Key Updates
- Vance will not be travelling to Pakistan on Tuesday: White House
- Trump extends ceasefire until Iranian proposal is submitted, talks are over
- Iranian commander threatens to destroy regional oil industry if war with US resumes
- Shipping traffic through Hormuz still largely halted
April 22, 2026 04:14
Iran urges U.N. condemnation after U.S. seizes cargo ship
Iran on Tuesday called on the United Nations to condemn the seizure by the United States of an Iranian cargo ship, characterising the move as an act of piracy and a breach of a ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the US Navy had fired on and then taken control of the Touska cargo ship in the Sea of Oman. Mr. Trump says the Iran-flagged vessel is subject to US sanctions.
“Such conduct bears the hallmarks of piracy in nature and amounts to a dangerous escalation that severely endangers the safety and security of vital shipping lanes,” Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said on Tuesday in a letter addressed to the Security Council and the Secretary-General.
-AFP
April 22, 2026 04:13
Vance will not be travelling to Pakistan on Tuesday: White House
The White House said in a statement that in light of the president’s announcement that he was extending the ceasefire and awaiting a proposal from Iran, Vice President J.D. Vance and the U.S. negotiating delegation would not be travelling to Pakistan on Tuesday.
The White House did not offer any additional updates on the possibility of in-person meetings.
-AP
April 22, 2026 03:25
Pakistan PM welcomes US-Iran ceasefire extension
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for accepting the country’s request to extend the ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course.
“I sincerely hope that both sides will continue to observe the ceasefire and be able to conclude a comprehensive ‘Peace Deal’ during the second round of talks scheduled at Islamabad for a permanent end to the conflict,” Mr. Sharif said in post on X.
-Reuters
April 22, 2026 02:56
Trump's ceasefire extension a 'ploy to buy time' for surprise strike, advisor to Iran's top negotiator says
U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire extension is a “ploy to buy time” for a surprise strike, an advisor to Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Tuesday.
Mr. Qalibaf’s advisor said in a post on X that the continuation of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports was “no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response.”
-AFP
April 22, 2026 02:11
Hezbollah says attacked north Israel in response to Israeli truce violations
Hezbollah said it launched an attack on northern Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for what it said were Israeli violations of a 10-day ceasefire, the first such claim since the truce began.
Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters launched rockets and attack drones at a site in northern Israel that it said was the source of artillery shelling towards a south Lebanon town.
-AFP
April 22, 2026 02:10
Vance's trip to Pakistan for peace talks on hold, US official says
A U.S. official said Vice President J.D. Vance’s trip to Islamabad for potential ceasefire talks with Iran has been called off and put on hold, but cautioned that President Donald Trump could change his mind at any minute.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, said Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected in Washington on Tuesday afternoon for consultations about how to proceed.
-AP
April 22, 2026 01:52
Trump extends ceasefire until Iranian proposal is submitted, talks are over
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was extending the Iran ceasefire until an Iranian proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded.
Mr. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said he was acting at the request of Pakistan to hold off attacks until Iranian leaders and representatives could come up with what he called a unified proposal.
“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” Mr. Trump said.
-Reuters
April 22, 2026 00:55
Iranian commander threatens to destroy regional oil industry if war with US resumes
A senior Iranian commander on Tuesday threatened to destroy the region’s oil industry if war resumes with the US.
Gen Majid Mousavi, the aerospace chief for the Revolutionary Guard, said in comments on Iranian media that it would be a mistake to carry out “aggression” against Iran. He also said the region’s oil facilities would be harmed if neighbouring countries allow the US to carry out attacks.
“If southern neighbours allow the enemy to use their facilities to attack Iran, they should say goodbye to oil production in the Middle East region,” he said.
-AP
April 22, 2026 00:44
Iran says U.S. violated truce; non-committal on Pakistan talks
Iran said on Tuesday (April 21, 2026) the U.S. blockade of its ports and the seizure of an Iranian tanker by in the Gulf of Oman amounted to ceasefire violations, adding that it has yet to decide whether to join a new round of talks with Washington in Islamabad, even as President Donald Trump claimed that his team would “soon” hold negotiations with Tehran. Pakistan said it has made all arrangements for the talks, but has yet to receive formal confirmation from Iran about its participation, as of Tuesday (April 21, 2026) evening.
