(2026-04-16). 'Victor' Iran drops $270 billion bombshell: Trump Arab allies fear massive war reparations demand. hindustantimes.com 270 billion in damage, while officials discuss war reparations during talks in Islamabad. With civilian losses mounting and Trump's blockade facing resistance, tensions are rising fast. Are U.S. Arab allies about to pay the price for the conflict's aftermath? Watch the latest developments.
(2026-04-16). Last chance diplomacy? Pak Army Chief Munir in Tehran with US offer as Iran talks enter final phase. hindustantimes.com
(2026-04-16). South Korea, Asia, Livid about Israeli role in Fuel Crisis. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Most US allies are deeply annoyed by the Netanyahu-Trump war on Iran and the consequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The war has taken around 11 million barrels a day off the market. The world used to produce a little over 100 million barrels a day before the war. While an 11 percent shortfall may not sound like much, the price consequence is much more than a 11% rise at the pump because drivers of gasoline vehicles have no choice but to buy gasoline, and with Saudi Arabia among the producers cut off from the Strait of Hormuz, the main swing producer cannot increase output.
(2026-04-16). European states refuse to join in US blockade of Strait of Hormuz targeting Iran. wsws.org At the same time, European governments refused to clearly denounce or oppose a US blockade that threatens to cut off their access to energy supplies on which their economies depend.
(2026-04-16). Amid Hormuz crisis, US to pull plug on Iran, Russia oil sanctions waiver? Trump aide ends suspense. hindustantimes.com The United States has signaled a firm stance on sanctions and energy policy amid rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran, China, and Russia. Responding to questions on possible sanctions relief, Scott Bessent made it clear that there will be no renewal of general licenses for Iranian or Russian oil exports, tightening pressure on both nations. Officials revealed that China had been purchasing over 90% of Iran's oil exports, accounting for a significant portion of its energy needs. However, due to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a pause in Chinese buying is expected. The U.S. Treasury has also warned Chinese…
(2026-04-16). Ukraine's Zelensky in Berlin: Germany escalates its war offensive against Russia. wsws.org With the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and Donald Trump's open threats of annihilation against Iran, all pretences are now being dropped in the war in Ukraine as well. Merz and Zelensky visited arms factories together and agreed on measures to return fit-for-service Ukrainian men in Germany to the front line.
(2026-04-16). The Trump/Newsom nuke war against renewables gets a Diablo push. nationofchange.org Together Trump and Newsom are pushing nuclear power plants whose drastic deregulation may now rival the dangers posed by any bombs Iran could produce.
(2026-04-16). As U.S. nears Iran deal, Israel pushes on toward a familiar dead end in Lebanon. haaretz.com Although Trump's messaging remains contradictory, Washington is trying to create the impression that the war in Iran is nearing its end ‚ñ The IDF signals intentions to advance north in Lebanon, but it is operating slowly and under U.S. restrictions ‚ñ And the assault on Bint Jbeil serves as a reminder that the town that became a symbol is an illusion that always ends badly…
(2026-04-16). FIFA president Infantino says Iran will participate in World Cup 'for sure' despite war. newarab.com 
Speaking at CNBC's Invest in America Forum, Infantino said it is important that Iran participates in the "The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes," Infantino said. "We hope that by the…
(2026-04-16). War powers resolution blocked in the Senate as 10,000 more US troops head to the Middle East. wsws.org The Senate voted 52-47 on Wednesday to reject a motion to move a Democratic Party-sponsored joint resolution to the floor that would mandate the removal of US troops, "from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress."
(2026-04-16). US Senate backs Trump's Iran war, shuts down Democratic push to stop conflict. geo.tv 
Members of US House of Representatives gather for fourth round of voting for new House Speaker on second day of 118th Congress at US Capitol in Washington, US, January 4, 2023. — ReutersSenate Republicans have blocked war powers measures four times.Almost all Republicans remain firmly…
(2026-04-16). Health of jailed Iran Nobel winner 'critical': supporters. newarab.com 
The health of jailed Her Iran-based family and legal team were on Saturday allowed a second in person visit with
(2026-04-16). YouTube suspends pro-Iran channel posting Lego-style clips. newarab.com 
YouTube has terminated a channel belonging to a pro-Iran group producing viral Lego-themed AI videos that ridicule Explosive Media, a group of pro-Tehran creators that describes itself as independent but is widely suspected of ties to the Iranian government, has gained internet notoriety during the
(2026-04-16). Iran's New Hormuz Weapon Will Outlast the War. juancole.com
(2026-04-16). Scared Trump tries to hide desperate pleas to Iran? 'Extend ceasefire' offer to mediator Pak's visit. hindustantimes.com
(2026-04-15). As US blockade 'fails' on day 1, Trump gets desperate for Iran to reply to his new…. hindustantimes.com After enforcing a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump has signalled a possible diplomatic pivot, hinting at a second round of talks with Iran. The shift comes as questions emerge over the blockade's effectiveness. While United States Central Command claims tight enforcement with ships turned back, reports suggest vessels may have bypassed restrictions, raising doubts about Washington's leverage.
