US-Israel-Iran War LIVE: All Parties To Iran War Must Respect Freedom Of Navigation In Strait Of Hormuz, Says UN Chief

The Israeli leader says the war against Iran was a powerful contrast to the Holocaust, reports AP.

In an address marking Israel’s annual Holocaust memorial day, Netanyahu said that while Jews were like an “abused animal crying in agony” at the hands of the Nazis, the modern state of Israel fights back against its enemies.

He then listed several Iranian nuclear sites alongside Nazi death camps.

“Had we not acted, the names Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan and Parchin might have been remembered eternally in infamy, just like Auschwitz, Treblinka, Majdanek, and Sobibor,” he said. “But we acted, and how—in an unprecedented historic partnership with President Trump and the United States.”

Netanyahu often uses the annual address to lash out at Iran.

The vessel-tracker MarineTraffic said on Monday in a post on the social platform X that the ships reversed course within minutes of approaching the critical waterway, shortly after the U.S. blockade began.

It said one of the tankers departed the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah anchorage on Monday, bound for China. It was not immediately clear where the second vessel was headed.(AP)

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stresses that freedom for ships to transit the strait, a key waterway for about 20% of global oil shipments, is guaranteed in international law, his spokesman said.

Responding to a question about the blockade of the strait ordered by Trump, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the U.N. chief’s position has been consistent: “No one should do anything that harms the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

After weeks of destruction following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, Guterres believes “it is clear that there is no military solution,” Dujarric said Monday.

The secretary-general says the U.S.-Iran talks “underscored the seriousness of their engagement and constituted a positive and meaningful step toward renewed dialogue,” Dujarric said.

But an agreement cannot be reached overnight, and the secretary-general calls for the Pakistan-mediated talks and the ceasefire to continue, the spokesman said. (AP)

During a panel on Monday, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said that he “sees no signs” of America abandoning the trans-Atlantic alliance despite Trump’s threats over NATO countries’ refusal to help with the Strait of Hormuz.

“So don’t underestimate the interest of the United States to stay engaged with the alliance,” Stubb said at an event at the Brookings Institution.

The European leader has often leveraged his good relationship with Trump — the two men have played golf together and speak regularly — to argue against his “America First” posturing. Stubb also reiterated that a “coalition of the willing” would help ensure the critical waterway was opened after the war ended.

“It’s my job as president of Finland to try to save the situation and convince the Americans that without allies, it’s difficult to project power,” he said.(AP)

Trump is refusing to apologise for sharply criticising Pope Leo, saying that the pontiff “went public” in his criticisms of the war in Iran, and “I’m just responding.”

In comments to reporters outside the Oval Office, Trump added, “There’s nothing to apologise for” and said of Leo, “He’s wrong.” Trump was also asked about posting an image of himself as a saint-like healer, which seemed to draw comparisons between himself and Jesus Christ.

The image was posted Sunday night and drew widespread condemnation from Evangelical Christian leaders and has since been taken down.

Trump said, “I did post it.” But he suggested it had something to do with the Red Cross and insisted: “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better.”(AP)

Speaking outside the Oval Office on Monday, Trump suggested the U.S. is still willing to engage with Iran to negotiate a resolution.

“I can tell you that we’ve been called by the other side,” Trump said, adding, “We’ve been called this morning by the right people, the appropriate people, and they want to work a deal.” Trump did not say who called or what was discussed. (AP)

A prolonged crisis in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global agrifood catastrophe by disrupting fertiliser and energy exports, driving up food prices and squeezing crop yields, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.

FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero said poorer countries were most exposed because planting calendars meant delays in access to key inputs could quickly translate into lower output, higher inflation and slower global growth, reported Al Jazeera.

U.S. Central Command has issued a notice warning that the blockade applies to all vessel traffic, regardless of flag, according to Fox News.

The warning stated that 'any vessel entering or leaving the blockaded area without authorization may be subject to interception, diversion, or capture. At the same time, the blockade will not impede neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations.'

As the Israeli military pushed ahead with its air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group fired more rockets and drones at northern Israel on Monday.