Iran says U.S. violated truce; non-committal on Pakistan talks
Uncertainty surrounds Iran's participation in U.S.-led talks as a ceasefire deadline approaches, raising tensions amid potential conflict.
April 22, 2026 00:23
Iran to restart domestic flights; charts phased airspace reopening
Contingent on progress in U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks, Iran’s aviation safety regulator has outlined a phased reopening of its airspace after the resumption of domestic flight operations from Wednesday (April 22, 2026).
Local media reported that Iran Air will resume domestic flight operations from Wednesday, after more than 50 days of airspace closure triggered by escalating tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel that peaked on February 28.
Iranian government sources told The Hindu that they plan to first reallow overflight operations that will bring a huge respite to all international airlines connecting Europe with Asia, including Indian carriers.
West Asia crisis: Iran to restart domestic flights amid tensions with Israel and US
Iran reopens domestic flights and plans phased airspace reopening, easing international airline operations amid U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks.
April 21, 2026 23:42
Iran state TV says ceasefire with U.S. to expire at midnight GMT
Iranian state TV said a ceasefire with the United States in force since April 8 would expire at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Tehran time (0000 GMT Tuesday).
The timing is consistent with when the 14-day truce went into effect, though U.S. President Donald Trump recently said it would end a day later, on Wednesday evening Washington time.
Mediator Pakistan had said earlier in the day that the ceasefire would expire at 2350 GMT on Tuesday.
“Ceasefire ends at 4:50 a.m. PST, 22 April,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X, referring to Pakistan Standard Time.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 23:40
What to know as ceasefire in Iran war hangs in balance
The ceasefire in the Iran war hangs in the balance as Pakistan’s capital stands prepared for possible new talks between Tehran and Washington.
The two-week ceasefire was set to expire at 0000 GMT Wednesday (8 p.m. ET Tuesday.) Neither the U.S. nor Iran have publicly confirmed the timing of any new talks or plans to extend the ceasefire, but sudden changes have been the norm in the lead-up to past rounds of talks.
Here’s what to know about where the ceasefire stands, the possible talks in Pakistan and other issues surrounding the war:
1. Talks floated for Wednesday:Two regional officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the United States and Iran have signalled they will hold a new round of talks. Pakistan-led mediators received confirmation that top negotiators, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, are expected to arrive in Islamabad early Wednesday to lead their teams, the officials told The Associated Press.
2. A fragile ceasefire risks showing cracks:The current truce between Iran, Israel and the United States began on April 8 after multiple deadlines posed by U.S. President Donald Trump that threatened Iran’s very “civilisation” at one point.
Iranian attacks targeted Gulf Arab states and Israel after it had started. Another mysterious attack struck an Iranian oil refinery on an island as well that afternoon. However, the ceasefire has broadly held.
3. Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut:The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all natural gas and oil passes, remains effectively closed over Iranian attacks in the waterway. That included some attacks on Saturday. There’s also a fear that Iran mined a portion of the strait used by transiting ships during peacetime. Since the war, Iran has reportedly been charging as much as $2 million a vessel to allow them to pass. Opening the Strait remains a key focus of negotiations and Tehran’s strongest leverage against Washington, particularly as countries around the world have begun rationing energy and warning of shortages of jet fuel. The United States, meanwhile, has begun blocking ships from Iranian ports. The U.S. Navy attacked an Iranian container ship that tried to run through the U.S. blockade this weekend, with Marines rappelling onto it from helicopters.
4. Iran’s nuclear stockpile remains in country:All of Iran’s highly enriched uranium remains in the country, likely entombed at enrichment sites bombed by the U.S. during a 12-day war last June. Iran hasn’t enriched since then, but maintains it has the right to do so for peaceful purposes and denies seeking nuclear weapons. Mr. Trump, along with Israel, has called for Iran to completely dismantle its nuclear program and give up its stockpile. Iran rejected that in its 10-point proposal for ending the war.
- AP
April 21, 2026 23:37
Iran denies women facing execution after Trump seeks clemency
Iran’s judiciary denied on Tuesday that eight women were at risk of execution after U.S. President Donald Trump had requested clemency on their behalf.
