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diplomacyApr 13, 2026

War in the Middle East: latest developments

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PARIS (FRANCE) - The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Iran slams blockade - Iran's military said a US threat to impose a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports from Monday would be illegal and amount to "piracy", warning that no Gulf ports would be safe if its own were threatened. "The restrictions imposed by criminal America on maritime navigation and transit in international waters are illegal and constitute an example of piracy," said a statement issued by the Iranian military's central command centre that was read on state television. - China urges 'unimpeded' navigation - China called for "unimpeded" navigation through the critical strait, through which a fifth of the global oil supply passes. In a press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun also urged diplomacy and called on the United States and Iran to abide by their ceasefire, after the failure of weekend peace talks in Pakistan. He also called reports that China had supplied or intended to supply weapons to Iran "baseless smears", after Trump threatened Beijing with a "staggering" new tariff of 50 percent if it were to provide military assistance to Tehran. - Russia offers uranium solution - Russia said it would be ready to take in Iran's enriched uranium as part of any US-Iranian peace deal. "This proposal was voiced by President (Vladimir) Putin in contacts with both the United States and regional states. The offer still stands, but has not been acted upon," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. - UK-France Hormuz talks - France and Britain will work on putting together a "peaceful multinational mission" to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, but it would be "separate from the warring parties", said French President Emmanuel Macron. "In the coming days, together with the United Kingdom, we will organise a conference with those countries prepared to contribute alongside us to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait," Macron said. - Pope not 'debating' Trump - Pope Leo XIV said he had "no intention to debate" with Trump, after the US president criticised him over his comments on the war. After the pope made a plea for peace, Trump said he was "not a big fan" of the pontiff, calling him "very liberal". - Israel claims Lebanon town surrounded - The Israeli military said its troops had surrounded the key town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon and begun an assault on it, after killing more than 100 fighters from Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah there over the past week. The announcement marks a significant advance in Israel's ongoing invasion of southern Lebanon. - 'Long-time' effects - Germany, Europe's biggest economy, will feel the effects of the energy shock from the war "for a long time to come, even after it is over", Chancellor Friedrich Merz told a news conference, as his government announced relief measures including a fuel-tax cut. Elsewhere in Europe, Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Trump's threatened blockade "makes no sense". - Trump says doesn't care - Trump said he does not care if Iran comes back to negotiations with the United States. "I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't come back, I'm fine," Trump told reporters. - Countdown to US Gulf blockade - The US military said it will blockade all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT. "The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman," US Central Command said in a post on X, adding the United States would "not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports". Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Iranian security forces had full control over the crucial strait and warned enemies would be trapped in a "deadly vortex" in case of any "wrong move". - Iran defiant - Iran's parliament speaker, who led the weekend talks, said his country would not give in. "If they fight, we will fight, and if they come forward with logic, we will deal with logic," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, cited by several Iranian news agencies. "We will not bow to any threats, let them test our will once again so that we can teach them a bigger lesson." - Oil rises above $100 again - The US oil benchmark rebounded above $100 a barrel after peace talks failed and Trump ordered the blockade of Iranian ports. A barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery rose around seven percent to $103.55, while June delivery of international benchmark Brent rose seven percent to $101.83 in Monday trading. burs/jhb

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Key points: Bitcoin diverges from US stocks as Trump says Strait of Hormuz “open” Data from TradingView showed BTC/USD building on the week’s gains as the S&P 500 bounced from 7,696, its lowest level since Aug. 4. BTC/USD four-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView This came after US president Donald Trump posted a map of the closed Strait of Hormuz oil route to Truth Social where it was labeled “new US territory.

” Both the US and Iran lay claim to control of Hormuz, with Trump threatening US ally Oman with military action over its plans to work with Iran on charging tolls to shipping traffic. In a subsequent post, Trump confirmed that further diplomacy with Iran was not on the agenda.

“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated,” he wrote. S&P 500 one-day chart.

Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView As on Monday, oil avoided major volatility, with WTI crude down 1% at the time of writing at $84 per barrel. US government bonds continued to show strain, with the 30-year yield hitting 5.34%, its highest since January 2007.

“Bond prices are sending warnings,” BNY Mellon analyst Geoff Yu wrote in a research note quoted by the New York Times. Yu said that the surge came as “investors demand more compensation for inflation risk,” while also attributing the upside to government borrowing.