Sirens rang out throughout the day in dozens of Israeli communities along the Lebanese border and in the city of Haifa, some 40 kilometres south, near key energy facilities.

The exchange of fire was taking place a day before Lebanon and Israel, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, were set to begin direct negotiations in the United States for the first time in decades.

The Israeli military said it intercepted more than 10 drones that crossed from Lebanon on Monday. The army says Hezbollah has fired over 250 projectiles since the temporary ceasefire was announced between the U.S., Israel and Iran last week.

That’s an increase of 34 deaths since the previous day’s count, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. It said Monday that among those killed were 252 women, 166 children, and 88 medical workers.

The number of wounded has increased to 6,762 people since the war began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets towards northern Israel in solidarity with Iran, sparking Israel’s ground invasion and aerial bombardment campaign that has displaced over one million people.

Ahead of anticipated direct talks in Washington on Tuesday, the strikes across both sides of the tense frontier and fierce ground fighting in southern Lebanon have intensified.

Johann Wadephul told reporters in Berlin on Monday it is “urgently necessary to ... ensure that the Strait of Hormuz, which is, after all, an international maritime route, remains free and open.”

The foreign minister said keeping the strait open “is required by international law, and it must be observed by all; making this a reality must be the goal of us all.”

Wadephul did not further elaborate on Trump’s earlier vow to block the strait. He said Germany is focused on helping to resolve the conflict through diplomacy.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that the current priority should be to maintain the ceasefire between Iran and the United States and prevent conflict from reigniting in the Middle East.

Chinese top diplomat made the comments in a phone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

Pakistan has been mediating between Iran and the U.S. and was able to bring them to historic, face-to-face talks over the weekend. However, the negotiations ended without an agreement, raising questions about the fate of the two-week truce.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has criticised the US blockade, saying, “Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!” on X, adding, “Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!”

"The U.S.-Iran negotiation in Islamabad was a step towards de-escalation. China hopes the ceasefire will be kept, disputes will be resolved through political and diplomatic means rather than reigniting the flames of war, and conditions will be created for an early return of peace to the Gulf," Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on X, adding, "The root cause of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz is the military conflict. To solve the issue, the conflict must stop as soon as possible. All parties need to remain calm and exercise restraint."

"Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, “fast attack ships,” because we did not consider them much of a threat. Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal. P.S. 98.2% of Drugs coming into the U.S. by Ocean or Sea have STOPPED! Thank you for your attention to this matter," Trump posted on Truth Social.

The Monday deadline set by US President Donald Trump for a naval blockade of Iranian ports has passed.

Trump announced a blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz after weekend peace talks with Tehran ended without an agreement.

The US military announced Sunday it will begin blockading all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, but will allow ships not coming or going to Iran to pass through the strait.

Qatar's foreign minister told his Iranian counterpart on Monday that Iran and the United States should engage positively with mediation efforts, warning that maritime routes must not be used as "bargaining tools".

Qatari Foreign Minister and Premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani "stressed the importance of all parties responding positively to the ongoing mediation efforts," in a call with Abbas Araghchi.

"He also emphasised the need to open maritime routes, guarantee freedom of navigation, and refrain from using them as a tool for pressure or bargaining," according to a statement released by the foreign ministry.

Pakistan’s PM Sharif says efforts are still being ⁠made to ⁠resolve the conflict between the US and Iran, reported Al Jazeera.

He added that the ceasefire still stands and while some issues need to be resolved, “we are devoting our full efforts to resolve them”.

“I believe the Islamabad peace talks were a historic moment in their own right,” he said.

“Pakistan got the opportunity to mediate and host the talks during a time when the whole world economy is unstable.”

UKMTO have been informed that, effective from 1400 UTC on 13 April 2026, maritime access restrictions are being enforced affecting Iranian ports and coastal areas, including locations along the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz.

These access restrictions apply without distinction to vessels of any flag engaging with Iranian ports, oil terminals, or coastal facilities. UKMTO understands that formal details of these measures, including enforcement provisions and exemptions, will be promulgated and updated through official Notice to Mariners (NTM).

The advisory states:

The restrictions encompass the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including ports and energy infrastructure.

• Transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations is not reported to be impeded by these measures; however, vessels may encounter military presence, directed communications, or right-of-visit procedures during passage.

• Neutral vessels currently within Iranian ports have been granted a limited grace period to depart, as will be specified in the NTM.

• All other threats, maritime security, and navigation assessments remain extant as outlined in the latest JMIC advisory products

"His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency on behalf of the great nation of Iran, and declare that the desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is not acceptable to any free person. I wish you glory by Allah," stated Iranian President Pezeshkian on X.

The head of the UN maritime agency said Monday no country had a legal right to block shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a trade passage paralysed by the US-Iran war.

"In accordance with international law, no country has the right to prohibit the right of innocent passage or the freedom of navigation through international straits that are used for international transit," the International Maritime Organization's Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez told a news conference.

The United States had threatened to begin a blockade of Iranian ports on Monday in and around the strait, which Iranian forces have been controlling access to since the war erupted with US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

According to an X post by the White House, China can suffer the maximum if the US imposes a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, given that nearly 60 to 80% of Iranian oil exports flow directly to China.

"Any disruption in this vital and critical passage would shake China's energy 'lifeline' and send massive shockwaves through global markets. One narrow passage... and enormous global consequences. Blocking the oil headed to China could become the spark that ignites the fuse of direct escalation," stated White House

The US is prepared to impose and sustain a naval blockade on Iran but has not yet set out rules of engagement for dealing with any violations, a US official has told Al Jazeera.

The official said that the US has sufficient forces and equipment to enforce a blockade and that it would be maintained for however long it takes, in line with decisions made by Trump.

Oil prices have jumped to more than $100 a barrel again, and Wall Street appears to be following global markets lower as the U.S. military prepares to blockade traffic to and from Iranian ports. In the Strait of Hormuz, most shipping has been stalled since the start of the war.

Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average each fell 0.7% before the opening bell. Nasdaq futures slid 1%.

Trump announced the planned blockade after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, and the U.S. military said the blockade involving all Iranian ports would begin Monday at 10 a.m. EDT.

Iran immediately responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The chief of Russia’s state nuclear corporation said Monday it was pulling nearly all of its personnel from Iran’s Russia-built nuclear power plant.

Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said 108 workers were leaving the power plant in Bushehr, and only 20 will stay behind to keep watch of the equipment at the plant where Russia is building two more nuclear reactors. Likhachev said that Russia has coordinated the workers’ evacuation with the Iranian authorities. Since the start of the war, Russia has repeatedly voiced concern about projectiles hitting the territory of the plant, some of them landing near its nuclear reactor.

Russia had planned the near-complete evacuation long before the ceasefire, removing about 600 personnel in several waves in March and earlier this month.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting is continuing in Lebanon on Monday, focused on the Bint Jbeil area, a strategic point that has been the site of fierce battles between Israel and Hezbollah over the years.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that Israel’s military is expanding beyond the five hilltops it controlled in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire with Hezbollah in 2024 towards a “solid, deeper security zone, which both prevents the danger of invasion and keeps the threat of terrorism away.”

Previously, Netanyahu said Israel wants to control the territory 8-10 kilometres (5-6 miles) from the border in southern Lebanon to remove the threat of short-range rockets or anti-tank missiles targeting Israeli cities and towns on the border.

Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles condemned Trump’s threatened shipping blockade, saying it “makes no sense.”

“Since the war began, everything has been senseless,” Robles told Spanish broadcaster TVE on Monday. “Nobody knows the reason why this war started, a war that was supposed to be quick. This is just another episode of the downward spiral we have been dragged into, and that they have tried to drag the entire world into.”

Spain, under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been Europe’s loudest critic of the U.S. and Israel’s military actions in the Middle East. The NATO member said earlier this month that its airspace was closed to the U.S. planes being used in Iran, and disallowed the U.S. from utilizing jointly operated military bases in southern Spain in the war effort.

Iran termed US President Donald Trump's decision for a naval blockade starting Monday as an illegal action and an instance of "maritime piracy".

