Summary

Donald Trump is reportedly considering resuming strikes in Iran after threatening to blockade all ships in the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of peace talks in Pakistan. The US president is considering airstrikes on Iran, among other measures, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed US officials. Trump has threatened to “take out” Iran’s energy infrastructure and that the US military would start "blockading any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz". Trump added, without elaborating: "Other countries will be involved with this Blockade." The US Central Command announced that it will blockade all Iranian ports beginning Monday at 10am EDT, or 5.30pm in Iran. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that the blockade of “approaching military vessels to the Strait of Hormuz is considered a violation of the ceasefire”. Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Naqer Ghalibaf, who led Tehran’s negotiators at the weekend talks with Washington, taunted Trump over rising gas prices, saying, “enjoy the current pump figures”. Senior Iranian delegate says Islamabad talks have 'laid the foundation' for success A senior member of the Iranian delegation at the weekends negotiations said that the talks had “laid the foundations” future success. “The Islamabad Talks laid the foundation for a diplomatic process that, if trust and will are strengthened, can create a sustainable framework for the interests of all parties,” Reza Amiri Moghadam wrote on X. “With the tireless efforts of all sectors in Pakistan, including the government, army, police and security forces to facilitate and manage the talks, talks were held in a dignified and befitting atmosphere for the guests in a calm, orderly and secure environment with equal logistic opportunities for both sides.” Donald Trump is considering resuming limited military strikes on Iran, alongside a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, to break the deadlock in peace negotiations, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The options were discussed on Sunday, hours after talks in Pakistan collapsed, officials familiar with the matter said. The report said Trump could also resume a full-fledged bombing campaign, though officials said that was less likely given the prospect of further destabilizing the region and the president’s aversion to prolonged military conflicts. “He could also seek a more temporary blockade while he pressures allies to take responsibility for a prolonged military escort mission through the strait in the future,” it added. A White House spokesperson refused to discuss Trump’s specific options, the report said. Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 05:00 Watch: Starmer urges US and Iran ‘to find a way through’ after peace talks fail Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 04:30 Oil surges after US-Iran talks in Islamabad fail Global markets slipped on Monday as failed US–Iran talks left a fragile ceasefire in doubt, pushing oil prices sharply higher and boosting the dollar. Brent crude jumped 8 per cent to above $100 a barrel, while S&P 500 futures fell 1 per cent and Asian markets edged lower. Moves in Asian stock markets were broadly lower but relatively modest, with Japan's Nikkei falling 0.4 per cent, South Korea's KOSPI 1.4 per cent and the S&P/ASX 200 slipping 0.6 per cent. Investor caution persisted amid uncertainty over a six-week conflict that has already driven oil up more than 30 per cent. The US move to block Iranian ports and restrict flows through the Strait of Hormuz has heightened fears of further disruption to energy supplies. Analysts warn markets are effectively back to pre-ceasefire conditions, with risks rising of renewed strikes on Iran and broader damage to regional energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, safe-haven demand weakened, with gold falling, while risk-sensitive currencies came under pressure. Growing inflation concerns are also fuelling expectations that central banks may shift back towards rate hikes. Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 04:16 Trump berates 'very liberal' Pope Leo Donald Trump has said he is not a fan of Pope Leo as he used a lengthy social media post to criticise the US-born global leader of the Catholic Church. Trump said he didn't think the pope is "doing a very good job" and that "he's a very liberal person," while also suggesting the pontiff should "stop catering to the Radical Left." Flying back to Washington from Florida, Trump told reporters: I'm not a fan of Pope Leo." Trump's comments came after Leo suggested over the weekend that a "delusion of omnipotence" is fueling the US-Israel war in Iran. While it's not unusual for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, it's exceedingly rare for the pope to directly criticise a US leader — and Trump's stinging response is equally uncommon, if not more so. "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," the president wrote in his post, adding, "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon." He repeated that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying, "We don't like a pope who says it's OK to have a nuclear weapon." Pope Leo led an evening prayer at St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, as the United States and Iran began face-to-face talks in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. Without naming Donald Trump, his message appeared aimed at US officials who have framed the war in religious terms and emphasised military strength. The pontiff, who has said God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” has also warned that threats of mass destruction are “truly unacceptable.” Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 04:01 Trump admits high gas prices could last until US midterm elections Donald Trump has conceded that high oil and gas prices could persist through November's mid-term elections, a rare acknowledgement of the potential political fallout stemming from his administration's policy towards Iran. Speaking to Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo" from Miami, Trump was asked if the cost of oil and gas would decrease by the autumn. Donald Trump has conceded gas prices may remain high for several months amid the Iran war Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 03:45 Australian PM urges US and Iran to continue peace talks Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has urged peace talks between the U.S. and Iran to continue, following the failure over the weekend in Pakistan. “I want to see the resumption of peace talks,” Albanese told Al Jazeera, when asked about Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. “We want to see an end to this conflict. It’s having a devastating impact on the global economy, and the longer it goes, the bigger the impact will be, and the longer the tail will be as well.” Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 03:00 Trump considering limited Iran strikes after failure to reach peace agreement Donald Trump is reportedly considering resuming limited military strikes in Iran as well as a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, following the failure of the weekend peace talks with Iran. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed the reports toThe Washington Post hours after news that ceasefire talks in Pakistan had been unsuccessful. The added that the president could also resume his full bombing campaign, though this was unlikely given the risk of destabilizing the region further, the sources added. Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 02:15 Oil prices surge again following failure of US-Iran peace talks Global oil prices shot back up again after ceasefire negotiations failed and Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. crude oil soared 8 percent, to more than $104 per barrel Sunday night, per NBC. The increase saw an immediate knock-on effect on domestic fuel prices, including wholesale gas, which rose by 6 percent and heating oil jumping up by 10 percent. Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 01:30 US to blockade ships entering or exiting Iranian ports from Monday U.S. forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation, Central Command has announced. 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. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks