Gulf

Iran's Gulf Islands: Are They in Trump's Crosshairs?

Iran has warned the United States about attempting to seize any of its strategic islands in the Gulf -- a move that President Donald Trump is reported to be mulling. AFP looks at potential targets.  Kharg  A strip of scrubland located in the northern Gulf, about 30 kilometres from the coast, Kharg is home to Iran’s largest oil ...

Oil Jumps, Stocks Drop on Uncertainty Over U.S.-Iran Talks

Oil prices jumped and equities slid Thursday as hopes for a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran wavered after Tehran rejected Washington's bid to wind down the nearly four-week war. Markets had been buoyed this week by U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that strikes targeting Iran's energy infrastructure would be postponed, adding that ...

Israel Kills IRGC Navy Commander in Precision Airstrike

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced Thursday that an Israeli airstrike killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ navy. “Last night, in a precise and lethal operation, the IDF eliminated the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ navy, Tangsiri, along with senior officers of the ...

Kuwait Says Arrested Six People Planning 'Assassinations' Linked to Hezbollah

Kuwait arrested six people linked to Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group who were planning "assassinations" in the Gulf state, the interior ministry said on Wednesday. Those arrested were planning "assassinations targeting symbols and leaders of the state and recruited people to carry out these missions," the ministry ...

Trump to Postpone Strikes on Iran Power Plants After ‘Productive’ Talks

Trump announced on Monday that the United States and Iran have engaged in what he described as “very good and productive” talks over the past two days, aimed at achieving a comprehensive resolution to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Citing the constructive tone of the discussions, Trump said he has ordered a temporary five-day ...

U.S. Complex in Baghdad Attacked Six Times Overnight

At least six overnight attacks targeted a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad's International Airport, two Iraqi security officials told AFP on Sunday. "Eight separate attacks, carried out until dawn with rockets and drones targeted the US centre," a senior security official told AFP, saying "some rockets landed near the base," while a ...

U.S. Strikes Iran Bases Threatening Blocked Hormuz Oil Route

The U.S. military declared on Saturday it had damaged an Iranian bunker housing weapons threatening oil and gas shipments in the Strait of Hormuz, as thousands of Iranians marked Eid al-Fitr with prayer. The U.S. statement appeared designed to calm the concerns of energy markets and of Washington's sceptical international allies, more than 20 of ...

UAE-Iran Ties Deteriorate as Tehran-Linked Hospital Ordered Shut in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates has ordered the closure of an Iranian state-linked hospital in Dubai, three employees at the facility told AFP, as ties between the two neighbors deteriorate and Tehran continues its aerial campaign against Gulf states. Since the United States and Israel began striking Iran on February 28, Tehran has launched waves of ...

More Than 20 Countries 'Express Their Readiness' to Resolve Hormuz Crisis

More than 20 countries on Saturday said they would contribute to efforts ensuring safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz, condemning Iran's closure of the vital waterway. "We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas ...

More Than 20 Countries 'Express Their Readiness' to Resolve Hormuz Crisis

More than 20 countries on Saturday said they would contribute to efforts ensuring safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz, condemning Iran's closure of the vital waterway. "We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and ...