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US-Iran War Live
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying he should spend “less time on interfering” with the effort to tackle the “Iran’s nuclear threat.” (AP file photo)US-Iran War Highlights: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said the only place Americans belong in the Persian Gulf is “at the bottom of its waters,” as the Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran’s chokehold. The supreme leader has issued a statement which was read on Iranian state TV on Thursday. Meanwhile, according to a Reuters report, Trump has floated a new plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A senior official said under the plan, the US would continue its blockade on Iranian ports, while coordinating with allies to impose higher costs on Iran’s attempts to subvert the free flow of energy.
CENTCOM chief to brief Trump on military action against Iran: US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief Adm. Brad Cooper is set to brief US President Donald Trump on new plans for US military action against Iran on Thursday (Apr 30), according to a report by Axios. CENTCOM has drawn up a “short and powerful” plan involving a series of strikes targeting Iran to break the negotiation deadlock and push Tehran towards concessions, the outlet cited three sources with knowledge of the matter as saying.
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Brent crude rises above $123: Brent crude oil rose over 5 per cent after Trump issued a warning stating that the US blockade of Iranian ports could last for months as peace talks between the warring nations remain stalled.
The contract surged 5.6 per cent to $124.67 in Asian trade, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.4 per cent to $109.49.
US seeks coalition to secure Strait of Hormuz shipping route: The United States is asking its international partners to join a coalition aimed at enabling ships to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Wall Street Journal report. “Your participation will strengthen our collective ability to restore freedom of navigation and protect the global economy,” the cable sent to US embassies reportedly said. “Collective action is essential to demonstrate unified resolve and impose meaningful costs on Iranian obstruction of transit through the Strait.”
Hegseth slams opposition, calls critics of Iran war ‘biggest adversary’: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hit out at the opposition, calling the lawmakers who criticise the Iran war as “the biggest adversary.” The US defense secretary’s hearing marks the first time he has testified before Congress since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. This also comes as the White House is seeking $1.5 trillion for its defence budget.
Defending the United States’ military operation against Iran, the Pentagon chief said, “Their nuclear facilities have been obliterated, underground they’re buried, and we’re watching them 24/7 so we know where any nuclear material might be.”
Live Updates
US-Iran War Live: US official says Iran war truce 'terminated' hostilities for war powers deadline
A US-Iran ceasefire that began in early April has "terminated" hostilities between the two sides for the purposes of an approaching congressional war powers deadline, a senior official of President Donald Trump's administration said on Thursday.
Trump faced a deadline on Friday to end the Iran war or make the case to Congress for extending it, but the date was most likely to pass without altering the course of the war.
"For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated," said the official, describing the administration's thinking.
US-Iran War Live: US reaches out to Maldives after Muizzu slams Iran war
The US has sought clarification from the Maldives days after President Mohammad Muizzu lashed out at Washington over the war with Iran.
The matter came up on Wednesday when US President Donald Trump's special envoy Sergio Gor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bethany Morrison spoke to Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam and discussed the US-Maldives relationship.
US-Iran War Live: Company backed by Trump’s sons to sell drones to US military
Activist Yassine Benjelloun, who is with the Global Sumud Flotilla, joined Al Jazeera’s live broadcast from the Mediterranean Sea to recount the horrendous events when Israeli forces raided aid vessels and abducted 175 activists in international waters off Greece.
“Where is Europe? Where are the leaders of the world? Why are we not talking about this more?” Benjelloun said.
“I am bewildered by the violence that we’ve been witnessing for the past three years in Palestine, and yet it is continuing here with innocent civilians, with us, who are just trying to bring aid to Palestine,” he said.
US-Iran War Live: Iran threatens painful response if US renews attacks
Iran said on Thursday it would respond with "long and painful strikes" on US positions if Washington renewed attacks and restated its claim to the Strait of Hormuz, complicating US plans for a coalition to reopen the waterway.
Two months into the US-Israeli war with Iran, the vital sea channel remains closed, choking off 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn.
US-Iran War Live: US to loan companies up to 92.5 million more barrels of oil from strategic reserve
The US Department of Energy has said that it is making 92.5 million more barrels of crude oil available for oil companies to borrow from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
The department said in a statement today that companies could bid for the oil, which would come from the Bayou Choctaw, Bryan Mound, Big Hill and West Hackberry reserve sites.
