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Thanks for following our coverage of the war in the Middle East. We will bring you more of the latest updates later today.
Here’s a summary of what happened on Friday:
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Australia will support a permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the country’s prime minister said.
Anthony Albanese said he would back efforts to “restore stability and security” in the critical waterway, but stopped short of committing to sending warships to the Strait, which Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised his allies for refusing to do.
After joining a virtual summit co-hosted by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron on the conflict, Mr Albanese said: “The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost.
“Australia stands ready to support efforts to restore stability and security in the Strait of Hormuz and I welcome the announcement overnight of the Strait’s reopening. We want to see this hold.”
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Iran has threatened to shutter the Strait of Hormuz if the US maintained its maritime blockade, which Donald Trump has promised will remain “in full force and effect” until a deal is signed.
The comments by Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, came hours after Iran announced that the waterway would remain “completely open” for the duration of the two-week ceasefire.
Mr Ghalibaf attacked Mr Trump for writing a flurry of social media posts saying Iran would never close the Strait again and that the country was removing sea mines from the waterway.
The senior Iranian official said passage through the Strait would be contingent on “Iranian authorisation” and would follow the “designated route” – meaning ships would need to coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and stay in lanes approved by Tehran.
He added: “Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media.”
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Donald Trump said the US would use excavators to recover “nuclear dust” in Iran created by the joint US-Israeli bombing of Tehran’s nuclear facilities in June.
Speaking at an event in Arizona hosted by Turning Point USA, the conservative organisation created by Charlie Kirk, Mr Trump said: “The USA will get all the nuclear dust. You know what the nuclear dust is? That was the white powdery substance created by our B2 bombers one evening seven months ago.
“We’ll need the biggest excavators you can imagine. But we’re going to go in, together with Iran. We’re going to get it. We’re going to take it back home to the USA very soon.”
The US president has repeatedly stated that Iran still possesses a stockpile of enriched uranium – a claim he has used to justify the war.
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Donald Trump said he does not think there are many remaining differences with Iran and that talks would continue over the weekend.
His comment came despite a denial by senior Iranian officials that the two sides had reached an agreement on the transfer of Tehran’s enriched uranium to the US.
“Iran’s enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere,” Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, said.
Mr Trump said yesterday that he may travel to Islamabad if a deal is signed, which he predicted would occur “in a day or two”.
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The Israeli military has issued an update on its military campaigns in Iran and Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said a total of 28 senior Iranian leaders had been “eliminated” during Operation Roaring Lion, while 250 air defence systems had been dismantled.
The IDF also said that in Lebanon, it had taken out more than 1,700 Hezbollah “terrorists” and conducted almost 15,000 artillery strikes.
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The Israeli military has announced that it conducted a “special operation” in southern Lebanon minutes before the ceasefire came into force.
In a statement issued on social media, the force said it had established an “operational presence” in the Christofani Ridge area. It is unclear what the results of the mission were.
The statement said: “The IDF remains on high alert and will continue to remove threats in southern Lebanon throughout the area between the border with Israel and the designated line, in accordance with the ceasefire understandings.”
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The Lebanese president has said his country is on the verge of a “new phase” in its history after the 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the truce, Joseph Aoun insisted that his country was no longer “an arena for anyone’s wars”.
He said: “Now, we all stand before a new phase.
“It is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation.”
Mr Aoun added that the Lebanese government had “reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon’s decision-making power for the first time” in nearly half a century.
“Today, we negotiate for ourselves ... we are no longer a pawn in anyone’s game, nor an arena for anyone’s wars, and we never will be again,” he said.
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The political reaction in the US to Donald Trump announcing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has been relatively muted.
Many figures, on the Right and the Left, appear to be biding their time before more concrete details emerge, like any conditions Iran will impose on any tankers seeking to transit the vital waterway.
Lindsey Graham, a Republican hawk who has urged Mr Trump to take a hardline stance on Tehran, published a brief statement saying he was “very glad to hear the Strait of Hormuz is open, at least for the remainder of the ceasefire”.
On the other end of the political spectrum, Chris Van Hollen, the Democrat senator for Maryland, criticised Mr Trump for framing the reopening as some kind of victory.
Likening the president to an arsonist, he told MS Now: “Donald Trump breaks stuff, lights things on fire, and now he’s coming to the American people saying, ‘Pat me on the back for putting out the fire that I started.’”
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Iran’s foreign ministry has insisted that the Islamic Republic’s stockpile of enriched uranium will not “be transferred anywhere”.
Earlier today, Donald Trump claimed his administration would work with the Iranian leadership to extract the radioactive element and take it the United States.
The US president told Reuters the process would be undertaken “at a nice leisurely pace” as part of an agreement with Iran.
But Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, denied Mr Trump’s claim, stating: “Iran’s enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere.”
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Almost every ship that was making a break for the Strait of Hormuz has now made an abrupt U-turn, according to Marine Traffic data.
Around 35 vessels – including Chinese, Indian, and French-owned ships – were tracked sailing towards the maritime passage earlier this evening after the announcement that the conduit would be opened by Iran.
But nearly every ship has now turned around and begun heading back further into the Persian Gulf.
