War returns to Iran with Israel, US strikes

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep concern over the recent escalation between the United States and Iran in a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Prime Minister’s Office has said in a statement.

“During their warm and cordial conversation, the Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the recent escalation in tensions in the region and underscored the urgent need to restore regional peace and stability,” the statement reads.

“He called on Iran and all other parties to exercise restraint and refrain from any action that could jeopardise the hard-earned peace gains achieved over the past few months.”

The premier has also stressed the importance of upholding commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), calling it “an enduring framework for promoting mutual understanding, respect and shared prosperity in the region and beyond”.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, PM Shehbaz has assured Pezeshkian of Islamabad’s readiness to continue playing an “honest and sincere role” in facilitating dialogue in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran.

Iran’s lead negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the conflict with the US will never end with Tehran’s surrender, adding that Iran is ready to defend itself if Americans walk back from the memorandum of understanding, Al Jazeera reports.

“At any moment the Americans betray the understanding, we are ready for full-scale defence and will stand firm against them and defend the rights of the Iranian people,” he says. “Ending the war is a priority for the countries of the world, but everyone should know that this conflict will never end with Iran’s surrender.”

Ghalibaf adds that Muslim nations must “stand up” and unite against the US and Israel.

US President Donald Trump has told The New York Post that he has “left instructions” should Iran assassinate him, in an apparent reference to banners calling for Trump’s killing displayed during a funeral ceremony for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Al Jazeera reports.

“I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” he tells the American tabloid. “The only thing is, I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”

Trump said Tehran has wanted him dead for years. “I hope you’ll miss me,” he adds.

Oil prices have fallen after the latest round of US-Iran fighting, as traders grow hopeful that shipping will eventually resume in the Strait of Hormuz, but for the week, Reuters reports that prices are still up sharply.

Brent futures are down 38 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at $75.92 a barrel by 1530 GMT (8:30pm PKT). US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude has dropped 69 cents, or 0.96pc, to $71.39.

According to Al Jazeera, the recent escalation in hostilities between the US and Iran could upend the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) forecast.

The organisation has been predicting a significant oil market ⁠surplus in 2027, but now says it might have to revise its expectations.

China has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the US and Iran at the UN Security Council, Al Jazeera reports.

China’s Deputy UN Envoy Sun Lei tells an emergency session of the Security Council, “It is vital to maintain the cessation of hostilities. The US and Iran have committed to respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty as part of the MoU — this must be respected.

“Sanctions on Iran must be lifted. It is imperative to uphold a correct sense of right and wrong. Iran should continue to honour its commitment to not develop nuclear weapons, but Iran reserves the right to develop nuclear energy for civilian use”.

The deputy envoy also offers China’s “impartial and consistent stance on resolving issues”.

“China is committed to playing a constructive role in a peaceful resolution.”

Russia’s ⁠state nuclear corporation Rosatom is sending the first six ⁠employees of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant back to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, Al Jazeera reports citing comments from Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev carried by the RIA Novosti news agency.

Rosatom is building two new units at Bushehr. It evacuated ⁠hundreds of ⁠staff after ⁠the US and Israel launched their joint war ‌on Iran, on February ‌28.

Deputy US Envoy at the UN Tammy Bruce has said that the door to diplomacy remains open with Iran, but with conditions, Al Jazeera reports.

“While dialogue remains possible, the US can’t negotiate while Iran reneges on simple obligations, like don’t shoot on civilian objects. If you shoot at civilian objects or ships, we will respond” the envoy tells an emergency session of the UN Security Council, adding “President Trump prefers peace.

“Iran has contravened international law and this council’s resolutions. Such contraventions can not be met with council equivocation and obstruction”, she says.

The Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministers have called on the United States and Iran to resume negotiations, as US President Donald Trump says Washington had agreed to continue talks with Tehran but repeated that the ceasefire between the two countries was over, AFP reports.

During a phone call, Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani “urged all parties to give priority to the language of diplomacy and dialogue and to return to the negotiating table”, Egypt’s foreign ministry says in a statement.

UK, France and Germany “cheer-led” US and Israeli strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure, Russia’s deputy UN Envoy has said at an emergency session of the UN Security Council, Al Jazeera reports.

Anna Evstigneeva, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, has condemned the “hypocrisy of Western states” in targeting Iran while turning a blind eye to the actions of the US and Israel.

“We are compelled to express our disappointment that once again a majority of UNSC members are continuing to indulge the attempts of some states to cast doubt on objective, procedural realities”, she says.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has declined for the second consecutive day, Al Jazeera reports citing data released by maritime monitoring firm Kpler.

The company reports 22 transits on July 9, compared with 30 the previous day.

Activity remains largely low risk, as no new attacks have been reported on any vessels in the strait since July 7.

