Israel-Iran war highlights: Trump vows to destroy Iranian warships that get near U.S. blockade

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance urged the Vatican connected Monday (April 13, 2026) to “stick to matters of morality” amid an escalating enactment betwixt President Donald Trump and Pope Leo implicit Iran.

“I surely deliberation that successful immoderate cases, it would beryllium champion for the Vatican to instrumentality to matters of morality... and fto the President United States instrumentality to dictating American nationalist policy,” Mr. Vance told Fox News’s “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

- AFP

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said connected Monday (April 13, 2026) that Washington has made its reddish lines wide successful talks with Iran connected ending the West Asia warfare and it is present up to Tehran to instrumentality action.

“I truly deliberation the shot is successful the Iranian court, due to the fact that we enactment a batch connected the table. We really made precise wide what our reddish lines were,” Mr. Vance said successful an interrogation with Fox News.

“There are 2 things successful peculiar wherever the president of the United States truly said we person nary flexibility,” Mr. Vance said. He listed them arsenic U.S. power of Iran’s enriched uranium, and a verification mechanics to guarantee it does not make a atomic limb successful the future.

- AFP

Wall Street stocks shrugged disconnected aboriginal weakness and pushed higher connected Monday (April 13, 2026) arsenic lipid terms gains moderated amid optimism that the United States and Iran would onslaught a bid agreement.

Some analysts cited President Donald Trump’s assertion that Iranian representatives phoned him and expressed keen tendency for a woody aft play talks successful Pakistan failed to output an agreement.

Oil prices, which had surged backmost supra $100 a tube arsenic the United States imposed a blockade connected Iran’s imports, aboriginal eased. Both large contracts ended higher but beneath $100 a barrel.

- AFP

April could signifier up to beryllium a tougher period than March for vigor markets and the system owed to the West Asia war, the caput of the International Energy Agency said Monday (April 13, 2026).

While the period of March saw the transportation of cargo from the portion “loaded good earlier the situation started,” Fatih Birol said, “during the period of April, thing has been loaded.”

“The longer the disruption is, the much terrible the occupation becomes,” helium told reporters aft a gathering astatine the International Monetary Fund.

- AFP

The Lebanese militant radical Hezbollah volition not abide by immoderate agreements that whitethorn effect from the nonstop Lebanon-Israel talks successful the United States, negotiations it firmly opposes, a elder Hezbollah authoritative said Monday (April 13, 2026).

Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking subordinate of Hezbollah’s governmental council, spoke connected the eve of the talks expected successful Washington betwixt Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the U.S. It volition beryllium the archetypal clip successful decades that envoys from Lebanon and Israel, which bash not person diplomatic relations, conscionable face-to-face successful nonstop talks.

“As for the outcomes of this dialog betwixt Lebanon and the Israeli enemy, we are not funny successful oregon acrophobic with them astatine all,” Mr. Safa told The Associated Press.

“We are not bound by what they hold to,” helium added successful a uncommon interrogation with planetary media. He spoke adjacent to a cemetery arsenic an Israeli drone buzzed overhead.

- AP

The U.K. and Pakistan connected Monday (April 13, 2026) exchanged views connected the precocious held nonstop US-Iran negotiations, arsenic good arsenic broader determination development.

During a telephone speech with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Ishaq Dar, U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper lauded the country’s relation successful promoting bid successful West Asia.

According to a connection by the Foreign Office, they exchanged views connected the precocious held nonstop U.S.-Iran negotiations astatine the Islamabad talks, arsenic good arsenic broader determination developments.

- PTI

U.S. President Donald Trump said 34 ships had passed done the Strait of Hormuz connected Sunday, adding that it was the highest fig since Iran choked disconnected the waterway during the West Asia war.

“34 Ships went done the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, which is by acold the highest fig since this foolish closure began,” Mr. Trump said connected Truth Social connected Monday (April 13, 2026). The fig could not beryllium instantly corroborated.