It is unclear what has prompted the vessels to turn around.
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The prime minister of Pakistan has thanked Donald Trump after the US president praised him for his role in the meditations between Tehran and Washington.
Earlier today, Mr Trump described Shebaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, as “two fantastic people” for their part in the negotiations.
In response, Mr Sharif said: “Mr President, on behalf of the people of Pakistan, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and on my behalf, I express my deep and profound appreciation for your kind and gracious words.”
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An agreement on Iran’s nuclear proliferation has not been reached despite Donald Trump’s claims, it has emerged.
Earlier today, the US president claimed that the Islamic Republic had agreed to an “unlimited” suspension of its nuclear programme.
But a senior Iranian official told Reuters that significant differences still remained between Tehran and Washington, including on the issue of the Islamic Republic’s enriched uranium.
He insisted that serious negotiations were required to overcome the differences, despite being hopeful that a preliminary agreement could be struck.
The official added that an extension to the current ceasefire could be necessary to “create space for more talks”.
He said: “No agreement has been reached on the details of the nuclear issues.”
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US Central Command has confirmed that the naval blockade in the Arabian Sea will be maintained, despite Iranian threats to reimpose a closure of the Strait of Hormuz if the American military operation continued.
In a post on social media, the force said: “The US naval blockade continues...”
It comes as nearly three dozen ships are reportedly attempting to make a break through the waterway to exit the Persian Gulf, according to data from Marine Traffic. Chinese, Indian and French-owned vessels are among those vying to sail through the passage.
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The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was “purely an Iranian initiative”, Iran’s presidential office announced.
Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy of communications for the office, described Donald Trump’s claims of a “deal” to reopen the waterway and an agreement for the US to obtain the Islamic Republic’s enriched uranium as “baseless statements”.
He added that Iran did not agree that the strait would never be shut again, despite the US president’s claims in a post on Truth Social earlier today.
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Rachel Reeves has claimed that she has been working with partners in the US to support the return of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Chancellor also called for a “permanent ceasefire” and for “stability” to return following the announcement that Iran would end its choke hold of the vital waterway.
She said: “In DC, I have been working with partners to support safe passage for energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, to protect households and businesses from rising costs.
“It is good news that it has been reopened, now we must see a permanent ceasefire and stability returned.”
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The vice-president of the European Union Commission has warned that any “pay-for-passage scheme” in the Middle East will set a “dangerous precedent”.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said Europe would play its part in restoring freedom of navigation “once a ceasefire takes hold”.
In a statement issued on social media, she wrote: “Under international law, transit through waterways like the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and free of charge.
“This is what leaders made clear in their call on reopening the Strait today. Any pay-for-passage scheme will set a dangerous precedent for global maritime routes.
“Iran has to abandon any plan to levy transit fees. Europe will play its part in restoring the free flow of energy and trade, once a ceasefire takes hold.”
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Friedrich Merz has welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz – but called for the passage to remain “permanent, reliable and safe”.
The German chancellor said Berlin was “ready to play its part” to ensure that this would be the case.
In a statement issued on social media, he said: “Good news from the Strait of Hormuz. However, passage must remain permanent, reliable and safe.
“We are aligned with our partners here in Paris on this. Germany stands ready to play its part in ensuring freedom of navigation.”
Posting a picture of himself alongside Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni in a separate post, Mr Merz said: “We speak with one voice – to support stability in the Middle East and a secure energy supply in Europe.”
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Donald Trump has ruled out reports his administration would release frozen Iranian funds in exchange for non-nuclear proliferation.
The US president insisted that Iran had agreed to suspend its nuclear programme indefinitely without any promise of the release of its assets.
He said talks to finalise a “mostly complete” agreement would “probably” take place over the weekend, according to Bloomberg.
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Donald Trump has claimed his administration will work with Iran to recover its enriched uranium and bring it back to the United States.
The US president said the process would be undertaken “at a nice leisurely pace” as part of an agreement with the Islamic Republic.
He told Reuters: “We’re going to get it together. We’re going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery... We’ll bring it back to the United States.”
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An Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the southern part of the country killed one person despite the implementation of a 10-day ceasefire, according to Lebanese media has reported.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the drone attack took place in the town of Kunin, in the Hezbollah stronghold of Bint Jbeil, earlier today.
Under the terms of the truce, Israel reserves the right to continue targeting Hezbollah to prevent “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks”, according to the US state department.
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Iran has warned that a continued US blockade in the Persian Gulf will be “considered a ceasefire violation”.
The Islamic Republic has revealed the three conditions for commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz – threatening to reimpose closure if the US naval blockade continues.
Details of the agreement were revealed by a source close to the country’s supreme national security council, who provided the first detailed explanation of the conditions.
The source revealed that Iran and the United States negotiated ship passage as part of the two-week ceasefire, but Iran suspended the arrangement after the Israel-Lebanon truce collapsed.
Only after Israel and Hezbollah implemented their 10-day ceasefire did Iran authorise foreign minister Abbas Araghchi to announce Hormuz reopening.