Operators continue to heavily favour the Iranian route, while the Omani route saw just one crossing.

France has condemned Iran over attacks on neighbouring countries and on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in the past few days, Al Jazeera reports.

French envoy Jerome Bonnafont says that “despite Pakistan and Qatar’s mediation, Iran has violated the MoU (memorandum of understanding).

“It has carried out unacceptable attacks on Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan. France condemns these attacks. Iran is responsible for this situation. It needs to end this violence as part of the 60-day ceasefire period as part of the MoU,” he adds

Calling for the urgent implementation of the US-Iran MoU, Bonnafont says, “Iran must guarantee the full, unhindered re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz under the international laws of the sea.”

US President Donald Trump says that he has agreed to continue talks with Iran after receiving a request from Tehran.

“The United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the ceasefire is over!” he writes on Truth Social.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty have discussed ways to implement the framework of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, according to Al Jazeera.

In a phone call today, both leaders have expressed support for ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and enhancing regional security.

A Qatari delegation is visiting Iran in what is believed to be an effort by Doha to consolidate its role as a mediator, after a recent escalation in hostilities in the Gulf, Reuters reports citing Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Tasnim says the visit follows what it describes as Qatari accusations against Iran over an alleged incident in the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent US attacks on Iranian military and civilian targets.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Reuters that Qatari negotiators are meeting Iranian officials to try and de-escalate tensions and create conditions for broader negotiations, adding that the talks are being conducted in coordination with the United States.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi says the agency is monitoring the situation at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, after reports of US attacks in the area, Al Jazeera reports.

According to Iranian media, Grossi has not confirmed any damage to the facility but says that attacking any nuclear plant is unacceptable.

President Joseph Aoun has dismissed criticisms of the Lebanese government’s decision to negotiate with Israel, saying that they “do not deserve a response”, al Jazeera reports.

“I assure you that I will not back down from the decision to negotiate that I have taken, while insisting that all my positions include clarifications to the Lebanese people about the importance of the path we are taking, and Lebanon’s adherence to its sovereignty in all the steps we take”, he says while addressing a Christian political bloc headed by Samir Geagea.

The framework agreement with Israel, co-signed by the US and reached last month, has provoked Lebanese anger, with critics saying it robs Lebanon of its ability to take action against Israel if it does not hold up its end of the deal.

Amnesty International has called for war crimes investigations into three Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon that killed 24 civilians, including 12 children, in March, Al Jazeera reports.

The attacks hit homes in Tyre, Saida and Nabatieh districts on 6, 12 and 13 March, killing six women, including a pregnant woman, and six men. At least 18 other people were wounded.

Amnesty says its investigation found grounds to conclude that Israeli forces violated international humanitarian law by striking civilians or civilian property, failing to distinguish between military and civilian targets, or failing to limit civilian harm.

“Within the space of just a week, the Israeli military obliterated entire families, including a dozen children, in Lebanon, demonstrating a callous disregard for civilian lives. How many more families will have to pull the body parts of their children from the rubble before this devastating cycle of war crimes ends?” says Amnesty’s Kristine Beckerle.

“The international community must act now: states must impose an immediate comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and use universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute those responsible.”

The group also warns that the latest US-brokered Israel-Lebanon agreement could block accountability and urged Lebanon to grant the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory.

The head of Iran’s supreme national security council vows to respond to any attack on his country’s infrastructure, warning Israel will not be spared following recent exchanges of fire with the United States, AFP reports.

“As we have already announced, any attack on infrastructure will be retaliated against, and the criminal Zionist regime (Israel) responsible for these atrocities will not be safe from the response of our fighters,” Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr says in a statement carried by state TV.

US Central Command (Centcom) has dismissed claims by Iran’s state media that transiting the Strait of Hormuz is only possible if permitted by Tehran.

“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom says in a post on X.

It adds that since early May, US forces have helped facilitate the successful transit of more than 800 commercial vessels and 380 million barrels of oil through the strategic waterway.

Qatar is in talks with the United States and Iran to try and pull them back from the brink of war, following Washington and Tehran trading strikes earlier this week, The New York Times reports.

“Qatar, which helped broker the US-Iran truce last month, has been in talks with Washington and Tehran to de-escalate the crisis,” NYT reports citing two officials with knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency says the security threat in the Strait of Hormuz remains at its highest level, according to Al Jazeera.

The warning follows the latest military escalation between the United States and Iran, which has increased risks for ships crossing the vital waterway.

China has announced a temporary export ban on helium, effective immediately, as resumption of military conflict in the Middle East threatens to trigger new shortages of the gas critical for chip manufacturing, Reuters reports.

Earlier in the year, the war led to helium shortages, disrupting companies globally, including in China, where the AI industry increasingly relies on domestic chips for training and running AI models.

Helium is essential for heat management in semiconductor production.