(2026-04-13). Iran says Gulf ports are 'either for everyone or for no one'. tribune.com.pk 
The unified command of the Iranian armed forces said the ports in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman are "either for everyone or for no one", state broadcaster IRIB reported, according to Al Jazeera. | "The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran consider defending the legal rights of our country a natural and legal duty, and accordingly, exercising the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the territorial waters of our country is the natural right of the Iranian nation," IRIB cited Iran's forces as stating. | Al Jazeera reported that the forces' statement read "Enemy-affiliated vessels" will h…
(2026-04-13). US-Iran: The Elusive Peace Deal. ummid.com As expected, the United States and Iran failed to reach a peace deal after high-stakes talks in the Pakistani capital, with American Vice President JD Vance saying Tehran refused to accept Washington's terms after 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, and Iran citing lack of American commitment to the talks.
(2026-04-13). Trump announces complete blockade of Strait of Hormuz. ummid.com U.S. President Donald Trump Sunday April 12, 2026 announced complete blockade of Strait of Hormuz, hours after Pakistan mediated talks between Iran and the United States collapsed.
(2026-04-13). Pakistan reportedly used decoy fighter jets to avoid Israel attacking Iranian negotiators. thecanary.co 
Pakistan have reportedly used fighter jets and intelligence to thwart an alleged plan by Israel to shoot down the jet carrying Iran's highly-qualified negotiators attending talks with Donald Trump's relatives and golf buddies. Israel's plans to kill Iran's top surviving team in order to thwart talks were already known, but supposedly shelved under pressure from […] | By
(2026-04-13). Trump says he's 'fine' if Iran skips talks after negotiations fail, says ceasefire holding well. tribune.com.pk 
US President Donald Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews near Washington DC that he is "fine" if Iran doesn't return to negotiations | "I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't come back, I'm fine," Trump said, a day after the US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan failed to reach a deal. He added that the ceasefire between the US and Iran is "holding well". | .@POTUS on negotiations with Iran: "I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't come back, I'm fine." pic.twitter.com/iQEV428A6F | — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 13, 2026 | Trump said ‚Å he believed Ira…
(2026-04-13). China, the Iran war and the chemical suddenly stoking global supply fears. scmp.com China's reported decision to halt sulphuric acid exports, together with the failure of peace talks between the United States and Iran over the weekend, risks driving prices higher and disrupting global mining and fertiliser supply chains that have few readily available alternatives. | Beijing had indicated it would halt shipments of sulphuric acid from May, according to reports from Acuity Commodities and Bloomberg, though no official announcement has been made. Economists said food security sat…
(2026-04-13). Trump's Hormuz blockade may target China along with Iran. scmp.com The US announced a blockade against ships calling at Iranian ports, ramping up pressure on the Middle East nation after marathon peace talks over the weekend ended without a deal. | Action was due to start Monday at 10am New York time (10pm Hong Kong), according to US Central Command. Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports won't be affected, it said. President Donald Trump had earlier said that the blockade would cover all ships using the vital waterway.
(2026-04-13). Trump orders naval blockade: US to block maritime traffic to Iranian ports as peace talks collapse in Islamabad. ptcnews.tv Trump orders naval blockade: The US Central Command has said it will start blocking ships at Iranian ports from April 13 at 10 a.m. ET. The blockade will apply equally to ships from all countries ente | Trump orders naval blockade: US to block maritime traffic to Iranian ports as peace talks collapse in Islamabad…
(2026-04-13). US-EU tensions erupt over Iran war as France holds back-channel talks with China. wsws.org Trump's denunciations of the Macron government reveal the irreconcilable conflicts between the major imperialist powers underlying US imperialism's war of aggression against Iran.
(2026-04-13). Trump Orders Naval Blockade of Iran After Failed Talks, Iran Threatens Retaliation in Gulf. democracynow.org 
Ship traffic has been halted again in the Strait of Hormuz after President Trump ordered the U.S. military to begin a naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas starting Monday at 10 a.m. ET. Iran denounced Trump's move as an illegal act amounting to "piracy" and has threatened to strike Gulf ports in retaliation. Trump ordered the blockade after the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war following 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. Global oil prices jumped after Trump announced the blockade. | Ervand Abrahamian, professor emeritus of history at the Graduate Center…
(2026-04-13). Iran accuses US of derailing Islamabad talks after near agreement. tribune.com.pk 
Iran accused the United States early Monday of derailing talks in Islamabad after the two sides had come close to reaching an agreement. "We engaged with the US in good faith to end the war," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement. | He said the parties had been "just inches away" from an "Islamabad MoU" before encountering "maximalism, shifting goalposts and a blockade" from the US side. "Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity," Araghchi added. | In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war. | But when just inches away from "Isl…
(2026-04-13). US, Iran Talks: Islamabad is Stage, Failure is Script. ummid.com What unfolds in Islamabad is not diplomacy by design, but necessity by failure – an American search for an exit from a war it could not win, and an Iranian willingness to talk only on terms that secure its position, not pause its vulnerability.
