infinitenewsno algorithms. no accounts. just news.
MenuClose

Iran war

Diplomacy & politics

Talks, statements, sanctions, nuclear policy, and government decisions.

340 entries, newest first; showing 181–210. Show all updates

Filter or jump to a week

Thursday, July 23, 20262 entries

  1. 4:13 AM in Tehran, Jul 24

    NYT: Iran rejected a U.S. ceasefire offer carried by Iraq's premier; Baghdad denies mediating

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsTehran, Iran

    The New York Times reported, citing Iranian and Iraqi officials, that Iran turned down a U.S. ceasefire proposal delivered by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his July 23 visit to Tehran, because it did not settle control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq's prime minister's office called the report 'completely baseless,' and Iranian authorities did not confirm it.

    Why it matters Al-Zaidi had come to Tehran straight from Washington; Araghchi said there were already 'enough mediators' and that the visit's talks were bilateral, focused on gas, freight and rail links.

    Sources: Anadolu Ajansı, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera (2), Al Jazeera (3)

  2. 11:10 AM in New York

    House votes 214-208 to direct an end to the Iran war; Senate blocks its version 49-47

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    The House adopted Rep. Pramila Jayapal's resolution directing Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran without congressional authorization, with Republicans Tom Barrett, Brian Fitzpatrick, Warren Davidson and Thomas Massie voting yes. Later on Thursday the Senate voted 49-47 against advancing a similar Democratic resolution, so the measure cannot take effect.

    Why it matters The votes measure eroding support in Congress for the war but leave the administration's operations legally unchanged.

    Sources: Reuters via Investing, Reuters via Investing (2), CBS News, Al Jazeera

Wednesday, July 22, 20261 entry

  1. 5:28 PM in New York

    U.S. and Saudi Arabia sign a civil nuclear deal that could allow enrichment on Saudi soil

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement and a safeguards agreement, the Energy Department said. U.S. companies would run nuclear power in Saudi Arabia, and uranium enrichment on Saudi soil could follow, controlled by a contracted company and only after a lengthy study.

    Why it matters It was signed in the middle of a war the U.S. says is about stopping Iran's enrichment; the next day Trump said the deal was subject to Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords.

    Sources: CBS News, CBS News (2), CBS News (3)

Tuesday, July 21, 20262 entries

  1. 3:55 PM in New York

    Trump lets U.S. airlines fly directly to Lebanon after meeting Aoun

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    Hours after hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, Trump said on Truth Social he was directing his administration to allow all U.S. airlines to fly directly to Lebanon, a service first suspended in 1985. At the meeting Trump said he would speak to Hezbollah if Aoun wanted him to, and Aoun pressed for continued U.S. support for the Lebanese army, which is meant to disarm the group.

    Why it matters The State Department's advice not to travel to Lebanon stayed in place, and the announcement did not address Hezbollah's disarmament or the pace of Israel's withdrawal from the south.

    Sources: AP, The Times of Israel, CBS News, CBS News (2), Al Jazeera

  2. 9:55 AM in Beirut

    Lebanese army deploys to first 'pilot zone' village as Israeli troops pull back

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsZawtar al-Gharbiya, Lebanon

    The Lebanese army said units began deploying on Tuesday morning to Zawtar al-Gharbiya in the Nabatieh region after Israeli forces withdrew, one of three 'pilot zone' villages with Froun and Srifa where the State Department said on Monday operations had begun under the U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Zawtar the next day and said Beirut seeks a complete Israeli withdrawal from the south.

    Why it matters It is the first test of the June framework's trade of Israeli withdrawal for Lebanese army control and Hezbollah disarmament; on the first day Lebanon accused Israeli troops of firing near its soldiers, and Israel said it fired only warning shots.