Iran’s three conditions for ship transit include that vessels must be commercial, with no military ships permitted. Neither vessels nor cargo can originate from or be destined for “hostile countries,” according to Fars news agency.
Ships must follow routes designated by Iran rather than traditional shipping lanes, and all transit requires coordination with Iranian naval forces responsible for passage.
The source added that the arrangement depends on the implementation of the Lebanon ceasefire.
“If the naval blockade issue continues, it will be considered a ceasefire violation, and the Hormuz transit route will be closed,” the official said.
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Donald Trump has urged media outlets to praise his administration’s military intervention in Iran.
The US president suggested that they should say “job well done, Mr President” in order to “gain back their credibility”.
He claimed they were instead “desperately looking for a reason to criticise President Donald J. Trump on the Iran situation”.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “The Failing New York Times, FAKE NEWS CNN, and others, just don’t know what to do.
“They are desperately looking for a reason to criticise President Donald J. Trump on the Iran situation, but just can’t find it.
“Why don’t they just say, at the right time, JOB WELL DONE, MR. PRESIDENT, and start to gain back their credibility???”
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Iranian officials are confronting mounting public frustration over their refusal to explain why the country reopened the Strait of Hormuz, with state-affiliated media demanding transparency.
The semi-official Fars news agency, which has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published an unusual series of statements criticising the government’s silence after Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said the key oil artery would be “completely open”.
“Iranian society has fallen into a haze of confusion” following Mr Araghchi’s announcement and Donald Trump’s subsequent claims of diplomatic victory, Fars said.
“What worries people inside the country more than anything is the absolute and strange silence of the supreme national security council and the negotiating team.”
The domestic backlash reveals a country struggling to control competing narratives about whether the Strait of Hormuz reopening represents strategic calculation or capitulation under pressure.
Fars acknowledged that citizens “accept officials’ commitment to maintaining the system’s red lines” but demanded an explanation for the information blackout.
“Public opinion asks this question: If it serves the country’s interest that details of negotiations or recent developments not become public, why isn’t this very interest and the reason for avoiding transparency explained to the people?”
“People know that if Iran’s goals and plans are disclosed, the enemy will also become aware, and they don’t expect state secrets to be revealed in such circumstances,” Fars added.
“But they want officials to prevent enemy narratives and hostile media from filling the created void by playing with the spirit and psyche of society.”
The official silence suggests Iran’s leadership either cannot reach a consensus on how to frame events or has decided that any explanation creates more problems than it solves.
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Donald Trump has announced that Israel is “prohibited” from bombing Lebanon by his administration.
The US president said American armed forces would “work with” the Lebanese government to “deal with the Hezbollah situation in an appropriate manner”.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “This deal is in no way subject to Lebanon, either, but the USA will, separately, work with Lebanon, and deal with the Hezbollah situation in an appropriate manner.
“Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the USA. Enough is enough!!!”
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Donald Trump has claimed that both the US and Iran are removing “all sea mines” from the Strait of Hormuz.
The US president said the Islamic Republic was being helped by American forces to remove the weapons from the Persian Gulf, suggesting that some had already been taken away.
He said: “Iran, with the help of the U.S.A., has removed, or is removing, all sea mines! Thank you!”
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Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to “never close the Strait of Hormuz again”.
The US president said the vital waterway would “no longer be used as a weapon against the world”.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World!”
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Donald Trump said that the decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was a “deal” between the US and Iran.
The US president stated that the move was not “in any way” related to Lebanon, after suggesting that there was a “deal” in place to reopen the vital waterway.
Reopening the strait was part of the original ceasefire agreement, but Iran suspended the arrangement after the Israel-Lebanon truce collapsed.
Only after Israel and Hezbollah implemented their 10-day ceasefire yesterday did Iran authorise Abbas Araghchi, the country’s foreign minister, to announce the conduit’s reopening.
In a post on Truth Social, he said: “Again! This deal is not tied, in any way, to Lebanon, but we will, MAKE LEBANON GREAT AGAIN!”
Mr Trump added in a separate post that it was a “GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD”.
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Mr Trump has again lashed out at Nato allies after the announcement that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened.
The US president suggested that European nations and others should “stay away” from the region “unless they just want to load up their ships with oil”.
He said: “Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from Nato asking if we would need some help.
“I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL.
“They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger.”
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Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that the UK and France will lead defensive mission to protect shipping in the Middle East “as soon as conditions allow”.
The Prime Minister said the operation would include clearing mines in a “defensive” capacity.
He added that he welcomed the Iranian announcement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, before insisting that it must lead to “both a lasting and a workable proposal”.
He said: “We welcome the announcement that was made during our meeting. We need to make sure that that is both a lasting and a workable proposal.
“And if anything, it reinforces the need for the work we’ve been doing this afternoon, we’re very clear that the mission that we’re putting together is a defensive mission, that comes after a ceasefire.”
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Donald Trump is elated. He appears to have just secured the breakthrough his administration has pursued so doggedly. “THANK YOU!” he exclaimed, noting on Truth Social that “THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE”.
It is possible that Tehran – which won’t mind the Strait of Hormuz being called the Strait of Iran one bit – is making a significant concession. There does seem to be genuine optimism in certain quarters about the progress of negotiations. The Lebanese ceasefire is something Iran had been demanding, so a reciprocal step of some kind would be logical.
