double-tap attack on Nasser medical complex in south Gaza, which killed 22 people, including five journalists, among them Independent Arabia reporter Mariam Abu Dagga.
Inside Israeli policy to ‘justify’ lethal actions in deadly attacks on Gaza civilians
Watch: Hegseth refuses to rule out US strikes against Iran
06:47 , Rachel DobkinIran says no final deal reached with Oman over Strait of Hormuz - report
06:30 , Shweta SharmaIran and Oman are still negotiating the details of an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source said on Wednesday, contradicting an earlier claim by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that the two countries had agreed on how to divide control of the strategic waterway and its revenues.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Iran and Oman had reached an understanding on their respective shares of the strait’s waters and revenues. But the senior Iranian source said no final agreement had been reached, adding that talks were continuing.
The IRGC also said the strait would remain closed unless the United States met Tehran’s conditions under an interim ceasefire agreement reached in June before it unravelled. Iran has demanded an end to the US blockade of its ports, compensation and the removal of sanctions.
Iran and Oman have held talks for weeks over managing traffic through the strait, a crucial global energy chokepoint that handled about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February.
Most shipping through the waterway has since been disrupted, pushing global energy prices higher as Iran and the US seek to exert control over the channel through separate blockades.
The conflicting statements leave the status of any Iran-Oman agreement unclear, with negotiations apparently continuing over the details of a possible accord.
Trump says 'no time schedule' for return to US-Iran negotiations
05:50 , Shweta SharmaUS president Donald Trump has said he has “no time schedule” for when the US-Iran talks will take place to end the conflict.
“I have no time schedule, none. I’m not in a hurry. I have no time schedule at all,” Trump told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
“We are winning very big,” Trump said. “They’ve got massive inflation, their economy is falling apart, they’re treating their people very badly, they are killing many, many protesters. I have no time schedule; whatever it takes.”
Trump said the economic measures and military strikes together were “effective” in the conflict when asked what has worked better.
Sailor who jumped from USS Lincoln to face disciplinary action
05:40 , Shweta SharmaA sailor who jumped from the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln this month in what his wife described as a suicide attempt is facing disciplinary action from the US Navy.
According to documents reviewed by MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, the sailor has been accused of malingering and being absent without leave, offences that could result in the loss of half his pay.
“I think they’re insane for doing this to people who need mental help,” his wife told the US media outlet.
Asked why it was pursuing disciplinary action against a sailor following a suicide attempt, a US Navy official told MS NOW that the service was committed to the wellbeing of every sailor and that seeking help was a sign of strength.
The Lincoln’s deployment was extended repeatedly during the war on Iran, prompting concerns over the strain on its crew from prolonged periods at sea and deteriorating conditions aboard the carrier. A group of Democratic senators has called for hearings into the deployment.
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East earlier this month to relieve the Lincoln.
Aramco offers more oil outside Hormuz with some cargoes heading to China
05:31 , Shweta SharmaSaudi Aramco has offered more oil for loading outside the Strait of Hormuz in September, four sources with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, after the producer sold at least 4 million barrels to China this month.
Shipping data indicates that Aramco has resorted to shuttling cargoes aboard tankers with their trackers switched off to evade attacks during transit through the strait, which was used by a fifth of the world's oil and gas before the US-Iran war broke out on February 28.
Aramco has started a sales process for Arab Medium and Arab Heavy crude with Asian buyers for a second consecutive week, with cargoes offered via ship-to-ship (STS) transfers off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates or Sohar in Oman, both outside the strait, the sources said. Bids are due by Wednesday, one of the sources said.
The offers come after two supertankers carrying 4 million barrels of Saudi crude were bound for China after loading the cargoes via STS transfers off Sohar, shipping data from Vortexa and Kpler showed.
Very large crude carrier Singapore Prosperity transferred its Saudi crude cargo around August 22 to the VLCC Xin Hui Yang, which is expected to arrive at eastern Chinese Ningbo port on September 15, the data showed.
Trump ignored warnings from Tulsi Gabbard and US intelligence the Iran war would backfire: report
05:04 , Joe SommerladDonald Trump was warned against attacking Iran in February by US intelligence chiefs, who suggested it could backfire and usher in an even more hard-line regime, according to a report.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the then-director of national intelligence and military veteran Tulsi Gabbard was summoned to the Oval Office to discuss the issue before strikes were launched on February 28.
Trump was reportedly buoyed at the time by the success of the previous summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela and wanted her assessment on the proposed new assault.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly pushed for military action, claiming the Islamic Republic was in a weaker condition than ever before so there was an opportunity to extinguish its nuclear ambitions once and for all.
Read on...
Trump ignored warnings from US intelligence that Iran war would backfire: report
Oil prices fall to extend multi-day losses
04:57 , Shweta SharmaOil prices fell on Thursday, extending a streak of losses, on expectations that talks between Iran and Qatar might open the Strait of Hormuz and reduce supply disruptions from the war in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures were down 41 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to $87.43 a barrel at 0330 GMT, in line for a fourth day of decline.
West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 37 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to $81.86, in line for a fifth day of losses.
The decline came amid expectations that Iran and Oman are working on finalising details of an agreement to control 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 that connects major Gulf oil producers to markets and its revenues.
USS Theodore Roosevelt to be deployed to Middle East for seven months
04:39 , Shweta SharmaThe USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and its crew of 5,000 sailors are expected to be deployed to the Middle East for at least seven months, according to the US Naval Institute.
The families of the sailors assigned to the carrier were already preparing for the deployment, it said.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, its escorts and embarked air wing are expected to depart San Diego in the coming weeks for the US Central Command.
Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman, each one year into the job, told reporters on Wednesday that this commitment showed no signs of stopping and the service was doing what it could to ease the pressure on deployed sailors and their families facing the longest deployments in decades.
The carrier will relieve the USS George Washington, which took over from the USS Abraham Lincoln last week, the report said.
Qatar PM to visit Tehran to pursue mediation efforts
04:15 , Shweta SharmaQatar's prime minister will visit Tehran on Thursday in an effort to relaunch diplomacy after the US and Iran traded recriminations over Washington's promise to increase economic pressure on Tehran by targeting its trade partners for sanctions.
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani will discuss the continuation of Qatar's mediation efforts and other developments in the region during his visit to Tehran on Thursday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson said on X that Sheikh Mohammed would also address freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the need to return to the status quo before February 28, while also discussing with Iranian officials ways to "de-escalate tensions and create the conditions conducive to dialogue."
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.
