War returns to Iran with Israel, US strikes

Malaysia’s fuel supplies are sufficient to last until the end of August, economy minister Akmal Nasir told parliament, Reuters reports.

Fertiliser costs are expected to rise 15-20 per cent and livestock feed costs 8pc, Akmal said, adding that Malaysia’s rice supplies were also enough to last five or six months.

Yassamin Ansari, an Iranian-American lawmaker, has condemned Trump’s recent social media post threatening Iran.

In a post on his Truth Social platform yesterday, confirming US attacks on Iran, the US president said Washington may “be forced to militarily complete the job” if Tehran does not abide by the deal that was signed by both countries.

“If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” he wrote.

Ansari, a Democrat from Arizona, wrote on X that Trump’s rhetoric is “dangerous” and “unhinged”.

An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader has warned Bahrain that Tehran would strike the country with greater force if provoked, Al Jazeera reports.

“A serious warning is being given to the Bahrainis to know their limits and not play such games with their own fate, and not force Iran to adopt harsh decisions,” Ali Akbar Velayati was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim News.

Oil prices rise following days of tit-for-tat strikes by the US and Iran that have underscored the fragility of their interim peace deal and again slowed energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures climb 58 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $72.57 a barrel at 0207 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $70.11 a barrel, up 88 cents, or 1.3pc.

“There’s still plenty of risk facing the oil market. Even so, participants appear to be … focusing on what a continued recovery in oil flows would mean for the global balance,” ING analysts says.

“This complacency is odd and clearly leaves significant upside risk if the supply recovery proves slow.”

The U.S. and Iran will stand down on strikes and vessels will be allowed to move freely, as technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the memorandum of understanding, a US official said, according to Reuters.

“Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MoU. Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” the official said.

The United States and Iran have agreed to stop attacking each other, American media reported citing senior US officials, and plan to meet on Tuesday in Qatar to resolve their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

The US and Iran have traded strikes in recent days despite a fragile June 17 memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict that began in late February and disrupted shipping through the vital waterway.

Under that agreement, Tehran committed to allow safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz while Washington agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports.

“We decided to stop all the kinetic activity,” a senior US official told media outlet Axios, using a military term for strikes.

Hezbollah said it reserved the right to self-defence after several Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon despite a truce between the two sides and a US-Israel-Lebanon framework to end hostilities, AFP reports.

In a statement, the group said that it “reiterates that what the enemy has done is a blatant violation of the ceasefire to which it has adhered until now, and that it is monitoring and tracking these violations, and reserves its right to defend its homeland and its people”.

The Israeli army destroyed an extensive tunnel built by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said, according to AFP.

“The tunnel, stretching more than 200 metres and reaching a depth of over 25 metres, contained hundreds of weapons as well as several launch shafts intended to target the State of Israel and its civilians,” the joint statement said.

The operation came two days after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement mediated by the US in Washington, aiming to pave the way for peace between the two neighbours, which have officially been at war for decades.

The IRGC says its forces have destroyed eight US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, Al Jazeera reports, citing state broadcaster IRIB.

The statement said ballistic missiles and drones were used in the strikes, which it described as retaliation for recent US attacks on Iranian facilities in Sirik and Qeshm.

Iraqi President Nizar Amidi has emphasised resolving regional disputes through diplomacy and dialogue during talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s IRNA news agency reports.

Iran has called for the establishment of a clear timetable for Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied areas of Lebanon, describing it as an essential condition for achieving a lasting agreement to end the war and ensure regional stability, Iran’s Press TV reports.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said, “Iran’s position is based on the principles of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law.”

He stressed that respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity was “indispensable for the durability of any agreement concerning the cessation of hostilities and Israel’s occupation of Lebanese territory”.

“Tehran has placed an end to Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon alongside the termination of hostilities against Iran as one of its principal demands and has consistently insisted on the implementation of those commitments.”

He also called for the prompt establishment of a timetable for Israel’s unconditional withdrawal from the occupied areas of Lebanon, saying, “Such a step is necessary for the successful implementation of the agreement and the achievement of durable peace and security.”

The Qatari Ministry of Interior has said that a “citizen was martyred after sustaining injuries from shrapnel resulting from the military operations in the area”.

“The Ministry of Interior clarifies that, as part of routine monitoring and verification procedures for maritime vessels conducted by the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security, it was noted that a vessel with two individuals on board had failed to return at its scheduled time,” the statement posted on X said.

Flights between Tehran and Dubai are to resume on Monday, AFP reports, citing the Iranian state media.

Iranian state TV and other media quoted Ramin Kashefazar, the head of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport, as saying that “the necessary arrangements have been made to reopen the Tehran-Dubai route at Imam Khomeini Airport”.

Tickets were available to buy on the website of Iranian airline Sepehran for Monday’s 10:40am (0730 GMT) flight to Dubai.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned the “reckless” Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.