“Trump was misled once again by fake news,” the judiciary’s official Mizan Online website said. “The women who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment.”
Mr. Trump had earlier said on social media that the women’s release could work in Iran’s favour in negotiations, re-posting an activist’s claim that eight women were facing death by hanging. That claim did not give names but included photographs of the women.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 23:36
Iran has not yet decided whether to attend talks in Pakistan: Iran Foreign Ministry
Iran has not yet made a decision on whether to attend talks with the United States in Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Iranian state TV on Tuesday.
He said that U.S. moves against two Iranian vessels amounted to “piracy at sea and state terrorism” and questioned Washington’s seriousness in negotiating.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 23:35
Vance has not yet left for Iran talks: White House official
Vice-President J.D. Vance, expected to lead a U.S. delegation at upcoming negotiations with Iran in Pakistan, was still in Washington midday on Tuesday to participate in meetings, the White House said.
“Additional policy meetings are taking place at the White House in which the vice president will participate,” an official said in a brief statement sent to AFP shortly after 1700 GMT.
The official did not provide further details. But Mr. Vance’s departure, which has been the subject of contradictory announcements, was scheduled for Tuesday morning, according to recent reports.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 23:34
West Asia war lights fire under energy transition plans
Painful surges in oil prices are spurring countries to quickly rethink how to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, as shortage risks from war in West Asia grow greater by the day.
Britain’s government on Tuesday was the latest to unveil its plans, vowing to “massively expand renewables” as a way of bolstering energy security while denting the impact of higher electricity and petrol costs.
Around 60 governments worldwide have announced strategic responses or reviews since U.S. and Israeli forces began striking Iran on February 28, according to Carbon Brief, a specialised news site.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 23:33
EU agrees to widen sanctions against Iran to include Hormuz: Kaja Kallas
EU countries have agreed to widen sanctions against Iran to include those responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.
Ms. Kallas also said she had asked Foreign Affairs ministers at their meeting in Luxembourg to bolster the EU’s naval mission in the Middle East, which is currently protecting ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group in the Red Sea.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 23:32
Iran executes eighth man over 2026 protests: judiciary
Iranian authorities on Tuesday executed a man convicted of helping to set fire to a major mosque in Tehran during protests in January, the judiciary said.
Amir Ali Mirjafari was accused of setting fire to the Gholhak Grand Mosque and also working with the Israeli espionage agency Mossad, the judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported.
He is the eighth person to be hanged over the January demonstrations within just over a month.
Rights groups accuse the Islamic country of using capital punishment to instil fear throughout society and stepping up executions of political prisoners against the background of the war against the U.S. and Israel.
“By baselessly linking his participation in the January protests to Israel and the U.S., the Islamic Republic continues its strategy of framing domestic civil unrest as foreign espionage to expedite the execution of protesters,” Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said.
It was not clear when Mirjafari was arrested and “no independent information is available concerning him or his case”, it added.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 23:31
Iran arrests more than 3,600 on charges related to war: NGO
Iranian authorities have arrested more than 3,600 people on charges related to the U.S.-Israeli war, ranging from sharing videos with media outlets based overseas to possessing Starlink internet terminals, an NGO said on Tuesday.
Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) said the figure, based on state media reports and its own research, represented a minimum given the current internet restrictions in the Islamic Country, and that the actual number of arrests was “likely much higher”.
It said at least 3,646 people had been arrested since the war broke out on February 28, with at least 767 of the cases reported after the start of a ceasefire on April 8.
“The charges levelled against the detainees predominantly include espionage, communicating with foreign intelligence services, transmitting images or coordinates of sensitive locations to foreign-based media, and attempting to establish operational cells or conduct armed activities,” it said.
People have also been arrested for using and distributing Starlink satellite-based internet terminals to circumvent internet blackouts, and for alleged cooperation with pro-monarchist groups.
IHR said more than 100 civil society activists were among those arrested, including prize-winning rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who was detained on April 2.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 23:29
Safety of seafarers in West Asia at 'top of mind': Singapore DPM
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong on Tuesday assured the global maritime industry that the safety and well-being of seafarers caught in the West Asia conflict are at the “top of our mind,” and authorities are working hard to ensure their safe return.