The US had already offered 126 million barrels of crude in three batches, but oil companies only borrowed less than 80 million of those barrels, or about 63 percent of what was offered, according to Reuters.
The SPR, held in caverns at the four sites along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, currently holds nearly 398 million barrels, which is roughly what the world uses in four days.
The crude will be delivered to companies from June through August, and they will be required to return it on different deadlines, ranging from early next year to mid-2029.
US-Iran War Live: US Congress extends provision that allows warrantless surveillance of foreign targets
The US Congress has approved a short extension to allow US intelligence agencies to collect information from foreign targets without a warrant, after a three-year extension failed to gather enough votes to pass.
President Donald Trump and intelligence officials have for weeks urged Congress to renew a key provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allows agencies like the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI to conduct warrantless surveillance.
The temporary patch, which received wide support in the Senate and House, extends the programme through June 12.
US-Iran War Live: Hezbollah adopts a new weapon: Fiber-optic drones, used widely in the war in Ukraine
Hezbollah has launched a new weapon against northern Israel in the latest round of fighting: small drones controlled with fiber-optic cables the width of dental floss that avoid electronic detection.These drones — used widely in the war in Ukraine — are small, hard to track and lethal. Drones injured at least a dozen soldiers in northern Israel on Thursday, two seriously, and the Israeli military said it had attempted to intercept multiple drones. In the past week, Hezbollah drones killed an Israeli soldier and defense contractor operating in southern Lebanon.Many drones are susceptible to electronic jamming by air defenses. Jamming can cause a drone to crash or return to its point of origin. — AP
US-Iran War Live: Iran war is supercharging the clean energy transition, UN climate chief says
The Iran war is "supercharging" the world's shift to renewable energy, as countries scramble to reduce their exposure to volatile oil and gas markets, the U.N. climate secretary said on Thursday. The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has upended oil and gas supplies, prompting some countries to ration fuel and others to roll out subsidies and tax cuts to shield consumers from surging prices. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: Trump administration weighing measures to soon increase US oil output, Hassett says
The Trump administration is talking to oil companies and considering measures to increase production in the United States "really soon" to ease the impact of the Iran war on energy supplies, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Thursday.
"We've been in constant communication with the oil companies, and have been considering measures that we could take here in the U.S. to increase U.S. production really soon," Hassett told reporters at the White House.
"There are things, regulations that are holding up, like how quickly stuff could come through ... and we're studying those, how we can change those, and we've been talking to oil companies about that," he added. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: Exact calculation of Iran exports impossible, tankers switching off tracking system, say analysts
Exact calculations of Iran exports impossible as tankers are switching off tracking systems, analysts say. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: Hegseth faces a second day of grilling from lawmakers over the Iran war
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will face another day of grilling on Capitol Hill, with senators getting their first opportunity Thursday to confront or praise the Pentagon chief over his handling of the Iran war.
Hegseth battled with Democrats a day earlier during a nearly six-hour House Armed Services Committee hearing, where he faced sharp questioning over the war's costs in dollars, lives and diminishing stockpiles of critical weapons.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hear a similar presentation on the Trump administration’s 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defense spending to a historic $1.5 trillion. Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, will again stress the need for more drones, missile defense systems and warships. — AP
US-Iran War Live: Trump floats a new plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Trump floated a new plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a senior official said.
Under the plan, the United States would continue its blockade on Iranian ports, while coordinating with allies to impose higher costs on Iran's attempts to subvert the free flow of energy, according to a senior administration official.
Trump is weighing multiple diplomatic and policy options to push Iran to end its chokehold on the waterway, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly. — AP
US-Iran War Live: Trump criticises Germany's Merz, tells him to stop interfering over Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, saying he should focus on trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war and spend "less time on interfering" with the effort to tackle the "Iran's nuclear threat."
Trump made his comments in a Truth Social post. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: Amazon says damaged UAE cloud region recovery to take several months
Amazon said on Thursday that restoring cloud computing operations in the United Arab Emirates, which were damaged in the conflict in the Middle East, is expected to take several months.
