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Middle East
UN halts Hormuz evacuations after ship attack
The United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) has temporarily suspended its operation to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, renewing concerns over security in one of the world's most important shipping lanes despite a preliminary agreement to end the Iran conflict. A cargo vessel reported being struck by a projectile near the Omani coast on Thursday, according to the British maritime security agency UKMTO. The incident occurred just hours after Tehran warned that vessels travelling through routes not approved by Iran would not be guaranteed safe passage. Two United States officials told Reuters that Iran had fired on the vessel. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, established by Tehran to oversee requests for ships transiting the strait, said vessels operating outside designated routes would not be assured protection. Four sources identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely. A security source said the ship was likely targeted by a drone. There was no immediate response from the U.S. government regarding the incident. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. would likely resume bombing Iran i
Middle East
Hormuz oil exports accelerate after deal
Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have accelerated following an agreement between the United States and Iran to reopen the strategic waterway, with millions of barrels of crude oil now moving towards international markets after months of disruption. According to data from trade analytics firm Kpler cited by CNBC, at least 20 oil tankers carrying around 35 million barrels of crude have exited the Strait of Hormuz since Washington and Tehran agreed to reopen the shipping lane. The vessels, none of which were Iranian in origin, had remained stranded in the Persian Gulf for more than three months after Iran effectively closed the strait during the conflict, according to Kpler analysts. Most of the cargoes are destined for Asian markets and are expected to reach their final destinations by early August. Kpler data showed confirmed oil shipments through Hormuz have increased to approximately 4.8 million barrels per day since the U.S.-Iran agreement. June export volumes represent the strongest flow levels since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on 28 February. However, shipments remain significantly below pre-conflict levels, when roughly 15 million barrels per day transited
Middle East
US eases Iran oil sanctions for 60 days
The United States has announced a significant easing of sanctions on Iran's energy sector, allowing dollar-denominated trade in Iranian oil for the first time in more than four decades as Washington and Tehran continue negotiations aimed at securing a permanent peace agreement. The U.S. Treasury on Monday issued a broad 60-day exemption, known as General License X, permitting Iran to produce and sell crude oil, petrochemical products and refined petroleum products in US dollars until 21 August. The waiver also authorises transactions involving vessels and entities that had previously been subject to U.S. sanctions, while theoretically reopening the possibility of U.S. imports of Iranian crude oil. The decision represents the most extensive rollback of American sanctions on Iran's oil industry since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It reverses years of economic pressure designed to constrain Tehran's oil revenues and is expected to unlock billions of dollars in additional income for the Iranian government. U.S. President Donald Trump defended the move on Truth Social, arguing that revenues generated from oil sales should be directed toward the purchase of American agricultural products rather than military spending. T
Middle East
Vance: Iran talks made 'great progress'
United States Vice President JD Vance said negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have made substantial progress despite periods of tension, as both sides continue discussions aimed at reducing regional instability and addressing concerns over Tehran's nuclear programme. Speaking on Monday following talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, Vance said discussions remained on track and that Iran had agreed to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to return to the country. The talks came under strain over the weekend after Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which Tehran said violated an existing ceasefire arrangement. “Yes, there was a little bit of threatening, there was a little bit of whining, but at the end of the day, the talks continued, and we made great progress,” Vance told reporters. Vance described Iran's decision to permit IAEA inspectors back into the country as “a major milestone for the American people, and the first step in permanently denuclearising or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran”. He said negotiators had established mechanisms designed to prevent future escalations in the region and reduce the r
Middle East
US, Iran set 60-day path to final deal
