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Pakistan makes a halt to Iranian attacks on the Gulf a precondition for resuming talks with Washington.

Pakistan makes a halt to Iranian attacks on the Gulf a precondition for resuming talks with Washington.

2026-07-24

Shafaq News – Islamabad
A Pakistani official revealed on Friday that halting Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states is now a precondition for resuming any talks to end the nearly five-month-long war between Tehran and Washington, confirming that Pakistan has already conveyed this message to the Iranian side.

Three Pakistani sources told Reuters that Islamabad is exploring a path to restart stalled talks between the United States and Iran, as part of an effort initiated by China, stressing that the obstacles to any talks Read more…

Trump: Moscow and Beijing pledged not to sell weapons to Iran

Trump: Moscow and Beijing pledged not to sell weapons to Iran

2026-07-24

Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping told him during their recent meeting in Beijing that he would not provide weapons to Iran and would not sell them in any way, stressing that this pledge extends to Chinese companies.

Trump said in remarks monitored by Shafaq News Agency: “Given the nature of our relationship, I believe him on that,” adding that he is offering the Chinese president “very significant concessions” within the framework of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. Read more…

Gold fell to near $4,030, pressured by rising oil prices and interest rate concerns.

Gold fell to near $4,030, pressured by rising oil prices and interest rate concerns.

2026-07-24

Shafaq News – Erbil
Gold continued its decline on Friday, after falling two percent in the previous session, as the return of Brent crude prices to above $100 a barrel fueled concerns about inflation and reinforced expectations of a US interest rate hike ahead of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy meeting next week.

Gold prices fell 0.4 percent in spot trading to $4,030.09 an ounce, down more than $130 from a two-week high reached on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures for August delivery also fell Read more…

Araghchi responds to Trump: Controlling Iran’s frozen funds will create chaos

Araghchi responds to Trump: Controlling Iran’s frozen funds will create chaos

2026-07-24

Shafaq News – Tehran
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that seizing another country’s assets to use them to settle unrelated future claims sets a “dangerous precedent”.

Araghchi wrote in a post on the X platform: “Those who celebrate or seek to benefit from these funds should remember that once governments normalize confiscation, no one’s assets will be safe again. And the chaos that will result will be neither beautiful nor peaceful.”

This comes in response to statements made by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, in which he said Read more…

Trump: We will not approve the nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia unless it joins the Abraham Accords.

Trump: We will not approve the nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia unless it joins the Abraham Accords.

7-23-2026

US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will not approve the nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia unless it joins the Abraham Accords regarding the normalization of relations with Israel. Trump stated today in a post on the Truth Social platform that he has approved a civilian nuclear agreement between the US Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia. He explained that the agreement will be limited to non-military uses and will not include any enrichment of nuclear materials, similar to the agreements Read more…

Gulf states are spending billions of dollars to find new routes to global markets.

Gulf states are spending billions of dollars to find new routes to global markets.

7-23-2026

A report by the Times of India on Thursday confirmed that for decades, the Strait of Hormuz has been the world’s most important waterway for oil transport, with millions of barrels of crude oil passing through it daily. However, frequent disruptions to global oil supplies have revealed the fragility of this dependence, prompting Gulf states to pursue an ambitious network of pipelines designed to transport oil without relying on this narrow waterway.
The report, translated by Al-Maalomah News Agency, stated that “from the UAE to Iraq, governments and state-owned energy companies are accelerating multi-billion-dollar projects to Read more…

Washington denies Iranian control of Hormuz; London warns of flight cancellations in the region.

Washington denies Iranian control of Hormuz; London warns of flight cancellations in the region.

2026-07-23

Shafaq News – Washington/London
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) denied on Wednesday evening that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy controls the movement of ships entering and exiting the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that international vessels can only use routes designated by the Revolutionary Guard, stressing that “this claim is incorrect.”

The command added in a statement seen by Shafaq News Agency that “Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz, and this international waterway remains open to traffic despite the threats and attacks Read more…

Trump threatens Iran: Any attack in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with the bombing of vital facilities.

Trump threatens Iran: Any attack in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with the bombing of vital facilities.

2026-07-22

Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to strike vital facilities in Iran in the event of any new attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said in a press statement: “We will respond to an Iranian attack on any ship in the Strait of Hormuz by bombing a bridge or power station, including near or inside Tehran.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the completion of the eleventh Read more…

The Lebanese president, speaking from Washington, sets three conditions for disarming Hezbollah.

The Lebanese president, speaking from Washington, sets three conditions for disarming Hezbollah.

2026-07-22

Shafaq News – Washington
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed on Wednesday that disarming Hezbollah is possible if there is genuine political will, and that this requires three essential elements.

Aoun explained, during a dinner hosted by the Lebanese Ambassador to Washington, Hamada Mouawad, in his honor and that of the accompanying Lebanese delegation, that these elements are the removal of the Israeli occupation from Lebanese territory, the Lebanese army assuming full control over all areas, and the implementation of a reconstruction program Read more…

Two Saudi oil tankers change course after Yemeni warnings

Two Saudi oil tankers change course after Yemeni warnings

7-21-2026

Information/Follow-up…
Shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group showed that two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude and bound for China and India changed course on Tuesday, turning back in the Red Sea towards the Suez Canal, following a warning issued by the Houthis.
According to Reuters, the tankers’ change of course came after the Houthis announced on Monday a ban on maritime traffic linked to Saudi Arabia, a move that could open a new front in the regional conflict and increase the risks facing global energy supplies Read more…

Trump: Every time Iran kills an American soldier, it will pay a heavy price.