Amazon's data centers in the region were hit by Iranian drone strikes in early March, amid the conflict, disrupting cloud services and making a recovery "prolonged". — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: 'Safe passage for shipping through Strait of Hormuz vital', says New Zealand Prime Minister
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says, "Safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is vital if we are to restore the flow of fuel and reduce prices."
The Prime Minister took to X and added, "it was good to compare notes again tonight with His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the United Arab Emirates, and to express NZ’s solidarity with the UAE."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsSafe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is vital if we are to restore the flow of fuel and reduce prices.
— Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) April 30, 2026
So, it was good to compare notes again tonight with His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the United Arab Emirates, and to express NZ’s…
US-Iran War Live: Iran will exercise control over Hormuz and enable neighbours to benefit from valuable prospects, says Iran's Ghalibaf
Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf says Iran will, through exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz, enable itself and its neighbours to benefit from the valuable prospect of a future without the US presence and interference. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: 'Calling Hormuz anything else is indeed a terrible mistake', Iran's Araghchi reacts to Trump's faux pas
Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, "Today is Persian Gulf Day in Iran, marking our ancestors' expulsion of Portuguese from Strait of Hormuz 400 years ago. POTUS uses the correct term “Persian Gulf", not the Pentagon’s fake version. But calling Hormuz anything else is indeed a "terrible mistake"."
Araghchi was reacting to a clip which purportedly shows the US President mistakenly calling the Strait of Hormuz the "Strait of Trump".
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsToday is Persian Gulf Day in Iran, marking our ancestors' expulsion of Portuguese from Strait of Hormuz 400 years ago.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 30, 2026
POTUS uses the correct term “Persian Gulf", not the Pentagon’s fake version. But calling Hormuz anything else is indeed a "terrible mistake". pic.twitter.com/KcGwj83W2B
US-Iran War Live: Japanese PM urges safe, free navigation through Strait of Hormuz
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae on Thursday said, "From my side, I conveyed my strong expectation that consultations between the United States and Iran will resume at an early date and reach a final agreement."
Sanae added, "I once again strongly urged that safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz be ensured as soon as possible for vessels from all countries, including Japan and other Asian nations."
Read the full statement here:
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js先ほど、イランのペゼシュキアン大統領との間で再び電話会談を行いました。
— 高市早苗 (@takaichi_sanae) April 30, 2026
私からは、米国・イラン間の協議が早期に再開され、最終的な合意に至ることを強く期待している旨を伝えました。…
US-Iran War Live: 'Persian Gulf stands as a testament to resistance, sacrifice': Iranian mission to UN in New York on X
The Iranian Mission to United Nations in New York on Thursday said, "Those who sought to break Iran through blockade and coercion have only strengthened our resolve." It added, "The Persian Gulf stands as a testament to resistance, sacrifice, and the unshakable will of a nation that bows to no power."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOn April 30, the National Day of the Persian Gulf, and in the face of the imposed war, cruel U.S. sanctions, and economic siege, the Iranian people have proven that dignity is not negotiable and independence is not for sale. Those who sought to break Iran through blockade and…
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) April 30, 2026
US-Iran War Live: Oil retreats after hitting four-year high on concern of US-Iran war escalation
Global oil prices jumped to a four-year high of more than $126 a barrel on Thursday on concerns that the U.S.-Iran war could worsen and lead to a protracted Middle East supply disruption that could hurt global economic growth, but later retreated. The market had moved higher earlier after Axios, citing unidentified sources, reported on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump is slated to receive a briefing on Thursday on plans for a series of military strikes on Iran in hopes it will return to negotiations on its nuclear programme.
The price of Brent has doubled since the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran began on February 28 and the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude is up around 90% due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transits. The oil price gains risk a renewed spike in global inflation and higher pump prices in the U.S. ahead of midterm elections later this year. Oil, gas, and their refined byproducts are critical for fuelling cars, trucks and planes, powering homes and industry and producing plastics and fertilizers. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: 'Gulf insecurity caused by US, Israel'
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian tells Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that the Gulf insecurity is caused by the US and Israel. He added "American piracy" against Iranian ships must be stopped and condemned, Reuters reported citing report by Mehr News.
US-Iran War Live: Tehran will resume diplomacy once Washington changes its behaviour, Iran President Pezeshkian
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian tells Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that Tehran is ready to resume path of diplomacy once Washington changes its behaviour, Reuters reported quoting Mehr News.
