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US-Iran Israel War News Highlights: US President Donald Trump outlined key conditions for a proposed agreement with Iran, including a permanent commitment that Tehran will not develop a nuclear weapon, the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for unrestricted shipping, and the removal of any remaining naval mines. Trump also said the US naval blockade would be lifted and that any remaining enriched nuclear material would be removed and destroyed under international supervision. He said he was heading to the Situation Room to make a final decision on the deal.
Meanwhile, the United States Department of State Friday announced new sanctions against entities, individuals, and vessels that fund the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against Operation Epic Fury, spokesperson Tommy Pigott shared over a post on X. Moreover, the Treasury Department has sanctioned Hong Kong-based entities for overseeing a multibillion-dollar Iranian oil sales network, Al Jazeera reported quoting the State Department.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency Friday denied US media reports that the text of a potential memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States has been finalised. The report added that Tehran has not informed the Pakistani mediator that the text was complete and would notify both the mediator and the public once finalized. Earlier, it was reported that Washington and Tehran had reportedly reached a tentative 60-day MoU aimed at extending the fragile ceasefire and opening formal talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.
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The US Department of State late Friday announced the “dismantling” of an “Iranian network that impersonated and defrauded American businesses to obtain sensitive technology for the Iranian regime’s military," Al Jazeera reported.
State Department Spokesperson Tommy Piggot said the network, led by Iran-based Ali Majd Sepehr, had “defrauded dozens of American technology companies of millions of dollars by posing as legitimate US businesses”.
Announcing sanctions on the network, Piggot said they were part of Washington’s broader “Economic Fury” campaign against Iran and specifically targeted individuals and entities working on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics to “fraudulently procure restricted goods from US companies," the Al Jazeera update quoted.
Sepehr and his conspirators sought to acquire advanced equipment for Iran’s defence sector, Piggot added. (Al Jazeera)
Lebanon President Joseph Aoun's office received a call on Friday from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the situation in Lebanon and the recent developments in the Middle East, news agency AP reported.
Aoun's office told AP the president shared with Rubio that efforts should concentrate on implementing the ceasefire as it is “the essential entry point for transitioning to any other issues.” (AP)
A six-member Lebanese military delegation met with Israeli military officials at the Pentagon to hold the first direct military talks between the two countries in decades, the Associated Press reported.
Sharing a statement later in the day, the Pentagon said the talks were “productive” however, did not highlight any accomplishments or achievements.
It said the talks "focused on building practical frameworks for regional security and stability” and the “tangible outcomes” from their discussions will directly inform the negotiations with political leaders being conducted by the State Department next week, AP noted.
Hezbollah, Israel's primary target in the war, did not participate once again in the discussions. (AP)
Al Jazeera Arabic is reporting that Israeli air strikes killed 11 people, including a paramedic, and wounded eight others.
The casualties followed Israeli air attacks on the towns of Maaroub, al-Abassiyah, and Tayr Debba in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon.
Al Jazeera
The Treasury Department has issued new “counterterrorism” sanctions targeting Iranian individuals and entities, among others, it said in a statement.
Despite suggestions that a deal between the US and Iran may be close to ending the war that began on February 28, Trump repeatedly said negotiations would not deliver any sanctions relief despite demands otherwise.
Al Jazeera
US Vice President JD Vance says Washington and Tehran have made “a lot of progress” towards a ceasefire extension agreement, including talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
However, he says disagreements remain over Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
Al Jazeera
The office of Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has issued a statement after a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
It said the two leaders had agreed to advance their countries partnership, “propelled by high-level exchanges and shared interests in regional peace, security and prosperity.”
The statement did not include details about the possibility of a deal being potentially close.
Al Jazeera
Lebanon’s official National News Agency says the death toll from an earlier Israeli strike on the southern town of Adloun has risen to at least eight.
The agency reported that an Israeli raid on the al-Hartiya area, on the outskirts of Adloun, killed eight Syrian nationals, including children.
The updated toll comes as rescue teams continue to search the area following the attack.
