Trump says US will lift sanctions on Turkey, consider selling F-35s Sitting next to Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan after landing in Ankara for a NATO summit, Trump said, "That's a decision we're going to make... it's a great plane, the best plane by far and it's certainly something we will consider. " The US had imposed sanctions on Turkey in 2020 over Ankara's purchase of Russian defense missiles.
Will the Iran-US MoU reshape economic relations in the Gulf? Submitted by Zahra Ladha on Tue, 07/07/2026 - 09:52 The memorandum envisages sanctions relief and a reconstruction fund, but investors remain wary of security risks A ship is seen through a fishing net in the port of Fujairah, UAE, near the Strait of Hormuz, 2 July 2019 (Karim Sahib/AFP) Off The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the United States and Iran on 17 June could reshape the economic landscape of the Gulf by opening the door to renewed trade and investment with Iran. Central to the agreement is a commitment to ease longstanding sanctions and integrate Tehran more deeply into regional economic networks.
Spain may style itself as Israel's most fervent adversary, but its sanctions are far from comprehensive Submitted by Ana Maria Monjardino on Mon, 07/06/2026 - 15:00 Madrid, like Colombia and South Africa, has found that despite strong vocal opposition to the Gaza genocide, it has been unable to follow through on its rhetoric Protesters hold Palestinian flags and banners during a demonstration against the participation of Israeli basketball team Hapoel IBI Tel-Aviv in the Euroleague, ahead of their match against Valencia Basket, in Valencia, Spain, 15 October 2025 (Jose Jordan/AFP) Off As criticism of Israel’s genocide continues in Gaza and government across the Americas and Europe have remained largely muted, Spain has stepped into the vacuum as one of the most vocal critics of the country in the West. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for multilateral measures to end the arms trade with Israel, including a push to suspend the EU–Israel Association Agreement. It is also the only EU country to have formally recalled its ambassador and, back in October 2023, announced it was halting arms sales to the country.
OPEC+ countries to raise oil output after prices fall A handful of countries in the OPEC+ oil-producing alliance plan to modestly increase their output next month, bringing more oil online after fuel prices fell to levels not seen since before the US-Israeli war on Iran. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, announced that seven countries would expand oil production by a combined 188,000 barrels per day in August. It is the fifth consecutive month that OPEC+ has agreed to raise oil output.
Nearly a third of Hormuz crossings used Omani route, tracking data shows Almost a third of vessels that crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the past few days did so along the coast of Oman, tracking data suggests, as the waterway remains a key part of the fragile truce between the US and Iran. A total of 108 vessels crossed the strait from Friday through Sunday, according to the latest update from maritime tracking agency MarineTraffic. Of those, 30 vessels, including crude and LPG tankers, followed the Omani route.
UK urged to sanction Netanyahu and justice minister over Israeli torture of Palestinians Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 07/06/2026 - 10:16 Over 70 British lawmakers say Israeli premier and his deputy are responsible for 'systematic and well-documented torture of Palestinian civilians' Israel's Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Justice Minister Yariv Levin at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 11 June 2025 (AFP/Menahem Kahana) Off Dozens of British lawmakers have urged the UK government to sanction Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his justice minister over Israel’s abuse of Palestinian civilians. At least 71 MPs and peers from different parties signed a letter last week addressed to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Sky News reported. The letter said that the “systematic and well-documented torture of Palestinian civilians lies with the government of Israel, including Prime Minister Netanyahu".
Iran and Qatar resume maritime trade: Iranian State media Maritime trade between Iran and Qatar has resumed after a roughly five-month suspension, Iran’s commercial attaché in Doha told state media on Sunday. An interim deal between Tehran and Washington signed last month announced the end of hostilities after a four-month conflict and mandated a return to pre-war maritime traffic in the Gulf, although transit in and out of the Gulf remains contested. Abbas Abdolkhani said shipping between Iran’s Dayyer port and Qatar’s Al Ruwais port had resumed following coordination between the Iranian embassy in Doha and Qatari authorities.
Iran's envoy to China says friendly nations to get ‘special’ Hormuz fee treatment Iran’s ambassador to China has said that new fees would be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, an idea rejected by Washington, while assuring that “friendly” nations would receive special treatment. The initial deal struck between Iran and the United States to end their war stipulated that commercial ships would transit the strait free of charge for 60 days, but it remains unclear what will be in place after that period. Iranian Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told the World Peace Forum in Beijing that his country was working in “collaboration and cooperation” with Oman on “new arrangements” for the vital waterway.
Hormuz maritime traffic recovering but remains fragile, Kpler says Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is continuing to recover, but shipping confidence remains "fragile", according to vessel-tracking firm Kpler. In an update on Friday, Kpler said 38 vessel crossings through the monitored Strait of Hormuz zone were confirmed on 2 July, down 10 percent from the previous day but remaining within an emerging range of 30 to 60 daily crossings. The daily prewar average was 125-140 ships, carrying global supplies, including approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day, about 20 percent of the world’s seaborne oil trade.