US-Iran War Live: Iran warns U.S. of return to lengthy conflict if attacked, media reports
Any U.S. attack on Iran, even if limited, will usher in "long and painful strikes" on U.S. regional positions, a senior Revolutionary Guards official was quoted by state media as saying on Thursday.
"We've seen what happened to your regional bases, we will see the same thing happen to your warships," Aerospace Force Commander Majid Mousavi added, according to the Student News Network.
He was responding to an Axios report saying that the U.S. military has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: Israeli military tells residents of eight Lebanese towns outside 'buffer zone' to leave ahead of strikes
The Israeli military warned residents of eight Lebanese towns outside of the "buffer zone" to leave their homes immediately on Thursday ahead of strikes.
The "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon was occupied by Israeli troops before a ceasefire that was announced earlier this month but has failed to fully halt hostilities. — Reuters
US-Iran War Live: 'From nanotechnology and biotechnology to nuclear and missile capabilities...'
"Ninety million proud and honourable Iranians inside and outside the country regard all of Iran's identity-based, spiritual, human, scientific, industrial and technological capacities - from nanotechnology and biotechnology to nuclear and missile capabilities - as national assets, and will protect them just as they protect the country's waters, land and airspace." — Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei
US-Iran War Live: Will protect nuclear and missile capabilities, says Mojtaba Khamenei
Iran's supreme leader says the Islamic Republic will protect its 'nuclear and missile capabilities' as Trump seeks deal DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader says the Islamic Republic will protect its 'nuclear and missile capabilities' as Trump seeks deal.
US-Iran War Live: New management of Strait of Hormuz will bring calm and progress, says Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Khamenei says the new management of the Strait of Hormuz "will bring calm and progress" as well as "economic benefits" to all Gulf nations, the Reuters reported citing the statement.
US-Iran War Live: 'Tehran will eliminate enemy's abuse of waterway'
Iran supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei says Tehran will secure the Gulf region and eliminate "the enemy's abuses of the waterway", the Reuters reported citing the statement.
US-Iran War Live: Foreigners who commit evil have no place but in depths of water, says Mojtaba
Iran supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei says Tehran shares a common fate with Gulf neighbours and that "foreigners who commit evil" have no place but in the "depths of water", the Reuters reported citing the statement.
US-Iran War Live: Gulf will have bright future without US presence, says Mojtaba Khamenei
Iran supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the Gulf will have a "bright future" without the presence of the US, the Reuters reported citing Iranian state TV.
US-Iran War Live: Activists say Israel has intercepted their Gaza aid flotilla near Crete, detaining crews
Activists sailing on dozens of boats attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid say Israeli forces intercepted them overnight Wednesday into Thursday, detaining the crews while the flotilla was sailing hundreds of miles (kilometers) from Gaza near the southern Greek island of Crete.The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail earlier this month from Barcelona. Organizers have said more than 70 boats and 1,000 people from around the world would be participating, with more vessels joining the original boats as the flotilla sailed east across the Mediterranean. Their attempt comes less than a year after Israeli authorities foiled another effort by the activist group to reach Gaza.“Israel’s actions … mark a dangerous and unprecedented escalation, the abduction of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, over 600 miles from Gaza, in full view of the world,” the group said in a press release. — AP
US-Iran War Live: Inflation hits 3% in Europe as Iran war spreads oil price shock
Soaring oil prices from the Iran war pushed inflation higher in Europe in April as growth continued to underperform in a worrying combination both for consumers and policymakers at the European Central Bank.Annual inflation in the 21 countries that use the shared euro currency rose to 3.0% from 2.6% in March, fueled by a 10.9% increase in energy prices, the European Union statistical agency Eurostat reported Thursday.
Crude oil is trading above $120 per barrel, up from around $73 before the outbreak of the war on Feb. 28.Meanwhile euro-area growth for the first three months of the year disappointed with a marginal increase of 0.1% over the quarter before.The Iran war is dealing a massive shock to the global economy because Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which some 20% of the world’s oil formerly passed on its way to customers from producers in the Persian Gulf. The surge in oil prices price surge has been quickly reflected at gas stations and in the price of jet fuel. — AP
US-Iran War Live: Brent crude surges over $120 a barrel on Iran war worries, while world stocks are mixed
The price of Brent crude oil briefly surged past $126 a barrel early Thursday as stalled U.S.-Iran talks raised doubts over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a permanent end to the Iran war.Brent crude to be delivered in June jumped 3.3% to $121.90 after briefly soaring past $126 per barrel. Brent to be delivered in July rose 1.4% to $112.02.
