President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites. Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.

Those talks broke down as the U.S. and Iran continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz as the primary flashpoint. Trump then said in August that the U.S. would launch a "crushing economic operation" to force Tehran into submission.

Oil prices rise after strikes in Saudi Arabia, Strait of Hormuz Global and U.S. oil prices continued to edge higher early on Monday morning, following attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and the targeting of more commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude oil prices, a benchmark for global trading, were more than $107 per barrel as of Monday morning, up nearly 3%. WTI crude oil, used as the North American benchmark, was nearing $103 per barrel up around 3%. Sep 13, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT Monday meeting between Iran, regional countries postponed, Omani FM says Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X Sunday that a planned meeting between Iran and regional countries has been postponed "in the interests of consensus.

" The meeting was scheduled to take place Monday in Oman’s southern city of Salalah, where some regional countries were going to be briefed on talks between Iran and Oman regarding arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to earlier reports by Iranian media.

"We remain committed to fostering dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation in our region," Albusaidi added. -ABC News Somayeh Malekian Sep 13, 2026, 10:44 AM EDT Trump blames global diesel shortages on Ukraine, says Tehran wants a deal President Donald Trump on Sunday said global diesel shortages are not a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, instead blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities and urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to "stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.

" "This isn't done by the Middle East. This is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine. So we spoke to Mr. Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets," Trump said to reporters at his golf course in Doonberg, Ireland, during the final day of the 2026 Amgen Irish Open.

"Don't hit diesel fuel because that's hurting. That's hurting the world. We don't want him to hit diesel fuel," Trump added of Zelenskyy. Trump also again said the war in Iran will end "right after the midterms," though suggested a conclusion may come sooner.

"Gasoline's going to drop like a rock, just like it was just before I got -- I mean, I knew what I was doing. I had to do it," Trump said. "Iran wants to make a deal so badly. They are calling constantly. They want to make a deal. They got to make the right deal.

I'm not going to make a deal that's no good," he added. Asked about Monday's planned meeting in Oman between representatives of the Gulf nations and Iran, Trump said, "I don't care. That's up to them, that's fine. They could be happy." "We'll ultimately get out, unless we decide to stay and keep the oil, like Venezuela," Trump said.

Reported attacks on Saudi infrastructure and an Iranian cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified supply concerns following the closure of a key Saudi oil pipeline, with claims from state media and armed groups pending independent verification.

These developments have driven Brent and WTI crude futures up approximately 3% to near $108 and $103 per barrel, respectively, amid ongoing US blockade operations and heightened regional tensions.

Former CIA officer Larry Johnson reports that the 18th BRICS summit opened in New Delhi with the unanimous adoption of a declaration endorsing payment infrastructure intended to facilitate cross-border trade outside the Western financial system. While the text details plans to expand local currency settlements and integrate domestic payment systems like India's UPI, the source characterizes this move as a "lifeline" for Iran, which it alleges is currently under US sanctions, a naval blockade, and at war with the United States and Israel.

According to an anonymous official briefed on the matter, Iranian Atomic Energy Organization head Mohammad Eslami is not expected to attend the IAEA General Conference due to an unwaived travel ban, a development that underscores worsening relations with the West following the resumption of hostilities.

Since the June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran has reportedly withheld IAEA access to affected areas, preventing verification of a 440.9-kilogram stockpile of highly enriched uranium.