Regarding Singapore’s decision not to negotiate with any parties on the right for seafarers to pass the Strait of Hormuz, Mr. Gan said it was important for Singapore to “stay on course”.
“Sometimes you have to make a hard decision that this is a matter of principle. We cannot negotiate something that is a matter of right,” he said during a fireside chat as part of the Singapore Maritime Week.
- PTI
April 21, 2026 23:29
Will start bombing Iran if no deal by Wednesday: Trump; rules out extension of ceasefire
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would start bombing Iran if they do not agree to a deal with the US before the end of the two-week ceasefire on Wednesday.
“Well, I don’t want to do that,” Trump told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” when asked if he would extend the ceasefire with Iran to allow time for the peace talks to reach a deal to end the war.
“They have to negotiate. And, you know, the one thing I’ll say is this: Iran can get themselves on a very good footing. If they make a deal, they can make themselves into a strong nation again, a wonderful nation again,” he added. Trump said that if the cease-fire ends on Wednesday without an agreement, he is prepared to resume attacking Iran.
- PTI
April 21, 2026 21:09
Yet to receive formal response on Iranian participation in talks: Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday evening that Islamabad had yet to receive a formal response from the Iranian side about their participation in the talks. As of 7:30 p.m. Pakistan time, a formal response about Iran’s participation “is still awaited,” he said in a social media post. “Pakistan, as the mediator, is in constant touch with the Iranians and pursuing the path of diplomacy and dialogue. Ceasefire ends at 4.50 a.m. PST, 22 April. The decision from Iran to attend the talks before the end of two weeks ceasefire is critical,” he said.
“Pakistan has made sincere efforts to convince the Iranian leadership to participate in the second round of talks,” Mr. Tarar further said.
- Stanly Johny
April 21, 2026 20:25
U.S., Iran signal they will return to Pakistan for ceasefire talks: officials
Two regional officials said on Tuesday that the United States and Iran have signalled they will hold a new round of the ceasefire talks in Islamabad.
The officials’ comments come as neither the U.S. nor Iran have publicly confirmed the timing of the talks, with Iranian State television denying any official was already in Pakistan’s capital.
Pakistan-led mediators received confirmation that top negotiators, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, will arrive in Islamabad early on Wednesday to lead their teams in the talks, the officials told The Associated Press.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters.
April 21, 2026 19:40
Trump urges Iran to free eight women he says are to be executed
President Donald Trump on Tuesday told Iran it could boost the chances of success in peace talks with the United States by freeing eight women that he said face execution.
“I would greatly appreciate the release of these women,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. “Would be a great start to our negotiations!”
Mr. Trump’s statement accompanied a re-posting of a claim on X by a pro-Israel youth activist in the United States, Eyal Yakoby, that eight women faced death by hanging. That claim, which did not give names but posted photographs of eight women, could not be immediately verified.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 19:38
Pakistan urges the U.S. and Iran to extend the ceasefire: Pakistan's Foreign Ministry
Pakistan has urged both the United States and Iran to extend their two-week ceasefire, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
In a meeting with the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan, Natalie A. Baker, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stressed the need for engagement between the U.S. and Iran, and said Pakistan urged both sides to consider extending the ceasefire, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 19:36
China denies links to Iranian cargo ship seized by U.S. in Gulf
China on Tuesday denied any links to the Iranian cargo ship seized by the US in the Gulf, allegedly containing chemical materials to manufacture missiles.
“As far as I know, the vessel seized by the US is a foreign container ship. China rejects any false association and speculation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a press briefing here reacting to allegations by former U.S. envoy to the UN Nikki Haley.
In a post on X, Ms. Haley claimed that the ship seized by the U.S. was headed from China to Iran and is linked to chemical shipments for missiles.
“It refused repeated orders to stop. Another reminder that China is helping prop up Iran’s regime - a reality that can’t be ignored,” Ms. Haley said.
- PTI
April 21, 2026 19:35
Iran Foreign Ministry condemns arrests in UAE as 'baseless'
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned arrests in the United Arab Emirates of what Abu Dhabi said were members of an Iran-linked group plotting terrorist acts in the country.