Yet it would be wise to inject a note of caution, for the moment at least. The announcement was made on X by Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, but the wording of his post was strikingly similar to one he published on 8 April when the ceasefire was first agreed.
“The passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire,” he wrote. On 8 April, he said: “Iran… declares the Strait of Hormuz open for all commercial shipping for the duration of the agreed two-week period.”
A more ominous comparison can be drawn from the closing lines of each post. Both suggest that Iran’s definition of the word “open” may differ from Washington’s. Today’s post signalled that ships would be allowed to transit along “the coordinated route as already announced by [the] Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran”. The 8 April post warned that “transit must strictly follow the coordinated route as already announced by the Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran”.
This may explain why Mr Trump swiftly tempered his gratitude by declining to lift his counter-blockade. The US president will interpret Mr Araghchi’s post as a sign that his pressure on Iran – and its faltering economy – is beginning to tell. That is possible. Iran, however, may conclude it has proved a point: that it can close the strait whenever it chooses, and that, for now, reopening it suits Tehran. Or it could mean very little, and that little has actually changed.
The markets are taking the more optimistic view. Oil fell below $90 a barrel, its lowest level in nearly six weeks, within minutes of Mr Araghchi’s post. Perhaps that optimism is warranted – but not everyone will be convinced just yet.
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US stocks soared to a record high on hopes that global supply chain pressures will ease.
The US benchmark S&P 500 index jumped by more than 0.7 per cent in early trading on Friday, after Iran said it would allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the duration of the ceasefire.
This took the index to a new high of 7,094, after it climbed above 7,000 for the first time on record earlier this week.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index surged by 1 per cent, also hitting a fresh all-time high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 1.1 per cent.
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The Trump administration is considering whether to accept releasing $20bn (around £14.5bn) of frozen Iranian funds in exchange for the Islamic Republic giving up its enriched uranium, according to US officials.
A three-page proposal to end the war states that Iran would not be able to access its stockpile of the radioactive element in exchange for the money being released, Axios has reported.
According to officials, the two countries are negotiating over what will happen to the stockpile, and how much of Iran’s frozen assets will be released. They are also discussing the terms on which Iran could use the money.
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British Government borrowing costs fell rapidly after Iran said it would lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Yields on 10-year gilts, the benchmark for how much it costs the UK government to borrow money, tumbled from 4.85 per cent to 4.76 per cent on Friday.
This was the lowest level recorded since April 9 and was down significantly from late March, when yields briefly hit 5.1 per cent, their highest level since 2008.
Investors are betting that global supply chain pressures will ease, reducing the prospect of higher inflation and easing strain on the government finances.
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Iran’s decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz shows that economic leverage achieved more in 50 days than decades of nuclear posturing, validating Tehran’s strategy of threatening global commerce rather than building atomic weapons.
Tehran closed Hormuz to prove it could, and now it reopens to prove it controls when.
The message to Washington is that Iran holds a switch that moves oil prices around $30 per barrel and triggers global recession fears faster than any centrifuge.
From Tehran’s perspective, the Hormuz weapon succeeded where nuclear ambitions failed because it made Iran relevant to countries with no ideological stake in the conflict.
For Iranian officials managing reconstruction under blockade, the Hormuz reopening creates breathing room.
With Donald Trump announcing that the US blockade will “remain in full force”, Iran can always reimpose closure and blame Washington for the economic pain both sides feel.
Either way, Tehran believes it showed that geography beats technology – controlling a strait matters more than enriching uranium.
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Donald Trump has confirmed that the US naval blockade of ships will stay in place until the end of negotiations with Iran.
The US president said the “transaction” process should go “very quickly”, insisting that “most of the points are already negotiated”.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “The Strait Of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage, but the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete.
“This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated.”
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The price of oil plunged below $90 a barrel following the announcement that Iran would open the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, tumbled more than 12 per cent to just under $90 a barrel on Friday afternoon.
Oil prices peaked at nearly $120 last month after countries scrambled to secure supplies following the closure of the crucial waterway. It fell back to around $100 after the US and Iran struck a two-week ceasefire last week.
Oil has leapt from around $60 per barrel before the war after Iran closed Hormuz to trade traffic. The waterway carries around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies.
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A second round of talks between the US and Iran is expected to take place in Islamabad on Sunday, according to reports.
Officials close to the mediation efforts between the two countries suggested that April 19 was the most likely start date for the negotiations, Axios has reported.
On Thursday, Donald Trump indicated he could attend the talks in Islamabad himself, before praising Pakistan for its “great” role in the mediation between Washington and Tehran.
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Donald Trump has thanked the Iranian leadership for allowing the “full passage” of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran has just announced that the strait of Iran is fully open and ready for full passage. Thank you,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
It remains unclear whether the US blockade of the Iranian coasts and ports remains in place as a result of the Islamic Republic’s decision to reopen the key maritime passage for “all commercial vessels”.
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Iran has agreed to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, Donald Trump has claimed, saying the two sides were “close” to a peace deal to end the war.
