Half of Iranian assets in Qatar to be released, Pezeshkian says Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that after the agreement with the United States lifted oil and petrochemical sanctions, $6bn out of $12bn of assets frozen in Qatar would be released and returned to Iran , Iranian state media reported. Iran’s efforts will continue to recover the remaining frozen funds, Pezeshkian added.
Oil prices rise as US-Iran tensions disrupt shipping Oil prices rose after several days of tit-for-tat strikes between the United States and Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and renewed concerns about global energy supplies. Brent crude futures gained 58 cents, or 0. 8 percent, to $72.
‘Financial death penalty’: How US sanctions are upending the lives of ICC judges Three International Criminal Court (ICC) judges have had their bank accounts frozen, lost their health insurance and were cut off from basic financial services as a result of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, a complaint filed in a New York federal court reveals. US sanctions, imposed under Executive Order 14203 signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025, led to consequences that stretch far beyond the professional lives of the three judges. The measures have affected their freedom of movement, their physical security, their families and their ability to carry out basic daily transactions.
US Navy: Oman route through Hormuz expanding to facilitate traffic A maritime body overseen by the US Navy said a route through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman was being expanded to ease traffic and allow vessels to pass through the waterway. The announcement by the Joint Maritime Information Center came after Iran insisted ships must obey its orders and warned that it would begin charging transit fees through the strait.
Iranian official says cargo clearance from UAE port resumes An Iranian trade official told state media on Saturday that Tehran had resumed cargo clearance after US attacks on Iran following a drone attack on a cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The official said containers that could not be processed due to “wartime conditions” were now being cleared from the Port of Jebel Ali, a major transit hub for Iranian goods in the United Arab Emirates, adding that trade was expected to gradually return to pre-war levels.
‘Financial death penalty’: How US sanctions are upending the lives of ICC judges Submitted by Sondos Asem on Fri, 06/26/2026 - 14:56 A complaint filed in New York reveals new details of how three judges have been unable to access their bank accounts and health insurance after being sanctioned by Trump ICC judges mark opening of the judicial year on 27 January 2026 (ICC-Flikr) Off Three International Criminal Court (ICC) judges have had their bank accounts frozen, lost their health insurance and were cut off from basic financial services as a result of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, a complaint filed in a New York federal court reveals. US sanctions, imposed under Executive Order 14203 signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025, led to consequences that stretch far beyond the professional lives of the three judges. The measures have affected their freedom of movement, their physical security, their families and their ability to carry out basic daily transactions.
Sanctioned ICC judges sue Trump in US over 'attack on judicial independence' A federal court in New York has summoned US President Donald Trump to respond to a lawsuit brought by three sitting judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), who accuse his administration of punishing them with sweeping sanctions for their work on investigations involving Israel and the United States . The summons, issued on Thursday by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, requires the government to respond within 60 days to a complaint filed a day earlier by judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin. The case names Trump as the lead defendant, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Ships crossing Hormuz use Oman passage despite Iran warnings Traffic levels in the Strait of Hormuz fell back from Wednesday's high, but vessels continued to use a non-Iranian-approved passage, despite a ship being struck by a projectile, tracking platforms showed Friday. At least 42 commodity vessels - including tankers carrying oil, gas, and dry bulk such as fertilisers - crossed on Thursday, Kpler's tracking platform showed, down from a high of 57 on Wednesday. Ten of those vessels entered the Gulf, while 32 exited.
Sanctioned ICC judges sue Trump in US over 'attack on judicial independence' Submitted by Sondos Asem on Fri, 06/26/2026 - 13:06 Three serving members of The Hague-based court say asset freezes and travel bans tied to investigations in Palestine and Afghanistan are punishment for doing their jobs Canadian ICC judge Kimberly Prost is among three judges bringing the case against the Trump administration (ICC official photo) Off A federal court in New York has summoned US President Donald Trump to respond to a lawsuit brought by three sitting judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), who accuse his administration of punishing them with sweeping sanctions for their work on investigations involving Israel and the United States . The summons, issued on Thursday by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, requires the government to respond within 60 days to a complaint filed a day earlier by judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin. The case names Trump as the lead defendant, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Iran says passage through Strait of Hormuz must be coordinated with it Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz could not be guaranteed without coordination with Iran, in accordance with the MOU signed with the US. In a post on X, Gharibabadi said that failure to coordinate passage with Iran could result in the "suspension of the designated parallel route". The comments came after Oman, in coordination with the International Maritime Organization, designated temporary routes for passage through the strait.