(2026-04-13). Oil tankers steer clear of Hormuz ahead of US blockade. tribune.com.pk 
Oil tankers are steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a US blockade later on Monday following failed peace talks between the US and Iran over the weekend, shipping data showed. | US President Donald Trump said on Sunday the US Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardising a fragile two-week ceasefire. | US Central Command said US forces would begin implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian po…
(2026-04-13). U.S., Iran fail to reach a deal after talks in Pakistan. ecns.cn The United States and Iran have failed to reach any agreement after 21 hours of talks that concluded on Sunday in Pakistan, putting a fragile two-week ceasefire at grave risk as the six-week-old conflict, which has killed thousands and sent global oil prices soaring, hangs in the balance.
(2026-04-13). Pakistan making efforts to revive failed US-Iran peace talks. newarab.com 
A source from the
(2026-04-13). US moves to block Iranian ports as Tehran threatens retaliatory strikes on Gulf hubs. scmp.com The United States on Monday moved to implement a blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical shipping corridors, after US-Iran peace talks failed over the weekend, but questions persist over how fully the measures can be enforced and what they will mean in practice. | Despite concerns of escalation, Pakistan, which has acted as mediator in the peace negotiations, continued efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict, including a phone call with China's Foreign…
(2026-04-13). Global Oil Prices Jump After US-Iran Negotiations Fail in Less Than 24 Hours. truthout.org Ship traffic has been halted again in the Strait of Hormuz after President Trump ordered the U.S. military to begin a naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas starting Monday at 10 a.m. ET. Iran denounced Trump's move as an illegal act amounting to "piracy" and has threatened to strike Gulf ports in retaliation. Trump ordered the blockade after the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal… |
(2026-04-13). Iran executed at least 1,639 in 2025, more hangings feared: NGOs. newarab.com 
Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025 and now risks hanging more in the wake of the war against the US and Israel, two NGOs said Monday, urging the West to put capital punishment "at the heart" of any negotiations with Tehran. | The number of executions represented an increase of 68 percent on the 975 people Iran put to death in 2024, and also included 48 women, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) said in their joint annual report. | If the Islamic republic "survives the current crisis, there is a serious risk that executions will be…
(2026-04-13). Hezbollah leader asks Lebanon to cancel meeting with Israel in Washington. scmp.com Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Monday urged Lebanon to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington the following day, reiterating his group's rejection of direct negotiations with its foe. | "We reject negotiations with the usurping Israeli entity … We call for a historic and heroic stance by cancelling this negotiating meeting," Qassem, whose Iran-backed group has been at war with Israel since March 2, said in a televised address.
(2026-04-13). Iran mocks Trump's 'reverse blockade' plan: so absurd there's no meme for it. thecanary.co 
Iran are mocking Donald Trump's claim he is planning to impose a blockade on ships leaving or entering the Strait of Hormuz if Iran doesn't give up its own control of who can pass along its coastline. Trump made the threat after his 'three stooges' team of amateur negotiators failed to bluster Iran's diplomats into […] | By
(2026-04-13). Why Vance couldn't stop the Trump train wreck an Iranian perspective. asiapacificreport.nz 
IRNA News Agency When news reports first indicated that US Vice-President JD Vance was going to lead the Americans in the negotiations with Iran, the country the US and Israel are waging a foolish war against, there was a sense that someone even as young him may have recognised the train wreck that Donald Trump…
(2026-04-13). Dozens arrested in New York as protesters demand US blocks sale of bombs to Israel. scmp.com Nearly 100 protesters were arrested during a demonstration on Monday calling on Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to block the sale of thousands of US bombs to Israel. | Led by the anti-war group Jewish Voice for Peace, the crowd of hundreds initially attempted to stage a sit-in inside the Manhattan offices of the two Democratic lawmakers they accused of abetting Israel's intensifying attacks in Lebanon and the US-Israel war on Iran.