“They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,” the US president told reporters, using his term for the enriched uranium supply that could be used to build nuclear weapons.
Uranium has been a major sticking point in the search for peace between the US and Iran. Tehran has offered to halt enrichment for five years, but the US insists it should cease activity for 20 years.
Tehran has not responded to Mr Trump’s claims.
But the US president was buoyant about the prospect of peace. “We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” he told reporters outside the White House, adding that, if an agreement was reached and signed in Islamabad, he might travel there for the occasion.
Mr Trump said a further round of talks could take place as soon as this weekend.
The announcement came on the same day Mr Trump brokered a separate 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
However, that ceasefire appeared under strain on Friday, with Lebanon accusing Israel of violations.
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Hezbollah will “never, ever disarm... not until a proper ceasefire, a real one,” said Wafiq Safa, a senior leader of the militant group.
“Not until a proper ceasefire, a real one. Not until Israeli withdrawal. Before the return of prisoners, before the return of displaced people and before the reconstruction,” he told the BBC.
“Until then, it is not possible to talk about Hezbollah’s weapons.”
Hezbollah and Iran are “two souls in one body,” Safa added. “There can be no Hezbollah without Iran, and no Iran without Hezbollah.”
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Germany and France are at odds over whether to cut Donald Trump out of patrolling the Strait of Hormuz once the war in Iran ends.
Before a summit to draw up plans for a naval coalition to reopen the waterway, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, insisted he wanted to “discuss the participation of US armed forces” in the mission.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, however, wants to exclude “belligerent countries” – the United States, Israel and Iran – from any deployment.
Planning is under way to build a “coalition of the willing” to send warships and other mine-clearing vessels under British and French leadership to the Strait of Hormuz.
It is hoped the mission will give shipping companies the confidence to start reusing the waterway, which carries a fifth of global energy exports, after a permanent ceasefire is agreed.
A senior Élysée official said the plans being drawn up by the French “doesn’t include the US”.
Mr Macron and Sir Keir Starmer, who will attend the talks in Paris on Friday despite being under immense pressure at home over the latest scandal involving Lord Mandelson, are likely to brief Mr Trump on the details of their discussions afterwards.
Western officials briefed on the planned discussions are not hopeful they will produce a concrete plan.
Instead, they believe the talks are taking place to appease Mr Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Nato and European allies over their refusal to join his military campaign in the Middle East.
This is highlighted by the splits between Paris and Berlin over whether to include American forces in any final deployment to the region.
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Sir Keir Starmer is currently in Paris for talks with dozens of world leaders on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The Prime Minister was greeted by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, in the courtyard of the Elysee presidential palace this afternoon.
As he arrived, Sir Keir pledged to do “everything I can” to unblock the waterway and alleviate the impact of the war on the British public.
The embattled Prime Minister faces fresh calls to resign at home after it emerged that Lord Mandelson had failed security vetting for his appointment as ambassador to the US.
He is due to hold a press conference on the Iran war alongside Mr Macron in two hours.
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The Kremlin has praised the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, saying it hopes the truce prevents further clashes.
“We welcome this decision and hope that, within the timeframe set out, it will be possible to reach agreements that will prevent a recurrence of armed clashes,” said Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman.
Mr Peskov also repeated Vladimir Putin’s offer to take Iran’s enriched uranium stocks as part of a possible peace deal between Tehran and Washington, despite saying yesterday that the US had rejected the proposal.
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Israel’s defence minister has said that the country’s military campaign against Hezbollah is not yet complete, despite a 10-day ceasefire that came into force just hours ago.
“The ground manoeuvre into Lebanon and the strikes on Hezbollah have achieved many gains, but they are still not complete,” Israel Katz said in a broadcast statement.
An area of southern Lebanon “has not been demilitarised”, he added, saying “this would have to be done either diplomatically or by resuming Israeli military activities at the end of the ceasefire.”
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The United States has told Lithuania that deliveries of ammunition could be delayed due to the war in the Middle East, according to Lithuania’s defence ministry.
“Lithuania has been informed by Pentagon representatives about possible delays in the delivery of ammunition purchased from the US due to the conflict,” a Lithuanian defence ministry spokesman told Reuters.
“We are constantly in contact with the Pentagon regarding the delivery of military equipment and ammunition purchased from the US.and are guided by official information provided by our allies.”
The news agency reported yesterday that US officials had told counterparts in the Baltics and Scandinavia that previously contracted weapons deliveries would likely face delays due to strain on stocks amid the conflict.
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Sir Keir Starmer said he would do “everything I can” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and limit the impact of the war in Iran on the British public.
“The longer this conflict goes on, the more the impact, and I’m mindful that people across the United Kingdom, that’s impact on them and the cost of living,” the Prime Minister said as he arrived in Paris for a summit on reopening the critical waterway.
“I will do everything I can with other countries to alleviate that and get the strait open as soon as possible,” he added.
The summit today in Paris will see dozens of countries which have been sidelined by the United States gather to discuss how to ease the burden of the war in Iran.
It will be led by Sir Keir and Emmanuel Macron, the French president.