Video: Trump says released Iranian assets to be spent on US crops US President Donald Trump told farmers on Thursday that unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to purchase American agricultural products, including wheat, soybeans and corn. "We're going to be taking some of their money, and we'll spend it. " US President Donald Trump told farmers on Thursday that unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to purchase American agricultural products, including wheat, soybeans and corn pic.
Eight more South Korean ships exit Hormuz, ministry says Eight additional South Korean vessels have departed the Strait of Hormuz as security concerns persist in the strategic waterway, Reuters, citing South Korea's oceans ministry, reported. The latest departures come after Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned ships against using unauthorised routes through the strait and the UN's International Maritime Organisation suspended its escort programme following a suspected attack on a cargo vessel near Oman. The incident pushed global oil prices about 2 percent higher, renewing concerns over the security of one of the world's busiest energy shipping lanes.
Trump says released Iran funds to be spent on US crops US President Donald Trump said unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to purchase American agricultural products, including wheat, soybeans and corn, under the framework of the recent agreement with Tehran. "We're going to be taking some of their money," Trump said during an event with US farmers. "And we'll spend it, and we're going to be buying wheat, soy beans and corn – a lot of it.
Iran warns ships against using unauthorised Hormuz routes Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) has warned ships against navigating the strategic waterway through routes that are not officially designated or covered by safe-passage guarantees. PGSA said vessels using unauthorised routes would do so at the risk of their owners and investors, warning that responsibility for any consequences would rest with them. The warning came after a cargo ship reported being struck by an unidentified projectile near Oman while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, prompting renewed security concerns.
Oil prices rise after vessel targeted near Strait of Hormuz Oil prices rose about 2 percent on 26 June after a cargo ship was struck by an unidentified projectile near Oman, renewing concerns about the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the pace of recovery in regional oil exports. Brent crude settled up $1. 52, or 2.
US official says frozen Iranian funds have not been released A US official has told The Associated Press that no frozen funds have been released to Iran and that none will be released until Tehran meets the requirements of Trump's interim agreement with Iran. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the record. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC's Squawk Box this week that the Treasury Department would oversee how any unfrozen funds are spent.
IMF says prices have eased since US-Iran agreement but Gulf trade remains disrupted The International Monetary Fund says energy and commodity prices have fallen since the United States and Iran agreed to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but warned that Gulf trade flows will take time to return to normal. IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said the fund would decide in its 8 July World Economic Outlook update whether to maintain the three growth scenarios it issued in April, which were based on possible outcomes of the US-Israeli war on Iran. In May, as the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and oil prices stayed above $100 a barrel, Kozack said the global economy was moving away from the more stable "reference forecast" towards an "adverse scenario" of 2.
Shipping giant says stranded vessels have left Gulf after Hormuz closure Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd says all of its vessels that were stranded in the Gulf after the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz have now left the region. A company spokesperson said the decision followed a security assessment and consultations with the relevant authorities. "All Hapag-Lloyd vessels that were affected by the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz and had been waiting in the Persian Gulf to leave have now safely left the Gulf region," the spokesperson said.
Gulf stock markets fall as oil prices return to pre-war levels Most stock markets in the Gulf closed lower on Thursday, as oil prices fell back towards levels last seen before the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran. The decline came after a preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran paved the way for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices, a key driver for Gulf financial markets, extended losses as expectations of increased Middle East supply outweighed concerns over demand, according to the Reuters news agency.
Ghalibaf rejects US claim that Iran's unfrozen assets will be spent on US goods Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said that US claims that Iran will spend its unfrozen assets to buy US agricultural products were false. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed President Donald Trump on Wednesday and insisted that a large percentage of Iran's unfrozen assets would be used to buy US foods and medicine, even as Iran said it would determine its spending. "America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture.
