US-Iran war news highlights: Deal with Iran that includes fees in Hormuz ‘unacceptable’, says Trump

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has discussed recent US-Iran negotiations and the situation in Gaza during a call with senior Hamas official Basem Naim.

In a statement, Hamas said Naim congratulated Iran on its interim agreement with the US and expressed “deep appreciation for Iran’s steadfastness” during US-Israeli “aggression”.

Araghchi reiterated Iran’s support for the Palestinian people and said its negotiating team has been raising the issues of Israel’s continued “aggression against Gaza” and ceasefire “violations” with US officials and mediators.

Iran’s central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati has highlighted new details emerging from recent negotiations with the US, including on the reported release of $12bn in Iranian assets and the waiving of sanctions on Iranian oil.

In a video message shared by Ali Ahmadnia, head of the Iranian government’s information office, Hemmati said that Iran has no obligation to use the funds to buy US agricultural products, as claimed by US officials, but that it is not opposed to doing so if the US products are competitive.

Regarding Iranian oil exports, Hemmati emphasised flexibility in how Iran can transport the oil and receive payments, saying funds can be accepted in any currency Iran chooses, not only dollars.

The UN nuclear watchdog will carry out inspections in Iran soon following an interim peace accord between the United States and Iran, but modalities have yet to be finalised, the agency's chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday.

The two sides signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding last week, setting out broad agreements in principle to end the war. The interim accord paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear program.

"The inspections will indeed take place," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi told a press conference in Japan, an audio recording of which the IAEA posted online.

"We will be working on the modalities — dates, procedures, places — very soon," he said of discussions with Tehran.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Take a look at the advisory below:

• The Embassy of India, Tehran, has been closely monitoring the prevailing security situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In light of recent positive developments and the improvement in the overall situation, the Embassy wishes to issue the following revised advisory for Indian nationals contemplating travel to Iran.
• Notwithstanding the recent improvements, Indian nationals are advised to continue to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran until further notice.
• Indian citizens presently residing in Iran, as well as those who may be required to travel to Iran for unavoidable functional reasons, are advised to exercise a high degree of caution, remain vigilant at all times, and maintain constant situational awareness. They are further advised to closely follow local developments through credible sources of information and to comply with all instructions issued by the local authorities.
• All Indian nationals currently in Iran, and those arriving in Iran, are strongly advised to register their particulars with the Embassy of India, Tehran, at the earliest opportunity. They are also advised to regularly monitor the Embassy’s official website and social media platforms for updates and any further advisories that may be issued.

US, Iran war news LIVE: The Indian government is advising its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran despite improving situation, reports PTI.

US, Iran war news LIVE: "Talks will resume next week, I presume on Tuesday," Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told journalists in Islamabad, adding next Monday or Wednesday were also possible start dates and without providing details on the location of discussions. (AFP)

US, Iran war news LIVE: Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who also heads Iran's negotiating team, described the MoU agreement with the US to end the war as a sign of Washington's failure rather than Tehran's capitulation.

Speaking at a conference in Azerbaijan that was broadcast on Iranian television, Ghalibaf said, according to Al Jazeera, "The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation." He added, "That is why the Islamabad memorandum of understanding became a declaration of America’s defeat."

US, Iran war news LIVE: Pakistan is saying that the next round of US-Iran technical talks will be held next week, AFP is reporting. This is a developing story and readers will be updated as and when we have more details.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, told the Financial Times that Doha has received assurances that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open. He said a direct communication channel between Washington and Tehran, established during talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, would be crucial for preventing disruptions to the waterway's reopening and countering misinformation during ongoing demining operations.

US, Iran war news LIVE: According to Al Jazeera, citing Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, airline group Lufthansa has indicated its willingness to resume flights to Iran. The report said Lufthansa representatives met with the chief executive of Imam Khomeini Airport City near Tehran and signalled readiness to restore air services to the country, a move that could mark a gradual return to normal international connectivity following the recent conflict.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Crude oil prices fell below $76 a barrel on Wednesday, touching their lowest levels since the start of the conflict, as tanker traffic gradually move out of Strait of Hormuz and concerns over supply disruptions eased.

"Signs that tanker traffic is gradually normalising through the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with ongoing ceasefire negotiations and expectations of additional Iranian crude returning to global markets, have significantly eased supply concerns," said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova, according to Reuters.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Iran's top diplomat held talks with a senior Hamas official on Wednesday as Tehran continued negotiations with Washington aimed at formally ending the conflict between the two countries.