“It is very important that we build a coalition of countries around the principle that the ceasefire should be permanent, there should be a deal, and that the strait of Hormuz is open,” the Prime Minister said.
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Thousands of people displaced from southern Lebanon are returning after a 10-day ceasefire deal with Israel went into effect.
The Lebanese army had cautioned against coming back to southern villages and towns. Lebanon earlier this morning accused Israel of violating the truce with “several attacks” on settlements in the south of the country.
The main highway into southern Lebanon this morning was crowded with traffic, according to local reports.
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As American and Israeli bombs fell across Iran, a silent threat floated high above.
Chinese and Russian satellites were secretly providing the Islamic Republic with critical imagery to target US military bases, according to intelligence reports.
Publicly, Beijing and Moscow sat on the sidelines of the 40-day war that consumed the Middle East. Both countries had plenty to gain from watching the US entangle itself in a potential military quagmire.
Yet, when Iranian missiles and drones began hitting higher-value US targets across the Gulf with increased precision, analysts quickly knew Iran was relying on intelligence from elsewhere.
“Iran does have a nascent space programme, but this was beyond the technical capabilities of Iranian satellites,” said Clayton Swope, a CIA veteran and director of aerospace security at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
“China and Russia, in no particular order, were top of the list,” he told The Telegraph.
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Syria’s president Ahmed al-Sharaa has said talks with Israel are facing “great difficulty” but have not broken down, blaming what he described as Israel’s insistence on maintaining a presence on Syrian territory.
In an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, he said Syria remained “serious about reaching a security agreement that preserves regional stability.”
“The negotiations have not reached a dead end, but they are progressing with great difficulty due to Israel’s insistence on maintaining a presence on Syrian soil,” he said.
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Poland has not released any jet fuel from reserves so far, Polish deputy energy minister Wojciech Wrochna said on Friday, as European airlines have been warning of jet fuel shortages within weeks as a result of the Iran war.
“There is no risk of a shortage of jet fuel, but the situation in Europe is difficult, and the international situation will show what will happen next,” Energy Minister Milosz Motyka added.
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The foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are to meet on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in the southern Turkish city of Antalya to discuss regional issues, including the Iran war, according to a Turkish diplomatic source.
“The meeting is expected to include discussions on developing regional solutions to regional issues, particularly the US-Israel-Iran war, within the framework of a regional ownership approach,” the source said.
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The Lebanese army said it has reopened one lane of the damaged Qasmiyeh-Tyre bridge over the Litani river, a key crossing linking southern cities and villages to the rest of the country, and is working to fully reopen it after Israeli strikes left it badly damaged.
The army said in a statement: “A specialist army unit is working to fully reopen the Qasmiyeh-Tyre bridge, in cooperation with local councils and community organisations, following an Israeli attack on 16 April 2026; one of the military units has taken up position in the vicinity of the bridge.”
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The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said on Friday that it was keeping its “finger on the trigger” in case of any Israeli violations of a ceasefire that went into effect overnight.
In a statement, the Iran-backed movement said it had carried out “2,184 military operations” against Israel and its troops inside Lebanon, adding: “The fighters will keep their finger on the trigger because they are wary of the enemy’s treachery.”
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Britain and France are set to chair a meeting of around 40 countries in Paris today, aimed at planning a multinational mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict ends.
Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are all attending in person, with discussions covering the safety of more than 20,000 stranded seafarers, mine-clearance, intelligence sharing and naval escorts.
The initiative does not include the US or Iran, though European diplomats acknowledge any realistic mission would ultimately need to be coordinated with both.
Britain, France and others have said joining Washington’s blockade on Iranian ports would amount to entering the war, but have signalled willingness to help keep the strait open once a lasting ceasefire is in place.
“It can involve intelligence sharing, mine-clearance capabilities, military escorts, information procedures with neighbouring countries and more,” a senior French official told Reuters. “The resources deployed will naturally depend on the situation.”
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British police said on Friday they had charged three people over an attempted arson attack on offices linked to television station Iran International in northwest London earlier this week.
The three, two men and a teenager and all British, are accused of arson with intent to endanger life after an ignited container was thrown towards the premises of the parent company of Iran International, Volant Media, on Wednesday evening, landing in a car park.
The fire immediately put itself out, causing no damage nor injuries.
Iran International, a London-based television station critical of Tehran’s government, said a suspicious vehicle was denied entry to its London site shortly before the incendiary devices were thrown.
Oisin McGuinness, 21, Nathan Dunn, 19, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Friday. McGuinness was also charged with dangerous driving.
Police said a vehicle fled the scene and crashed after being pursued by an armed response unit which was in the area.
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Lebanon’s army has accused Israel of launching “several attacks” in violation of the ceasefire, just hours after the truce came into effect.
Military officials reported “a number of violations of the agreement”, with intermittent shelling on villages in the south of the country.
Israel has not confirmed any assaults on Lebanese territory.
Lebanese officials warned citizens in the region that such violations mean it might not be safe for them to return to their homes, even as a stream of displaced people began travelling back in the hours after the ceasefire was announced.
Israel warned residents of southern Lebanon not to move south of the Litani River, which snakes down the eastern end of the country.
