US imposes fresh sanctions targeting Iranian entities The US imposed new counterterrorism sanctions on Friday targeting Iranian individuals and entities, according to a notice published on the Treasury Department's website.
Israel says it will sever all ties to UN's Guterres after inclusion in sexual violence report Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 05/29/2026 - 17:47 The United Nations documented dozens of cases of rape of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers Israeli soldiers patrol the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on 23 May 2026 (Mussa Qawasma/Reuters) Off Israel has lashed out against United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres for its inclusion as a perpetrator in this year's Conflict-Related Sexual Violence report , which was released to the public on Friday. Israel said it would no longer work with the UN chief. The report adds Israel to a slate of countries whose soldiers and security forces have shown a pattern of using rape against captives or vulnerable groups.
Global agencies warn of summer fuel shortages if Hormuz disruption continues The heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and International Energy Agency have warned that prolonged disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could threaten global fuel supplies and economic stability. In a joint statement, the three institutions said oil stockpiles are being depleted at an unprecedented rate as markets respond to the sharp reduction in supplies moving through the strategic waterway. “Global oil inventories are being drawn down at a record pace in response to the major loss of supply through the Strait of Hormuz,” the heads of the agencies said.
Ethiopian authorities have intensified their crackdown on press freedom in a cynical attempt to silence criticism in the lead-up to the country’s national election on 1 June, Amnesty International said today. In recent months, Ethiopian authorities have launched a campaign of repression against independent media by arbitrarily arresting, forcibly disappearing and unlawfully surveilling journalists. Other […] The post Ethiopia: International community must act to safeguard press freedom ahead of national election appeared first on Amnesty International .
US says it seized $1bn in Iranian cryptocurrency assets US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Washington has seized $1bn worth of Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of its economic campaign against the Islamic Republic. The claim could not be independently verified. Speaking at the Reagan National Economic Forum, Bessent said the asset seizures formed part of the financial pressure strategy pursued by President Donald Trump during its war on Iran.
Washington DC [US], May 30 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and thanked Pakistan for its role in advancing peace in the Middle East, the State Department said on Thursday.
Iran rejects Trump's terms of deal to lift Hormuz blockade Submitted by Sean Mathews on Fri, 05/29/2026 - 19:46 Trump says he will lift blockade of the strait in return for no tolls in Hormuz and Iranian uranium, which Tehran rejects US President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on 25 May 2026 (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP) Off US President Donald Trump said he was lifting a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iran denied his claim that negotiations were taking place on the fate of its nuclear programme, a resolution to which Trump conditioned lifting the naval siege. Trump’s murky statement on Friday is one of several he has made in recent days suggesting a deal to end the war is at hand, only for the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz to continue as a fragile ceasefire between the two sides prevents a wider flare-up in fighting. Trump conditioned the lifting of the US’s blockade on Iran agreeing not to charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz and allowing the US access to damaged nuclear facilities in order to destroy Iran’s highly enriched uranium.
US Treasury secretary says any easing of Iran sanctions will be gradual US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signalled that any rollback of US economic pressure on Iran would happen in stages rather than all at once. Speaking on Friday, Bessent suggested that any relief from the financial and economic measures imposed on Tehran would be introduced gradually. "We'll see ...
Thomas Massies fall shows what really destroys principled US conservatism: not the left, but obedience to the Israeli lobby As an inveterate leftie with an irrepressible intuitive sympathy for genuine, decent conservatives - that term excludes, obviously, gutless mainstream centrists - I am always looking for exemplars of this old and venerable political species.
Iranian opposition news site got $800m in debt relief: Report An $870m debt-relief deal suggests that Iran International, an Iranian opposition outlet, has ties to Saudi Arabian investors, according to a Financial Times report on Thursday. The links stem from documents related to a debt-for-equity swap that Iran International conducted in December to shore up its finances. Iran International has spent hundreds of millions of dollars since its founding in 2017 by British-Saudi investors, the FT reported.
Why Pakistan will likely refuse to join the Abraham Accords Submitted by Zia Ur Rehman on Fri, 05/29/2026 - 18:31 Despite Trump's pressure, costs of normalising ties with Israel are higher in Pakistan than in Arab states due to its more vibrant and contested political landscape US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in the Treaty Room of the State Department in Washington, DC, on 29 May 2026 (Mandel Ngan/AFP) Off For decades, Pakistani passports have carried a simple but striking inscription: “Valid for all countries of the world except Israel . " This position is more than a diplomatic formality. It reflects one of Pakistan’s longest-standing foreign policy principles: Pakistan does not recognise Israel.
Washington DC [US], May 29 (ANI): In a development that could reshape West Asia's security landscape, US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will convene an emergency meeting in the White House Situation Room to make a final decision on a broad, multi-part peace deal with Iran.
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): Amid escalating maritime and geopolitical friction across the Gulf, the Ambassador of Iran to India, Mohammad Fathali, has assured New Delhi that the safety and security of all Indian expatriates living and working in West Asia remains a paramount priority for Tehran.
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): Iranian Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, on Friday asserted that Tehran will not compromise on what it described as the 'legal and legitimate rights' of the Iranian people, particularly the right of the Islamic Republic to peaceful nuclear energy and uranium enrichment.
Israel says it rejects allegations in a new report by the office of the UN secretary general.
Iran says no final deal reached despite ongoing talks with US Iran has pushed back against comments by US President Donald Trump, saying negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain under way and have yet to produce a final agreement. Esmaeil Baghaei rejected Trump's assertion that Iran “must” agree never to possess a nuclear weapon. “None of the Western parties, when speaking about the Islamic Republic of Iran, can use the language of ‘must’,” Baghaei said.
Israeli strike in southern Lebanon kills eight Syrians, including children Lebanon’s official National News Agency says an Israeli air strike on the al-Hartiya area, on the outskirts of the southern town of Adloun, has killed eight Syrian nationals. The agency reported that the victims were killed when the area came under attack, adding to the growing toll from Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon.
DUBAI, U. A. E.
Iran says no agreement reached with US, Strait of Hormuz decision must be joint Iran says no agreement has been finalised with the United States, pushing back against reports of a breakthrough in ongoing talks. Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement that negotiations have yet to produce a deal. He added that any decisions on managing the Strait of Hormuz must be made jointly by Iran and Oman, underscoring Tehran’s position on control of the strategic waterway.
'Conspiracy of silence': Parliament set to debate Israeli influence on British politics Politicians are set to discuss Israeli influence on British politics and democracy after a government petition garnered more than 100,000 signatures, mandating a debate in parliament. The petition has been scheduled for debate in parliament on 22 June after receiving more than 116,000 signatures. The petition raises concerns about "reported Israeli state-linked and pro-Israel lobbying activity in UK politics” and emphasises the importance of “determin[ing] the scope and impact of such influence campaigns”.
