Iran tells Trump to ‘accept the reality of defeat’ and Hormuz will stay closed: Live

Iran has told Donald Trump to “accept the reality of defeat” as it declared that it will not resume talks with the US with the Strait of Hormuz set to remain closed

"This strait will be opened and closed only under Iran's command, Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on X early on Saturday.

“So long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in fantasies, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade.”

Only two vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday with no crude oil shipments visible, according to analysis from ship-tracking firm Kpler. Before the war, more than 130 vessels would transit the strait.

It came before Donald Trump said he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory.

The US president had previously urged Americans to accept slightly higher gasoline prices while the conflict with Iran continues.

He also told Fox News that the US will hit Iran hard economically as Washington and Tehran struggle to reach a deal to end a nearly six-month conflict.

Iran accuses two French diplomats of 'infiltration and interference'

Iran has accused two French diplomats of conducting an "infiltration and interference" operation inside the country.

Iran's intelligence ministry said the two diplomats were seen at a "secret meeting place" with documents pointing to efforts to establish contacts and build networks.

They were handed over to the Iranian ambassador to France in the presence of diplomatic police, the intelligence ministry said in a statement.

“Given the infiltration and overt interference in Iran’s internal affairs, particularly during wartime, and the blatant violation of the country’s laws and departure from diplomatic frameworks that have been conclusively established in this project, the intelligence ministry warns that it will not allow its diplomatic guests to engage in illegal and interventionist behaviour,” the ministry said.

Yemen's Mocha port halts operations after Houthi attacks

Yemen's Mocha port has temporarily stopped operations after being hit by over 25 missiles in recent days in Houthi attacks, the port's director said.

At least seven people have been killed and $16 million in losses incurred from the attacks, the director said.

The port is near the Bab el-Mandab strait, another key ​route ⁠for international shipping.

Iran calls on Qatar to allow Iranian team in to investigate fate of two missing pilots

Tehran has called on Qatar to let an Iranian team into the country to investigate the fate of Iranian pilots who Tehran says are being held there, Iranian media said on Sunday.

Qatar denies holding any pilots.

Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, said the air force and fact-finding team had been waiting for months to enter Qatar, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Baqerzadeh accused Qatari officials of repeatedly delaying the investigation and preventing the pilots' return to Iran. He called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to urgently follow up on the case.

Iran says Qatar delaying probe into fate of Iranian pilots, Tasnim news agency

Iranian ​military official said on Sunday that Qatar should let an Iranian ⁠team in to investigate the fate of Iranian pilots who Tehran says are ⁠being ​held there, Iranian ⁠media said on Sunday.

Qatar denies holding ⁠any pilots.

Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander ​of ⁠the Committee ‌for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed ‌Forces General Staff, said ‌the air force and fact-finding team had been ⁠waiting for months to enter Qatar, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Baqerzadeh accused Qatari officials of repeatedly delaying the investigation and ‌preventing the pilots' ​return to Iran. ‌He called for ⁠the International Committee of ⁠the Red Cross to urgently follow ‌up ​on the ‌case.

US oil reserves are so low amid Trump’s Iran war the caverns holding them could be damaged

America’s emergency oil stockpile has dropped to its lowest level in 40 years, with experts warning that ongoing withdrawals for the war with Iran could permanently damage the underground caverns holding the crude.

The warnings arrive as American drivers face unprecedented gas prices for late summer. Today’s AAA National Average for a gallon of regular gasoline sits at $4.07, marking the highest levels on record for mid-August.

Concerns over the physical limits of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve center on the unique geology of its storage network. The crude is held within 60 salt caverns thousands of feet below ground at four sites across Texas and Louisiana.

To extract crude, operators pump fresh water into the bottom of a cavern to force oil up to pipeline intakes. However, petroleum engineering professor Siddharth Misra of Texas A&M University told CNBC that repeated rapid drawdowns wash away salt walls.

Iran MP wants Gulf royals added to Tehran's 'revenge targets'

Iranian member of parliament Amirhossein Sabeti called for the ruling families of Gulf states hosting US military bases, including those of Bahrain, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, to be added to Iran's “revenge targets".

The MP alleged the ruling families of these Gulf states played a role in the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the war with the US and Israel.

He specifically named Bahrain’s Al Khalifa, the UAE’s Al Nahyan and Saudi Arabia’s Al Saud families to be added to Iran's “revenge targets".

Iran condemns Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Iran condemned Israel’s recent attacks on southern Lebanon, which killed 11 people, including children.

Iran “regrets” the international community’s “continued silence and inaction of the United Nations Security Council in the face of blatant violations of international law and international human rights law”, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.

He added that Tehran stood in solidarity with Lebanon “in its efforts to defend the country’s national sovereignty, independence, and dignity".

In pictures: Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon

Iran says safe Strait of Hormuz route agreed with Oman

Iran says it has reached a mutual agreement for a safe route in the Strait of Hormuz for vessels with maritime neighbour Oman after weeks of negotiations.

The two countries are expected to issue a joint statement on the matter soon, Iran's foreign ministry said.

“Despite US obstruction, the talks have made positive progress over the past three weeks and an agreement has been reached on the shipping route map,” ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state-run Defa Press.

Toll from Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon rises to 11

Israel's strikes on southern Lebanon have killed at least 11 and injured another 19 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Israel claims it struck Hezbollah's infrastructure, but the Iran-backed militant group called the attack “escalating aggression” and “a brutal massacre” carried out by the IDF against “innocent civilians".

“This heinous crime adds to the enemy’s long record of massacres, atrocities, and the shedding of Lebanese blood, including the bombing of homes, the razing of fields, and the obliteration of villages,” Hezbollah said.