- AFP

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres connected Monday (April 13, 2026) called connected “all parties” to respect state of navigation successful the Strait of Hormuz, aft Iran and subsequently the United States blocked flows done the captious waterway.

The strait, done which a 5th of planetary lipid and state flows, has go a cardinal flashpoint arsenic the U.S. and Iran effort to summation leverage implicit each different during ceasefire negotiations.

Disruptions successful the strait “have already had nonstop effect good beyond the contiguous region, with accrued planetary economical fragility and insecurity successful galore sectors,” the UN chief’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said successful a statement.

- AFP

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar connected Monday (April 13, 2026) spoke to his counterparts from Kuwait and Singapore, focusing connected the West Asia situation arsenic the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports takes effect.

In his speech with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Jaishankar besides discussed the “well-being of the Indian community” successful the Gulf nation.

“A bully speech with FM Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait. It focused connected the determination concern and the well-being of the Indian community,” the External Affairs Minister said connected societal media.

- PTI

Hezbollah person Naim Qassem connected Monday (April 13, 2026) urged Lebanon to cancel a planned gathering with Israel successful Washington the pursuing day, reiterating his group’s rejection of nonstop negotiations with its foe.

“We cull negotiations with the usurping Israeli entity... We telephone for a historical and heroic stance by cancelling this negotiating meeting,” Mr. Qassem, whose Iran-backed radical has been astatine warfare with Israel since March 2, said successful a televised address.

The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States are scheduled to conscionable successful Washington connected Tuesday (April 14, 2026) to sermon holding nonstop negotiations betwixt the 2 countries.

- AFP

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni connected Monday (April 13, 2026) condemned arsenic “unacceptable” U.S. President Donald Trump’s disapproval of Pope Leo XIV, aft the U.S. pontiff spoke retired against the West Asia war.

“I find President Trump’s words astir the Holy Father unacceptable. The Pope is the caput of the Catholic Church, and it is close and mean for him to telephone for bid and to condemn each forms of war,” she said successful a statement. -- AFP

Maintaining a ceasefire successful the West Asia warfare is an “immediate priority” for resolving the conflict, China’s apical diplomat told his Pakistan counterpart successful a telephone telephone connected Monday (April 13, 2026).

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif besides said connected Monday (April 13) that the ceasefire betwixt the United States and Iran was “holding” and that efforts were underway to scope an statement aft talks successful Islamabad astatine the play failed to bash so.

“The contiguous precedence is to marque each effort toward preventing the resumption of hostilities and to support the hard-won ceasefire momentum,” Wang Yi told Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar, according to a Chinese overseas ministry statement.

Mr Wang said a associated bid program by China and Pakistan announced past period arsenic the 2 officials met successful Beijing “still tin service arsenic a absorption for efforts toward a resolution”. -- AFP

President Donald Trump said U.S. forces would destruct immoderate Iranian “fast onslaught ships” that attack the American naval blockade of Iranian ports that came into effect connected Monday (April 13, 2026).

“Warning: If immoderate of these ships travel anyplace adjacent to our BLOCKADE, they volition beryllium instantly ELIMINATED,” Mr. Trump said connected his Truth Social network, adding that the remainder of Iran’s navy had been “completely obliterated.”

The U.S. subject would beryllium “using the aforesaid strategy of termination that we usage against the cause dealers connected boats astatine Sea,” the President said, referring to aerial strikes connected alleged narcotics boats disconnected the seashore of Venezuela. -- AFP

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said connected Monday (April 13, 2026) a ceasefire betwixt the United States and Iran was “holding” and that efforts were underway to scope an statement aft play talks failed to bash so.

“The ceasefire is inactive holding and, arsenic I speak, afloat efforts are underway to resoluteness the outstanding issues,” Sharif told a furniture gathering successful little televised remarks. -- AFP

The Monday (April 13, 2026) deadline acceptable by U.S. President Donald Trump for a naval blockade of Iranian ports has passed.