US 30-year bond yields one-month chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView BTC price faces crunch rebound test Updating X followers on BTC/USD, trader and analyst Aksel Kibar eyed the culmination of a potential reverse head-and-shoulders pattern at $62,300.

Related: Bitcoin price spike to $64.5K was ‘low-volume liquidity trap’: Analysis “If $BTCUSD is going to rebound, it has to come from here,” he argued on Monday. Kibar offered a $53,000 target in the event of the head-and-shoulders structure failing, with $76,000 a potential upside target should the rebound sustain.

BTC/USD one-day chart. Source: Aksel Kibar on X.com Previously, Cointelegraph reported that underwater investors were contributing to Bitcoin’s inability to break higher. Its rebound to $64,500 also stopped short of an overhead trend line, the 50-month exponential moving average (EMA).

This moving average is now in place as resistance at $65,827.

Location: Strait of Hormuz
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Trump says no talks underway with Iran, Hormuz blockade remains in place US president says no discussions are taking place or planned with Tehran and reiterates that the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains fully operational Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no talks are taking place with Iran and that no discussions are currently scheduled between the two countries.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump also said the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains "in full force and effect." The president did not provide further details regarding US policy towards Iran or any potential future diplomatic engagement.

Trump's comments come amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran and renewed focus on security and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes.

Location: Tehran
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran had “won both the war and diplomacy,” claiming those who initially sought Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” later sought negotiations. Speaking at an event, Araghchi said Iran resisted for days against what he described as “the world’s largest apparent military,” alongside another army claiming military power and with the support of nearly all Western countries and some other states inside and outside the region, according to the Tasnim news agency.

“Those who were seeking unconditional surrender, shortly after the war began, begged for negotiations,” Araghchi said. He claimed Tehran initially rejected a ceasefire and continued fighting until reaching a point where the other side accepted a ceasefire and negotiations “on Iran’s terms.

” “We fought with strength, and we negotiated with strength,” he said, adding that many foreign ministers had told him: “You won both the war and diplomacy.” Araghchi’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump called on Iran on Monday to give up and “raise the white flag.

Location: Tehran
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- Iran demands US lift sanctions and return frozen assets to reopen Strait of Hormuz - Iran's Parliament Speaker warns closure of Strait continues until US ends military threats - Around 20% of global oil supply passes through the Strait, impacting energy security Iran has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US meets a set of conditions, including the release of frozen Iranian assets, an end to oil sanctions and what Tehran describes as a US blockade and military threats.

Al-Arabiya English reported that Iran's Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Trump administration must meet the conditions before Tehran considers reopening the strategic waterway. “Until the Trump regime removes the blockade, ends the wars across the region, returns Iran's stolen assets, lifts the oil sanctions, and ceases its military threats, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed,” Ghalibaf said.

Until the Trump regime removes the blockade, ends the wars across the region, returns Iran's stolen assets, lifts the oil sanctions, and ceases its military threats, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed. pic.twitter.com/fl2RrKnT1R— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) August 18, 2026 Ghalibaf also warned that Iran was prepared to respond more forcefully depending on the actions of its adversaries.

ALSO READ: 'We Control Hormuz': Trump To Declare Strait As US Territory? Here's What President Says The comments add a new condition to an already fragile diplomatic environment, with the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of concerns over global energy supplies.

Around one-fifth of global oil supply typically passes through the waterway, making any prolonged disruption a major risk for crude markets, shipping and energy security. Earlier, Press TV reported that Ghalibaf is scheduled to travel to Baghdad on Wednesday at the head of a high-level Iranian delegation for discussions with Iraqi leaders.

The talks are expected to cover regional developments and bilateral cooperation, including border security, counterterrorism, economic ties and implementation of existing agreements. Iraqi media have also reported that the agenda could include a proposal concerning Iraqi oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

The visit comes as regional governments grapple with the implications of continued disruption in one of the world's most important energy corridors. ALSO READ: Hormuz Tensions: Another Ship Hit By Unknown Projectile, Says UKMTO Centre The security situation in the waterway has also remained tense.

The UK's Maritime Trade Operations agency, or UKMTO, said a vessel reported being struck by an unknown projectile while conducting an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz. “The Company Security Officer has reported that the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while conducting an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz,” UKMTO said.

The impact damaged the vessel's engine room and resulted in a crew casualty, the agency said. The remaining crew was being assisted by the Omani coastguard. Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.

Location: Tehran