    Sources: AP, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera (2), CBS News, CBS News (2), Al Jazeera (3)

Monday, July 20, 20261 entry

  1. 6:32 AM in Karachi, Jul 21

    Mediators float a 10-day U.S.-Iran ceasefire to revive the Islamabad memorandum

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsIslamabad, Pakistan

    Mediators proposed a 10-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran that could put the June Islamabad memorandum back on track, according to reports cited by ING and Reuters. Iran's interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, carrying a letter from President Pezeshkian, met Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad the same day, and Pakistani officials expected Tehran's reply.

    Why it matters Iran's foreign ministry had said a day earlier that mediators were passing messages despite the fighting, but Washington did not publicly take up the idea and U.S. strikes continued that night.

    Sources: Axios, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera (2), Al Jazeera (3)

Saturday, July 18, 20262 entries

  1. 3:39 AM in Tehran, Jul 19

    Iran says U.S. hit Darkhovin nuclear plant site; IAEA sees no radiological risk

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsDarkhovin, Khuzestan Province, Iran

    Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said multiple projectiles hit the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant site in Khuzestan at 3:39 a.m. local time. The IAEA said it was looking into the reports, that the site was in the very early stages of construction and held no nuclear material when last visited, and that no radiological risk was expected.

    Why it matters It was the second nuclear site reported hit in the renewed fighting after Bushehr, and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi called for restraint near all nuclear-related sites; the same day Jordan said it shot down three Iranian missiles and the IRGC said it stopped ships on an 'unsafe route'.

    Sources: ABC News, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3)

  2. 4:05 PM in Tehran

    Iran suspends its commitments under the deal; Khamenei calls Trump's signature 'worthless'

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsTehran, Iran

    Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran had suspended its commitments and implementation of the Islamabad memorandum because the U.S. had violated and suspended all of its own, and that Iran was 'busy defending the country'. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement that repeated U.S. breaches showed the U.S. president's signature was 'worthless and invalid'.

    Why it matters It ended the deal from the Iranian side a month after it was signed; Trump said he 'couldn't care less'.

    Sources: Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2)

Friday, July 17, 20261 entry

  1. 5:45 PM in Tehran

    Satellite images show new damage inside the Bushehr nuclear plant complex

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsBushehr, Iran

    Comparing Sentinel-2 satellite images from July 7 and July 12 showed new impact scars inside the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex and another apparent strike site at nearby support facilities, after Iranian officials had said the plant itself was not damaged.

    Why it matters Bushehr is Iran's only operating nuclear power plant, and the images contradicted the earlier assurance; two days later the IAEA urged restraint near nuclear sites after another site was hit.

    Source: Al Jazeera live blog

Thursday, July 16, 20261 entry

  1. 12:01 AM in New York, Jul 17

    Full U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports return as the licence wind-down ends

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports came back into full effect on July 17, the date U.S. officials gave when Washington revoked the licence that had allowed Iranian oil sales under the memorandum.

    Why it matters The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports had already resumed on July 14, so Iran lost both the legal route and the physical route for its oil exports.

    Sources: CNBC, CNBC (2), Al Jazeera live blog

Wednesday, July 15, 20261 entry

  1. 9:00 PM in Rome

    Israel and Lebanon agree in Rome to implement two 'pilot zones' for Israeli withdrawal

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsRome, Italy

    After two days of U.S.-brokered talks in Rome, Israel and Lebanon agreed to enforce two pilot zones in southern Lebanon that Israel says are clear of Hezbollah and will hand to the Lebanese army; the U.S. said the sides agreed the structure and guidelines for a limited Israeli troop withdrawal. No timeline was set, and Israel wants a verification process.

    Why it matters It was the first agreed step under the June 26 framework, but Hezbollah rejects the talks and Israel told the Pentagon it would keep troops in its other 'security zones'.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3), Al Jazeera live blog (4)

Tuesday, July 14, 20262 entries

  1. 5:20 PM in New York

    U.S. sanctions 50-plus targets in Shamkhani oil shipping network, freezes $130m in crypto

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    The Treasury and State Department designated more than 50 individuals, entities and vessels in the sanctions-evasion network of Iranian shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, which Washington called a major enabler of Iran's oil exports, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said wallets tied to Iran's central bank holding over $130 million were frozen. The next day the Treasury sanctioned a network in Iran, Russia and Nigeria it said helped the IRGC procure weapons.