Mr. Trump announced a blockade of the strategical Strait of Hormuz aft play bid talks with Tehran ended without an agreement.

The U.S. subject announced connected Sunday (April 12) it volition statesman blockading each Iranian Gulf ports connected Monday (April 13) astatine 1930 hours, but volition let ships not coming oregon going to Iran to walk done the strait. -- AFP

Qatar’s Foreign Minister told his Iranian counterpart connected Monday (April 13, 2026) that Iran and the United States should prosecute positively with mediation efforts, informing that maritime routes indispensable not beryllium utilized arsenic “bargaining tools”.

Qatari Foreign Minister and Premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani “stressed the value of each parties responding positively to the ongoing mediation efforts,” successful a telephone with Abbas Araghchi.

“He besides emphasised the request to unfastened maritime routes, warrant state of navigation, and refrain from utilizing them arsenic a instrumentality for unit oregon bargaining,” according to a connection released by the overseas ministry. -- AFP

The caput of the U.N. maritime bureau said Monday (April 13, 2026) nary state had a ineligible close to artifact shipping successful the Strait of Hormuz, a commercialized transition paralysed by the U.S.-Iran war.

“In accordance to planetary law, nary countries person the close to prohibit the close of guiltless transition oregon the state of navigation done planetary straits that are utilized for planetary transit,” the International Maritime Organization’s Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez told a quality conference.

The United States had threatened to statesman a blockade of Iranian ports connected Monday successful and astir the strait, which Iranian forces person been controlling entree to since the warfare erupted with US and Israeli strikes against Iran connected February 28. -- AFP

ASEAN encouraged the United States and Iran connected Monday (April 13, 2026) to property up with talks to extremity the West Asia struggle and guarantee harmless transition done the Strait of Hormuz.

Southeast Asian nations similar the Philippines and Malaysia trust heavy connected lipid from the Middle East, overmuch of it exported done the cardinal strait that’s been efficaciously closed during the conflict.

Foreign ministers of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met online to sermon the U.S.-Israeli warfare against Iran, hours earlier the US Navy was to commencement a blockade of Iranian ports.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the blockade of the cardinal chokepoint for seaborne lipid commercialized aft negotiations betwixt the warring sides successful Pakistan collapsed implicit what the American person said was the Islamic republic’s refusal to wantonness its ambition to make its ain atomic weapons.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed to impulse the United States and Iran to “continue negotiations that volition pb to the imperishable extremity of the struggle and lasting bid and stableness successful the region”, said a associated connection issued aft the meeting.

They besides called for the “full and effectual implementation” of an ongoing two-week ceasefire and the “restoration of the safe, unimpeded, and continuous transit transition of vessels and craft successful the Strait of Hormuz”.

Around 20% of the world’s seaborne lipid commercialized passes done the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Energy Agency, 80% of it bound for Asian markets.

The Philippines, which holds ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship, past period adopted a four-day enactment week for civilian servants successful a bid to conserve fuel, portion Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam encouraged nationalist employees to enactment from home. -- AFP

The Israeli subject said connected Monday (April 13, 2026) its troops had wholly surrounded a cardinal municipality successful confederate Lebanon aft sidesplitting much than 100 Hezbollah fighters determination implicit the past week.

The announcement marks a important beforehand successful Israel’s ongoing penetration of confederate Lebanon.

“The forces of the 98th Division person completed the encirclement of the municipality of Bint Jbeil and person begun an battle connected it,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesperson Colonel Avichay Adraee said connected X.

Over the past week, Israeli forces person killed much than 100 Hezbollah fighters successful and astir the municipality successful “face-to-face” clashes and with aerial strikes, helium said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said astatine a furniture gathering that since Sunday the warring successful confederate Lebanon had been “concentrated” successful Bint Jbeil.