Al Jazeera
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Friday evening that no agreement has been finalised with the United States so far. He also added that the management of the Strait of Hormuz must be decided by Iran and Oman, reported Reuters.
Sources cited by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency rejected key claims made by US President Donald Trump about the proposed Iran deal, describing them as a “mix of truth and lies”. The sources said provisions cited by Trump, including the destruction of Iran’s enriched nuclear material and unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz without fees, are not part of the current draft agreement, according to Fars. They also claimed Trump omitted references to the release of frozen Iranian assets and a proposed ceasefire in Lebanon.
The Israeli military has ordered residents of the Lebanese town of Zefta to immediately evacuate and move north of the Zahrani River, warning that it will soon carry out operations against Hezbollah in the area. Similar evacuation notices were also issued for the towns of Ansariya, al-Kharayeb, Shabriha, Sarafand, Adloun and Baisariya, according to an Arabic-language statement issued by the Israeli military on social media.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that securing a ceasefire with Israel is a necessary first step for any further diplomatic progress. According to a statement from Aoun’s office, the Lebanese leader urged intensified efforts to achieve a truce, while Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s support for Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and ongoing negotiations with Israel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had a “productive” phone conversation with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, Araghchi said the discussions focused on Hormuz and related sovereign responsibilities under international law, while also expressing solidarity with Oman amid recent regional tensions.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsIn very productive call with FM @badralbusaidi, expressed Iran's solidarity with Oman in face of any threat.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 29, 2026
We discussed Hormuz and its future administration in line with our sovereign responsibilities and international law.
We welcome consultation with all neighboring states. pic.twitter.com/MB6EVYNkNn
Three Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli drone strike targeting civilians in al-Shawa Square in Gaza City's al-Tuffah neighbourhood, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The attack took place on Friday, a day when Muslims traditionally gather for prayers and family visits.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces have crossed the Litani River and advanced to strategic high ground in southern Lebanon. Speaking during a visit to troops near the border, Netanyahu said Israeli operations were continuing in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and across multiple fronts in Lebanon, according to The Times of Israel.
Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran has “no trust in guarantees or words” from the United States and would judge any agreement solely by actions. In a statement on X, he further said that Iran would not take any steps before the other side acts and stressed the need to remain prepared even if a deal is reached.
Military delegations from Lebanon and Israel are set to meet at the Pentagon for security talks, with Beirut expected to demand an end to Israeli strikes, ground operations and the occupation of southern Lebanese territory, Al Jazeera reported. The meeting comes as the two sides continue direct discussions that began in April, despite criticism from Hezbollah, which has opposed negotiations with Israel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said 24 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with Iranian authorities over the last 24 hours. In a statement carried by Iran’s Fars news agency , the IRGC navy said vessel movements are being managed through designated routes to avoid congestion in the strategically important waterway.
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said Israel has caused “cumulative and unprecedented damage” to Hezbollah and would continue operations beyond the military’s self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon if required. Zamir claimed around 2,500 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since the conflict escalated in March and acknowledged that the group’s drone capabilities remain a challenge for Israeli forces, Al Jazeera reported.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing a source familiar with the negotiations, said the text of a proposed memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington has been revised in recent days and is yet to be finalised. The source also disputed parts of media reports on the potential agreement, even as US officials said a preliminary framework for a 60-day ceasefire extension has been reached and awaits President Donald Trump’s approval.
The United Nations said 15 children were killed and 62 injured in Lebanon over the last seven days despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. UNICEF described the figures as “staggering”, saying an average of 11 children were killed or injured every day, with most casualties linked to air strikes in southern Lebanon.
Israeli political commentator Ori Goldberg while speaking to Al Jazeera said, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu benefits politically from the continuation of conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, arguing that wartime conditions help delay focus on his legal troubles and reinforce his image as a leader in control. Goldberg also said there is broad support for the war strategy across much of Israel’s political establishment, including the opposition.
Israeli forces have closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in the occupied West Bank, ordering worshippers and mosque staff to leave before sealing the site and shutting surrounding checkpoints, officials at the mosque told Wafa news agency.