A spokesperson for the Central Headquarters of the Iranian military command asserted that the Iranian Armed Forces consider defending the country’s legal rights a natural and lawful duty."Accordingly, ensuring security in the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran will resolutely continue to be carried out by the devoted Armed Forces, and as has been repeatedly declared, enemy-affiliated vessels do not have and will not have the right to cross the Strait of Hormuz, while other vessels, in compliance with the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will continue to be permitted passage through the strait," Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Central Headquarters 'Khatam al-Anbia', was quoted as saying by Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

According to the Kuwait Foreign Ministry, FM Al Ahmad Al Sabah received a phone call from EAM S Jaishankar, and the two discussed the latest developments in the region.

Trump addressed several pressing international conflicts after stepping off Air Force One in Maryland on Sunday, declaring that Iranian naval forces had been destroyed ahead of a planned energy blockade and expressing sharp disapproval of NATO for its perceived lack of support, reported Fox News.

"Their military is destroyed," Trump said. "Their whole Navy is underwater. You know that 158 ships are gone. Their navy is gone. Most of their mine droppers are gone."

"At 10 tomorrow, we have a blockade going into effect," Trump added. "Other nations are working so that Iran will not be able to sell oil."

"Several vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz over the last 36 hours, though levels are less than 15% of normal, inbound and outbound. The vast majority of them are using the Iranian traffic separation scheme transiting near Larak island," stated an OSINT platform on X, sharing visuals of ship tracking data.

The U.S. will leave the Middle East without any achievements, Iranian media reported on Monday citing Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, commander of the powerful elite Quds Force.

He noted that the U.S. and Israel should remember how they left Yemen likewise empty-handed in a prior campaign, according to the Tasnim and Mehr semiofficial news agencies.

Qaani suggested that the Iranian-backed Houthis rebels could close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as they did between 2023 and 2025. The attacks in Bab el-Mandeb prompted the U.S. to launch an air campaign against the Houthis. The rebels stopped attacking ships in the Red Sea after a deal with the Trump administration.

The European Union’s fuel bill has risen by more than $25 billion since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, and is likely to mount.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday.

“Our bill for fossil fuel imports has increased by over 22 billion euros – 44 days, 22 billion euros,” she said, noting that “the disruption of energy supplies will continue for some time to come.”

Von der Leyen recommended to EU governments that they start coordinating the way they use their oil stocks and store natural gas to avoid putting pressure on the market. She proposed to ease restrictions on state aid rules while the crisis lasts to help protect vulnerable consumers and sectors from high energy prices.

A U.S. threat to block the Strait of Hormuz is “more bluffing than reality,” according to Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission.

Rezaei warned that Tehran was prepared to respond if the situation escalates militarily.

“It will make the current situation (Trump) is in more complicated and will further agitate the market he is angry about, and we may also reveal other cards that we have not used in the game,” Rezaei said in a post on X.

"The fighting continues all the time. We support the tough stance of President Trump to impose a naval blockade on Iran. We are coordinated with the United States all the time - I spoke yesterday with Vice President Vance, who clarified that the main issue is the removal of all the enriched material and ensuring there is no more enrichment," stated Israel PM, Netanyahu.

"Mediators will continue talks with the U.S. and Iran in the coming days in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps and reach a deal. All parties still believe a deal is possible," reported American Axios media.

"If the security of Iranian ports is threatened, no port in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe," stated the spokesperson of Khatam al-Anbiya HQ, the headquarters of the Iranian forces.

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the EU Commission, stated that the Middle East crisis and its impact on Europe was discussed today. "The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is greatly damaging. The restoration of freedom of navigation is of paramount importance," she said.

Russia said Monday that a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will likely hurt global markets.

Asked to comment on the U.S. announcement of a blockade on Iran’s ports and coastline, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Most likely, such actions will continue to negatively impact international markets; this can be assumed with a high degree of certainty.”

Peskov told reporters: “Many details remain unclear and incomprehensible, so I would refrain from making any substantive comments at this time.”

According to Marine Traffic data, Auroura, an oil tanker sailing under Panama flag and crewed by Indians, has transited the Strait of Hormuz at around 9 am on Monday. While the destination has not been listed on the ship tracker, it is currently located in the Oman Gulf.