In a social media post on X, Cooper said, “I strongly condemn the recent attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and in the Strait of Hormuz.”

“These reckless attacks, including on international shipping, are putting civilian lives at risk, and curtailing freedom of navigation.”

“The implementation of the US–Iran agreement is essential to keep people safe and ships moving,” she said.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said that Tehran is committed to ending Israel’s war on Lebanon, Al Jazeera reports, citing Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Ghalibaf discussed the latest developments in the Middle East with the Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri.

During their phone conversation, Ghalibaf said the first paragraph of the memorandum with the US addresses the end of hostilities in Lebanon and the preservation of its territorial integrity. He said Iran is “seriously pursuing” the removal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

Berri acknowledged Iran’s efforts in Switzerland as being in the interests of the Lebanese people, but accused Washington of attempting to sidestep the issue of Lebanon’s sovereignty. He described US dealings with Israel as a “conspiracy and sedition”.

Both stressed the need for the newly formed “deconfliction” unit to meet urgently to address Israel’s ongoing invasion of Lebanon.

Israel’s army chief of staff, General Eyal Zamir, has said that “we will honour the agreement” with Iran and will “work to ensure its success,” Al Jazeera reports.

“The agreement signed with the Lebanese government is historic and of great significance. The operational strength and military achievements recorded by the [army] in recent months are what laid the groundwork for this agreement,” General Zamir said in a statement.

“We will honour the agreement and work to ensure its success. The real test now is how both sides behave on the ground, and the coming period will determine the course of the next phase.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has expressed “deep concern” over the evolving situation during a telephonic conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

In a statement shared on X, the FO said that FM Dar held a telephonic conversation today with his Saudi counterpart.

“The two leaders held in-depth discussion on recent developments in the region and expressed deep concern over the evolving situation,” it stated.

During the call, FM Dar reiterated “Pakistan’s resolve to continue working towards the prevalence of peace in the region in pursuance of the ‘Islamabad MoU’,” the FO added.

FM Dar also expressed sincere condolences on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, himself, the government and the people of Pakistan over the “sad incident” of a helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia, which resulted in the loss of 14 precious lives, the FO maintained,  

The Saudi foreign minister also conveyed that he plans to visit Pakistan on mutually convenient dates at the earliest.

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik on Sunday said that Pakistan was “considering” purchasing cheaper Iranian oil and gas.

The option of sourcing Iranian crude oil supplies has again become available to Pakistan after a temporary easing of US sanctions on Tehran. By availing this opportunity, Pakistan could source discounted crude and refine it locally to produce higher-value petroleum products.

Sourcing crude oil from Iran could generate import cost savings of $170-340 million for Pakistan, assuming it imports 10-20 per cent of its total petroleum requirement at a discount, including freight savings.

But, while industry experts say local refineries are technically capable of processing Iranian crude, commercial and operational challenges remain, particularly due to the high furnace oil yield and the absence of significant domestic demand for the fuel.

Against this backdrop, Malik said while speaking to the media in Lahore that Pakistan was now mulling sourcing cheaper crude oil from Iran.

Read more here.

Ebrahim Rezaei, an Iranian lawmaker and spokesperson for the parliament’s Foreign Policy and National Security Commission, says that the “Strait of Hormuz will not return to its previous state and others have no choice but to submit to Iran’s directives”.

In a social media post on X, Rezaei said, “We unequivocally support the ever-victorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ decisive action against the American enemy and the assertion of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz will not return to its previous state, and others have no choice but to submit to Iran’s directives in the Strait.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has reiterated the country’s insistence that Hezbollah must be disarmed for “peace and security” to be achieved in Lebanon, Al Jazeera reports.

In a social media post marking his meeting with South Sudanese counterpart, James Pitia Morgan, in Jerusalem, Sa’ar said, “Israel’s desire for peace with Lebanon as reflected in the framework agreement signed this weekend”.

Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, denounced Iran’s latest attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, warning that further escalation could undermine recent diplomatic efforts.

“I express my strongest condemnation for the new Iranian attacks that struck Bahrain and Kuwait in recent hours, to which the Italian government extends its full solidarity,” Tajani said on X.

“It is essential to avoid any escalation that could jeopardise the understandings painstakingly reached.”

Tajani also reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of navigation.

“Italy reiterates its commitment to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and to achieving a Middle East of peace and stability as quickly as possible.”

Advisor to the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, says that “Hezbollah is the pillar of the tent and the true guardian of Lebanon’s existence and independence.”

Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), says the strikes “undermine international and regional efforts aimed at establishing security and peace and resolving the crisis,” Al Jazeera reports.

“Treacherous attacks constitute a direct threat to the security, stability and safety of citizens and residents on the lands of Bahrain and Kuwait, and a clear violation of the rules of international law and the charter of the United Nations,” a statement quoted him as saying.

“The GCC affirmed its support for all measures taken by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait to strengthen their security, safeguard their sovereignty, and preserve the integrity of their territories,” he added.