Trump: Every time Iran kills an American soldier, it will pay a heavy price.

2026-07-20

Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that Iran would pay “double” for killing any American soldier.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “Benjamin Netanyahu will not, in any way, be arrested while in the United States. He is fighting Iran, which recently killed 52,000 innocent protesters and has spent the last 47 years killing American soldiers and others.”

He added that “the only ones who should be arrested are those who led Iran into this unprecedented spiral of death Read more…

The Atomic Energy Agency is investigating an attack on an Iranian nuclear site.

The Atomic Energy Agency is investigating an attack on an Iranian nuclear site.

2026-07-19

Shafaq News – Tehran
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Sunday that it is investigating reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of the Darkhovein nuclear power plant in Iran.

The agency said in a statement that the facility was in the very early stages of construction and did not contain any nuclear materials at the time of its last inspection.

The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization had previously announced that the United States targeted Read more…

Kurdish opposition: Barzani’s party gave the green light to America to occupy northern Iraq

Kurdish opposition: Barzani’s party gave the green light to America to occupy northern Iraq

7-19-2026

Information / Dohuk…
Independent Kurdish opposition figure Haval Didar accused Masoud Barzani’s party on Sunday of granting US forces access to expand their presence in northern Iraq, indicating the existence of security understandings between the two sides that bypass the federal government in Baghdad.
Didar told the Information Agency that “Masoud Barzani’s party has granted US forces the authority to establish diplomatic and security facilities in the Kurdistan Region, in addition to the continued presence of the Harir base Read more…

Washington warns its citizens: Iran may target our interests worldwide.

Washington warns its citizens: Iran may target our interests worldwide.

2026-07-19

Shafaq News – Washington
On Saturday evening, the United States issued an urgent and comprehensive global security alert to all American citizens, warning of the “possibility of an unexpected escalation,” amid intelligence indications that Iran may target other American interests abroad and globally.

The security statement, issued by the national security authorities and the US State Department, said that the threat is no longer limited to hotspots in the Middle East, stressing a clear and direct phrase: “Iran may target other US interests abroad… around the world.” Read more…

Kuwait confronts Iranian missile and drone attacks

Kuwait confronts Iranian missile and drone attacks

2026-07-19

Shafaq News – Kuwait
The Kuwaiti army announced on Sunday that its air defense systems were intercepting missile attacks and “hostile” drones, as sirens sounded in several areas of the country, coinciding with an Iranian attack.

The Kuwaiti army said in a statement that “our air defenses are currently responding to missile and hostile drone attacks following the heinous Iranian aggression.” Read more…

An Iranian military official advises Emiratis to “immediately evacuate” airports and ports

An Iranian military official advises Emiratis to “immediately evacuate” airports and ports

2026-07-18

Shafaq News – Tehran
An Iranian military official threatened on Saturday to target airports and ports in the UAE if the US attacks his country’s infrastructure.

Fars News Agency quoted an informed official in the Iranian armed forces as saying: “If America launches an attack tonight on the country’s civilian infrastructure, in order to protect citizens from Iranian counterattacks, the airports of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as the ports of Fujairah and Jebel Ali, must be evacuated immediately.” Read more…

Oil tanker departures through the Strait of Hormuz have been halted for the third day.

Oil tanker departures through the Strait of Hormuz have been halted for the third day.

2026-07-18

Shafaq News – Follow-up
Data from Kpler, a maritime traffic tracking website, showed on Saturday that no oil tankers had left the Strait of Hormuz for the third day in a row, a development reflecting the continued disruption to shipping in one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.

This halt comes amid escalating military tensions in the region and continued tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and the United States, raising growing concerns about the security of navigation Read more…

Amidst escalating tensions, the Iranian currency has plummeted to a historic low, with the dollar nearing 193,000 tomans.

Amidst escalating tensions, the Iranian currency has plummeted to a historic low, with the dollar nearing 193,000 tomans.

2026-07-18

Shafaq News – Baghdad/Tehran
The US dollar continued its rise in the Iranian free market, recording its highest level ever on Saturday, after its price exceeded the 192,800 toman mark, amid the continued rise in foreign currency prices with the escalation of security tensions in the region.

The dollar had previously reached a record high of 190,000 tomans on May 4, Read more…

India bans ship owners from sending their sailors through the Strait of Hormuz

India bans ship owners from sending their sailors through the Strait of Hormuz

2026-07-16

Shafaq News – New Delhi
New Delhi has banned ship owners, operators, and recruitment companies from sending Indian sailors on voyages through the Strait of Hormuz, amid renewed fighting in the region.

The Indian Directorate General of Shipping said in an order issued late Wednesday, ” The employment of Indian seamen on board vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz is prohibited until further orders are issued.” Read more…

After Hormuz, Iran threatens to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

After Hormuz, Iran threatens to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

2026-07-15

Shafaq News – Follow-up
Media outlets confirmed on Wednesday that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard threatened to close “all other export routes that benefit the United States and its allies,” after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and Washington reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

The Iranian news agency IRNA quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying in a statement that the region’s energy exports “are either for everyone or for no one.”

According to Reuters, analysts said that Iran is hinting that it may resort to its Houthi allies in Yemen to close the Read more…