“The warring continues. It has not stopped — it is ongoing each the time. Yesterday and contiguous it has been concentrated successful Bint Jbeil,” helium said, according to a video connection released by his bureau connected Monday (April 13, 2026).

Mr. Netanyahu said that Israeli troops were pushing Hezbollah fighters distant from the border.

“We are talking astir a coagulated information belt, deeper than before, 1 that prevents the information of infiltration and pushes backmost the anti-tank threat,” helium said.

“They are besides dealing with the panic villages that were close up against america — each panic position, and determination were many, has simply been flattened.”

The Iran-backed Hezbollah said it has been engaged for days successful clashes with Israeli forces successful Bint Jbeil. -- AFP

The U.S. subject volition enforce a ‌blockade successful Gulf of Oman and ⁠Arabian Sea eastbound of the Strait of ‌Hormuz and it volition use ‌to each ‌vessel ⁠traffic careless of flag, ⁠the U.S. Central Command said successful a enactment ‌to seafarers seen by Reuters connected Monday (April 13, 2026).

The precocious enactment said ‌the blockade would travel into effect astatine 1400 GMT ⁠on Monday (April 13, 2026).

“Any vas entering oregon ‌departing the blockaded country without authorization is taxable to interception, diversion, and capture,” the enactment ‌said. “The blockade volition not impede neutral transit transition ⁠through the Strait of Hormuz ⁠to oregon from non-Iranian ‌destinations.” -- Reuters

The Iranian Envoy to India Mohammad Fathali connected Monday (April 13, 2026) said that “U.S. broadside made “unlawful” demands during Islamabad talks.”

Mr. Fathali said “Strait of Hormuz is successful Iran’s territorial water.”

To a question connected anticipation of 2nd circular of talks, Mr. Fathali said “If they (the U.S.) judge our conditions, it is possible.” -- PTI

China urged calm and restraint by each sides connected Monday (April 13, 2026), pursuing U.S. President Donald Trump’s menace to ‌blockade the Strait of Hormuz aft the nonaccomplishment of play talks successful Islamabad aimed ⁠at ending the Iran war.

Before the war, astir Iranian lipid exports were shipped to China, the apical planetary importer ‌of crude.

Keeping the cardinal Strait of Hormuz waterway safe, unchangeable and unimpeded served the ‌interest of the planetary community, overseas ministry spokesperson ‌Guo ⁠Jiakun told a regular property conference, erstwhile ⁠asked astir the blockade threat.

“China hopes the applicable parties volition abide by the impermanent ceasefire arrangements, stay committed to resolving disputes done governmental and diplomatic ‌means, and debar a resumption of hostilities,” helium said.

China stood acceptable to “play a affirmative and constructive role” successful resolving the crisis, Guo added, calling ‌the opening talks successful the Pakistani superior a measurement successful a absorption conducive to easing tension. -- Reuters

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said connected Monday (April 13, 2026) that Israel supports U.S. President Donald Trump’s determination to enforce a naval blockade connected Iran, adding that his authorities is successful afloat coordination with Washington connected the matter.

“Iran violated the rules (of the bid talks successful Pakistan), President Trump decided to enforce a naval blockade,” Mr. Netanyahu said astatine a furniture meeting, according to a video connection released by his office.

“We, of course, enactment this steadfast position, and we are successful changeless coordination with the United States.” -- AFP

Russia said connected Monday (April 13, 2026) that a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz volition apt wounded planetary markets.

Asked to remark connected the U.S. announcement of a blockade connected Iran’s ports and coastline, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Most likely, specified actions volition proceed to negatively interaction planetary markets, this tin beryllium assumed with a precocious grade of certainty.”

Peskov told reporters: “Many details stay unclear and incomprehensible, truthful I would refrain from making immoderate substantive comments astatine this time.” -- AP

London’s Heathrow Airport announced connected Monday (April 13, 2026) a 10% summation successful transit passengers during March arsenic the U.S.-Iran warfare forced Gulf countries to adjacent their airspace.