Palestinian authorities condemned the move as a violation of freedom of worship and part of ongoing efforts to alter the status quo at the historic religious site.
Israeli forces have expanded their ground operations north of the Litani River towards areas southeast of Nabatieh, marking a significant escalation in southern Lebanon, reports Al Jazeera.
The advance appears aimed at breaching deeper Hezbollah defensive positions and has triggered fresh civilian displacement, though the extent of Israel’s objectives remains unclear.
An Israeli drone strike Friday killed a police officer in the town of Aabba in Nabatieh governorate in Lebanon, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Lebanese and Israeli military officials are set to hold first-ever security talks later on Friday in Washington, DC, amid intensified attacks by Israel on parts of Lebanon, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Over a post on social media, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said “nothing can justify” Israel’s continued “assaults” on southern Lebanon. He said the attacks “only strengthens our resolve for the necessity of an immediate ceasefire, working toward a complete Israeli withdrawal from our land, and extending the State’s authority over all its territories”.
One of Lebanon’s leading Arabic-language daily newspaper noted that it was “not easy” to predict “what the direct Lebanese-Israeli military negotiations, sponsored by the United States, might lead to today at the Pentagon”. (Al Jazeera/ AP)
The Israeli military on Friday announced that it has intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” identified in an area where Israeli forces are operating in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera quoted.
Sirens are on in northern Israel, even as the source of the potential threat is being investigated, the Israeli military announced on Friday, Al Jazeera reported.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Friday “thanked Malaysia for its humanitarian stance and Pakistan for its initiative and effective efforts to reach an agreement” to end the US-Israel war on Iran.
Sharing a post on X, Pezeshkian said that in his talks with the PMs of Malaysia and Pakistan, he emphasised “Iran’s commitment to diplomacy”. “Iran’s policy is to expand cooperation with Muslim and neighbouring countries in all fields,” he added.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsدر گفتگوهایم با نخست وزیران مالزی و پاکستان برای تبریک عید سعید قربان، با تاکید بر پایبندی ایران به دیپلماسی، از مواضع انسانی مالزی و از ابتکار عمل و تلاشهای موثر پاکستان برای رسیدن به توافق تشکر کردم. سیاست ایران گسترش همکاری با کشورهای مسلمان و همسایه در همه زمینههاست.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) May 29, 2026
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Department of State in Washington, DC, later on Friday, a schedule published by the department stated.
Their meeting is due to start at 10am local time (14:00 GMT), Al Jazeera quoted..
The population of Tyre in southern Lebanon is currently focused “on survival”, as Israel intensified its attacks on southern parts of the country on Friday, Al Jazeera reported.
The Israeli military is carrying out intense strikes, and ordered “everyone in the south to pack up and flee north”. (Al Jazeera)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani Friday strongly condemned the ongoing war on Iran, highlighting its impact on civilians abroad and families of servicemen in the United States.
Over a post on X, Mamdani wrote: “Three months ago today, a war began that no one voted for — and the cost has been paid by people who had no say in it.” “Americans across this country and our city have watched prices rise at the pump and the grocery store, their budgets strained by a conflict launched without a single vote of Congress,” he added.
Asserting his opposition to the war, Mamdani called for its end. "I opposed this war from the first day. I oppose it still. It must end," his post read.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsThree months ago today, a war began that no one voted for — and the cost has been paid by people who had no say in it.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 29, 2026
Thousands of civilians have lost their lives. Thirteen U.S. servicemembers will never come home to their families.
Americans across this country and our city…
The White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, in an interview to Fox News, said that in addition to a “complete reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has made “many other concessions that are going to be unveiled in the time to come," Al Jazeera quoted.
Miller described the concessions as “significant, material, and dramatic”, saying they “would have been impossible only a short time ago”. “But again, there is no deal until there is a deal; nothing is final until it is final,” Miller added.
He also said that US President Donald Trump will do anything that's necessary to defend and protect US's national security. (Al Jazeera)
Oil futures plummeted slightly early Friday amid hopes that the US and Iran can reach an agreement to extend the ongoing ceasefire.