    Why it matters Washington was pairing the renewed blockade with sanctions aimed at the networks that move Iranian oil at sea.

    Sources: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), U.S. Department of the Treasury (2)

  2. 10:26 PM in Tehran

    Iran's deputy foreign minister says the memorandum with the U.S. 'no longer stands'

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsTehran, Iran

    Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran was under no obligation to adhere to the memorandum because the U.S. had 'not only violated' it 'but also dismantled it', and that Iran would exert full control over the Strait of Hormuz.

    Why it matters It came a week after Trump declared the deal over, as the U.S. blockade came back into force that evening.

    Sources: Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2)

Monday, July 13, 20261 entry

  1. 1:10 PM in London

    UK moves to designate the IRGC as a state threat, criminalising support for it

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsLondon, United Kingdom

    The UK said it would designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards under new proscription-like powers for state-backed threats, making it a criminal offence to support, assist or benefit from the group, with potential life sentences; the Iran-linked HAYI group, tied to attacks on Jewish targets in Britain, is also to be designated.

    Why it matters The designation uses new powers for state-backed threats rather than terrorism law, and follows the June joint statement by 24 countries on Iranian plots in Western countries.

    Sources: Al Jazeera live blog, The Guardian

Saturday, July 11, 20262 entries

  1. 10:49 PM in Dubai

    Oman proposes two separately run Hormuz routes; Iran holds out for joint control

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsMuscat, Oman

    After Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's talks in Muscat, Oman said the two countries would continue technical and political talks on navigation under international law. Sources told Al Jazeera that Oman again proposed two separately controlled routes, one through Iranian and one through Omani waters, while Iran insisted on a single management involving both countries.

    Why it matters Tehran feared that with two routes ships would all choose Omani waters and leave it without leverage, and that night the IRGC declared the strait closed.

    Sources: The Hill, Al Jazeera, Fox News, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2)

  2. 2:22 PM in Tehran

    Mojtaba Khamenei vows to avenge his father's killing in first message since the funeral

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsTehran, Iran

    In his first message since his father's funeral, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei pledged to 'avenge [his] innocent blood', saying 'revenge is the will of our nation', and thanked the millions who attended the ceremonies.

    Why it matters It came as Iranian officials debated whether to return to talks, and a week later he called Trump's signature on the memorandum 'worthless and invalid'.

    Source: Al Jazeera live blog

Friday, July 10, 20263 entries

  1. 8:15 PM in New York

    U.S. demands Iran publicly pledge that Hormuz is open and ships will not be fired on

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    U.S. officials said Washington wanted Iran to issue a public statement that vessels would no longer be fired on and that all channels of the Strait of Hormuz would stay open, and that its nuclear demands, including delivery of Iran's nuclear material, must be met for any deal. A U.S. official said Iran had blamed the recent attacks on ships on an errant part of its system, an explanation Washington rejected.

    Why it matters Iran's foreign minister went to Oman the same day for talks on Hormuz, and hours later the IRGC declared the strait closed instead.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Fox News, Al Jazeera live blog

  2. 10:41 AM in New York

    Trump says Iran talks go on though ceasefire is 'over'; Treasury adds sanctions

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    Trump said Washington had agreed to continue talks after Tehran asked, while insisting the ceasefire was 'over'; Iran's foreign ministry said it had not requested negotiations but had accepted a Qatari mediators' trip. The Treasury sanctioned Ali Ansari, whom it described as overseeing a global network of assets benefiting Mojtaba Khamenei and other regime elites, citing Iran's 'resumption of attacks on international shipping'.

    Why it matters Washington was pairing an open door for talks with new financial pressure aimed at the supreme leader's circle.