In a statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the arrests were made under “baseless pretexts” and urged the UAE “to respect the rights and human dignity of individuals, refrain from retaliatory behaviour.”
On Monday, UAE authorities said the group arrested was attempting to recruit Emiratis and funnelling funds to “suspicious” foreign entities.
April 21, 2026 19:33
Currency swap with UAE is under consideration: Trump
U.S. President Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that the U.S. was considering helping the United Arab Emirates financially, and a currency swap with the West Asian nation was under consideration.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 19:32
U.S. stopped ship delivering Chinese 'gift' to Iran: Trump
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that U.S. forces intercepted a ship carrying a “gift” to Iran from China as Tehran tries to restock its military during a ceasefire period.
The ship had “a gift from China”, which “wasn’t very nice,” Mr. Trump told CNBC. “I was a little surprised,” he added, saying he thought he had an “understanding” with China’s President Xi Jinping.
A week ago, Mr. Trump announced that Mr. Xi had assured him there would be no Chinese weapons deliveries to Iran, a close partner with Beijing for years.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 19:30
Shipping traffic through Hormuz still largely halted
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained broadly halted on Tuesday, with only three ships passing the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.
A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has infuriated Tehran, prompting it to maintain its own restrictions on the strait, which typically handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
The Ean Spir products tanker sailed through Hormuz on Tuesday after previously calling at an Iraqi port, ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed. The Lianstar cargo ship also sailed through the strait from an Iranian port, the data showed.
Separately, the Meda liquefied petroleum gas tanker crossed the strait on Monday in its second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back previously, according to satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax.
Those are a fraction of the 140 ships that sailed through daily before the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran began on February 28.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 19:29
Over 11.6 lakh Indians return from West Asia amid conflict; 12 seafarers rescued from Iraq
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday highlighted one of the largest voluntary repatriations and travel management exercises in recent times as India prioritises the safety of its 1-crore-strong diaspora in the Gulf.
In a significant briefing on the evolving security situation in West Asia, the MEA announced that over 11,61,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India since February 28, 2026.
The update, provided by Aseem R. Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf), during an inter-ministerial briefing, highlighted the successful return of 12 Indian seafarers who had been stranded in Iraq.
The group arrived in Mumbai yesterday following the strategic reopening of Iraq’s airspace. The Indian Embassy in Baghdad facilitated their documentation and transit, ensuring their safe exit from the conflict-affected region.
- ANI
April 21, 2026 19:28
Iran-linked U.S. weapons delivery delays affect Estonian HIMARS ammunition
The ongoing war in Iran has put a hold on weapons deliveries to Estonia, which have resulted in potential delays for HIMARS rocket launcher systems, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry told AFP on Tuesday.
“The Estonian Ministry of Defence was notified in advance by the Pentagon about potential delays in the delivery of HIMARS munitions,” the spokesperson said.
“Estonia continues to be in close contact on all levels with U.S. counterparts on this issue,” they added.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 19:27
NATO criticises Russian and Chinese nuclear stances, urges cooperation with U.S.
NATO criticised Russian and Chinese nuclear arms policies on Tuesday and urged both countries to work with the United States to establish greater stability and transparency at an upcoming international conference.
In a statement, NATO’s 32 members underlined their “strong commitment to the full implementation” of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), a cornerstone of global arms control since it entered into force in 1970.
The statement came ahead of a conference beginning next week at the United Nations in New York to review the operation of the treaty, against a backdrop of geopolitical instability, including Russia’s war against Ukraine and the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 19:25
Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the U.S. was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.
“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Mr. Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.
Washington has expressed confidence that talks with Iran will go ahead in Pakistan, and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining. With the prospect of last-ditch further peace talks still up in the air, Mr. Trump said the U.S. would resume its attacks on Iran if a deal is not struck with Tehran soon.
“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go,” he said.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 19:10
Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the U.S. was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.
“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Mr. Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.
Washington has expressed confidence that talks with Iran will go ahead in Pakistan, and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 18:40
U.S. forces board oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil
U.S. forces boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia, the Department of Defence said on Tuesday.
