US-Iran news highlights: Israel-Lebanon agree to ceasefire; Trump's ‘will go get’ Tehran's uranium claim amid talks

A peace deal between the US and Iran before next week's European Central Bank meeting would not derail the case for raising interest rates, Belgian central bank chief Pierre Wunsch told the Financial Times in an interview published on Wednesday.

"If a peace deal is confirmed just before the meeting, it will be part of the discussion. But we won't know whether it will last or be credible," Wunsch told the newspaper.

Iran attacks US allies LIVE: The US is proposing tariffs of at least 10% on imports from most major trading partners, including Mexico, and a 12.5% duty hike on partners like India, China, Japan and South Korea.

“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable. This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement.

The proposal comes at a time when financial markets are already on edge over the Iran war.

Iran attacks US allies LIVE: The IRGC said that a cargo ship it recently struck in retaliation for a US attack in the Sea of Oman was affiliated with the “American‑Zionist enemy”.

MSC, the shipping company later confirmed that two projectiles hit its Sariska vessel in an Iraqi port.

Iran attacks US allies LIVE: Iran claimed to have launched strikes at a US base in Kuwait, and the US Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. However, the US CENTCOM said the missile strikes were not successful.

On Tuesday, a ship stationed in Iraq port was hit by two projectiles, MSC, the world's largest shipping group, said, adding that the IRGC claimed responsibility for it.

Iran attacks US allies LIVE: While reports said Tehran has stopped communicating with Washington on extending the ceasefire, President Donald Trump disputed the claim and said talks were continuing. “The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump said in a social media post.

Iran war news LIVE: Talking about reasons behind a US-imposed blockade of Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday: "The only reason why there's a US blockade is that Iran is firing on commercial ships... The notion is that if no one's ships are going to get out, then Iran's ships aren't going to get out either... There wouldn't have been a blockade if Iran had agreed to do what they said they would do when the ceasefire kicked in, which is they were going to open the straits... What they're doing is unlawful and illegal... Everyone is against it..."

Iran war news LIVE: The US CENTCOM assured that no American personnel or assets were harmed after Iran claimed strikes on a US base in Kuwait.

“An additional wave of Iranian drones attempting to attack U.S. forces in Kuwait failed to impact intended targets tonight. U.S. Central Command air defenses successfully downed multiple drones and ensured no American personnel or assets were harmed,” the US statement read.

Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices have reportedly increased amid worry over intensified US-Iran war and stalled peace talks. According to AFP, oil prices were up more than one percent, with both main contracts up around five percent this week.

However, stocks extended their breathtaking rally, fuelled by the tech sector and AI demand.

Iran war news LIVE: In its statement announcing strikes targeting an American base in Kuwait, the IRGC claimed the end of an era of “hit and run”, and said that the attack was launched in response to a US attack in Qeshm Island.

"The era of "hit and run" has ended, and the aggressor forces must bear the dire consequences of their ignorance and reckless adventures," the IRGC statement said, as cited in an earlier HT report.

Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump said in a social media post that reports of a pause in talks with Iran were “false”, adding that negotiations were still underway.

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump said in a social media post. "Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal."

His post came after Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim said that Iran had not communicated to the other side since Tuesday and remains firm on its demand of a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Iran war news LIVE: On Tuesday, a shipping company confirmed strikes from 2 projectiles on its vessel stationed in Iraq's Umm Qasr port. MSC, the world's largest shipping group, said that the IRGC had claimed responsibility for the attack, and expressed concern over the “unprovoked” strikes.

"MSC is deeply concerned by these unprovoked attacks and the risk they create for its innocent seafarers and essential maritime trade in the region," the group said in a statement, according to Reuters.

According to Tasnim news agency, Iran targeted the Sariska V vessel in response to a US attack on an Iranian vessel in the Sea of Oman.

US-Iran war news LIVE: After claiming to have targeted the headquarters of the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain, the IRGC said it had already warned that a “different and more severe” response would be coming in case of any aggression.

It said that the attack was launched in response to the US firing a missile into the engine room of another oil tanker trying to reach Iran.

“We had previously warned that in case of aggression, the response would be different and more severe, and we acted accordingly," the Guard said in its statement, according to an AP report.

US-Iran war news LIVE: In a fresh effort to pressure Iran into agreeing to a deal, the United States sanctioned the country's biggest cryptocurrency exchange and three other entities.

The Treasury Department said Tuesday it had blacklisted four Iranian digital asset exchanges, including Nobitex, which is the largest in the country and was responsible for half of Iran’s crypto transactions in 2025.

“President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign continues to prevent the regime from developing a nuclear weapon and disrupt the regime's ability to fund terrorism,” US state department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in an X post.

US-Iran war news LIVE: In a statement, the IRGC said to have launched “precise and concentrated missile attacks” on a US base in Kuwait, in response to a US attack on Qeshm Island.

“Their (US's) air and helicopter base stationed in one of the countries of the region, as well as the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, were subjected to missile and drone attacks by the IRGC Aerospace Force,” the statement read, according to Press TV.

The Iranian report didn't show the IRGC naming Kuwait, but did say that the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain was targeted.

US-Iran war news LIVE: The US CENTCOM in a latest statement claimed to have downed a wave of Iranian drones attempting to attack its forces in Kuwait.

“US Central Command air defenses successfully downed multiple drones and ensured no American personnel or assets were harmed,” the statement read.

US-Iran war news LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday slammed Iran as he testified at a congressional hearing in Washington. “Iran has no navy left. They've lost a substantial percentage of their defense industrial base... and their economy is far worse today—and I mean far worse today—than it was 6-9 months ago,” Rubio said in response to a question by Senator Cory Booker.

US-Iran war news LIVE: As the US claimed Iran launched missiles at Bahrain, the country's ministry of interior issued a statement, urging citizens to “head to the nearest safe location”.

“The alarm siren has been activated. Citizens and residents are requested to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location, and follow updates through official channels,” the Bahrain authorities said.

US-Iran war news LIVE: A clip of US forces “disabling” an oil tanker before it could enter an Iranian port surfaced on Wednesday.

"The Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie -- an unladen oil tanker -- "ignored repeated warnings" over a 24-hour period, and an American warplane "ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship's engine room," the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

US-Iran war news LIVE: The US claimed to have launched what it called “self-defence” strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint seeing disruptions since the beginning of the war.

US-Iran war news LIVE: In a statement, the IRGC claimed “precise and concentrated” missile attacks on a US base in Kuwait, further adding that targets were destroyed.

However, the US CENTCOM in a statement later said that two missiles were launched by Iran towards Kuwait, but failed or broke apart on the way. It also said three missiles were launched by Iran towards Bahrain, but that attack also failed.

US-Iran war news LIVE: The US military said Tuesday that Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait and Bahrain failed or were shot down, and that the retaliatory strikes were launched on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz.

US-Iran war news LIVE: In a statement, the US Central Command refuted claims of successful Iranian attacks on US bases. “All Iranian attacks on American forces failed. US forces remain vigilant and ready to defend against unwarranted Iranian aggression,” the US CENTCOM said.

The statement said Iran's IRGC claimed to have struck the US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, calling the assertion “FALSE”.