According to OilPrice.com, Brent crude dropped by 0.77 per cent to $92.94 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell to $87.90 per barrel - a drop by one percent, as of 8:32 am on Friday.
Former interim foreign minister of Iran, Ali Bagheri Kani, met with senior officials from Brazil and Egypt in Moscow, Al Jazeera reported.
Bagheri Kani met with Celso Amorim, the Brazilian president’s chief foreign policy adviser, and discussed “the situation in West Asia” as well as the “development of bilateral cooperation”, Tasnim news agency reported.
He also met with an Egyptian National Security Council official, Al Jazeera reported quoting the news agency. (Al Jazeera)
The United States Department of State Friday announced new sanctions against entities, individuals, and vessels that fund the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against Operation Epic Fury, spokesperson Tommy Pigott shared over a post on X.
These include: Eight entities and eight vessels have been blocked now for transporting Iranian petrochemical products, Al Jazeera noted. Three other entities and an individual have also been sanctioned for getting involved in the Iranian-origin trade.
Moreover, the Treasury Department has sanctioned Hong Kong-based entities for managing a multibillion-dollar Iranian oil sales network, Al Jazeera reported quoting the State Department. (Al Jazeera)
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsThe U.S. is targeting the Iranian regime's dark fleet and illicit oil networks under Economic Fury. Today's sanctions cut off billions in revenue that funds the IRGC, proxy forces, and attacks on our partners. Any entity trading Iranian oil faces serious risk of U.S. sanctions.
— Tommy Pigott (@statedeptspox) May 28, 2026
The vice president said to reporters Thursday evening after he returned from a trip to Colorado that “it’s hard to say exactly when or if the president’s going to sign.”
He said it was clear Iran wants to make a deal and that negotiators were “going back and forth on a couple of language points.”
He said points of disagreement included Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which could potentially be used to make a nuclear weapon.
“There are a couple of issues on the nuclear stuff, the highly enriched stockpile, and also the question of enrichment,” Vance said.
AP
Oil prices settled mixed on Thursday after a choppy trading session, as traders mulled conflicting reports of progress on a potential deal to extend a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
Brent crude futures for July , which expire on Friday's settlement, closed down 58 cents, or 0.6%, at $93.71 a barrel. The more actively traded August Brent futures were last trading up by 72 cents at $92.97 as of 3:20 p.m. EDT (1720 GMT).
U.S. oil futures eked out marginal gains to settle up 22 cents, or 0.3%, at $88.90 a barrel.
Oil prices have been volatile in recent sessions on conflicting signals on the possibility of an end to the three-month Iran war and potential re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic through the maritime chokepoint remains a small fraction of the pre-war level.
An agreement had been reached to extend the ceasefire in the Middle East for 60 days, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. News outlet Axios first reported about the deal on Thursday.
The agreement still needs U.S. President Donald Trump's approval, sources told Reuters. Iran's Tasnim news agency, meanwhile, said the text of a potential memorandum of understanding with the U.S. has not yet been finalized or confirmed.
Reuters
The U.S. said on Thursday it has imposed new sanctions on Iran's military oil trade, even as Washington and Tehran reached a tentative agreement to extend their ceasefire and lift restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Treasury Department said it had sanctioned eight vessels involved in transporting Iranian crude oil and petroleum products to global markets. The vessels included the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Flora, the Comoros-flagged crude oil tanker Hauncayo and the Panama-flagged tanker Ill Gap.
"We will not allow the Iranian government to increase its oil revenue for the purpose of reconstituting its armed forces and military capabilities," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a release.
President Donald Trump has yet to approve the ceasefire deal on the war, which the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28. The conflict has roiled global markets by closing the vital strait off Iran and Oman through which 20% of the world's oil and gas has normally flowed.
The U.S. also imposed sanctions on more than 15 entities including Worth Seen Energy Limited in Hong Kong, Symphony Shipping and Maritime Management Inc in Dubai, and Mehdiyev Trading Co, also in Hong Kong.