(2026-04-15). US cites optimism over a deal even as Iran threatens to shut down Red Sea shipping. scmp.com The White House on Wednesday dismissed as untrue reports that the US had sought to extend a ceasefire with Iran, while confirming that discussions over a second round of in-person negotiations were under way after marathon talks in Islamabad last week ended without a breakthrough. | White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that discussions were under way about a further round of talks with Tehran but "nothing is official", adding that the negotiations would "very likely" be held…
(2026-04-15). Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume. scmp.com As Islamabad prepares to host a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, Pakistani mediators are seeking ways to extricate the Gulf monarchies from the conflict, according to a well-placed diplomatic source. | While the success of those efforts depends largely on the outcome of talks that US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday could resume by the end of the week, Pakistan's mediation has produced a second confidence-building phone call in a week between the Iranian and…
(2026-04-15). US says optimistic about reaching peace deal with Iran. newarab.com 
The United States said on Wednesday it was discussing a possible second round of peace talks with Iran in Pakistan and was optimistic about reaching a deal, as Tehran threatened to A Pakistani delegation arrived in Tehran earlier Wednesday bearing a new message from Washington after White House Press…
(2026-04-15). Senior U.S. official to Haaretz: Trump would welcome end of hostilities, peace between Israel and Lebanon. haaretz.com
(2026-04-15). Mossad says Israel will keep trying to topple Iran's government. scmp.com Israel's spy chief has pledged more covert efforts to try to topple Iran's government, a tacit acknowledgment the countries' conflict would continue even as the US pursued a new round of peace negotiations with the Islamic Republic. | David Barnea, the head of the Mossad, said Israel had not expected that its bombardment of Iranian military, nuclear and infrastructure sites, waged in concert with the United States, would be enough to end Iran's 47-year-old clerical-led rule.
(2026-04-15). Given history of ceasefires, it's no surprise US-Iran truce is fraying. scmp.com The fraying of the ceasefire in the US-Israel war against Iran reflects grim patterns of history. Truces are often doomed because they focus on stopping battle-related violence and rarely begin to address the underlying struggles that ignited hostilities. A pause without a shared common endgame often resets the battlefield as reasons harden for prolonging warfare. Viable political solutions seldom follow and take hold for peace to endure. | Over the past decade, we've seen the perils. The Minsk…
(2026-04-15). Haiti: Solidarity in a World at War. wibailoutpeople.org 
Haiti: Solidarity in a World at War, Counterpunch April 10, 2026 By Robert Roth, Haiti Action Committee As the world reels from the devastating U.S.-Israel war on Iran and Lebanon, and as the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide continues in Gaza and the West Bank, the Trump Administration's plan to assert its dominance over the Americas is …
(2026-04-15). Analysts doubt Iran war will prompt China stimulus, tip 'solid' first-quarter GDP growth. scmp.com The US-Israeli war on Iran and the current Iranian and American blockades of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are likely to overshadow China's first-quarter economic performance, analysts said, with questions looming large about how the world's second-largest economy will handle their impact. | Many observers said they expect the leadership in Beijing will adopt a wait-and-see approach, with little likelihood of an immediate stimulus to guarantee the country's annual economic target is…
(2026-04-15). Second ship breaks US' Hormuz siege: Trump's blockade unsuccessful Vs Iran & its allies? | China. hindustantimes.com A U.S.-sanctioned Chinese tanker, Rich Starry, sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 14 despite the American blockade, marking a potentially significant test of enforcement in one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes. Reuters-cited tracking data said the medium-range tanker, owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, was carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded at the UAE's Hamriyah port, while reports also identified the vessel as Malawi-flagged and crewed by Chinese nationals.
