In January and February, intelligence officials in Washington and Jerusalem reported allegations of arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances against protesters in Iran. While Israeli sources stated that the defense establishment viewed potential military action as inevitable due to these reports and concerns over Iran's nuclear and missile programs, the specific timeline and strategic intent remain subject to ongoing verification.

A Saudi-backed source told CNN that the rapid loss of Mocha was due to a lack of expected air support, citing a "complete failure of political leadership" in Riyadh and Washington. Another regional source attributed the collapse to external factors rather than Yemeni forces, while unverified reports suggest Houthi forces have captured U.

S.-made armored vehicles.

Vessel struck in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says, as prospects for U.S.-Iran diplomacy appear elusive - UKMTO said a vessel was hit by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire and prompting a crew evacuation. - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country will not surrender.

- Iran and Gulf countries are expected to meet in Oman over a new shipping route. - Shipping through the Strait remains severely disrupted amid repeated attacks and a U.S. naval blockade, keeping oil prices elevated. A vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said Sunday, as direct negotiations between the U.

S. and Iran appeared no nearer to resuming. The British maritime security alert service said in a post on X that it received a report of the attack late on Saturday by an unknown projectile while the vessel was transiting the Strait. A fire broke out onboard, and local authorities were on the scene helping to evacuate crew members, UKMTO said.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official dismissed hopes of fresh talks. "No negotiations. Until Iran's terms are met, talks are futile," Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, said in a post on X. But Iran has been reaching out to neighboring countries, despite months of striking them in retaliation for U.

S. attacks. A senior Iranian government official and Gulf diplomat told MS NOW that officials from Iran and Gulf countries would meet in Oman's capital, Muscat, on Monday to sign an agreement establishing an Iran-Oman shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.

The official added that there are no current negotiations taking place with the U.S. Speaking at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Friday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country will not surrender, adding that it has resisted aggression from the U.

S. and Israel. "Iran has successfully stood against Israel and the U.S.," Pezeshkian said. "Since we are seeking truth and justice, we will not yield in front of bullying arrogance," he added. Pezeshkian's comments over the weekend came on the heels of U.

S. President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran would have wiped out Israel and the Middle East, and started hitting U.S. cities, if Washington had not taken military action against Iran. "If I had it to do again, I would do exactly what I did," Trump said on Thursday.

Tit-for-tat attacks There have been numerous tit-for-tat attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks. U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said on Wednesday it destroyed 10 Iranian tankers the preceding week. On Saturday, CENTCOM said that its forces have redirected 100 commercial vessels over the past 60 days since it resumed a naval blockade against Iran.

"ZERO ships have passed through the blockade without U.S. forces allowing," CENTCOM said in a post on X. The war in Iran will likely end soon after November's midterm elections, Trump said Saturday. He also predicted that energy prices would fall sharply once that happens.

"I think very soon, I think it'll be right after the midterms, actually," Trump said on a trip to Ireland when asked by reporters when the Iran war is likely to end. "I would say shortly, and oil will come tumbling down when that happens." Oil prices retreated on Friday, but notched sharp weekly gains after soaring above $100 a barrel for the first time in months over the continuing unrest in the Middle East.

Brent crude oil futures, the global benchmark, settled down 2.8% at $104.61 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was down 2.4% to settle at $100.05 per barrel. On Thursday, Brent crude peaked at around $108 a barrel, while WTI hit more than $104. Shipments of oil and other cargoes through the critical Strait of Hormuz separating Iran and Oman have slowed to a trickle since the U.

S. and Israel began their war on Iran on Feb. 28, stranding ships and seafarers for weeks or months at a time. Saudi Arabia has been relying on its East-West crude oil pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. But the kingdom said Friday that it shut the facility down as a precautionary measure after multiple attacks by drones launched from Iraq.

The drones targeted the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions Thursday morning, causing fires and some damage, the Saudi government said. Several people were injured in the attacks, it said.

3 min readSep 13, 2026 06:54 PM IST In his address at the concluding session of the two-day BRICS Leaders’ Summit on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasised how unilateral sanctions were directly impacting global food security and people’s welfare.

BRICS members must expand trade in national currencies and work towards an inclusive global economic framework, as excessive dependence on existing financial and trade systems has made emerging economies vulnerable to political shocks, Pezeshkian said.

The remarks come weeks after the US imposed new economic sanctions on Iran, further squeezing Tehran’s finances in the middle of military conflict between the two sides. The BRICS must play a greater role in building a more balanced, inclusive and just international order, the Iranian President said, stressing that the Summit’s theme — “Resilience, Cooperation and Sustainability” — should be translated into practical action.

In his remarks shared by the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi on Sunday, the Iranian President said that economic resilience could not be sustained without security. “The attacks on Iran’s economic, energy and development infrastructure could have consequences beyond national borders, creating regional and global repercussions,” he said.

Pezeshkian said the Iranian people had paid a heavy price, with civilians killed and infrastructure built over decades damaged, calling for the international community to protect civilians and prevent the “normalisation of attacks on civilian targets”.

Pezeshkian — who left New Delhi on Sunday after a three-day visit along with his daughter Zahra — thanked India, its people and PM Modi for hosting the summit, saying its theme reflected the fundamental global needs at a time when the destinies of nations are increasingly interconnected.

Unilateral sanctions directly affected food security and people’s welfare, he said, pitching for expanding trade in national currencies and strengthening the New Development Bank to enhance the economic resilience of BRICS members. Story continues below this ad On the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, Pezeshkian said the people of the region continued to face the consequences of “crimes and genocide”.

He called upon BRICS nations to play a more effective role in defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the prohibition of the use of force. He highlighted Iran’s geopolitical position, its energy and transit capacities, saying these could contribute to the development of trade and energy corridors among BRICS members.

He also flagged the environmental consequences of war, saying damage to energy and industrial infrastructure can affect natural resources beyond economic losses. Calling knowledge and innovation key elements of the BRICS agenda, the Iranian President stressed that Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies should serve as tools for empowering nations rather than instruments of domination.