An Indian shipping union said Monday that thousands of crew members stuck on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz are running short on basics and growing increasingly desperate.

Milind Kandalgaonkar, general secretary of the National Union of Seafarers of India, said that nearly 20,000 Indian crew members were stranded in the region.

“Many of these seafarers are reportedly facing acute shortages of food, potable water, and essential medical supplies,” he wrote in a letter to India’s national shipping board. He urged authorities to ensure supplies can reach the vessels, protect seafarers’ welfare and prepare evacuation plans if needed.

Tanker owners say the ceasefire has done little to ease conditions for mariners in the strait, where crews report dwindling food and fresh water. (AP)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire could be extended for 45 to 60 days to allow the negotiations to continue.

Fidan, whose country has supported mediation efforts, said the U.S. and Iranian delegations presented initial “maximalist” positions during the talks in Pakistan, adding that Iran is expected to review U.S. proposals and respond.

“If the parties make good progress, an additional ceasefire could be introduced — lasting 45 to 60 days — so that negotiations can continue,” he said in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency. He cautioned, however, that Israel remains “a factor” that could disrupt the negotiations. The nuclear issue could also become a sticking point, he said.

“If the nuclear matter turns into an all‑or‑nothing situation, especially regarding enrichment, we could face a serious obstacle,” Fidan said. “But hopefully, with the support of mediators and other countries, we will try to overcome this as well.” (AP)

The offices of the Lebanese Red Cross in Tyre were hit by a drone strike on Monday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

The strike in the southern coastal city killed a wounded person being transported and damaged Red Cross vehicles. The Israeli military did not immediately reply to inquires from The Associated Press.

The funeral was being held on Monday for a Lebanese Red Cross volunteer killed on Sunday in an Israeli strike that hit his team while on a mission in Beit Yahoun.

The Lebanese Red Cross operates in war-torn southern Lebanon in coordination with the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, and the Lebanese military. (AP)

The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports could prompt the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to disrupt transit through Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an analyst has warned.

“If the U.S. moves to impose a blockade on Iranian ports and Iran starts feeling the pain, the Houthis are very likely to escalate in the Bab el-Mandeb,” said Ahmed Nagi, a senior analyst for Yemen at the International Crisis Group think-tank.

The closure of Bab el-Mandeb would add “another layer” of pressure on the global shipping industry, he said. (AP)

"I was not surprised by the decision to break off the talks," stated German Chancellor Merz, adding, "From the very beginning, I didn't get the impression that they were really well prepared."

Iranian transportation authorities have announced the successful restoration of the Tehran–Tabriz railway line, marking a significant milestone in repairing critical infrastructure damaged by recent missile strikes.

Following the completion of reconstruction and safety operations at two key points on the Mianeh–Zanjan axis, the strategic route has been cleared for full operation, according to Iranian WANA media.

"He has threatened to blockade Iran. Just so you know, Iran has enough oil stored on tankers at sea to sell for three months. Are you sure that you and your allies can endure that period?," questioned Iran on X via its embassy in Bulgaria.

Stating that 'getting global shipping moving is vital to ease cost of living pressures,' UK PM Starmer announced that the country has convened more than 40 nations that share our aim to restore freedom of navigation.

"This week, the UK and France will co-host a summit to advance work on a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping when the conflict ends," he stated on X.

The strategic Strait of Hormuz trade route should open "as soon as possible", Turkey's foreign minister said on Monday.

"Negotiations with Iran should be conducted, persuasion methods should be used, and the strait should be opened as soon as possible," Hakan Fidan told the official Anadolu news agency.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia have “discussed the latest developments in the region and the Iran-US negotiations in Islamabad,” Iran’s Mehr news agency reported.

Pope Leo XIV on Monday said he had "no intention to debate" with Donald Trump, after the US president criticised him over his comments on the US-Iran war.

"I am not a politician," the pope told reporters aboard the papal plane as they headed to Algeria for the pontiff's first visit to Africa.

"I have no intention to debate with (Trump). The message is the same: to promote peace."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Britain will not be part of a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in response to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. Starmer told BBC Radio on Monday that “we’re not supporting the blockade” and “we’re not getting dragged into the war.”