The United States and Iran reported significant progress in talks held in Switzerland on Monday, agreeing to a roadmap aimed at securing a final agreement within 60 days and establishing new mechanisms to oversee negotiations and reduce tensions across the region. The discussions, held at the Bürgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne, marked the first round of talks under a memorandum of understanding reached last week between Washington and Tehran. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, mediators said both sides had agreed to establish a high-level committee to provide political oversight and guide negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement. “The Lake Lucerne Summit was conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere. Encouraging progress has been made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks. "Building on the MoU, the parties have agreed to the establishment of a High Level Committee, which will provide political oversight on the mediation. Chief negotiators will report regularly to the High Level Committee and lead working groups focused on nuclear, sanctions, and a monitoring and dispute resolution group to ensure the effective implementation of the MoU, and on other matter

Middle East
Negotiators meet in Switzerland amid Trump threats
United States President Donald Trump threatened renewed military action against Iran on Sunday as Vice President JD Vance met senior Iranian officials in Switzerland for the first talks held under a fragile interim peace agreement reached last week. The discussions took place at the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock and marked the first formal meeting since the two countries agreed to a memorandum of understanding designed to end their conflict and extend a ceasefire for at least another 60 days. The agreement included provisions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global energy supplies, and to halt hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon. However, the talks were overshadowed by Iran's announcement that it had once again closed the strategic waterway and would not discuss substantive issues such as its nuclear programme during the meeting. "Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!" Despite Trump's rhetoric, Vance struck a more conciliatory tone during the talks, which were attended by Qatari mediators. He suggested pr
Middle East
Hormuz reopens as oil tankers resume transit
The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz gathered pace on Thursday as oil tankers and commercial vessels resumed transiting the strategic waterway following an interim agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending months of disruption to global energy markets. Data from global trade intelligence firm Kpler, cited by CNBC, showed that three Saudi Arabian supertankers carrying a combined 6 million barrels of crude oil successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels had switched on their tracking transponders in the Gulf of Oman after remaining hidden for more than two months during the conflict. The tanker movements followed the signing of an agreement on Wednesday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, which is intended to facilitate the reopening of the key shipping route. Speaking at a White House briefing later on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said 12.5 million barrels of oil had passed through the Strait of Hormuz overnight. “That is a high since the beginning of the conflict,” Vance said. Before the outbreak of hostilities, around 14 million barrels per day of crude oil and 6 million barrels per day of refined petroleum products moved through the wa
Middle East
US-Iran interim pact details made public
The United States and Iran have signed an interim memorandum of understanding aimed at ending more than three months of conflict, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and establishing a framework for broader negotiations over a permanent peace agreement. A senior US official read the 14-point agreement to reporters on Wednesday, outlining commitments by both sides to cease military operations immediately and begin negotiations on a final settlement within 60 days. A White House official told CBS News that the memorandum had been signed remotely by both governments and was now in effect. The agreement implements a 60-day ceasefire while negotiators work towards a broader accord. However, President Donald Trump warned that military action could resume if negotiations fail to produce a lasting agreement. "Just in case you have any question, we'll be giving this out, so you can read it, and you can see," he said of the memorandum of understanding with Iran. "If it doesn't get done in 60 days, that's all right. We go back to bombing. I don't want to do that, because it's so good, but we might have to, because we're never going to let them have a nuclear weapon." Here is the full document, titled "Islamabad Memorandum of Un
Middle East
US-Iran deal nears release; further negotiations ahead
Details of a framework agreement between the United States and Iran began to emerge on Tuesday, with United States President Donald Trump saying the deal would prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while a U.S. official said it would allow Iran to resume oil exports immediately upon signing. The memorandum of understanding, signed this week but not yet publicly released, extends a fragile ceasefire first announced in April by a further 60 days, providing time for negotiations aimed at securing a permanent peace agreement. Under the terms outlined so far, the United States will lift its blockade of Iranian ports, while Tehran will restore the movement of oil tankers and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked since the United States and Israel launched military strikes on 28 February. Trump said the agreement clearly states that Iran will not possess a nuclear weapon and indicated that the full text would be released publicly within days during a formal announcement. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes and that it has no intention of developing nuclear weapons. While the agreement marks a significan