politics

Trump warns Iran of ‘hell’ if Hormuz deadline missed

President Donald Trump on Sunday, in a social media post laden with expletives, vowed to strike Iran’s power plants and bridges. He vowed the “crazy bastards” would be “living in Hell” if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opened to all marine traffic by Tuesday, just hours after announcing the U.S. had rescued the final airman shot down in Iran last week.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Later on Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social the date “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” without further explanation. The White House on Sunday told MS NOW that the date is now the deadline for Iran to reach a deal with the U.S.

Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran’s critical infrastructure, vowing to send Iran back to the “stone age” if it does not meet the U.S. demands as the war entered its second month and the conflict in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing.

Destroying civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime under international humanitarian law.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said the president’s comments were “embarrassing and juvenile,” and warned it could place future downed airmen at greater risk if they are captured in Iran.

“If you send the message that there’s no quarter for the folks on the other side, that really encourages them to mistreat our folks,” Kaine, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said. “It’s people trying to act like they’re puffed up and tough, when what we really see from the administration in this war is the absence of a plan, the absence of a clear rationale, no effort to get allies on board.”

Iran, meanwhile, has shown no signs of backing down, striking economic and infrastructure targets in neighboring Gulf Arab countries.

On Sunday, Iran’s state TV aired a video showing what it claimed were parts of an American aircraft shot down by Iranian forces, along with a photo of thick, black smoke rising into the air. The broadcaster said Iran had shot down an American transport plane and two helicopters that were part of the rescue operation.

However, a regional intelligence official briefed on the mission told The Associated Press that the U.S. military blew up two transport planes due to a technical malfunction, forcing it to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission.

Iran’s military joint command on Sunday claimed that four U.S. aircraft were destroyed during the rescue operation and warned of stepping up retaliatory attacks on regional oil and civilian infrastructure if the U.S. and Israel attacked such targets in the Islamic Republic, according to state television.

“We once again repeat: if you commit aggression again and strike civilian facilities, our responses will be more forceful,” a spokesman said in comments run by IRNA news agency.

Countdown to Trump’s deadline

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been ramping up pressure on Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint linking Iran and the Arabian Peninsula through which a large proportion of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass.

Trump said Saturday in a Truth Social post: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign [sic] down on them.”

Oman’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that it met with Iranian officials a day earlier to discuss “possible options for ensuring the smooth flow of transit through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“During the meeting, experts from both sides presented a number of visions and proposals that will be studied,” the Omani statement on X read.

On March 26, Trump said he would extend a pause in attacking Iran’s energy facilities by 10 days to April 6 at the request of the government of the Islamic Republic.

In a televised address from the White House on Wednesday, Trump told Americans that he expects the Iran war to last another two to three weeks, but said the conflict was close to an end.

“We are going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast,” he said.

The spot price for current physical cargoes of Brent crude oil soared Thursday to $141.36, the highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, according to S&P Global, which tracks the data.

The spot price reflects demand for Brent oil to be delivered in the next 10 to 30 days. The high price of immediate oil deliveries points to current physical supply constraints due to the huge disruption triggered by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The price was $32.33 higher than the Brent crude futures contract for June delivery, which closed at $109.03 on Thursday.

Iran’s foreign minister, ⁠in principle, ‌left the door open for peace talks with the U.S. amid talks about mediation from Pakistan, but he gave no sign ⁠of Tehran’s willingness to bow to Trump’s demands.

“We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X.

Pakistan told the Associated Press on Saturday that efforts to broker a ceasefire are “right on track.”

U.S. rescues last airman shot down by Iran

Trump said Sunday the U.S. has rescued a service member who went missing after Iran downed a fighter jet, while vowing to strike key infrastructure if Tehran doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.

Trump confirmed that a U.S. airman who had gone missing after an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down in Iran has been rescued. The jet’s pilot had been rescued soon after the aircraft was downed.

“WE GOT HIM!” Trump said in a Truth Social post referring to the second officer.

“Over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History,” Trump said.

The president later said the rescued airman, an officer, was “seriously wounded.”

“We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “He is a highly respected Colonel.”

Trump said his administration did not initially confirm the rescue of the first crew member in order to avoid jeopardizing the operation.

The president also said he will speak about the military operation in Iran at a news conference at the Oval Office on Monday at 1 p.m. ET.