    Sources: CNN, Al Jazeera, MSNBC live, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3), U.S. Department of the Treasury, The Times of Israel

  3. 5:35 PM in Tehran

    Qatari mediators go to Tehran as the U.S. holds off on new strikes

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsTehran, Iran

    Qatari negotiators travelled to Iran to shore up the memorandum, and Pakistan's prime minister spoke with President Pezeshkian, a day after Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed Hormuz with his Omani and Turkish counterparts. A U.S. official said Washington had held off on strikes on Thursday to give de-escalation a chance, while Iran's chief negotiator Ghalibaf said Iran would never surrender and was ready for 'all-out defense'.

    Why it matters The mediators who produced the memorandum were trying to keep it alive after Trump declared it over.

    Sources: CNN, Al Jazeera, L'Orient Today / Reuters, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3), Al Jazeera live blog (4)

Thursday, July 9, 20263 entries

  1. 7:10 PM in Tehran

    Ali Khamenei is buried in Mashhad after a funeral that drew millions

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsMashhad, Iran

    Iran buried Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes that opened the war on February 28, at the Imam Reza shrine in his home city of Mashhad after a funeral that moved from Tehran and Qom to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq; Iranian media put attendance at 41 to 43 million. His son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear, and U.S. and Iranian strikes resumed during the ceremonies.

    Why it matters Trump had said neither side would fire during the funeral; the IRGC said the U.S. strikes were meant to overshadow it, and its commander pledged revenge for Khamenei's killing.

    Sources: ABC News, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3), Al Jazeera live blog (4), The Guardian

  2. 1:07 PM in Tehran

    Iran reports U.S. strikes near the Bushehr nuclear plant; officials say it was not damaged

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsBushehr, Iran

    Mehr reported several explosions in Bushehr province, including near the nuclear power plant and at a fishing port in Asaluyeh. One Iranian official accused the U.S. of targeting the plant's perimeter, while the provincial governor denied the plant was attacked and officials said there was no damage or casualties.

    Why it matters Bushehr is Iran's only operating nuclear power plant, so strikes near it bring a nuclear-safety risk into the renewed fighting; that evening a U.S. official said new explosions reported in the area were not U.S. strikes.

    Sources: L'Orient Today live, The Guardian live, The Guardian live blog, The Guardian live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2)

  3. 10:11 AM in Beirut

    Lebanon says it will join Rome talks only if Israel leaves two 'pilot zones'

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsBeirut, Lebanon

    Lebanon will attend the next round of direct negotiations with Israel in Rome the following week only if Israel withdraws from two 'pilot zones' in the south, a diplomatic source familiar with the talks told AFP.

    Why it matters The Washington framework ties Israeli withdrawal to Hezbollah's disarmament, and Beirut was trying to secure a first withdrawal before any disarmament steps.

    Sources: L'Orient Today, Associated Press, L'Orient Today (2)

Wednesday, July 8, 20261 entry

  1. 11:24 AM in Istanbul

    Trump says the Iran deal is 'over' at the NATO summit in Ankara

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsAnkara, Turkey

    Speaking to reporters at the NATO summit, Trump said he thought the memorandum with Iran was 'over' and that 'it's just a waste of time dealing with them', calling Iran's leaders 'sick' and 'vicious, violent people'. Later that day he said the U.S. would likely strike again that night, might reimpose the naval blockade and threatened to 'take over' Kharg Island.

    Why it matters Brent jumped 6% to about $78 on the remarks, and a second, heavier wave of U.S. strikes followed that night.

    Sources: Axios, CNBC, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3), The Guardian

Tuesday, July 7, 20261 entry

  1. 3:15 PM in New York

    U.S. revokes the licence that let Iran sell oil under the deal

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    OFAC said General License X, dated June 21, which authorised sales of Iranian oil, was revoked and superseded by General License X1 effective July 7; U.S. officials told Reuters that Iran's actions in Hormuz were 'wholly unacceptable'. Brent rose $1.87 to $76.03 in post-settlement trade.

    Why it matters Oil sales were the main benefit Iran had received under the memorandum; U.S. strikes began about two hours later, and full sanctions on Iranian oil exports were due to return on July 17.