Benchmark U.S. crude climbed 1.3% to $108.28 per barrel.Before the war began in late February, Brent crude was trading around $70 per barrel. There's no clear path to an end to the war. The U.S. has continued its blockade of Iranian ports while the Strait of Hormuz is closed, pushing oil prices higher.
Reports Thursday suggesting a possible escalation by U.S. President Donald Trump doused hopes for a quick end to the conflict.“The breakdown of talks between the U.S. and Iran, along with President Trump reportedly rejecting Iran’s proposal for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, has the market losing hope for any quick resumption in oil flows,” ING Bank strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a research note. — AP
US-Iran War Live: Israeli military launches new wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon
US-Iran War Live: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it has launched a wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure sites across southern Lebanon.
US-Iran War Live: Israeli military launches new wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon
US-Iran War Live: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it has launched a wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure sites across southern Lebanon.
US-Iran War Live: Amazon says cloud regions in Bahrain, UAE damaged in Iran war
US-Iran War Live: Amazon said that its cloud regions in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were damaged amid the Middle East conflict.
US-Iran War Live: IDF says 5 Hezbollah operatives killed in airstrikes yesterday in south Lebanon
US-Iran War Live: The Israeli military said that five Hezbollah operatives who were identified near Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Wednesday were killed in airstrikes.
US-Iran War Live: Iranian President Pezeshkian says US naval blockade is 'doomed to fail'
US-Iran War Live: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a US naval blockade on Iranian ports will fail to achieve its set targets. “Any attempt to impose a maritime blockade or restrictions is contrary to international law… and is doomed to fail,” he said in a statement. He added that such measures would not only fail to enhance regional security, but are in fact a source of tension and a disruption to lasting stability in the Persian Gulf.”
US-Iran War Live: Amid Iran tensions, Israeli army intercepts aid flotilla headed to Gaza, detains around 175 activists
US-Iran War Live: The Israeli Navy intercepted a flotilla, sailing through the Gaza Strip and detained around 175 activists amid the escalating tensions with Iran.
In a post on X, the Global Sumud Flotilla said that Israeli-marked speedboats approached and aimed weapons at members, ordering them to move to the front of the vessel.
“Israeli military boats have illegally surrounded the flotilla in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence,” the flotilla said in another X post.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Ministry shared a video showing some of the activists "enjoying themselves aboard Israeli vessels,” while adding that “approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats of the condom flotilla are now making their way peacefully to Israel.”
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsApproximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats of the condom flotilla are now making their way peacefully to Israel.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 30, 2026
In the video: the activists enjoying themselves aboard Israeli vessels pic.twitter.com/0sz8kDpKLX
US-Iran War Live: Hezbollah drone hits car in northern Israel, says report
US-Iran War Live: Air raid sirens sounded across northern Israel amid a suspected drone attack, with an impact reported near Shomera along the Lebanon border, according to The Times of Israel.
US-Iran War Live: United States 'reviewing, studying' the possibility of reducing troops in Germany, says Trump
US-Iran War Live: US President Donald Trump said that he is reviewing the possibility of cutting down the number of American troops in Germany. “The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,” the US president said in a post on Truth Social. His post comes after he said that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz "doesn’t know what he’s talking about” on Iran.
US-Iran War Live: Hezbollah 'breaching ceasefire', 'we are hitting them back,' says Israeli PM Netanyahu's adviser
US-Iran War Live: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser, Ophir Falk, accused Hezbollah of renewing the conflict, stating that the militant group had repeatedly violated the ceasefire.
“Hezbollah is breaching the ceasefire. That’s not surprising, and we’re hitting them back very hard,” Falk said in an interview with CNN.