(2026-04-15). Trump claims he is 'permanently opening' Strait of Hormuz; says China's Xi Jinping agrees not to supply weapons to Iran. ptcnews.tv Middle East tensions: US President Donald Trump has said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured him that Beijing will not supply weapons to Iran, even as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz contin | Trump claims he is 'permanently opening' Strait of Hormuz; says China's Xi Jinping agrees not to supply weapons to Iran…
(2026-04-15). China cements Russia ties as both win from US war. scmp.com Russia can help China and other nations weather energy supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. | "Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen", Lavrov told reporters in response to a question about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that Chinese-Russian ties are "unshakeable in the face of any storms".
(2026-04-15). UN nuclear chief urges strict Iran checks in any deal to end war. newarab.com 
The head of the
(2026-04-15). Israeli security cabinet to discuss possible Lebanon ceasefire: senior official. scmp.com Israel's security cabinet ‚Å will convene on Wednesday to discuss a possible Lebanon ceasefire, a senior Israeli official has said, more than five weeks into a war with Hezbollah that spiralled out of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet would meet ‚Äåat 8pm local time, the official said.
(2026-04-15). US officials claim China is 'hoarding' oil. What does the data say? scmp.com Though high-level officials in Washington have accused China of undermining global energy security by "hoarding" oil during the US-Israeli war on Iran, import and inventory data suggest Beijing is facing its own supply pressures as the conflict drags on. | US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday labelled China an "unreliable global partner," alleging that Beijing has prioritised stockpiling crude over easing global shortages triggered by the war, according to a Reuters report.
(2026-04-15). Mojtaba stuns Trump, revives underground missile cities which US-Israel claimed to have destroyed. hindustantimes.com New satellite imagery during the ceasefire shows Iran clearing debris from underground "missile cities," as US intel now concedes roughly half of Tehran's launchers remain intact despite months of US‚ÄëIsraeli strikes. Experts say these tunnels are designed to "eat the first attack, dig out, and launch again," undermining Trump's victory claims.
(2026-04-15). Iran has last laugh as Trump's army fails to block Hormuz on day 1 of siege | Israel, IRGC, USA. hindustantimes.com On day one of Trump's much‚Äëtouted naval blockade, Iran‚Äëlinked and Chinese ships reportedly sail through Hormuz, prompting Quds Force chief Esmaeil Qaani to sneer that the US and Israel will "pull out…without any achievement." As Tehran warns all enemy vessels and ports are now fair game, Washington's strategy looks badly exposed.
(2026-04-15). How many people have the US and Israel killed in Iran? nationofchange.org Why the real numbers of people killed are almost certainly much higher and why this matters with the conflicting estimates of the death toll in occupied Iraq 20 years ago.
(2026-04-15). Dearborn, Michigan says 'NO' to war. peoplesworld.org 
DEARBORN, Mich.—The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the recent brutal attacks in Lebanon have been raging on as the everyday cost-of-living crisis continues to also ramp up here at home. As the Trump regime continues to send money and weapons to Israel at the behest of the war economy, the working class in Dearborn and …
(2026-04-15). Netanyahu to convene cabinet amid report of imminent Hezbollah cease-fire in Lebanon. haaretz.com The Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen reported a week-long Lebanon cease-fire may begin overnight Wednesday, citing a senior Iranian official. The Israeli army said it has not been asked to change its deployment and is awaiting the cabinet's decision…
(2026-04-15). Drone strike hits Iranian Kurds, one killed: exiled group. newarab.com 
(2026-04-15). China dismisses claims of aiding Iran with satellite intelligence on US bases. geo.tv 
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on February 28, 2026, and verified by AFPTV teams in Paris, shows the moment of an Iranian strike on a US base in Bahrain. — AFPFT report says Iran acquired Chinese spy satellite in 2024.Leaked documents suggest IRGC uses…
(2026-04-15). Trump doubles down in criticising Pope Leo over Iran. geo.tv 
This collage shows Pope Leo and US President Donald Trump. — ReutersUS President Donald Trump, whose war and immigration policies have been condemned by Pope Leo, reiterated his criticism of the religious leader on Tuesday night.In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged that…
(2026-04-15). In Indonesia, leaked plan for US military overflights triggers sovereignty row. scmp.com A leaked plan to grant the US military sweeping overflight access to Indonesia's airspace has triggered a domestic backlash over concerns that Jakarta is "colluding with the aggressor" amid Washington's war on Iran. | Analysts say the defence document, first reported by New Delhi-based newspaper the Sunday Guardian, raises concerns that President Prabowo Subianto may be trading away Indonesia's strategic independence.
