(2026-05-19). Trump puts off 'planned Iran strikes' at Gulf request. tribune.com.pk 
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he halted a planned military strike on Iran after urgent appeals from Gulf Arab leaders, while warning that Washington remains prepared for a "large-scale assault" if diplomatic efforts fail. | In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said he had been contacted by senior regional leaders seeking time for negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear agreement with Tehran. He said the leaders were optimistic about a deal. | Trump said that he was asked by Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and United Arab Emirates…
(2026-05-19). Iran talks making 'good progress': US VP Vance. al-monitor.com US Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that Iran talks are making good progress but Washington was "locked and loaded" to restart military operations if there is no deal.Vance's comments came hours after President Donald Trump said he had come within an hour of ordering fresh strikes and gave Tehran "two or three days" to reach an agreement."A lot of good progress is being made, but we're just going to keep on working at it, and eventually we'll either hit a deal or we won't," Vance told a briefing at the White House.
(2026-05-19). From Asia to the Middle East, US Bombs Are a Failed Foreign Policy Choice. truthout.org The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran opened not with a declaration, not with diplomacy exhausted, but with airstrikes. Among the first confirmed casualties were more than a hundred schoolchildren killed in a strike on their elementary school in southern Iran. Within a month, 850 U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles were used to strike Iran. President Donald Trump has delivered on his promise to bomb Iran… |
(2026-05-19). US imposes fresh sanctions on Iranian exchange house, 19 ships from shadow fleet. scmp.com The Donald Trump administration on Tuesday imposed sanctions on an Iranian foreign currency exchange house and what it said were front companies overseeing transactions on behalf of Iranian banks as the US maintains pressure on Tehran. | The move came after Iran ‚Äåsaid its latest peace proposal to the United States over the US-Israeli led war that started February 28 involved ending hostilities on all fronts including Lebanon, the exit of US forces from areas close to Iran, and reparations for…
(2026-05-19). Iran says peace proposal includes reparations for war damage, US troop withdrawal. tribune.com.pk 
Tehran's latest peace proposal to the United States involves ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, the exit of US forces from areas close to Iran, and reparations for destruction caused by the US-Israeli war, the state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday. | Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi's report emphasised Iran's "right to enrich and enjoy peaceful nuclear rights", the state-run news agency said. | The report discussed "ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, lifting the US naval blockade, releasing Iran's property and assets,…
(2026-05-19). US on its knees? After China snub & Barakah attack, Pentagon too scared to face Mojtaba's wrath. hindustantimes.com As Trump returns from an underwhelming China trip, Iran declares "final victory" and a top aide warns Washington is stumbling into an Israeli‚Äëset trap. With drones hitting near the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant, Mojtaba's camp mocks a "calculation crisis" in the White House while Trump posts AI battle maps and "clock is ticking" threats as CENTCOM tightens its Hormuz blockade.
(2026-05-19). Alexander Zevin: Trump's Gulf War. newleftreview.org Asymmetries of the US-Israeli assault on Iran, as an uneasy balance holds between Tehran's tourniquet on the Strait of Hormuz—and the world economy—and the enormous firepower of the aggressors, at the end of the first round.
(2026-05-19). Trump threatens renewed attack on Iran as emergency G7 finance summit opens in Paris. wsws.org The bloody US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran and the resulting blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz threaten workers around the world with economic and financial collapse.
(2026-05-19). Tehran moves to tighten Hormuz chokehold. tribune.com.pk 
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Monday that fibre-optic internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz could be brought under a permit system, as Tehran announced the formation of a new body to manage the key waterway. | The strait, through which about 20% of global oil supplies pass, is currently a flashpoint amid tensions between Iran and the United States linked to the wider regional conflict. A tenuous ceasefire announced on April 8 still holds, but the broader peace process remains stalled. | "Following the imposition of control over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, citing its absolute soverei…
(2026-05-19). Iran submits revised 14-point ceasefire proposal to U.S. via Pakistan. mronline.org 
Iran has revised and resubmitted a 14-point ceasefire proposal to the U.S. via Pakistan, focusing on ending the war and confidence-building measures.