Avichay Adraee, the Israel Defence Forces’ Arabic language spokesman, said Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon during the ceasefire.
Israel has warned that it is ready to respond to attacks from Hezbollah. Donald Trump said the Iranian-backed terror group was also included in the 10-day ceasefire, which came into effect at midnight on Friday (10pm UK time on Thursday).
The US president said on his Truth Social platform that he hoped Hezbollah acted “nicely and well” during the truce.
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Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the Lebanon ceasefire, crediting it to what he called the “bold and sagacious diplomatic efforts” of Donald Trump.
In a post on X, Mr Sharif expressed hope that the ceasefire “will pave the way for sustainable peace”.
He added: “Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, and will continue to support all efforts aimed at lasting peace in the region.”
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Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has warned that the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel risks being undermined before it has taken hold, citing the continuation of military operations.
“I call for the safety of civilian populations on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah must renounce its weapons. Israel must respect Lebanese sovereignty and stop the war,” Mr Macron said in a post on X.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 17, 2026J'apporte tout mon soutien au cessez-le-feu entre le Hezbollah et Israël tel que le Président Trump l'a annoncé hier.
J'exprime aussi ma préoccupation qu'il puisse d'ores et déjà être fragilisé par la poursuite d'opérations militaires.
Je demande la sécurité…
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Australia’s prime minister has moved to rebuff another provocation from Donald Trump, reiterating that the US has made no direct request for Australian military support in the Middle East.
Mr Trump claimed in Washington that Australia had not contributed to efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying: “I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there.”
Anthony Albanese told reporters that Washington had made no such request, saying: “There’s been no new requests at all, and indeed President Trump has himself said that he has got this, and he has made that position clear. There’s been no change.
“My job is to engage constructively with the US administration. That’s what we do.”
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Under the ceasefire terms, Israel reserves the right to strike “at any time, against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks”, according to the US State Department.
Still, it has committed to carrying out no offensive military operations against Lebanese targets.
The wording gives Israel broad latitude to act unilaterally, as it did repeatedly in the months after the ceasefire that ended the previous war, though Hezbollah has warned it will respond to any future strikes.
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The IDF released a statement detailing the Hezbollah targets it had struck in the previous 24 hours as the ceasefire took effect.
It claimed more than 380 in southern Lebanon, including rocket launchers, headquarters and personnel.
The strikes, it said, were carried out to support ground forces operating in the south, which Benjamin Netanyahu has said will remain in Lebanon to enforce a 10km security zone even after the ceasefire.
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Iran’s parliament speaker has said Lebanon forms an “integral part” of any comprehensive ceasefire deal with the United States.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Lebanon will play “an important role in moving forward for lasting peace in the region” in a statement on Telegram.
His comments follow a meeting with a Pakistani military officer.
“The issue of establishing a comprehensive ceasefire in all conflict areas is one of the clauses of the initial ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan,” the statement added.
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European countries including Belgium, the Netherlands and France have mine clearance capacity which could help secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin has told French TV station TF1.
“There are capabilities to provide fully supported escort services – that is to say, in no way offensive, of course – for ships to ensure safe passage through the strait; that is what will be debated today in Paris,” she added.
Today, France and Britain are set to chair a meeting of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait is used to transport about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the United States has made “no new requests” to help in Iran after President Donald Trump said he was “not happy with Australia”.
Australia has said it is not involved in the Iran conflict but has an interest in the Strait of Hormuz reopening to fuel shipments.
Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised Australia for not helping in the Iran war.
“I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there,” he told reporters in Washington Thursday.
Mr Albanese told reporters that Mr Trump had made it clear he has “got this” when it came to Iran.
“There’s been no new requests at all,” he said.
Australia is also in talks with France, Britain and the US over the Strait of Hormuz, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Friday.
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Turkey is hosting a high-stakes forum today, bringing together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will address the three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum when it opens today in the Mediterranean holiday resort of Antalya.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who met Qatar’s ruler in Doha on Thursday as part of a regional tour, will also join the forum and meet Erdogan on its margins, as Islamabad pushes for a second round of US-Iran negotiations.
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People in Lebanon displaced by the recent hostilities are said to be cautiously welcoming news of the ceasefire, but many are still too frightened to return home.
Photographs showed residents packing their belongings into cars and vans, with mattresses tied on top, to drive back to their own houses when the ceasefire began at midnight (local time):
Others rode motorbikes through the streets, waving flags in celebration:
But the mood was said to be subdued at the waterfront in Beirut, where hundreds of people had been sleeping on mattresses and in tents.
Some of the displaced residents told reporters at the scene they did not trust Israel to uphold the ceasefire so felt it would be safer to spend the next 10 days in Beirut rather than risk traveling to their villages. Others expressed concern they would return to ruins.
More than a million people are estimated to have been displaced across Lebanon, according to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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The International Rescue Committee (IRC) welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon as a “critical and long-overdue reprieve for civilians who have endured weeks of unrelenting violence”.
David Miliband, the former UK foreign secretary and now IRC president, called for “an urgent scale-up of humanitarian assistance, unfettered humanitarian access, and a pathway to a permanent cessation of hostilities”.