U.S. Central Command issued a brief statement, saying, “U.S. forces successfully completed the rescues of two American service members from Iran after their F-15E fighter jet was shot down April 2 during a combat mission. The service members were safely recovered during separate search and rescue missions.”

CENTCOM added that strikes into Iran would continue in an attempt to “dismantle the Iranian regime’s ability to project power beyond its borders.”

Tehran and Washington confirmed Saturday that Iran downed the two-seat F-15E jet. The incident marks the first time Iranian forces have successfully shot down a U.S. combat aircraft since the U.S. and Israel began their airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Separately, two U.S. officials said Saturday the pilot of a U.S. A-10 Warthog jet ejected from the aircraft that crashed in Kuwait after being hit by Iranian fire. The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post were the first to report that the A-10 had been shot down.

Petrochemical zone struck in Iran

However, Iran appeared to maintain its retaliatory attacks on neighbors in the Gulf region, and seemed to be targeting petrochemical facilities.

Abu Dhabi’s media office said in a post on X that authorities in the city responded to multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemical plant “caused by falling debris following successful interceptions by air defense systems.”

Operations at the plant have been suspended, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

Borouge did not immediately respond to CNBC’s email on Sunday requesting confirmation.

The company operates a petrochemical complex in Al Ruwais Industrial City in the United Arab Emirates, according to its website.

Bahrain’s state news agency reported that the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) confirmed a “number of its operational units were subject to an attack by Iranian drones, in the early hours of Sunday morning.”

GPIC also did not immediately respond to CNBC’s emailed request for comment.

On Saturday, Iranian state media reported air strikes at a petrochemical zone in southwestern Iran, with at least five people injured.

A projectile also hit an auxiliary building near the perimeter of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, the Tasnim news agency said, killing one person. The operations of the plant were unaffected.

Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom evacuated a further 198 of its staff from the site on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, in evacuations already planned before the latest incident.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it had carried out “a wave of strikes” on ‌Tehran.

Iran attacks targets in three Gulf states

In Kuwait, Iranian drone attacks caused significant damage to power plants and a petrochemical plant. They also put a water desalination station out of service, according to the Ministry of Electricity. No injuries were reported, the ministry said.

In Bahrain, a drone attack caused a fire at one of the national oil company’s storage facilities and a state-run petrochemical plant, the kingdom’s official news agency said.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities responded to fires at a petrochemical plant in Ruwais that they said were caused by intercepted debris, halting operations.

The strikes came a day after Israel struck a petrochemical plant in Iran that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said generated revenue that it had used to fund the war.

The petrochemical industry is a key sector in many Gulf states. Plants in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Iran convert oil and gas into products like plastics, polymers and fertilizer, bringing in billions in export revenue.

Kuwait Petroleum reports damage after drone attacks

Iranian drone attacks hit ⁠various targets in Kuwait on Sunday, with the state energy company, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, reporting fires and “severe material damage” at some operating units. KPC said in a statement that teams were working ⁠to ‌contain the fires at affiliates Petrochemical ⁠Industries Company and National Petroleum Company.

In a separate incident, KPC earlier said a fire broke out in its Shuwaikh ‌oil sector complex, which houses the oil ministry and KPC headquarters, after a drone attack.

Kuwaiti state media, citing the finance ministry, said an Iranian drone hit an office complex for government ministries, causing ⁠significant material damage but no casualties.

Two power generation ‌units were also taken out ‌of service after Iranian drones targeted two power and water desalination plants, causing significant damage, Kuwait’s electricity ⁠and water ministry said.

No injuries were reported in any ⁠of the incidents.

The U.S.-Israeli ⁠war on Iran is in its sixth week, with Tehran striking Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting ‌U.S. military installations.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on petrochemical plants in Kuwait, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

CNBC

politics

US-Iran talks end in Doha, focus on Hormuz

Iran and the United States concluded a round of indirect talks on Wednesday with no sign they had made headway toward a lasting peace, focusing instead on ‌issues that they said had been resolved when an interim agreement was announced two weeks ago.

Sources familiar with the discussions said negotiators for the two countries spent two days in Doha discussing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and unfreezing Iran’s funds, two critical issues under the initial agreement.

The next meeting will take place after funeral processions for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is due to be buried on July 9, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Doha discussions produced “positive progress” on issues related to the memorandum that halted the war in June and were “building on the outcomes” of ⁠a summit in Switzerland, the ministry spokesperson said in a post on X.