Total rider numbers, including those utilizing Europe’s busiest airdrome to transit, climbed 6.9% to 6.65 cardinal past period compared with a twelvemonth earlier, Heathrow added successful a statement.

“While Heathrow’s long-haul web absorbed request successful March, the outlook for the adjacent fewer months remains uncertain” amid the conflict, said the airport’s main enforcement Thomas Woldbye.

Gulf airlines Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways person built their concern exemplary connected connecting passengers connected long-haul flights crossed the globe.

But pursuing the outbreak of the warfare connected February 28, Iran fired missiles and drones astatine Israel and U.S. allies successful the Gulf, reaching airports and different cardinal infrastructure.

Iraq and Bahrain past week afloat reopened their airspace amid the ceasefire agreed betwixt the United States and Iran.

However, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — whose Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha hubs grip ample quantities of long-haul flights — person maintained galore restrictions.

Despite the lack of a implicit truce, “the knock-on impacts to planetary proviso chains, including fuel, person not affected airdrome operations”, Heathrow said connected Monday (April 13, 2026). -- AFP

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov volition get successful Beijing connected Tuesday for talks with the Chinese enactment connected the escalation of the West Asia struggle and the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, amid a deepening planetary vigor crisis. 

Mr. Lavrov volition sojourn Beijing astatine the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said astatine a media briefing here. 

China and Russia person a “no limits partnership” arsenic described by their leaders - Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin - and person maintained beardown governmental alignment connected planetary and determination issues.

They person besides maintained strategical and subject ties with Iran. 

-AP

Israel’s subject connected Monday said its troops person surrounded what they accidental is Hezbollah subject infrastructure and person started crushed operations successful the strategical confederate Lebanese municipality of Bint Jbeil and its surrounding areas, sidesplitting implicit 100 Hezbollah fighters.

Hezbollah did not instantly publically denote anyone killed among their ranks, and Israel did not instantly admit immoderate fatalities among their forces. Hezbollah has not commented connected the developments. 

According to the group’s statements, the Israeli troops were positioned adjacent a school, a hospital, and juncture that surrounds the bosom of Bint Jbeil. The Israeli subject said it attacked Hezbollah forces. 

-AP

Russia is acceptable to instrumentality successful Iran’s enriched uranium arsenic portion of a aboriginal bid woody with the United States, the Kremlin said connected Monday.

“This connection was voiced by President (Vladimir) Putin successful contacts with some the United States and determination states. The connection inactive stands, but has not been acted upon,” the Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 

-AFP

The Kremlin connected Monday criticised ‌an announcement by U.S. President ⁠Donald Trump that the U.S. would blockade ‌the Strait of Hormuz, ‌saying this ‌would wounded ⁠global markets.

The ⁠U.S. subject said it would artifact shipping postulation ‌in and retired of Iran’s ports starting astatine ‌10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) connected Monday, a determination ⁠that would forestall astir 2 ‌million barrels of Iranian lipid a time from entering the world’s markets, ‌further tightening planetary supply.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said ⁠many aspects of the connection ⁠remained unclear.

-Reuters

France and Britain volition enactment connected a “peaceful multinational mission” to reconstruct postulation done the Strait of Hormuz but it would beryllium “separate from the warring parties”, French President Emmanuel Macron said connected Monday. 

Iran and the United States past week agreed to a two-week cessation of hostilities, but ceasefire talks betwixt the warring sides successful Pakistan connected the play ended successful failure. 

The U.K.-French initiative, which Mr. Macron announced connected X, appeared to beryllium abstracted from Trump’s announced blockade. 

-AFP

Iran’s and ‌Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministers ⁠discussed Iran-U.S. talks ‌in Islamabad ‌during ‌a ⁠phone call, ⁠Iran’s Foreign Ministry said ‌on Monday.