According to Iranian state television, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the "latest developments" in the region with Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau. The report did not provide further details of the conversation. AFP reported the discussion came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Key Iranian leader Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaking to reporters before departing for the 20th session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) in Azerbaijan, said the conference provides a timely platform for Iran to explain the changes wrought by the war and its regional repercussions to fellow Muslim legislators.

"In the past, there was a perception that forces and countries arriving from thousands of kilometres away could secure the region," Qalibaf said, according to Mehr news agency. "After the Ramadan war, it has become clear that not only are they unable to establish security, they themselves have become a factor of insecurity. We must seize this new perspective."

US, Iran war news LIVE: Iran said $12 billion in frozen assets would be released under its ongoing negotiations with the US. According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, citing deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi, the funds will be transferred in two installments of $6 billion each.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Iran and Oman said they will begin talks on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, including how navigation services are managed and funded, amid concerns among traders and shipowners over the possible introduction of transit fees.

The two countries, which share control of the strategic waterway, said discussions would cover navigation-related services and their associated costs in line with international standards. In a joint statement, they reaffirmed their commitment to keeping the Strait of Hormuz secure and open to global shipping. (Bloomberg)

US, Iran war news LIVE: Reuters reporting that Israel and Lebanon are discussing a U.S.-backed pilot project under which Israeli troops would hand over control of some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to three Israeli officials.

The officials said the Lebanese troops involved would undergo U.S. training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in the buffer zone.

US, Iran war news LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a series of meetings in the Gulf on Wednesday aimed at reassuring regional allies that the Washington-Tehran memorandum of understanding will not undermine their security interests.

Several US partners in the region remain wary that Iran could divert funds from the proposed $300 billion reconstruction package to rebuild and strengthen its military capabilities.

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US, Iran war news LIVE: Although President Donald Trump has said negotiations with Iran are progressing smoothly, signs of disagreement remain over key issues, including nuclear-related financial incentives for Tehran, control of the Strait of Hormuz, Israel’s parallel conflict in Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear programme.

Trump claimed on Tuesday that Iran had agreed to allow nuclear inspections “into infinity,” but Tehran denied making any such commitment, underscoring lingering differences and raising fresh doubts about the durability of the fragile peace deal.

US, Iran war news LIVE: The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Wednesday that inspectors would soon be allowed to visit Iran's uranium enrichment facilities, a crucial part of the interim agreement between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the conflict.

Speaking in Tokyo, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said inspections were expected to resume shortly.

"Whether it happens in two days, a week or 10 days is important, but not essential," Grossi told reporters. "What matters is that it is going to happen." (AP)

US, Iran war news LIVE: Key points from Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani's interview with the Financial Times:

• The Strait of Hormuz remains open despite reports of a possible closure by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
• Maritime traffic through the strait is expected to return to pre-conflict levels by day 30 of the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
• Restoring normal shipping volumes will require significant effort and time, as confidence among shipping operators needs to be rebuilt.
• Qatar would oppose any Iranian attempt to impose transit fees on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz.
• While Qatar is willing to examine any proposal put forward by Iran, it cannot accept a situation in which access to its primary trade route is controlled by another country.
• Qatar could resume normal LNG production “within a few weeks".

US, Iran war news LIVE: Citing a new assessment, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN secretary general, said that more than 11,000 residential buildings were “completely destroyed” in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.

“For many families, this means there is simply no home to return to,” he said. “Continued uncertainty, widespread destruction and the threat posed by unexploded ordnances continue to prevent safe and sustainable returns,” he added.

Shipping monitor MarineTraffic said vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has rebounded sharply, nearly tripling across two consecutive weekends, according to Al Jazeera.

MarineTraffic said its data, along with Kpler's, showed that "crossings rose from 32 vessels between 12-14 June to 93 vessels between 19-21 June".

"The recovery has been supported by recent diplomatic developments" as well as the US's temporary waiver of Iranian oil sanctions, "which has helped ease immediate compliance uncertainty around approved Hormuz transits" until August 21, MarineTraffic added.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Financial Times that the Gulf state would resume normal liquefied natural gas production “within a few weeks”.

QatarEnergy had suspended LNG production after the US and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28 following a drone attack on its huge Ras Laffan plant.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Qatar is seeking the establishment of a direct hotline between the United States and Iran to prevent rogue actors from disrupting efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Financial Times that the communication channel, agreed upon during talks in Switzerland, would help counter “disinformation” and improve coordination as mines are cleared from the strategically important waterway.

US, Iran war news LIVE: Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Iran would be allowed to use money released from frozen accounts only to buy food and medical supplies from the United States, as he sought to reassure critics amid ongoing peace talks that both sides say are progressing.

However, Trump's remarks were swiftly challenged by Iran, highlighting continuing differences despite signs of diplomatic engagement.