Reuters
The U.S. said on Thursday it has imposed new sanctions on Iran's military oil trade, even as Washington and Tehran reached a tentative agreement to extend their ceasefire and lift restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Treasury Department said it had sanctioned eight vessels involved in transporting Iranian crude oil and petroleum products to global markets. The vessels included the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Flora, the Comoros-flagged crude oil tanker Hauncayo and the Panama-flagged tanker Ill Gap.
"We will not allow the Iranian government to increase its oil revenue for the purpose of reconstituting its armed forces and military capabilities," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a release.
President Donald Trump has yet to approve the ceasefire deal on the war, which the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28. The conflict has roiled global markets by closing the vital strait off Iran and Oman through which 20% of the world's oil and gas has normally flowed.
The U.S. also imposed sanctions on more than 15 entities including Worth Seen Energy Limited in Hong Kong, Symphony Shipping and Maritime Management Inc in Dubai, and Mehdiyev Trading Co, also in Hong Kong.
Reuters
Iran's Tasnim news agency on Friday denied US media reports that the text of a potential memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States has been finalised.
The report added that Tehran has not informed the Pakistani mediator that the text was complete and would notify both the mediator and the public once finalized.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Thursday said that US President Donald Trump's threats against Oman are “dangerous” and “bullying”.
"Threats to “destroy” a United Nations member state that has always played a constructive, effective, and responsible role in regional peace and security and has used its noble efforts in the service of regional peace and stability as a mediator in diplomatic processes for many years are not only a violation of the fundamental principle of prohibiting the threat of the use of force, but also another dangerous sign of the normalisation of lawlessness and bullying in international relations," Baghaei was quoted as saying, The Guardian reported.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement Thursday to extend the ceasefire in the 3-month-old war by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said President Donald Trump still needs to sign off on the emerging memorandum of understanding.Iran did not immediately confirm any tentative deal with the United States.
The tentative agreement worked out by the two sides comes at a moment when the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared to be wavering. AP
The Iran International on Thursday quoted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as saying, "The enemy’s blind plan after the imposed war, economic pressure and propaganda and political siege is to create division and social fragmentation in order to compensate for its defeats on the battlefield and bring the nation to its knees,” he said, adding that those who care about Islam, the revolution or Iran’s independence should “not turn unwarranted and even warranted differences into conflict and division.”
The US military has “redirected” 111 commercial vessels total as part of its blockade against Iranian ports, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) says.
Seventeen ships have been blocked over the past week, including two since yesterday, CENTCOM updates show.
-Al Jazeera
Iran and US have reached a deal to extend the ceasefire by 60 days but is reportedly waiting an approval from Donald Trump, Axios reported on Thursday.
The proposed MoU is designed to serve as a bridge to bring both nations to the negotiating table to address the ongoing crisis in West Asia. While officials on both sides noted that most terms were settled by Tuesday, the final hurdle remains the blessing of top leadership.
One US official noted that President Trump has requested a few days to review the final draft before committing to the framework, reported Axios.
The deal, if finalised, would mark the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the conflict began on February 28.
However, officials noted that a comprehensive agreement addressing Trump's nuclear demands would still require extensive negotiations.
"This is an agreement to get everybody to the table. We will work out the details in the negotiations," one of the US officials said, as reported by Axios.
US officials said most terms had been agreed upon by Tuesday, but final approval from senior leadership on both sides was pending. — ANI
Iran says it won't allow US to 'undermine sovereignty' in Strait of Hormuz.
The United States warned Oman on Thursday not to get directly or indirectly involved in any effort to impose a toll in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it will penalize any partners involved in such a system.
"The United States Government will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X.
"Oman, in particular, should know that the U.S. Treasury will aggressively target any actors involved - directly or indirectly - in facilitating tolls for the Strait and any willing partners will be penalized," Bessent added. (Reuters)
Israel has broken all contact with the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, its ambassador says. -AL Jazeera
The U.S. and Iran have reached an agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and launch negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, but President Donald Trump still needs to give final approval, Axios reported on Thursday, citing two U.S. officials. (Reuters)
The U.S. military on Thursday accused Iran of violating a fragile ceasefire after Kuwait reported coming under attack following an American strike against the Islamic Republic. It was the latest flare-up of fighting to threaten ongoing negotiations to end the war.