(2026-05-19). How Was Trump's Beijing Visit Received in China? uwidata.com By Oràßun Gà∂ktàºrk, from Beijing, China The world's attention was focused on U.S. President Trump's visit to Beijing on May 13-15. While some commentators argued that a new phase of ceasefire had begun in US-China competition, others focused on Washington's attempt to seek Beijing's assistance in overcoming its difficulties stemming from the war against Iran …
(2026-05-19). Malacca Strait could be the next hinge point if Asia isn't careful. scmp.com US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, at a time of rising tensions over Iran, sanctions, tariffs and Taiwan, shows how far the Hormuz crisis has travelled beyond the battlefield. | What began as a regional war is now touching energy markets, currency politics and the balance of influence between Washington and Beijing. The US is trying to keep Gulf and Asian partners anchored to the US dollar system, while China continues to push for wider use of the renminbi in trade transactions.
(2026-05-19). As the world retreats from US Treasuries, will the sell-off deepen? scmp.com With new data suggesting a global retreat from US Treasuries in March — the first full month of the US-Israel war on Iran — market worries are on the rise over whether the sell-off could deepen, as interest rate decisions under new Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh, US debt sustainability and prolonged Middle East tensions raise investor concerns. | Analysts are currently weighing mounting inflation pressures — which have driven Treasury yields sharply and placed the 30-year yield at its highest…
(2026-05-19). Cuba warns of 'bloodbath' if US attacks. tribune.com.pk 
Cuba's leader warned Monday of a "bloodbath" in the event of an American attack, while the US Treasury sanctioned Cuba's main intelligence agency and top leaders as tensions spiked between the arch-foes. | President Miguel Diaz-Canel stressed Cuba's right to defend itself a day after US news site Axios reported that Havana had obtained over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and is mulling using them against US targets. | The report, which quoted US intelligence officials, came amid growing speculation that the United States is weighing military action to topple Cuba's communist government. | Axios quote…
(2026-05-19). US extends Russian oil waiver by 30 days. tribune.com.pk 
The US Treasury on Monday extended by 30 days its sanctions waiver for Russian oil cargoes already at sea, as global energy prices continue to surge due to the Iran war. | The latest "temporary 30-day general license" will "provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temporarily access Russian oil currently stranded at sea," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a social media post. | Monday's announcement is the second time US authorities have extended the temporary measure, which is meant to address oil supply shortages sparked by the US-Israel war on Iran. | Iran's retaliatory action has targ…
(2026-05-19). India & Russia Will Jointly Set Up Urea Factory. infobrics.org Amidst the urea crisis caused by the Iran war, India and Russia have accelerated the process of setting up a fertilizer plant in a joint venture. This plant is being set up in Samara, Russia, which will be completed in the next two years…
(2026-05-19). Iran stages mass weddings for couples ready for war sacrifice. geo.tv 
Iranian authorities held mass public weddings in Tehran for couples who signed up to a state-sponsored scheme declaring their readiness to sacrifice their lives in the war against the US and Israel.The ceremonies conducted late on Monday involved hundreds of couples in several major…
(2026-05-19). Israeli TV leak exposes 'secret plan' to seize Iran uranium. newarab.com 
enriched uranium from Iran through a military operation. | The report triggered calls for an emergency session of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee amid accusations that sensitive operational and intelligence information had been recklessly leaked to the media. | The details were reportedly broadcast without approval from Israel's military censor, which later allegedly ordered the material removed from online platforms. | Channel 14 journalist Shimon Riklin claimed on Monday evening that a commando raid could potentially be carried out near the Iranian city of (2026-05-19). World's most Zionist president Milei doesn't speak for Argentina. newarab.com 
When Argentine President Javier Milei Iran, he said, was Argentina's enemy, citing the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 AMIA attack. He also justified that position by pointing to Argentina's "strategic alliance" with Israel and the United St…
(2026-05-19). Israeli troops in Iraq: what do we know? al-monitor.com Iraqi forces swept the country's desert areas after being placed on high alert following reports that Israeli troops had operated inside the country during the Middle East war.Early in the war, which was ignited by joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, foreign troops were detected in the Najaf desert in the country's southwest.Security officials and witnesses told AFP that a shepherd, who was the first to spot the troops, was killed when a helicopter struck his pickup.
(2026-05-19). Explained: Multi-dimensional Implications of US/Israel War on Iran. ummid.com Far from reviving American supremacy, the Iran conflict exposed the limits of coercive power in an age where history is no longer shaped by a single empire, but by competing centres of influence struggling to define a new world order.
