- READ MORE: Trump threatens Iran's water supply Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chose his words very carefully when asked about US President Donald Trump's declaration there had been a regime change in Iran. During an interview with Sarah Ferguson on ABC's 7.30 on Monday night, Albanese said that while the US had achieved two of its main objectives in Iran - it had failed to break apart the Gulf state's regime. 'The president said at the beginning of this conflict that it was about three things,' Albanese said. 'It was about nuclear weapons and making sure that Iran can't get a nuclear weapon. 'Secondly, he wanted to damage Iran's capabilities to attack its neighbours or to assist its proxies in Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis - and others as well. 'But the third was regime change. I note the president today has said that there has been a regime change.' Ferguson pushed: 'What's your response to him saying that?' Albanese conceded: 'Well, there certainly has been a change in personnel but the structures of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and the way that they engage is still largely in place.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (above) called out US President Donald Trump's claim the US had forced a regime change in Iran In an interview with Sarah Ferguson (above) Albanese said Iran had undergone a 'personnel change' Albanese's comments were an echo of those he made in a press conference earlier on Monday. Speaking in Canberra, Albanese said his chief concern was the lack of clarity about the direction and aims of the conflict as its economic effects continue to strain Australian budgets, especially regarding the skyrocketing price of fuel. The conflict, which began on February 28, shows little sign of ending, with the Pentagon reportedly planning to send more troops to the Middle East and conduct raids near the Strait of Hormuz. 'I want to see more certainty in what the objectives of the war are, and I want to see a de-escalation,' Albanese said. He stressed that reducing tensions was not merely a regional priority. 'A de-escalation is in the global economy's interests.' Albanese also referenced Trump's goal of regime change, warning external military action often escalates nationalism and can entrench rather than weaken authoritarian governments. While speaking with Ferguson, the 7.30 host questioned: 'So the President of the United States is wrong according to you?' Albanese urged Trump (above) to consider the successes of other objectives he'd set for the conflict in the Middle East and the economic harm of continuing the war Albanese overall called for a de-escalation of the conflict, saying: 'I think people want to see an endpoint' (pictured is damage in Beirut) 'Well, it is a fact that the personnel have changed,' Albanese said. 'I think that was what the president was referring to but he can speak for himself. 'I want to see regime change in Iran to be very clear. This is an abhorrent regime that oppress its own people, that murder its own people, that engage in international terrorism.' Albanese further reiterated that he would be pushing for a de-escalation of the war. 'Conflict always has a price and the conflict has achieved its objectives that were outlined at the beginning,' he said. 'I think people want to see an endpoint.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
- READ MORE: Trump threatens Iran's water supply Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chose his words very carefully when asked about US President Donald Trump's declaration there had been a regime change in Iran. During an interview with Sarah Ferguson on ABC's 7.30 on Monday night, …
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.