U.S. Central Command said Kuwait intercepted missiles fired from Iran late Wednesday, and military officials called the attack on one of America's top allies in the Persian Gulf an “egregious ceasefire violation.”Kuwait had earlier announced an attack on its territory, and Iran said it had retaliated for strikes earlier in the week by firing on a U.S. base in an Gulf state it did not name. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry condemned Iran for what it called “blatant aggression.” AP
An Israeli strike hit a building in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital on Thursday, the first strike to hit near Beirut in weeks amid a ceasefire that has failed to halt fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah in south Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it had conducted a precise strike in Beirut but did not offer additional details. Two Israeli security sources said the target was Ali al-Husseini, whom they described as head of the missile division within the Imam Hussein Division, a militia that Israeli officials say is aligned with Hezbollah and Iran. (Reuters)
President Trump’s seeming threat to “blow up” Oman “is just one more sign of why this war has gone off the rails”, a US Democratic senator has warned.
“They are in constant panic mode making mistake after mistake,” Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut wrote on X.
-Al Jazeera
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said the company’s oil traders decided to purchase large volumes of Middle Eastern crude after observing the U.S. Navy massing ships around the Persian Gulf in February, according to an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro.
Pouyanné also said TotalEnergies could consider acquiring Shell’s French retail petrol station network, but stressed that any deal would depend on the price and approval from competition authorities.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday took to X and said, "The US Treasury continues our Economic Fury campaign against the Iranian regime. Their troops are not getting paid, the police are not reporting for work, and Kharg Island is shut down. The Iranian economy and currency are in free fall."
Read the full post below 👁 Image
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsThe @USTreasury continues our Economic Fury campaign against the Iranian regime.
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) May 28, 2026
Their troops are not getting paid, the police are not reporting for work, and Kharg Island is shut down. The Iranian economy and currency are in free fall.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority…
Iran’s IRGC Navy says 26 vessels successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours in coordination with its forces.
“Obtaining permission and coordination for traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is a definite matter, and passing through other routes is considered a disruption and will be dealt with accordingly,” the IRGC said in a statement relayed by Iran’s SNN news agency.
-Al Jazeera
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington will shut down Iranian airlines’ access to landing slots, refueling services and ticket sales as part of fresh sanctions on Tehran.
Bessent also announced sanctions on Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body overseeing transit regulations in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of helping Iran exert control over a key global shipping route.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Amid renewed tensions between Iran and the US in the Middle East, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday.
According to Reuters quoting Pakistan Foreign Ministry, the visit will focus on bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened a "firm response" on Thursday in the event of renewed attacks, after the United States carried out a strike the country's south. "If this action is repeated, the US military will face a firm response," the Guards said in a statement on their Sepah News website.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakhara said on Thursday that Russia had urged both the US and Iran to avoid reigniting the conflict. Zakharova also said that Russia remains ready to provide assistance in the removing enriched uranium form Iran alongside stressing that Russia is not imposing its proposal. The offer has been on the table for months and Washington has not yet taken up the offer.
(Reuters)
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Kuwait's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the Iranian strikes targeting the country, calling them a violation of its sovereignty and security. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the State of Kuwait's strongest condemnation and denunciation of the criminal Iranian attacks that targeted the territory of the State of Kuwait with missiles and drones, in a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Kuwait, its security, and the integrity of its lands, and a direct threat to the lives of civilians an vital facilities," the ministry said in a statement.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: The Lebanese Health Ministry told the state-run news agency that 14 people were killed following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Among the dead were five women and one Lebanese soldier. Meanwhile, at least four people were reported killed in the southern Lebanon after strikes launched by Israeli ministry.