UK and France back efforts to secure Strait of Hormuz British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have stressed the importance of restoring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the waterway as “a vital artery for the global economy”. In a joint statement, the two leaders said that “restoring safe transit for ships of all nations through the Strait is a matter of global concern”. They added that Oman had agreed to work with the United Kingdom and France to help ensure its territorial waters remain safe for navigation.
Palantir: How a US spy-tech firm with links to Israel’s genocide infiltrated the British state Submitted by Fleur Hargreaves on Sat, 06/27/2026 - 16:20 MPs and advocacy groups warn UK government’s £670m worth of contracts with Palantir is an ‘unacceptable point of weakness’ Police officers patrol past the Palantir's booth during the World Economic Forum in Davos on 19 January 2026 (Ina Fassbender/AFP) Off Since 2020, Palantir, the controversial US data surveillance firm with links to Israeli abuses in occupied Palestine , has won over £670m in contracts with British civil and defence industries, raising both ethical and national-security concerns among politicians and campaigners. Chief among those are a £330m contract with the NHS and a £240m deal with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), alongside a £15m contract related to Britain’s nuclear deterrent. Despite a lack of transparency around the extent of Palantir’s deals in the UK’s public services, at least 34 contracts have been uncovered within sectors including the police, child social care, refugee schemes and the environment .
Iran’s oil exports gain pace after US sanctions waiver Iranian oil exports are seeking to build momentum after Washington temporarily eased restrictions, giving Tehran a 60-day window to find buyers and bring in badly needed revenue. More than 20 million barrels of Iranian crude have been waiting in Asian waters for at least seven days, an increase of nearly 18 percent from a week earlier, according to a report by Bloomberg. Estimates of Iran’s total oil on water - including cargoes in transit and those sitting at sea - have ranged from 58 million to 68 million barrels since the US sanctions waiver took effect last week, according to data from Vortexa and Bloomberg calculations.
Tanker tracker says cargo ship in Hormuz has been stuck since March A maritime traffic monitor says a foreign cargo ship that Iranian state media reported had run aground while using a "US-suggested route" in the Strait of Hormuz had "actually been stuck in this same spot since March". TankerTrackers. com identified the vessel as Arista.
Iranian deputy foreign minister says frozen funds to be used for needed goods Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says Tehran will use part of its frozen assets in Qatar to purchase goods needed by the country following talks in Doha. Under the memorandum of understanding that halted the war between Iran and the US, Washington agreed to make Iran's frozen or restricted assets available as part of the agreement's implementation. It remains unclear how the mechanism for releasing and using the funds will work, or when it will take effect.
Airlines restore some Middle East flights as suspensions continue Some airlines are restoring flights to parts of the Middle East as diplomatic efforts to end the war on Iran gather pace, though many carriers have kept suspensions in place. Air Canada has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until 24 October. Air France has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until 2 July, Dubai until 5 July and Beirut until 9 July.
Hormuz shipping may take months to return to normal, French shipping company says French shipping company CMA CGM hopes the shipping situation in the Strait of Hormuz will improve in the coming days, but expects a return to normal to take several months, its chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saade told French business daily Les Echos. Saade said the group has had several vessels stuck inside the Gulf since the US-Israeli war on Iran began at the end of February. In peacetime, about 20 percent of the world's oil passes through the strategic waterway.
Oil prices fall as US leaders strike positive note on Iran talks Oil prices dropped by more than 1 percent as markets reacted to positive comments from US leaders on talks between Washington and Tehran. Brent futures fell $1. 38, or 1.
Spanish government ‘quietly bans’ use of Palantir over national security concerns The Spanish government has moved to ban the US surveillance firm Palantir amid fears that national security information could be leaked, according to the Spanish publication El Confidencial. Board members of several publicly listed companies told the paper they have been ordered to avoid signing any contracts with the data firm due to threats to national sovereignty, although the Spanish government has not issued any official announcement about the ban. Palantir, the controversial AI company owned by US billionaire Peter Thiel, accused of facilitating genocide in Palestine, holds £670m in contracts with the British civil and defence industries, including the NHS.
Iran president says some financial restrictions eased, Trump hails 'excellent meeting' with Tehran President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced the easing of some financial and foreign-exchange restrictions included in Iran's ongoing talks with the US, Iran's Fars news agency is reporting. Pezeshkian said Iran's continued oil exports were also covered by the agreement. Meanwhile US President Donald Trump told reporters that the US negotiating team has held "very good meetings" with Iran, and that Tehran has "come a long way".
Iran says foreign ship ran aground in Strait of Hormuz A foreign container ship has run aground in the Strait of Hormuz after entering shallow waters outside the shipping route set by Iranian authorities, Iranian state media reports. The report repeated a warning from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that vessels should pass only through the corridor south of Iran’s Larak island. Tehran says that route is the only approved entry-and-exit corridor for ships travelling through the strait.
