Iran ceasefire deal ‘must include Lebanon’, says Foreign SecretaryYour support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n Donald Trump<\/a> has insisted Iran<\/a> will \u201cnever have a nuclear weapon\u201d as he cast doubt on the durability of the ceasefire over Iran\u2019s handling of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Writing on Truth Social, Trump rejected criticism from The Wall Street Journal that he had declared a \u201cpremature victory\u201d, saying: \u201cActually, it is a Victory\u2026 Because of me, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.\u201d<\/p>\n However, he also criticised Tehran<\/a>\u2019s handling of the oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the Islamic Republic of doing a \u201cvery poor job, dishonourable some would say\u201d in allowing shipments through the vital route.<\/p>\n The comments raise fresh questions over the fragile ceasefire announced earlier this week, which Trump said was conditional on Iran reopening the Strait. Shipping traffic remains severely disrupted, suggesting the agreement is yet to fully take hold.<\/p>\n Trump is also considering withdrawing some US troops from Europe amid frustration that Nato allies have not done more to secure the waterway, according to Reuters.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon<\/a> “as soon as possible” after one of the deadliest strikes on Wednesday killed 300 people. <\/p>\n <\/a>Iran’s supreme leader vows to avenge death of his father and others<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to \u201ctake revenge\u201d for those killed in the country\u2019s war with the United States, including his father, signalling a hardening stance despite a fragile ceasefire.<\/p>\n In a statement attributed to him, Khamenei said Iran would \u201cseek compensation for every damage inflicted, as well as blood money for the martyrs and compensation for the wounded\u201d, underscoring Tehran\u2019s intent to pursue accountability after the conflict.<\/p>\n The 56-year-old, son of former leader Ali Khamenei, was reportedly wounded in the same strike that killed his father 40 days ago and has not been seen in public since. Iranian officials, however, said he remains in \u201cfull health\u201d and \u201cin control of everything\u201d, amid growing speculation over his condition.<\/p>\n Khamenei also indicated that Iran would bring management of the Strait of Hormuz \u201cinto a new phase\u201d, raising further questions about the fate of the vital shipping route.<\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 06:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Iran denies launching strikes on Gulf states as Kuwait blames Tehran<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it has not carried out any attacks since the start of the two-week ceasefire, rejecting reports of missile strikes during the truce.<\/p>\n In a statement carried by the Fars News Agency, the IRGC said its armed forces had \u201cnot launched any missiles at any country\u201d during the ceasefire period so far.<\/p>\n It added that any such claims were likely to have originated from Israel or the United States, and insisted that any Iranian military action would be openly acknowledged.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the armed forces\u2026 hit any target, they will boldly announce it in an official statement,\u201d it said, adding that any actions not confirmed by Tehran \u201chave nothing to do with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Kuwait\u2019s military said on Thursday its air defences are responding to drone attacks targeting vital facilities, including oil sites, power stations and water desalination plants.<\/p>\n In a statement on X, the army said it was intercepting a wave of drones, while a National Guard spokesperson confirmed one site had been hit, causing significant material damage.<\/p>\n A key oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia has been hit in recent attacks, according to state media, raising fresh concerns over energy security despite the US\u2013Iran ceasefire.<\/p>\n The kingdom\u2019s east\u2013west pipeline \u2013 which transports crude to the Red Sea \u2013 was struck earlier this week, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported, citing an official source. The extent of the damage is still being assessed. <\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 06:21<\/p>\n <\/a>Japan to release 20 days of oil reserves as Hormuz blockade disrupts supply<\/p>\n Japan will release an additional 20 days\u2019 worth of oil from its reserves starting May, prime minister Sanae Takaichi said on Friday, as Tokyo scrambles to stabilise domestic supply amid ongoing disruption from the Iran conflict.<\/p>\n Japan, which depends on the Middle East for around 95 per cent of its oil, had already begun releasing reserves in March as part of a broader plan to make up to 50 days\u2019 supply available. The latest tranche will come from public stockpiles, which stood at around 230 days\u2019 worth of oil as of early April.<\/p>\n Takaichi said Japan expects to secure more than half of its oil imports via routes that bypass the Strait by May, including increased shipments from the United States. <\/p>\n Imports from the US are set to rise sharply, alongside efforts to source crude from countries such as Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Nigeria and Angola.<\/p>\n Tokyo is also relying on alternative Middle Eastern routes that avoid Hormuz, including shipments via Saudi Arabia\u2019s Red Sea port of Yanbu and the UAE\u2019s Fujairah port.<\/p>\n The government has asked suppliers to prioritise direct fuel deliveries to critical sectors, including healthcare, transport and agriculture, as authorities brace for continued volatility in global energy markets.<\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 05:52<\/p>\n <\/a>Islamabad under lockdown with 10,000 security personnel ahead of US\u2013Iran talks<\/p>\n Islamabad has been placed on high alert, with more than 10,000 security personnel deployed across Islamabad, the capital preparing to host crucial peace talks between the United States and Iran.<\/p>\n Authorities have implemented a sweeping, multi-layered security plan overseen by the military, with support from paramilitary Rangers, as well as Islamabad and Punjab police forces. Traffic and highway police have also been mobilised to manage movement across the city.<\/p>\n The deployment includes around 6,000 Islamabad police personnel, 900 Frontier Constabulary troops and 3,000 members of the Punjab Constabulary, alongside Rangers and Pakistan Army units. An additional 1,000 traffic police officers have been stationed to control roads and diversions.