(2026-04-13). New Zealand protests against war on Iran, Lebanon and Gaza. wsws.org Thousands of people joined protests to denounce New Zealand's alliance with the US and government silence on US and Israeli war crimes. The organisers, however, promoted illusions in Labour and the Greens.
(2026-04-13). Failure to Stop Israel's Genocide in Gaza Has Allowed It to Expand Into Lebanon. truthout.org While the world's attention is focused on the U.S.-Israeli aggression in Iran and Donald Trump's genocidal proclamations, Israel is perpetrating genocide in Lebanon. Trump threatened genocide in Iran on April 7, stating, "A whole civilization will die tonight." The next day, he agreed to a two-week ceasefire. In response, Israel almost immediately intensified its assault on Lebanon… |
(2026-04-13). YouTube bans Iran Lego channel that linked Trump to Epstein. thecanary.co 
Iran has proven to be incredibly resilient in their ability to defend themselves against the US and Israel's war. Their resistance hasn't been limited to the battlefield either. Surprising many, Iran has deployed wartime propaganda that's even proving popular with their supposed enemies. This is no mean feat. And out of all the propaganda they've […] | By
(2026-04-13). Chorus Grows for US President Trump's Impeachment. ummid.com The reticence expressed by Democrats about removing President Donald Trump from office — even after he ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and attacked Iran without seeking congressional approval, quickly fell away after his latest threat to Iran.
(2026-04-13). US deploys warships to Strait of Hormuz, announces Iran blockade. wsws.org U.S. Central Command announced Sunday that American warships will begin blockading all maritime traffic entering or exiting Iranian ports on Monday at 10: 00 a.m. Eastern Time.
(2026-04-13). US Announces Blockade on Iran (and China): How Why This Risks Global Escalation. thealtworld.com The US has announced a blockade of all maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz originating from Iran or having agreed with Iran for passage; | This is the full implementation of Washington's initial objective for waging war with Iran, an oil blockade of not only China but also much of the multipolar world; | The US' primary geopolitical objective is global hegemony and the only way it can achieve this objective is by dragging the rest of the rising multipolar world down relative to US power and wealth; | The primary means to do this is by targeting the life blood of modern civilization which is energy;…
(2026-04-13). U.S. signals add to instability in Hormuz shipping: report. ecns.cn The photo released on July 21, 2019 shows the British oil tanker"Stena Impero"surrounded by speedboats of Irans Islamic Revolution Guard Corpsin the Strait of Hormuz, Iran..A total of 172 crude oil tankers are currently en route to the region.
(2026-04-13). Almost all Russian staff pulled from Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant. newarab.com 
Russia has withdrawn almost all its staff from Iran's sole nuclear power plant, built and operated with help from Moscow, the head of Russia's atomic energy agency said Monday. | "We began the final rotation at the Bushehr station," Alexei Likhachev said, adding that 108 people were evacuated while just 20 – top managers and those responsible for equipment safety – remained at the station. | Russia began evacuating its staff from the plant due to the threat of airstrikes amid the Moscow has warned that attacks near the plant ri…
(2026-04-13). Romania approves US military surge for war against Iran amid deepening domestic crisis. wsws.org Romania is playing an increasingly central role in the war offensives of US imperialism in the Middle East and of NATO against Russia in Ukraine.
(2026-04-13). EconoScope | U.S.-Israeli war on Iran costs $2 billion per day, driving up global costs. ecns.cn The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is hitting ordinary Americans in their wallets, with rising gasoline prices, more expensive food, higher mortgage rates, and a surge in fertilizer costs.
(2026-04-13). Geopolitical tensions may bolster Hong Kong office demand as Gulf capital looks east. scmp.com Hong Kong's reputation as a safe haven could be reinforced by the geopolitical shock waves from the US-Israel conflict with Iran, potentially supporting demand for premium office space in its core business districts, according to analysts. | While the city was not insulated from global uncertainty, it could benefit over the medium term as Gulf investors reassessed geographic diversification and sought stable financial hubs, said Jack Tong, director of research and consultancy at Savills Hong…
(2026-04-13). THE WAR THEY STARTED—AND LOST: HOW THE U.S. AND ISRAEL TRIGGERED A CRISIS THEY CAN'T CONTROL. scheerpost.com Based on reporting and analysis from Consortium News — "The World This Week: Will the War End?" (April 11, 2026) On April 11, independent outlet Consortium News aired a stark assessment of the war on Iran—one that cuts through official narratives and exposes a far more dangerous reality. Hosted by Joe Lauria and featuring Pulitzer …
(2026-04-13). US-Iran Wobbly Ceasefire Wobbles Down. ummid.com With no side caring for the other side's core demands the proposed two-week ceasefire in the Israel—US war against Iran, which started just a day before, appears to be on the verge of collapse.