(AP)
US-Iran War News Live Updates: According to a Reuters report, the European Commission's energy department has warned that the jet fuel market could worsen amid the ongoing situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The department said the disruption in the region is affecting both crude oil and major petroleum products across Europe. "The Oil Coordination Group signalled that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz impacts both crude oil and all major petroleum products, and that all EU countries are affected by the dynamics. So far, the EU has been experiencing price effects, with no physical supply disruptions at consumer level. However, if the situation does not improve in the next weeks, markets are expected to become increasingly tighter, especially for jet fuel," the department said.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: The Lebanese army announced that one of its soldiers was killed in an Israeli strike while travelling on the Zaqta–Deir al-Zahrani road in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran's foreign ministry, on Thursday (May 28), condemned the "violations" by the United States after it launched strikes targeting the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. Tehran also expressed solidarity with Oman after US President Donald Trump threatened to "blow them up". The ministry's spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran would "take all necessary measures to defend its national sovereignty" and condemned what he called "the threatening rhetoric of American officials against Iran and several regional countries."
US-Iran War News Live Updates: The Israeli military launched attacks targeting Lebanon's fourth-largest city, killing at least eight people in its military escalation against the militant group Hezbollah. The strikes injured several others, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: The Israeli military on Thursday said that one of its soldiers was killed in a Hezbollah drone near the Lebanon border. The IDF identified the deceased as 20-year-old Sergeant Rotem Yanai, who "fell during operational activity in northern Israel".
US-Iran War News Live Updates: EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas warned that the Iran war to continue was not in anyone's interest, after both warring nations traded fire.
"They are right now in between this very dangerous zone of war and peace, and it is not in anybody's interest that this war continues," Kallas told reporters at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Cyprus.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Sirens sound in the northern community of Shtula, located near the Lebanese border, the IDF said that the details of it are under review.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said Tehran is seeking the release of all Iranian funds held by the United States, describing the move as a legal right amid escalating regional tensions. "We are seeking the release of all of Iran's funds by the US, and this is the legal right of Iran," the senior Iranian security official said.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Iranian forces fired "warning shots" at four vessels attempting to cross the Starit of Hormuz, state broadcaster IRIB reported on Thursday. "Four vessels attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz and enter the Persian Gulf without coordination with the security forces," IRIB said.
"They were warned, but after they ignored the warning, warning shots were fired at them, forcing them to return," it added.
US-Iran War News Live Updates: Kuwait Army, on Thursday (May 28), announced that its air defence systems were confronting hostile missile and drone attacks targeting the country's airspace. The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army released a statement saying that any explosion sounds heard in the area were the result of air defence systems intercepting the hostile attacks.
تتصدى حالياً الدفاعات الجوية الكويتية لهجمات صاروخية وطائرات مسيرة معادية.
— KUWAIT ARMY - الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) May 28, 2026
تنوه رئاسة الأركان العامة للجيش أن أصوات الانفجارات إن سمعت فهي نتيجة اعتراض منظومات الدفاع الجوي للهجمات المعادية.
يرجى من الجميع التقيد بتعليمات الأمن والسلامة الصادرة عن الجهات المختصة.… pic.twitter.com/qvsBXZxokq
US Iran War News Live Updates: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that an apparent Hezbollah drone was intercepted over southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops are operating.
US Iran War News Live Updates: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it targeted a US base, on Thursday (May 28), in response for the latest strikes by American forces on the country’s south, Reuters reported citing Tasnim news agency. “Following this morning’s aggression by the invading US military against a location on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport using aerial projectiles, the American air base that served as the source of the attack was targeted at 4:50 am (0120 GMT),” the IRGC said according to broadcaster IRIB.
US Iran War News Live Updates: The United States imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions by adding the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, according to the Treasury Department’s website. The authority body was set up by Tehran, earlier this month, to manage requests by countries for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Iran War News Live Updates: The United States, on Wednesday night, carried out new strikes targeting Iran's military facility, that, according to Washington, posed a threat to the US forces, news agency Reuters reported citing a US official. The official said that the US military intercepted and downed four Iranian one-way attack drones that endangered the commercial maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
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