In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said the two sides were making progress on possible limits to Iran’s nuclear program — the main reason he launched the war along with Israel in February. “The denuclearization of Iran is moving along well,” he told reporters. “They’ve had very good meetings, and we’ll see.”

But the sources said the nuclear program did not come up in the talks, which were technical in nature.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that matter would be addressed later. “Obviously, we’re worried about the nuclear issue, we’re going to start talking about that,” he told reporters.

American and Iranian negotiators held separate meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and top U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, dispatched to the region for what the White House had billed as “high-level” talks, did not attend the sessions, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The leader of Iran’s delegation, Deputy ‌Foreign Minister ⁠Kazem Gharibabadi, said the talks concluded. Neither side said whether they had managed to bridge any of their differences.

WHO CONTROLS THE STRAIT?

The initial deal calls for Iran and the United States to allow shipping to resume through the Strait of Hormuz, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquid natural gas trade before the war. Though traffic has partially resumed, the status of the strategic waterway remains unclear and the two countries exchanged strikes last weekend following an Iranian attack on a cargo ship.

Iran is determined to win international ⁠recognition of its control over the strait even if it has to do so by force, two senior Iranian sources said, and has repeatedly said it will assess tolls on shipping starting in mid-August, after a toll-free period specified by the initial agreement expires.

Trump’s comments on Wednesday played down the possibility of a return to all-out war with Iran. “I think they’ve ⁠come a long way,” he said.

Oil prices fell to their lowest level in four months following Trump’s remarks, and analysts cut their price forecasts for the first time since the war began.

Iran’s state media said on Wednesday that a foreign container ship had run aground in shallow waters outside the shipping route designated by ⁠Iranian authorities.

“Hormuz continues to reopen but it’s patchy, unpredictable, and not fully transparent,” said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.

Several European countries have offered to help clear mines from the Strait, but Germany’s defense minister Boris Pistorius said he did not expect his country to participate, citing Iran’s unwillingness to cooperate with other countries.

politics

Trump says Iran talks begin as Tehran denies meeting

Mixed signals over US-Iran diplomacy kept the Middle East on edge after President Donald Trump announced talks in Qatar would begin on Tuesday, only for Tehran to deny any negotiations were planned. The uncertainty came as commercial shipping slowly resumed through the Strait of Hormuz, though traffic remained below normal levels. Meanwhile, Iran confirmed the death of a senior IRGC Navy official in a vehicle accident as efforts continued to preserve the fragile US-Iran ceasefire agreement. Follow our live updates:

06:33 AM, 30 June 2026

Trump says Iran meeting to take place in Qatar

US President Donald Trump said Iran has requested a meeting that will be held Tuesday in Qatar, despite Tehran denying any direct negotiations were planned with Washington on the deal aimed at ending the Middle East war.

The announcement came after Iran held its first talks with Oman on managing the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Iran deal was signed, and as Washington and Tehran agreed to halt their attacks, which had strained the agreement.

“IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” Trump posted Monday on his Truth Social platform, without specifying the participants.

05:26 AM, 30 June 2026

IRGC Navy spokesperson Mohammad Akbarzadeh dies in reported ‘car rollover’

Mohammad Akbarzadeh, political deputy (and spokesperson) of the IRGC Navy, died in reported vehicle rollover accident in Iran’s Kerman province.

Iranian state-affiliated media, including Fars News Agency (IRGC-linked), reported that Akbarzadeh, political deputy (and spokesperson) of the IRGC Navy, died after his vehicle overturned on a road in Kerman province (southeastern Iran, on the route from Yazd).

Emergency responders transported him to a medical center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause and circumstances.

This is corroborated by multiple outlets carrying the Iranian reporting, including Iran International, RIA Novosti/Sputnik affiliates, and social media summaries from observers.

03:45 AM, 30 June 2026

Lebanon state media says Israeli strike hits south

Lebanese state media on Monday said an Israeli strike hit the country’s south, despite a framework accord signed by the two countries last week aimed at securing a peace deal.

“Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike targeting the area between the southern Lebanese towns of Qantara and Deir Seryan,” the state-run National News Agency said.

03:07 AM, 30 June 2026

Iran says ‘expert delegation’ heading to Qatar this week

Iran said a delegation of experts would travel to Doha this week for discussions on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States earlier this month.

“An expert delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran will travel to Doha later this week” to discuss the implementation of clauses of the memorandum, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.

“We have not yet entered the stage of negotiating a final agreement,” he said, noting that “over the coming days, we will not have any negotiation meetings with the US side at any level”.