(2026-04-13). SEP/IYSSE public meeting in Sri Lanka:‚ÄÜStop the US—Israel War Against Iran! wsws.org The meeting in Hatton on April 26 will discuss the real aims of US imperialism, the complicity of Sri Lanka's ruling elite in the widening war, and the socialist strategy that must be adopted to fight against war.
(2026-04-13). Reports Say the US and Israel May Restart Bombing Campaign in Iran. news.antiwar.com The US and Israel may restart the bombing campaign against Iran just days into a two-week ceasefire, according to US and Israeli media reports. The Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump is considering launching "limited" strikes against Iran as part of a pressure campaign that includes a blockade on Iranian ports, though any "limited" …
(2026-04-13). Ervand Abrahamian: Iran Under Fire. newleftreview.org One of modern Iran's leading historians provides a critical anatomy of the power structures of the Islamic Republic, on the eve of war—and a scathing denunciation of the long-incubated American-Israeli assault on the country, calculated to bring about Syria-style disintegration and civil war.
(2026-04-13). Israelis oppose Iran truce, divided over whether to respect it. newarab.com 
Nearly two-thirds of Israelis oppose the Iran ceasefire but the public is divided over whether Israel should respect the two-week truce or resume attacks on Iran, according to a poll from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. | The poll was the first national survey of Israelis conducted after the U.S. and Iran agreed last week to a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, the survey's authors said. The ceasefire has halted U.S. and Isr…
(2026-04-13). The War in Iran as International Terrorism. fpif.org A couple of wars ago, when I gave readings from my book Now, welcome to Operation Epic Fu…
(2026-04-13). Trump Says Jesus Photo Shows Him as Red Cross Doctor — a Group Bombed in His War. truthout.org After Donald Trump faced a deluge of criticism for posting an AI-generated photo that appeared to depict him as Jesus Christ, the U.S. president backtracked on Monday, dubiously claimed that the photo actually showed him as a doctor with the Red Cross — a humanitarian group that has been relentlessly attacked amid Trump's war on Iran. On Sunday night, Trump posted a tirade against Pope Leo… |
(2026-04-13). As US Kills 5 in Boat Strike, Trump Threatens Iran With Same Killing "System" truthout.org The U.S. military announced that it had carried out another attack on vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, bringing the total death toll of its boat strike campaign to 168 people as President Donald Trump threatens the same "system" of attacks against Iran, despite the ceasefire. U.S. Southern Command, also known as SOUTHCOM, posted a video of the strike on social media. |
(2026-04-13). Pope Leo Continues to Criticize War After Trump Attacks Him in Social Media Rant. truthout.org Pope Leo XIV on Monday said he would not back off his criticism of President Donald Trump's war of choice in Iran after the president targeted him with an unhinged late-night social media rant. In a Sunday Truth Social post, Trump accused Pope Leo of being "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," even though dealing with crime and running U.S. foreign policy are not part of the pope'… |
(2026-04-13). Trump's Extreme Use of Military Is Stirring a Crisis of Conscience Among Troops. truthout.org As President Donald Trump increasingly uses the U.S. military to carry out his agenda through brute force, organizations that provide counseling services for U.S. servicemembers are reporting growing numbers of calls. These calls have further spiked in response to Trump's war on Iran, one of the most unpopular in U.S. history. The United States has carried out the war through intense attacks… |
(2026-04-13). Resource Competition With China Lay Behind Trump's Iran War. portside.org Resource Competition With China Lay Behind Trump's Iran War |
(2026-04-13). Iran, Parthia and Proxy Wars. juancole.com Orono, Maine (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) — Two millennia ago a man who gained a fortune in real estate speculation had a major role to play in the Roman Republic. Marcus Lucinius Crassus, who began his public career as a military commander under Sulla and after Sulla became Roman dictator and property was confiscated Crassus became wealthy. He was appointed a governor of Syria. and became convinced that, like Caesar, he too could gain military glory. He decided on the conquest of Parthia and with the assistance of his son, Publius Crassus, who joined him in Syria with 1000 Gallic cavalry, he cros…
(2026-04-13). Trump Administration Working Hard to Try to Revive CIA Mystique. covertactionmagazine.com On April 6, The New York Times ran an article under the headline "CIA's Deception Plan Helped Divert Iranians from Missing American" by Julian Barnes.[1] The article noted that, when two American pilots ejected from their plane after it was shot down and took refuge in the mountains, the CIA developed a deception plan to …
(2026-04-13). Susan Watkins: Trump Abroad. newleftreview.org In which direction is America heading, amid the strategic cacophony of Trump's second term—counter-revolution in the Caribbean, onslaught on Iran, somersaults on China? Analysis of the political logics at stake as the US ratchets up from covert to overt assassinations; from wars of attrition to wars of overthrow.