(2026-04-15). Lebanon ceasefire 'imminent' as Pakistan army chief visits Iran. newarab.com 
(2026-04-15). Iranian convict returns home after French detainees Freed. newarab.com 
(2026-04-15). Despite Temporary "Ceasefire" Aggression Continues Against Iran, Lebanon and Palestine. wibailoutpeople.org 
(2026-04-15). Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases across Middle East, reports FT. geo.tv 
Military vehicles of US soldiers are seen at the al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq, January 13, 2020. — Reuters Iran military directed satellite to monitor US military sites: FT.Images taken before and after strikes on those locations: report.'IRGC received access to…
(2026-04-15). Contested Body Counts, Visibility and the (Necro)Politics of America's War in Iran. fairobserver.com Over the Easter weekend, news of a missing American aircrew member dominated headlines after a US fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Good Friday. Just hours earlier, Novara Media reported that the US was "hiding the true extent" of its military casualties in the Iran war, presenting this as a problem of transparency….
(2026-04-15). Trump posts image of Jesus hugging him amid escalating feud with pope. scmp.com US President Donald Trump posted an image of Jesus embracing him on Wednesday, as a war of words between his administration and the pope showed little sign of abating. | The image, reposted to Trump's Truth Social account, shows Trump with his eyes closed, touching temple-to-temple with a similarly posed Jesus. Trump is standing behind a microphone, and behind him is an American flag. The original post ‚Äåhad a caption that included the words: "God might be playing his Trump card!"
(2026-04-15). Trump Downplays Chinese Concerns Over Iran War's Impact On Its Oil Supplies (Updated). twz.com 
The friction between the U.S. and China over disruption in energy shipments the war with Iran has caused remains a major issue.
(2026-04-15). The Iraq and the Iran Wars: Parallel Strategic Pathologies. juancole.com Divide, Colorado (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) — Disregard for negative outcomes. | Dismissing the adversary's interests and motives. | Distraction from objectives. | Displays of concern for the president's political future. | The dysfunction of the renewed war in Iran reminds me of what I saw as a strategist in Baghdad in 2004: the same toxic optimism, the same lack of focus, the same partisanship, and the same treatment of others as nonplayer characters that undermined any chance of success in that war. | In fall 2004, I volunteered to leave my teaching duties at the Air Force Academy to work on p…
(2026-04-15). UK PM Starmer says 'not going to yield' to Trump's Mideast war threats. scmp.com British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday said he would not "yield" to pressure to join the Iran war after US President Donald Trump threatened to scrap a UK trade deal. | "We're not going to get dragged into this war. It is not our war," Starmer told parliament. | "I'm not going to change my mind. I'm not going to yield. It is not in our national interest to join this war," the Labour leader added.
(2026-04-16). Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz force us to reconsider the material benefits of fossil fuels. wattsupwiththat.com Energy "REALITY" tells us that we need refineries to convert crude oil into usable transportation fuels and products.
(2026-04-16). France, UK to cohost talks on Hormuz. ecns.cn French President Emmanuel Macron and the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer will cohost a video-conference with international leaders on Friday, aiming to chart a plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
(2026-04-15). South Korea secures 273m crude barrels via routes outside Hormuz. newarab.com 
South Korea has secured 273 million barrels of crude oil from the Middle East and Kazakhstan through the end of the year, with supplies routed outside the Asia's fourth-largest economy has also secured 2.1 million metric tons of naphtha over the same period, Kang said at a press briefing following his visit as a special presidential envoy to Kazakhstan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar over the past week. | "In particular, the crude oil and naphtha secured this time will be sourced…
(2026-04-16). Trump says Israel and Lebanon to hold talks Thursday. scmp.com US President Donald Trump has said that leaders of Israel and Lebanon will speak on Thursday, as Washington pushes to ease hostilities after the rivals' first direct talks in decades. | Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war on March 2 after pro-Tehran group Hezbollah attacked Israel.