01:14 AM, 30 June 2026

Conflicting US-Iran signals keep Mideast on edge

Mixed signals over planned US-Iran negotiations injected fresh uncertainty into Middle East diplomacy, as Tehran denied that any talks were scheduled despite President Donald Trump’s announcement that American and Iranian officials would meet in Qatar this week.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said no negotiations with the US were planned “at any level” in the coming days, contradicting Trump’s statement that talks would begin Tuesday. The conflicting messages have raised questions about the status of diplomatic efforts following weeks of heightened tensions in the region.

The uncertainty comes as negotiators seek to build on a fragile US-Iran memorandum of understanding intended to reduce hostilities and pave the way for a broader agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program, regional security and sanctions relief.

01:02 AM, 30 June 2026

Shipping through Hormuz inches higher: tracking data

More than two dozen commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours, according to MarineTraffic data, as global shipping companies cautiously resumed operations ahead of expected US-Iran peace talks that President Donald Trump said are scheduled to begin Tuesday.

The vessel count remains well below pre-conflict levels, underscoring continued concerns over security in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.

MarineTraffic data showed that 25 commercial ships passed through the strait during the latest 24-hour period. The outbound traffic from the Persian Gulf included six oil tankers and eight cargo vessels, while five tankers and six cargo ships entered the Gulf.

12:53 AM, 30 June 2026

Iran says implementation of MoU underway, final talks not yet started

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has briefed reporters on developments related to the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), outlining progress on key provisions, according to official remarks.

He said the United States has issued the necessary authorisations under Article 10 of the MoU, related to oil sales, and that Iran is monitoring the implementation process.

Baghaei added that steps are also underway regarding the release of Iran’s frozen assets.

However, he clarified that negotiations on a final agreement have not yet begun.

He further said any visit by US representatives to Qatar is unrelated to the Iranian delegation’s trip, which is focused solely on follow-up implementation issues, including Article 11 of the MoU.

12:39 AM, 30 June 2026

Israel says Trump linked Iran and Lebanon conflicts during talks

US President Donald Trump pushed to link the wars in Lebanon and Iran during ceasefire discussions, despite Israel’s preference to treat them as separate conflicts, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said, according to a CNN report.

Katz said he regretted the linkage but noted it “served an American interest,” adding that Washington wanted to advance negotiations with Iran and saw the Lebanon front as an obstacle.

He also said Israel had no territorial ambitions in Lebanon but remains in place with US backing until Hezbollah is fully disarmed.

According to Katz, Israel has destroyed large parts of border villages and said displaced residents from southern Lebanon will not be allowed to return.

He also reiterated that Israel would strike Beirut’s Dahiyeh district if Hezbollah attacks northern Israel and said it is prepared to resume operations against Iran if diplomacy fails or if Iran attacks Israel.

12:19 AM, 30 June 2026

UAE allows citizens to travel to Lebanon

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Emirati citizens will be allowed to travel to Lebanon from Monday, June 29, 2026.

The ministry said registration through the Tawajudi service is mandatory before travel, adding that citizens will not be allowed to leave UAE ports of departure before completing the registration process to avoid travel procedures being suspended or legal accountability.

In a statement posted on Instagram, the ministry said UAE citizens must also notify the relevant authorities of their return through Tawajudi.

It urged citizens to contact the ministry in emergencies on +97180024.

The decision follows an earlier travel ban announced on April 30, 2026, when the ministry barred UAE citizens from travelling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq due to regional developments and called on citizens already in those countries to leave and return to the UAE as soon as possible.

world

Qatar vessel incident: One killed, one injured

The Ministry of Interior of Qatar has confirmed that maritime search operations were carried out after a vessel carrying two individuals failed to return at its scheduled time, prompting an immediate response from the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security.

According to an official statement, routine monitoring and verification procedures first flagged the delay, following which maritime patrols launched a search operation on the evening of Saturday, June 27, 2026

The Maritime Search and Rescue Team located the vessel in the early hours of Sunday, June 28, the ministry said.

One killed, one injured in incident

The ministry confirmed that a Qatari citizen was killed after sustaining injuries from shrapnel linked to military activity in the area.

An Arab resident on board was also injured and has been hospitalised in stable condition.

Condolences and ongoing investigation

The Ministry of Interior extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, praying for mercy upon him, and wished a swift recovery for the injured individual.

It added that investigations are ongoing in accordance with established legal procedures.