He said U.K. efforts remain focused on reopening the key shipping route, whose closure has sent prices for oil and other commodities soaring.

Starmer spoke after U.S. President Donald Trump said Britain would send minesweepers to the strait.

Britain says it might help with mine-clearing in the waterway, but only after the fighting stops. Starmer said all Britain’s military capability is focused on getting the strait “fully open.” The U.K. is working with dozens of other countries on plans to restore security to shipping through the key oil route after the conflict. (AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron stated on X that 'No effort must be spared to swiftly reach, through diplomatic means, a strong and lasting settlement to the conflict in the Middle East,' and added, "To that end, all the core issues must be addressed through lasting solutions, whether with regard to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic activities, its destabilizing actions in the region, the need to restore free and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible, as well as the need to ensure that Lebanon returns to the path of peace in full respect of its sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Southeast Asian countries urged the United States and Iran on Monday to keep going with peace negotiations, enforce a ceasefire and restore the safe passage of ships, seafarers and aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz.

The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations made the urgent plea as they held an emergency video conference, the second in recent weeks, to assess the impact of the war in the Middle East, including soaring fuel prices, and how they could cooperate in the face of global crises.

The 11-nation bloc reminded “the obligations of all states to resolve their differences through peaceful means, to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflicts.”

It called “for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, aimed at preventing further suffering and loss of lives, ensuring maritime security and freedom of navigation and overflight.”

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that Germany would cut petrol and diesel taxes for two months to provide relief to households and businesses hit by the energy shock during the Middle East war.

"We will reduce... the fuel tax on diesel and gasoline by approximately 17 (euro) cents per litre for two months," Merz told a press conference after talks between his CDU party and its coalition partners. (AFP)

Iran's military said a US naval blockade set to begin on Monday would be illegal and amount to piracy, warning that no Gulf ports would be safe if its own were threatened.

"The restrictions imposed by criminal America on maritime navigation and transit in international waters are illegal and constitute an example of piracy," AFP reported citing a statement issued by the Iranian military's central command centre, Khatam Al-Anbiya, that was read on state television.

"If the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran's ports in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea is threatened, no port in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea will be safe," it added.

After criticising Pope Leo XIV for his position on the Iran war, US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as Jesus Christ. In the image, the president appears dressed in red and white robes as he cures a man with his healing hand. The American flag is shown over his shoulder. Trump and the White House have previously shared AI-generated images, including one that showed the president dressed as the pope.

Iran embassy in Ghana on Monday took a dig at US President Donald Trump for changing positions on the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, the embassy said the US was not able to hold onto a policy for even one afternoon.

"Read slowly. "We don't need the Strait." "Go open it yourselves." "Fine, we'll open it." "Actually, we're blockading it." "OK not blockading everyone." Five positions. Six weeks. Two of them today. And our armed forces just sat there, sipping tea, watching America negotiate with America over a strait Iran already blockades. Empires used to fall in centuries. This one can't hold a policy for an afternoon," reads the embassy's post.

Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, the highest number since 1989, two NGOs said Monday, warning it risked using capital punishment even more extensively after protests in January and the war against Israel and the US.

The number of executions represented an increase of 68 percent on the 975 people Iran put to death in 2024, and also included 48 women who were hanged, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) said in their joint annual report.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence wrote Sunday that “all traffic” through the Strait of Hormuz stopped after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. would blockade the waterway. It said two vessels that were leaving the strait turned around after the post.

A trickle of traffic had returned to the strait in the days since the US and Iran agreed to pause the conflict.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Tehran's delegation in Pakistan, took a dig at the US in a social media post over the latter's plan of a Strait of Hormuz blockade. He reminded the White House of rising gas prices in the US while sharing an image of current petrol prices near the White House, warning Americans that they 'will miss them' soon.

"Enjoy the current pump figures," Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social media platform X. "With the so-called 'blockade', soon you'll be nostalgic for $4-$5 gas."

He also shared an equation "ΔO_BSOH>0 ⇒ f(f(O))>f(O)".