(2026-04-13). Chinese FM refutes reports claiming China plans to provide weapons to Iran. ecns.cn China refuted media reports that it is planning to supply weapons to Iran, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
(2026-04-13). US blockade of Iran will be major military endeavor, experts say. tribune.com.pk 
(2026-04-13). Sunday Science: Did Quantum Sensors Help Find a U.S. Pilot Shot Down in Iran? Experts Doubt It. portside.org Sunday Science: Did Quantum Sensors Help Find a U.S. Pilot Shot Down in Iran? Experts Doubt It |
(2026-04-13). Hormuz oil crisis hits China; a family of dentists: 5 weekend reads you missed. scmp.com We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. | 1. 'Cancelling orders' in China: Hormuz oil crisis hits transport and manufacturing | 2. 'A big deal': military drills show Tokyo's growing focus on deterring China | 3. UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation…
(2026-04-13). Naval Blockade Of Iran Now In Full Effect (Updated). twz.com 
(2026-04-13). U.S. forces to begin blockading ships entering or exiting Iranian ports on Monday. ecns.cn U.S. forces will begin implementing a blockade of "all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports" on Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, U.S. Central Command said in a statement Sunday.
(2026-04-13). Iran agrees for ceasefire with US, opening of Hormuz Strait. ummid.com In an important move towards deescalation in the Middle East, Iran and United States Tuesday April 07, 2026 agreed for ceasefire and opening of Hormuz Strait.
(2026-04-13). The New York Times, the Democratic Party and the preparation of Phase 2 of the war against Iran. wsws.org The Times, speaking for the Democratic Party, proceeds from a premise it considers too self-evident to require argument: that the failure to achieve the war's objectives would constitute a strategic catastrophe of the first order.
(2026-04-13). Advertencia de Teherán: Ningún puerto en los golfos estará seguro si se amenaza el territorio iraní. cubadebate.cu El portavoz del Cuartel General Central de Khatam al-Anbiya, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, declaró que ningún puerto en el golfo Pérsico y el mar de Omán estará a salvo si los de su país se ven amenazados. "El ejercicio de la soberanía de la República Islámica de Irán en nuestras aguas territoriales es un derecho natural del pueblo iraní", agregó.
(2026-04-13). Estados Unidos comenzó bloqueo marítimo contra Irán. cubadebate.cu Fuerzas estadounidenses comenzaron este lunes el bloqueo marítimo de Irán. El Mando Central de EE.UU. (CENTCOM) y Donald Trump anunciaron previamente que el bloqueo a todo el tráfico por mar que entre y salga de los puertos iraníes comenzaría a las 10: 00 a.m. hora del Este de EE.UU. (14: 00 GMT).
(2026-04-13). Headlines for April 13, 2026. democracynow.org President Trump Announces Naval Blockade of Strait of Hormuz, Israeli Strike Kills Infant Girl During Her Father's Funeral in Lebanon, At Least Seven Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes in Gaza, Police Arrest Over 500 Palestine Action Activists in London, President Trump Slams Pope Leo as Too Liberal and "Weak on Crime", Trump Admin Fires Immigration Judges Who Dismissed Cases Against Ràºmeysa àñztàºrk and Mohsen Mahdawi, Hungarian Far-Right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Concedes Defeat in Parliamentary Election, Amnesty International: Nigerian Airstrikes Kill Over 100 Civilian…
(2026-04-13). What I would do if I was Mojtaba Khamenei a Kenyan perspective. asiapacificreport.nz COMMENTARY: By Bonface Chisutia On the night of February 28, the Israel-US airstrike killed his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his wife, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law. According to a recent report from Reuters, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei suffered life threatening injuries and apparently lost his leg and has a disfigured face. The report said…