(2026-05-19). Headlines for May 19, 2026. democracynow.org Trump Says He Called Off "A Very Major Attack Tomorrow" to Give Iran Negotiations More Time, U.S. Imposes Entry Ban on Travelers from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan as Ebola Deaths Top 130, World Leaders Condemn Israel's Abduction of Activists from Gaza-Bound Aid Flotilla, Teenage Attackers Kill 3 at San Diego Islamic Center in Suspected Hate Crime, Charges Filed Against ICE Officer Who Shot a Venezuelan Immigrant in Minneapolis, Report: 100,000 Children in U.S. Have Had a Parent Detained in Immigration Crackdown, DOJ Announces $1.776B Fund to Compensate Trump Allies, EPA Proposes to Kill Drinking…
(2026-05-19). US again avoids taking responsibility for Iran school attack that killed 155. scmp.com A top commander of US forces in the Middle East avoided taking responsibility on Tuesday for an attack on a school in Iran that left 155 people dead on day one of the war, insisting a "complex" probe continues. | Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), told a congressional oversight panel that "the school itself is located on an active IRGC cruise missile base", making the investigation "more complex than the average strike". IRGC stands for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary…
(2026-05-19). Protesting Attacks on Students, Colleges in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran. juancole.com Volker Tàºrk
| UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
| ohchr-registry@un.org | Khaled El-Enany
| Director-General, UNESCO
| dg.office@unesco.org | Francesca Albanese
| United Nations Special Rapporteur on the oPt
| hrc-sr-opt@un.org . . . | Your Excellencies, High Representative, Special Rapporteurs, and Mr. Secretary: | I write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America to express grave concern about the widening pattern of attacks on higher…
(2026-05-19). Trump says held off on new Iran attack, upbeat for agreement. geo.tv 
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks about health care costs and affordability from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, DC, US, May 18, 2026. — Reuters Trump hopes for securing agreement to end the war.US president says had prepared a new attack for…
(2026-05-19). Tehran sees US 'softening' as Iran rebuilds military leverage. newarab.com 
A cloud of uncertainty continues to hang over relations between Tehran and Washington as the region swings between renewed military confrontation and a fragile political settlement, after A preliminary understanding has emerged in recent negotiations between Tehran and Washington, including an agreement to dedicate 30 days to discussions over unresolved disputes, Iranian analyst Hadi Mohammadi told The New Arab. | The US side has reportedly…
(2026-05-19). Iraq's new prime minister faces 'mission impossible' over Iran. responsiblestatecraft.org Iraqi billionaire Ali al-Zaidi was
(2026-05-19). US ends civil, criminal cases against Adani. tribune.com.pk 
The Trump administration on Monday moved to dismiss criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, while also settling alleged Iran sanctions violations involving one of his companies. | The resolution of outstanding cases against one of the world's richest people came after Adani's attorney, who is also a personal attorney of US President Donald Trump, said last month his client wanted to invest $10 billion in the United States but could not do so while the cases proceeded, according to a source familiar with the matter. | It is the latest example of Trump's Justice Department abandoning a hi…
(2026-05-19). Iran says new US aggression will result in 'stronger response'. tribune.com.pk 
Spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission Ebrahim Rezaei stated on Tuesday that "any new aggression against Iran will be met with a stronger response and will make Trump even more ashamed," according to an X post by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB. | üö® "Any new aggression against Iran will be met with a stronger response and will make Trump even more ashamed." – Ebrahim Rezaei, Spokesperson for the Parliament's National Security Commission | — IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) May 19, 2026 | "The Americans must either surrend…
(2026-05-19). Mexican economy and investment plans founder amid war against Iran. wsws.org On May 12, S&P Global Ratings revised Mexico's credit outlook to negative from stable, citing persistently weak fiscal results, rising debt levels and weak economic growth.
(2026-05-19). Dar reaffirms Pakistan's commitment to stronger Iran ties ahead of envoy's departure. tribune.com.pk 
Pakistan on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to deepening ties with Iran as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Pakistan's Ambassador-designate to Iran, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, ahead of Siddiqui's departure for Tehran. | According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the deputy prime minister recalled the "deep-rooted historical, cultural, and fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Iran" and reaffirmed "Pakistan's commitment to further expanding bilateral cooperation in all spheres, particularly in trade, connectivity, people-to-people exchanges, and regional…
(2026-05-19). Video, satellite photos show Iran war oil spill on Gulf island. newarab.com 
presstv.ir (2026-05-19). Inside Iran's agricultural revolution and 85% self-sufficiency
According to Minister of Agriculture Gholamreza Nouri, 85 percent of food and basic commodities are produced domestically, and Iran possesses relative self-sufficiency in meeting the food needs of its population of over 86 million people.