    Sources: Council on Foreign Relations, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3)

Wednesday, July 1, 20261 entry

  1. 11:40 AM in Qatar

    U.S. and Iran hold indirect technical talks in Doha; Qatar reports 'positive progress'

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsDoha, Qatar

    Technical-level negotiations between Iran and the U.S. began in Doha with at least three working groups, on the nuclear issue, diplomacy, and the financing and return of frozen funds, and no face-to-face meetings between top officials. Qatar's foreign ministry said 'positive progress' was made and that the next meeting would be held after the funeral of Ali Khamenei.

    Why it matters It was the first negotiating round since the late-June exchange of strikes, and the pause for the funeral left the Hormuz and frozen-funds disputes open for another week.

    Sources: CNN, Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2)

Tuesday, June 30, 20261 entry

  1. 11:30 PM in New York

    U.S. and Gulf states jointly sanction Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hassan and Bayt al-Mal

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center, which groups the U.S. with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, jointly designated five entities and 16 individuals in Hezbollah's financial infrastructure, including its Al-Qard Al-Hassan lending institution, Bayt al-Mal and their senior leaders.

    Why it matters It added Gulf pressure on Hezbollah's finances days after the Israel-Lebanon framework made the group's disarmament the condition for Israeli withdrawal.

    Sources: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Al Jazeera live blog

Sunday, June 28, 20261 entry

  1. 9:15 PM in New York

    U.S. officials say both sides will stand down and meet in Doha; Iran denies any meeting

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsDoha, Qatar

    A U.S. official told Reuters that Washington and Tehran had agreed to halt hostilities, with vessels free to move and technical talks to continue in Doha, and Trump later posted that 'Iran has requested a meeting' there. Iran's foreign ministry said no meetings with the U.S. were planned at any level, and Qatar said U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were in Doha but would not meet Iranian officials, adding that $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds had not been transferred.

    Why it matters The strikes stopped, but the dispute over who runs the strait and over the frozen funds was left unresolved.

    Sources: Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3)

Saturday, June 27, 20261 entry

  1. 4:25 PM in Beirut

    Hezbollah's Qassem rejects the Israel-Lebanon framework as 'a surrender of sovereignty'

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBeirut, Lebanon

    In a televised statement, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called the framework signed in Washington 'humiliating, shameful and a surrender of sovereignty' and 'null and void', rejected linking Israeli withdrawal to Hezbollah's disarmament and said the group would not abandon armed resistance.

    Why it matters Disarmament is the framework's condition for Israeli withdrawal, so the armed group it targets rejecting it left the process with no path on the ground; Israel's defence minister told troops to prepare for an 'extended stay'.

    Sources: Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3)

Friday, June 26, 20261 entry

  1. 1:45 PM in New York

    Israel and Lebanon sign U.S.-brokered framework tying withdrawal to Hezbollah disarmament

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    After a fifth round of talks at the State Department, Israel and Lebanon signed a framework under which Israel's military would 'progressively redeploy out of the Lebanese territory' once non-state groups such as Hezbollah are disarmed; Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it set 'a clear and structured process to restore Lebanon's sovereignty'. Hezbollah was not a party, and its MP Hassan Fadlallah rejected it.

    Why it matters It set the order Israel had demanded, disarmament before withdrawal, which Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called 'a surrender of sovereignty' the next day.

    Sources: Associated Press, U.S. Department of State, Associated Press (2), Al Jazeera live blog

Monday, June 22, 20261 entry

  1. 9:35 AM in New York

    Treasury licenses sales of Iranian oil through August 21

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States

    The Treasury issued a general licence authorising the production, delivery and sale of Iranian-origin crude oil, petrochemicals and petroleum products through August 21. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran had committed to free and open transit of Hormuz and to admit IAEA inspectors, though Iran later said inspections would come only with a final deal.

    Why it matters It was the main economic benefit Iran received under the memorandum; Washington revoked it on July 7 after new attacks on ships.

    Sources: Al Jazeera live blog, Al Jazeera live blog (2), Al Jazeera live blog (3)

Back to top