In a social media post, the Pentagon said U.S. forces “conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction” and boarded the M/T Tifani “without incident.”
Ship-tracking data showed the Tifani in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
April 21, 2026 18:35
Trump says U.S. in 'very, very strong' position for Iran talks
President Donald Trump touted the strong negotiation position of the United States on Tuesday as his envoys prepared for talks with Iran in Pakistan to end the West Asia conflict.
“We’re going to end up with a great deal. I think they have no choice... We’re in a very, very strong negotiating position,” Mr. Trump told broadcaster CNBC.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 17:59
Trump accuses Iran of violating ceasefire 'numerous times'
President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of repeatedly violating the ceasefire with the U.S. in the war in West Asia, as both countries deliberate over a possible new round of peace negotiations.
“Iran has Violated the Cease Fire numerous times!” Mr. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, referring to the two-week truce set to expire by Wednesday, after which West Asia potentially could plunge back into open conflict.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 16:39
UN maritime agency urges help for stranded Hormuz sailors
The head of the UN maritime agency appealed for help for thousands of seafarers stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as West Asia war paralyses the vital shipping route.
Around 20,000 seafarers and 2,000 ships have been stranded after shipping was disrupted in the strategic strait following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 that triggered the war, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez told a maritime conference in Singapore today that stranded sailors were suffering from stress and fatigue.
“We need to know everything that they’re going through,” he said.
Mr. Dominguez urged shipping companies to provide remote support to the sailors on areas like mental health.
He said some countries have established round-the-clock helplines for the seafarers, while others have been providing them with food.
But more could be done on a personal level, such as proactively reaching out to sailors to listen to them so they feel less isolated.
Shipping remained curtailed in the strait as the United States and Iran both warned they were ready for war, while the clock ticked down on a ceasefire set to expire Wednesday.
April 21, 2026 15:37
Israeli strike kills infant girl in south Lebanon, days after father killed
Wrapped in bloodied bandages, Aline Saeed, seven, barely survived the Israeli strike on her home in south Lebanon last week. She was there to pray at her father’s grave as hopes of a truce spread across the region, but a new strike killed her infant sister and other relatives. The strike on the Saeed family home in the village of Srifa took place on Wednesday, the first day of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire that many in Lebanon hoped would apply to their country, too. Instead, Israeli strikes killed more than 350 across Lebanon and left the Saeed family with four more relatives to bury, about 10 days after Aline’s father had been killed in an Israeli strike.
“They said it was a ceasefire. Like all these people, we went up to the village. We went to the casket to read the prayers and walk home... suddenly we felt like a storm was landing right on us,” said Nasser Saeed, Aline’s 64-year-old grandfather, who also survived.
On April 20, 2026, he joined other relatives in the southern port city of Tyre to pick up the bodies wrapped in green cloth. One of them, a fraction the size of the rest, contained his granddaughter Taleen, Aline’s sister.
She had not yet turned two.
With bandages to his head and right hand and scratches on his face, Saeed mourned in silence as the women around him turned their faces up to the sky and screamed in agony.
The Israeli military said that it did not have enough details to look into the incident, adding that it takes measures to reduce harm to civilians in its strikes against Hezbollah militants.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 15:22
Tanker entered Iranian waters with 'operational help' from Iranian Navy, says state media
Iranian Army says an Iranian tanker has entered the country’s territorial waters from the Arabian Sea on Monday (April 20, 2026) with operational help from the Iranian Navy, reports Reuters citing the state media.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 14:30
Iran crisis costs France up to 6 billion euros, says Minister
The economic fallout from the crisis in Iran has cost France between 4 billion euros ($4.70 billion) and 6 billion euros, Finance Minister Roland Lescure said today, as the government prepares new support measures alongside a freeze on some spending.
There has been a sharp rise in bond yields since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, and the subsequent increase in government borrowing costs alone are adding an extra 3.6 billion euros to the budget, Lescure told RTL radio.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s government has pledged to fully offset the budgetary impact of measures aimed at helping households cope with the energy price shock triggered by the conflict.
Lescure said he would outline plans to freeze some spending at a meeting with lawmakers on today, stressing that the government would stop short of outright budget cuts.