“Anything less risks condemning civilians to renewed violence, and protracted and repeated displacement,” Mr Miliband said.
“The international community must act now to turn this fragile window into a sustainable peace.”
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Donald Trump has launched a renewed tirade against Joe Kent, a former top US intelligence official who resigned over the Iran war.
In an open letter released in March, Mr Kent claimed the US president had been “deceived” by Israel into attacking Iran, and said the country “posed no imminent threat to our nation”.
Mr Trump has in recent weeks sharply criticised Maga media figures who have turned on him over the conflict, including Tucker Carlson, to whom Mr Kent gave his first interview after his exit from the government.
The US president wrote on Truth Social:
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Donald Trump said the temporary ceasefire agreement “may have been a historic day for Lebanon”.
“Good things are happening!!!” he wrote on his Truth Social account.
The 10-day truce includes Hezbollah, which Israel is aiming to disarm to end six weeks of persistent attacks by the terror group on villages near the Lebanese border.
However, the Lebanese army has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire just hours after it took effect, and has reported intermittent shelling in villages in the south of the country.
Israel has not confirmed any assaults on Lebanese territory.
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US Central Command (Centcom) has shared several photos of American warships blockading the Strait of Hormuz.
Centcom posted the pictures of US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and sailors on the USS New Orleans amphibious transport dock ship, which is positioned in the waterway to enforce the maritime blockade.
The photos showed US troops using scanning equipment as they patrolled for incoming ships.
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Two Iranian women’s football players who were granted asylum in Australia have released their first statement since the team refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before a match.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh said they were “overwhelmed” by the “warmth and generosity” of the Iranian diaspora and grateful to the Australian government for offering them “a safe haven in this beautiful country”.
“The compassion and support shown to us during this challenging time has provided us with hope for a future where we can live and compete in safety,” they added.
After the players stood silently as the anthem played before the match in March, seven members of the team sought refuge in Australia. Five of them later withdrew their claims and returned to Iran, reportedly because of threats to their family members by the regime.
The two remaining players said their focus is now on “our safety, our health and beginning the process of rebuilding our lives”.
“We are elite athletes, and it remains our dream to continue our sporting careers here in Australia,” they said.
Brisbane Roar, a women’s football team in Australia, has allowed Ms Pasandideh and Ms Ramezanisadeh to train with them.
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Donald Trump said the Iran war “should be ending pretty soon” as he struck an optimistic tone over the prospect of peace after announcing a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
During an event in Las Vegas to promote his “no tax on tips” measure, the US president characterised the war as a “little diversion” during his second term.
“We had the best economy in the history of our country in my first term. And we’re blowing it out now... and despite our little diversion to the lovely country of Iran, lovely place,” Mr Trump told the crowd.
“But we had to do that, because otherwise, bad things could happen, the really bad thing,” he added, referring to the potential for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Mr Trump continued to express confidence over the war, saying it was “going along swimmingly”.
“It was perfect. It’s perfect. It was the power we have,” the US president said. “We had the most powerful military anywhere in the world.”
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Marshall Islands government offices are set to close by 3pm each day to conserve fuel amid supply uncertainty caused by the Iran war.
A 90-day emergency decree issued on April 10 also requires the institutions to shut off all equipment that uses power, including lights and air conditioners, after closing time to reduce energy usage by 30 per cent, Radio New Zealand reported.
Schools, hospitals and other essential services will be exempt from the order.
Government employees will work a seven-hour day, at 30 hours per week, but will receive the same pay as they did before the schedule change.
Since the beginning of the war, the islands’ diesel resources have become strained, and fuel shortages have been worsened by the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
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Sir Keir Starmer will frame the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a “global responsibility” as he co-hosts a summit with Emmanuel Macron in Paris on the conflict in the Middle East.
The visit will include a call with leaders of roughly 40 countries and the International Maritime Organisation.
The Prime Minister is expected to say during the meeting: “The unconditional and immediate reopening of the strait is a global responsibility, and we need to act to get global energy and trade flowing freely again.
“Emmanuel Macron and I are clear in our commitment to establish a multinational initiative to protect freedom of navigation.
“We must reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance operations to ensure a return to global stability and security.”
Sir Keir will arrive in Paris late on Friday morning and will have lunch with Mr Macron after the call.
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Donald Trump said he “hopes Hezbollah acts nicely and well” during the 10-day ceasefire, which the US president said includes the terror group.
Mr Trump said it would be a “great moment” for Hezbollah if it complied with the truce and there “must finally” be peace in the region.
He wrote on Truth Social:
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Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, said the truce was the result of Hezbollah’s “steadfastness” and the “unity” of the Tehran-backed militant groups which make up the so-called “Axis of Resistance”.
In a post on X, Mr Ghalibaf said Iran would approach the ceasefire “with caution” and thanked Pakistan’s Gen Asim Munir for negotiating the agreement.
Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Islamic Republic’s foreign ministry, urged Israel to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon.
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Lebanon’s army has accused Israel of launching “several attacks” in violation of the 10-day ceasefire agreement, just hours after the truce went into effect.
Here’s a summary of what happened overnight:
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