Many X users attempted to decode the equation. One of them wrote: ΔO_BSOH>0 ⇒ f(f(O))>f(O) is worth understanding. Ghalibaf is mathematically making the point that the oil prices will be much worse as a result of BSOH = Blockade Strait of Hormuz. There the first order effect f(O), and possibly a significant second order effect, f(f(O)).

In simple language the mathematical equation is saying, Trump if you worsen Hormuz disruption (positive delta), then the resulting gas prices will be much higher than even the first round of increases — you’ll miss the current ‘high’ prices. Ghalibaf qualified as an engineer!

US President Donald Trump says he doesn’t care when Iran returns to the negotiating table. Speaking to reporters outside Washington after flying back from Florida, Trump was asked how long it might be before Iranian officials returned to the negotiating table amid a fragile ceasefire.

"I don’t care if they come back or not," he replied. "If they don’t come back, I’m fine." Trump said that during weekend negotiations led by US Vice President JD Vance, Iran said they were pushing for a nuclear weapon. “They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he said. (AP)

US President Donald Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media on Sunday, saying the first American pope should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the President wrote on social media. He also wrote that “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon." A short time later, speaking to reporters after Air Force One landed outside Washington from Florida, Trump said, "I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. We don’t like a pope who says it’s ok to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope that says crime is ok. I am not a fan of Pope Leo."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday said that a possible agreement with the United States can be reached if Washington "abandons its totalitarianism" and respects the rights of the Iranian people. In a post on X, he also praised Iran's negotiating team, including Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, for their efforts in ongoing talks. If the American government abandons its totalitarianism and respects the rights of the Iranian nation, ways to reach an agreement will certainly be found. I commend the members of the negotiating team, especially my dear brother Dr Ghalibaf..." he said.

The UK will not take part in the proposed US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, setting up yet another point of contention between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the conflict in Iran. "We will not be involved in blockade of the Strait. We are urgently working with France, Spain and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect the freedom of navigation," a UK government spokesperson has said.

President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a strong warning to Iran, announcing that the United States Navy would begin the process of blockading ships entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that while recent talks had gone well and several issues were agreed upon, the key issue of Iran's nuclear programme remained unresolved. He termed Iran's actions in the region as "world extortion", alleging that Tehran was using threats such as undisclosed sea mines to control maritime movement.

"The blockade will begin shortly," Trump said, adding that other countries would also be involved in the operation. He emphasised that Iran would not be allowed to benefit from what he called an "illegal act of extortion".

Issuing a stern warning, Trump said any attack by Iranian forces on US or civilian vessels would be met with severe retaliation. He also warned that the US military is "locked and loaded" and would act decisively if required, hinting at major escalation in the already volatile West Asian region.

Oil prices rose in early market trading on Sunday after the US said it would block Iranian ports beginning Monday. The price of US crude oil rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7% to $102.29.

Brent crude has swung dramatically during the Iran war, rising from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. On Friday, ahead of the peace talks, Brent for June delivery fell 0.8% to $95.20 per barrel. (AP)

US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 am ET, in accordance with President Donald Trump’s proclamation.

It said, "The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports."

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran had negotiated with the U.S. in “good faith” for an end to the war. “But when just inches away from 'Islamabad MoU', we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,” he wrote in a post on X, using an acronym for “memorandum of understanding.”

He then echoed earlier threats from Iranian officials. “Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.”

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (local time)visited southern Lebanon alongside senior military and defence leadership, asserting that the war is far from over and stating that Israel's enemies are now "fighting for survival."

According to the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu was accompanied by Defence Minister Israel Katz, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Head of Northern Command Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo during the visit.
Following the visit, the Prime Minister went to an IDF outpost near the border, where Galilee Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yuval Gez briefed him on the division's operations.
The release stated that during the visit, Netanyahu said, "The war continues. Our enemies are now fighting for survival."

"I am here with the Defense Minister, the Chief-of-Staff, the Head of Northern Command, the Division Commander, and our reserve soldiers. There is a magnificent spirit here and a readiness to fight, and they are fighting well. The war continues, including inside the security zone in Lebanon, where I was just a short while ago," Netanyahu added