-Reuters
April 21, 2026 14:03
Israel says applying diplomatic, military pressure to disarm Hezbollah
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said today that his country’s campaign in Lebanon relied on both military and diplomatic pressure to disarm Iran-allied Hezbollah.
“The overarching goal of the campaign in Lebanon is to disarm Hezbollah and remove the threat to the northern communities (of Israel), through a combination of military and diplomatic measures,” Mr. Katz said during a ceremony marking Israel’s national day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terror.
“We will act in the same way with regard to high-trajectory fire (towards Israel) from north of the Litani and from throughout Lebanon”, he added, referring to the Litani river, a natural marker that cuts across southern Lebanon, below which Israel wants no more Hezbollah presence.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 13:28
No delegation from Iran visits Islamabad, state television says, as talks speculation grows
Iranian state television issued an on-screen alert saying that “no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad... so far” as speculation about possible talks with the United States grows.
The on-screen alert likely reflects the internal debate ongoing within Iran’s theocracy as it weighs how to respond to the U.S. Navy’s seizure of an Iranian container ship over the weekend.
Iranian state TV long has been controlled by hard-liners within Iran’s theocracy.
So far, no official has acknowledged that a delegation will be heading to Islamabad, where officials have been on standby for days now for the possible talks.
- AP
April 21, 2026 13:18
War in Iran is causing biggest energy crisis in history, IEA says
The conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel is creating the worst energy crisis ever faced by the world, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.
“This is indeed the biggest crisis in history,” Mr. Birol told France Inter radio in an interview broadcast.
“The crisis is already huge, if you combine the effects of the petrol crisis and the gas crisis with Russia,” he added.
The war in West Asia has choked up maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which is a conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
It has also come on top of the effects of Russia’s war with Ukraine, which had already severed Russian gas supplies to Europe.
Mr. Birol had said earlier this month that he viewed the current situation in global energy markets as worse than previous crises in 1973, 1979 and 2022 combined.
In March, the IEA agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to combat rising oil prices caused by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 12:45
Iran executes man over burning of mosque during January protests, Mizan reports
Iran executed a man, who was accused of being a leader of a network linked to Israel’s intelligence service and of setting fire to a mosque in Tehran during January protests, the judiciary’s news outlet Mizan reported.
Mizan identified the man as Amirali Mirjafari, saying he had been convicted of carrying out arson at the Qolhak mosque in Tehran and leading anti-security activities.
His death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court and carried out early today, Mizan added.
Iran was rocked by nationwide anti-government protests earlier this year, which were repressed in the biggest crackdown in the Islamic Republic’s history.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 12:12
U.K. wage growth cools by less than expected in 3 months to February
British wage growth, excluding bonuses, slowed by slightly less than expected to 3.6% in annual terms in the three months to February, the Office for National Statistics said.
Economists polled by Reuters had mostly expected regular average weekly earnings growth of 3.5%, down from 3.8% in the previous month.
Until the outbreak of the Iran war at the end of February, the Bank of England had been showing increasing concern about weaker hiring.
But new inflation pressures have emerged, caused by the jump in energy prices due to the war in West Asia, and economists have pushed back their forecasts for when the BoE is likely resume cutting borrowing costs.
Officials at the central bank say the weak economic backdrop is likely to make it harder for workers to demand bigger pay increases in response to the expected rise in inflation.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 11:41
U.S. positive on Iran deal but talks still uncertain as ceasefire end nears
The United States expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran would go ahead in Pakistan and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining, but significant hurdles and uncertainty remained as the end of a ceasefire approached.
U.S. President Donald Trump wants an agreement that would prevent further oil price rises and stock markets shocks but has insisted Iran cannot have the means to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran hopes to leverage its control of the Strait of Hormuz to strike a deal that averts a restart of the war, eases sanctions but does not impede its nuclear program.
April 21, 2026 11:38
Scam messages offering ships safe transit through Hormuz, security firm warns
Fraudulent messages promising safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency have been sent to some shipping companies whose vessels are stranded west of the waterway, Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS has warned.
The U.S. has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has lifted and then re-imposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed before war broke out in West Asia.