Iran US War News Live Updates: 'Next Stop $140,' Iran speaker Ghalibaf issues new warning as oil prices surge
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran hit out at the United States' naval blockade in the Starit of Hormuz, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf mocking President Donald Trump in his latest post on X. "3 days in, no well exploded. We could extend to 30 and livestream the well here. That was the kind of junk advice the US admin gets from people like Bessent who also push the blockade theory and cranked oil up to $120+. Next stop:140. The issue isn't the theory, it's the mindset," he said.
Brent crude oil rose over 5 per cent after Trump issued a warning stating that the US blockade of Iranian ports could last for months as peace talks between the warring nations remain stalled.
The contract surged 5.6 per cent to $124.67 in Asian trade, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.4 per cent to $109.49.
3 days in, no well exploded.We could extend to 30 and livestream the well here.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 29, 2026
That was the kind of junk advice the US admin gets from people like Bessent who also push the blockade theory and cranked oil up to $120+. Next stop:140. The issue isn't the theory, it's the mindset.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Heated clash in US Congress over Iran war
Iran US War News Live Updates: During a six-hour congressional hearing on the Iran war, Eugene Vindman confronted US War Secretary Pete Hegseth over responsibility for military strikes. Vindman questioned whether the president ordered the action, prompting Hegseth to affirm presidential authority. The exchange escalated when Vindman accused him of shifting blame, while Hegseth insisted the administration remained united.
Iran US War News Live Updates: CENTCOM chief to brief Trump on latest plans for potential military action against Iran, says report
Iran US War News Live Updates: US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief Adm. Brad Cooper, is set to brief US President Donald Trump on new plans for US military action against Iran on Thursday (Apr 30), according to a report by Axios. CENTCOM has drawn up a “short and powerful” plan involving a series of strikes targeting Iran to break the negotiation deadlock and push Tehran towards concessions, the outlet cited three sources with knowledge of the matter as saying.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Pentagon chief Hegseth says US ‘watching Iran 24/7’ to track nuclear program
Iran US War News Live Updates: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied that America and Israel’s war on Iran is a “quagmire” and called Democratic lawmakers “feckless” for criticising the conflict.
Hegseth, who was testifying before the Congress for the first time since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, asked the lawmakers to approve a $1.5 trillion defence budget and criticised some lawmakers as “the biggest challenge” in the war effort.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Hegseth hearing concludes after nearly six hours
Hegseth is exiting the House Armed Services Committee after a nearly six-hour hearing.
The hearing showed the partisan divide on Capitol Hill over the war with Iran. As Democrats questioned him on the economic costs and strategy of the war, Hegseth fired back that lawmakers were being “feckless” in their questioning. Republicans mostly stood behind the defense secretary, although a few questioned his reasoning for removing several top officials.
“At the end of the day, the Iran war is the biggest issue that we face,” said Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the committee.
Hegseth will be back on Capitol Hill tomorrow for a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
AP
Iran US War News Live Updates: 2 people killed in a clash with police in Iran
An armed group in the Gach Berin area in the city of Iranshahr opened fire upon encountering a police patrol, prompting officers to respond with heavy gunfire that stopped the group’s vehicle and killed two people, according to provincial police, as reported by the semi-official news agencies, Tasnim News Agency and Fars News Agency. Both Iranian outlets are close to state institutions.
Two others were wounded in the exchange, the police said.
The police added that a Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition were recovered from the vehicle after it was searched.
Iranshahr is in southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan. The province has been the site of occasional deadly clashes involving militant groups, armed drug smugglers and Iranian security forces. It is one of the least developed provinces of Iran.
AP
Iran US War News Live Updates: Trump cheers UAE plan to exit OPEC as ‘great’
The president said the oil-rich nation’s decision to leave OPEC and OPEC+ on May 1 could help calm the volatile oil market shaken by the Iran war.
“I think ultimately it’s a good thing for getting the price of gas down, getting oil down, getting everything down,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office.
AP
Iran US War News Live Updates: Trump says he'll keep Iran under naval blockade as it's 'more effective than bombing'
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday told Axios that that he would keep Iran under naval blockade as it was "more effective than the bombing."
"The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing. They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them. They can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump was quoted as saying.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Trump and Putin hold phone call on Iran ceasefire, Kremlin says
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held 1.5 hour phone call on Wednesday and discussed the ongoing ceasefire in the Middle East and the Ukraine war.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Pentagon's Hegseth defends Iran war, says 'not a quagmire'
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Iran war in remarks to the Congress on Wednesday, saying it was not a quagmire and attacked Democratic lawmakers as "feckless" for criticizing the unpopular conflict, Reuters reported.
