Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday discussed the possibility of a diplomatic settlement in the Iran war with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, taking into account the legitimate interests of all countries in the region, reported Reuters citing senior Russian officials.
The US expects its operation against Iran to conclude within weeks, not months, and Washington can meet all its objectives without using ground troops, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting his G7 counterparts in France.
US President Donald Trump spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday about the West Asia situation, including the need to secure the key energy waterway, Strait of Hormuz, that remains under an Iranian blockade. Modi reiterated India’s support for de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had given orders to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, hours ahead of a deadline that threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its fourth week.
An attack on Iran's southern coast or attempt to blockade Kharg Island, its main oil export hub, will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast, the country's Defence Council said on Monday according to state media.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to discuss the evolving situation in the Middle East. He condemned the attacks on critical GCC infrastructure and emphasised the need to ensure secure maritime routes.
President Donald Trump has warned that the US would 'obliterate' Iran’s power plants if Tehran fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, prompting Iranian officials to threaten retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets in the region.
The US and Israel launched an attack on the Natanz uranium-enrichment facility on Saturday morning, Iran's Tasnim news agency said, as the war in the Middle East entered its fourth week. No radioactive leaks occurred and residents near the site were not at risk, it added.
The Trump administration waived sanctions on the purchase of Iranian oil at sea for 30 days in its latest attempt to ease oil prices that have been driven up by the Middle East conflict, said media reports. The waiver will bring some 140 million barrels of oil to global markets and help relieve pressure on energy supply.
The US military is deploying a large amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, three US officials told Reuters on Friday, as Iran's new supreme leader hailed Iran's "unity" and "resistance".