<\/p>\n Talks are scheduled for Saturday but the delegations are expected to start arriving on Friday.<\/p>\n The Dawn newspaper reported that a 30-member US team has already arrived in Islamabad to review security arrangements.<\/p>\n The US delegation to the Islamabad talks will be led by vice president JD Vance, joined by senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, signa. <\/p>\n Iran will be represented by foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reflecting high-level engagement from both sides as efforts continue to stabilise the fragile ceasefire.<\/p>\n Security has been tightened particularly in the city\u2019s high-security \u201cred zone\u201d, where key govepnment buildings and diplomatic sites are located. <\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 05:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Albanese meets Singapore PM as Australia seeks fuel security<\/p>\n Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese is meeting Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong on Friday as Canberra looks to shore up fuel supplies amid ongoing disruptions linked to the Iran conflict.<\/p>\n Speaking after arriving in Singapore late on Thursday, Albanese said the talks come at a time when \u201cfuel security is on the agenda right around the globe\u201d due to the crisis in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Singapore \u2013 Asia\u2019s key oil trading hub \u2013 is Australia\u2019s largest supplier of petrol and a major source of diesel and jet fuel. <\/p>\n Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains near standstill despite a fragile ceasefire, tightening global supply.<\/p>\n Australia imported about 84% of its petroleum needs last year.<\/p>\n Australia supplies about one-third of Singapore\u2019s liquefied natural gas imports, while importing around 26% of its refined fuel from the city-state.<\/p>\n \u201cAustralia and Singapore are strategically aligned\u2026 and that is why it\u2019s so important that at difficult times in the world we can rely upon each other,\u201d Albanese said.<\/p>\n Singapore\u2019s own refining sector is also under pressure. Despite a combined capacity of about 1.2 million barrels per day, refineries have cut output due to disrupted crude supplies following the Strait\u2019s closure.<\/p>\n According to data from road insurer NRMA, Singapore accounted for 54.7% of Australia\u2019s petrol imports \u2013 nearly 6 billion litres \u2013 with South Korea and India the next largest suppliers.<\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 05:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Stocks edge higher, oil ticks up ahead of US\u2013Iran talks<\/p>\n Stocks rose on Friday as investors remained cautiously optimistic about the fragile US-Iran ceasefire ahead of planned weekend talks, while oil prices inched higher.<\/p>\n Asian equity markets extended weekly gains in early trading, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei each rising by at least 1 per cent.<\/p>\n Singapore and Manila also posted solid gains, although Sydney slipped.<\/p>\n The positive momentum followed another strong session on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 closed 0.6 per cent higher on Thursday.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Brent crude climbed 1 per cent to $96.83 a barrel as trading resumed in Asia, reflecting lingering concerns over supply despite the tentative diplomatic progress.<\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 04:39<\/p>\n <\/a>US says Iran suffered ‘generational military defeat’<\/p>\n Admiral Brad Cooper, the leader of US Central Command, said in a video posted to social media Thursday, \u201cIran has suffered a generational military defeat\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States and Israel systemically destroyed Iran\u2019s ability to conduct large-scale military operations for years to come\u201d, the admiral added. <\/p>\n Cooper said that while military operations have been paused amid a two-week ceasefire, \u201cWe remain present. We remain vigilant and we remain ready if called\u201d.<\/p>\n Rachel Dobkin10 April 2026 04:30<\/p>\n <\/a>US summons Iraqi ambassador over drone strike on diplomatic facility in Baghdad<\/p>\n The United States has summoned Iraq\u2019s ambassador following a drone strike near key diplomatic facilities in Baghdad, in the latest escalation linked to the Iran war.<\/p>\n US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau called in Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Khirullah on Thursday after a drone hit an area close to a major US diplomatic installation, the State Department said.<\/p>\n Earlier, the US Embassy in Baghdad accused Iran-aligned \u201cterrorist militias\u201d of carrying out multiple drone attacks near the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center and Baghdad International Airport on Wednesday.<\/p>\n During the meeting, Landau acknowledged efforts by Iraqi security forces to respond, but stressed what Washington described as the government\u2019s failure to prevent the attacks.<\/p>\n The State Department said the US expects Iraq to take concrete steps to dismantle Iran-backed militia groups operating in the country. <\/p>\n It also alleged that some elements within Iraq\u2019s state apparatus continue to provide political, financial and operational backing to these groups.<\/p>\n Violence has surged across Iraq since the start of the Iran conflict, with dozens reported killed, according to Iraqi health authorities. <\/p>\n The casualties include civilians, members of Iran-linked Shi\u2019ite Popular Mobilisation Forces, US-allied Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, as well as police and army personnel.<\/p>\n Shweta Sharma10 April 2026 04:11<\/p>\n <\/a>Analysis: Britain and Nato are pulling away from Trump\u2019s America \u2013 to save it from itself<\/p>\n Just a day after Donald Trump floated <\/a>the idea of turning the Strait of Hormuz <\/a>into a \u201cjoint\u201d tollbooth to enrich the US and Iran, the British government revealed that a joint operation with Norway had been undertaken to protect Nato\u2019s northern flank.<\/p>\n The move, combined with a visit this week by Keir Starmer<\/a> to the Arabian Gulf, is the latest sign that even Europe\u2019s Anglo-Saxons are pulling away from Washington. The UK and its allies are determined to defend the alliances and principles of international law that the US president and his deputy are keen to destroy.<\/a><\/p>\n Sam Kiley10 April 2026 04:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Kuwait military base hit by drone attack, officials say<\/p>\n