"You call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies? Shame on you for that statement," Hegseth said.
Iran US War News Live Updates: US war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far, says Pentagon official
The United States' war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far, a senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Jaishankar speaks with Araghchi, discusses ceasefire, regional issues amid West Asia stalemate
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday and discussed views on the latest developments related to the ceasefire, bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues, Embassy of Iran in India stated in a post on X.
During a phone conversation between Seyed Abbas @araghchi, Foreign Minister of Iran, and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, the two sides discussed and exchanged views on the latest developments related to the ceasefire, bilateral relations, as well… pic.twitter.com/Vx6B5hoezx
— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) April 29, 2026
Iran US War News Live Updates: Oil companies and Trump discussed steps to continue Iran blockade for months, White House official says
A White House official on Wednesday said that US President Donald Trump and oil companies discussed steps to continue the blockade of Iranian ports for months, Reuters reported.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Russia yet to decide on return of personnel to Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant
Russia has not yet taken a decision on whether to return its personnel to the Bushehr nuclear power plant, Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying on Wednesday.
- Reuters
Iran US War News Live Updates: Germany Chancellor Merz says relations with Trump are good despite spat over Iran
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday said his relationship with US President Donald Trump remained good despite a row between the two men over the Iran war.
"From my perspective, my personal relationship with the U.S. President remains good. I simply had doubts from the start about what was begun with the war in Iran. That is why I have made that clear," Merz told reporter.
The German Chancellor further added, "In Germany and Europe we are suffering from the consequences, such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This has a direct impact on our energy supply and a huge impact on our economic performance."
Iran US War News Live Updates: US Defence Secretary Hegseth to face Congress for the first time since Iran war began
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will face questioning from members of Congress for the first time since the Iran war began.
The hearing Wednesday before the House Armed Services Committee will focus on the Trump administration's $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran's rial currency hits record low as shaky ceasefire with US and Israel still holds
Iran’s national rial currency hit a record low Wednesday of 1.8 million to $1 as a shaky ceasefire with the US and Israel still holds. The rial had remained stable for weeks during the war, which began February 28, in part because there was little trading or imports coming into the country. The rial began to slide two days ago, hitting a record low on Wednesday.
Experts warn the fall of the rial is likely to further fuel inflation in a country where many imported goods, from food and medicine to electronics and raw materials, are affected by the dollar rate.
The war is now in a ceasefire, but a US blockade has continued to increase pressure on Iran’s already-battered economy, cutting into a key source of government revenue and hard currency by stopping or intercepting oil shipments.
(AP)
Iran US War News Live Updates: Israeli air attack on southern Lebanon kills two, including Lebanese soldier
The Lebanese army said a soldier and his brother were killed in an Israeli air attack on Khirbet Selm, in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon.
In a social media post, the army said the two siblings were attacked while they were moving on a motorcycle from the soldier’s workplace to his home in the town of as-Sawana.
(Al Jazeera)
Iran US War News Live Updates: Russia hopes UAE exit does not spell end of OPEC+, pledges to stay put
The decision of the United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC does not, hopefully, mean the end of the OPEC+ format of the leading global oil producers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, adding that Russia will stay in the group.
The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday said it was quitting OPEC, dealing a blow to the oil producers' group as an unprecedented energy crisis caused by the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations.
(Reuters)
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran hardliners clash publicly as split over US policy widens, says report
A deepening rift within Iran’s hardline leadership over how to handle the United States has spilled into public view, with rival factions clashing in both parliament and state-linked media, the Iranian opposition outlet Iran International reported.
According to the report, divisions surfaced this week when 27 ultraconservative Iranian lawmakers refused to sign a letter backing Tehran’s negotiating team, exposing a rare break in what is typically a publicly unified front.
The alleged dispute has pitted allies of former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili against supporters of parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who recently led the Iranian delegation in talks with the US in Islamabad.
The tensions escalated into a public feud between state-linked media outlets, including Raja News and the Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, with both sides trading accusations of undermining national unity.