Amid ceasefire talks, Tehran, which controls the chokepoint, has proposed tolls on vessels to safely transit.
MARISKS on Monday (April 20, 2026) issued an alert warning shipowners that unknown actors, claiming to represent Iranian authorities, had sent some shipping companies a message demanding transit fees in cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin or Tether, for “clearance”.
“These specific messages are a scam,” the firm said, adding the message was not sent by Iranian authorities.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 10:44
More than 20 Iranian 'shadow vessels' transit past US blockade
On Tuesday (April 21, 2026), shipping industry intelligence site Lloyd’s List reported that more than 20 Iranian so-called “shadow vessels”, had transited past the U.S. blockade.
The channel in peacetime sees around 120 daily transits, according to the site.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 10:44
Oil down after another surge
Hanging onto the hope of resumed negotiations in Pakistan, oil prices fell Tuesday (April 21, 2026) after soaring the previous day following the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship by the United States and the renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
At around 0300 GMT, the price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. benchmark, was down 1.2% at $88.50 and Brent crude from the North Sea, the global benchmark, was down 0.4% at $95.12 a barrel.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 09:56
Countries backing navigation in Strait of Hormuz sending 'right message': IMO chief
Countries standing up for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz are sending “the right message”, the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to threaten global shipping.
Speaking to Singapore media, Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the IMO, also cautioned against the growing use of shipping as leverage in geopolitical conflicts.
Mr. Dominguez said the IMO has drawn up evacuation plans for roughly 20,000 seafarers stranded aboard more than 1,600 vessels still stuck in the Persian Gulf.
- PTI
April 21, 2026 09:20
Trump says recovering Iran uranium 'will be a long and difficult process'
U.S. President Donald Trump said late Monday the United States obtaining uranium from Iran would be “long” and “difficult” in the aftermath of last year’s U.S. strikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites.
“Operation Midnight Hammer was a complete and total obliteration of the Nuclear Dust sites in Iran,” Mr. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding: “Therefore, digging it out will be a long and difficult process.”
The U.S. leader regularly uses the term “nuclear dust” to refer to Iran’s stock of enriched uranium, which the United States accuses Iran of hoarding in order to make an atomic bomb.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 08:53
Lebanon President says aiming to end hostilities with Israel talks
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that planned talks with Israel aim to end hostilities and the occupation in southern Lebanon, even as Hezbollah and its supporters rejected the negotiations.
Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah has sharply criticised the Lebanese government’s negotiations with Israel, which are set to enter a second round.
After the first round of talks last week, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day truce pausing more than six weeks of war between Hezbollah and Israel, an explosive front in the broader Middle East war.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told AFP it was in Aoun’s and Lebanon’s “interest” to withdraw from the talks, however adding that his group also wanted the ceasefire to last.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 07:39
Oil falls on expectations US-Iran talks likely to proceed, opening supply
Oil prices fell on Tuesday (April 21, 2026), reversing gains in the previous session, on expectations peace talks between the U.S. and Iran will take place this week and allow more supply to flow from the key West Asian producing region.
Brent futures declined 95 cents, or 1%, at $94.53, as of 0003 GMT.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May fell $1.54, or 1.72%, to $88.07. The May contract expires on Tuesday (April 21, 2026) and the more-active June contract was down $1.09, or 1.3%, at $86.37.
- Reuters
April 21, 2026 07:35
U.N. Sec. Council condemns killing of French peacekeeper in Lebanon
The U.N. Security Council on Monday (April 20, 2026) condemned the recent killing of a French peacekeeper in Lebanon, whose death France has blamed on Hezbollah.
The Frenchman was killed and three others wounded when their unit was ambushed on Saturday (April 18, 2026) as it headed to a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) outpost cut off from the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.
“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attack...(and) reaffirmed their full support for UNIFIL” a statement from the UN body said.
- AFP
April 21, 2026 07:12
Vance to travel to Pakistan on Tuesday for Iran talks, Axios reports
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance will travel to Pakistan on Tuesday (April 21, 2026) for Iran talks, Axios reported on Monday (April 20, 2026) citing U.S. sources
Published - April 21, 2026 07:14 am IST