(Iran International)
Iran US War News Live Updates: Trump says Iran ‘can’t get their act together', better ‘get smart soon’
US President Donald Trump has dismissed Iran’s latest proposal to end the war, warning that Tehran had “better get smart soon.” His remarks signal a rejection of the offer to de-escalate tensions around the Strait of Hormuz while setting aside concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump criticised the Islamic Republic, saying it “can’t get their act together.”
“They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal,” he added, sharing an AI-generated image of himself holding a firearm against a backdrop of explosions, captioned: “No more Mr. Nice Guy.”
Iran US War News Live Updates: Hamas Intelligence Headquarters Operations Department head killed, claims Israel
The Israeli Defence Forces claimed that it has killed the Hamas Military Intelligence Headquarters Operations Department head, Iyad Ahmed Abdurrahman Şambari.
According to the military, Shambari was responsible for "consolidating operational situational awareness for the entire Gaza Strip." It was also noted that "in his capacity, he took an active part in planning Hamas's raid as part of the murderous massacre carried out on October 7".
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js🔴Hamas terör örgütünün Askeri İstihbarat Karargahı Harekat Daire Başkanı,
— IDF Türkçe (@TurkishIDF) April 29, 2026
İyad Ahmed Abdurrahman Şambari Etkisiz hale getirildi❗️❗️#gazze #israil #idf pic.twitter.com/NtpVWQaSes
Iran US War News Live Updates: Israeli army downs suspected Hezbollah drone over south Lebanon area
Iran US War News Live Updates: Israeli army shot down a suspected Hezbollah drone over an area of southern Lebanon where armed forces are deployed, said the IDF. It said that the “suspicious aerial target” did not cross into Israeli territory.
Iran US War News Live Updates: IDF says 2 Hezbollah operatives killed in airstrike on Monday
Iran US War News Live Updates: Israeli military said that it killed two Hezbollah operatives in an airstrike on Monday.
Iran US War News Live Updates: IDF says soldier lightly injured in Hezbollah drone attack
Iran US War News Live Updates: An IDF soldier was lightly wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, the military said, according to The Times of Israel.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Israeli military shot dead Palestinian who stabbed troops in the West Bank
Iran US War News Live Updates: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shot dead a Palestinian man who stabbed troops and arrested another, in the West Bank town of Silwad overnight, according to The Times Of Israel. “The troops responded with fire,” the military said, adding that the suspect who stabbed the soldiers was killed and the second was “neutralised and arrested by the forces.”
Iran US War News Live Updates: King Charles cites NATO's significance during White House dinner toast
Iran US War News Live Updates: King Charles underscores the strength of US-UK relations at a state dinner, tracing the alliance from World War II to the founding of NATO in 1949.
“During World War II, at a most critical time in the darkest days of the 20th century, American leadership helped rebuild a shattered continent, playing a decisive role as a defender of freedom in Europe,” the King said.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Trump instructs aides to prepare for extended blockade of Iran, says report
Iran US War News Live Updates: US President Donald Trump has instructed his aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, according to the Wall Street Journal report.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Trump claims King Charles agrees Iran cannot have nuclear weapon
Iran US War News Live Updates: US President Donald Trump said King Charles agrees Iran must not have a nuclear weapon during US state visit.
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran urges UN to ensure Israel fully complies with Lebanon ceasefire
Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has urged the UN Security Council to take decisive steps to ensure Israel fully respects the ceasefire in Lebanon.
He called on the council to press Israel to immediately stop all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and withdraw its occupying forces from Lebanese territory.
Iravani also criticised US and Israeli strikes on Iran, while condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
(Al Jazeera)
Iran US War News Live Updates: Flights resume between Tehran-Moscow after two-month pause
After a two-month suspension caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran, flights between Tehran and Moscow resumed on Tuesday, said Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
This came after Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia. Regular services on the Tehran–Moscow route will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, IRNA reported.
(CNN)
Iran US War News Live Updates: US imposes sanctions on 35 individuals, entities for aiding Iran's sanctions evasions
The US government on Tuesday said it was imposing sanctions on 35 entities and individuals for their role in Iran’s shadow banking architecture, accusing them of facilitating the movement of tens of billions of dollars tied to sanctions evasion and Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also warned any firm making “toll” payments to the Iranian government or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for passage through the Strait of Hormuz would face significant sanctions.
(Reuters)
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