The telephone telephone ‌comes aft play talks ⁠failed to ‌reach a woody to extremity the ‌war, jeopardizing a fragile ⁠two-week ceasefire. 

-Reuters

Israel “cannot unrecorded without an enemy” and its authorities is present trying to represent Turkey arsenic one, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said connected Monday.

Tensions betwixt Turkey and Israel person steadily escalated since the Gaza warfare erupted pursuing Hamas’s October 7, 2023, cross-border onslaught successful Israel.

The quality entered a caller signifier implicit the play aft President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump of “possible provocations and sabotage” that could jeopardise an archetypal ceasefire statement successful the U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed connected Saturday that Israel would proceed to face Tehran and its determination allies. 

-AFP

The Israeli subject said connected Monday its troops had wholly surrounded a cardinal municipality successful confederate Lebanon aft sidesplitting much than 100 Hezbollah fighters determination implicit the past week.

The announcement marks a important beforehand successful Israel’s ongoing penetration of confederate Lebanon.

“The forces of the 98th Division person completed the encirclement of the municipality of Bint Jbeil and person begun an battle connected it,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesperson Colonel Avichay Adraee said connected X. 

-AFP

Iran has resumed obstruction services connected cardinal routes aft repairing sections of way damaged during the warfare with Israel and the United States, authorities media said connected Monday.

Authorities person successful caller days begun reconstruction enactment connected bridges, railway lines and different infrastructure deed during astir 40 days of fighting. 

In Iran’s northwestern Azerbaijan region, the manager wide of the railways said trains had resumed from the metropolis of Tabriz, bound for the superior Tehran and Mashhad successful the northeast.

“These trains person resumed work aft an interruption of 4 to 5 days,” said Alireza Soleimani, according to Iran’s authoritative IRNA quality agency. 

-AFP

Pope Leo XIV pushed backmost connected Monday against President Donald Trump’s broadside against him implicit the U.S.-Israel warfare successful Iran, saying the Vatican’s appeals for bid and reconciliation are rooted successful the Gospel, and that helium didn’t fearfulness the Trump administration.

“To enactment my connection connected the aforesaid level arsenic what the President has attempted to bash here, I deliberation is not knowing what the connection of the Gospel is,” Pope Leo told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane. 

“And I’m atrocious to perceive that but I volition proceed connected what I judge is the ngo of the religion successful the satellite today.” History’s archetypal U.S.-born pope stressed that helium was not making a nonstop onslaught against Mr. Trump oregon anyone other with his wide entreaty for bid and criticisms of the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fuelling the Iran wars and different conflicts astir the world. 

-AP

The U.S. subject said it would statesman a blockade of each Iranian ports connected Monday, aft talks betwixt the warring sides successful Pakistan collapsed, and contempt the Iranian subject informing that it would dainty immoderate specified enactment arsenic an enactment of piracy. 

The U.S. subject said the blockade would statesman astatine 1400 GMT, and use to each ships leaving oregon seeking to dock astatine Iranian ports connected either broadside of the cardinal waterway. 

It was unclear, however, however the subject would enforce specified a blockade. 

-AFP

Turkey’s apical diplomat said connected Monday helium believed some Iran and the United States stay “sincere” astir reaching a ceasefire contempt the nonaccomplishment of Pakistan-mediated talks connected the weekend.

“Both sides are sincere astir the ceasefire,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said successful an interrogation with the authoritative Anadolu quality agency. Mr. Fidan said helium has been successful interaction with the parties progressive successful the negotiations. 

-AFP

Southeast Asian countries urged the United States and Iran connected Monday to support going with bid negotiations, enforce a ceasefire and reconstruct the harmless transition of ships, seafarers and craft successful the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations made the urgent plea arsenic they held an exigency video conference, the 2nd successful caller weeks, to measure the interaction of the warfare successful the Middle East, including soaring substance prices, and however they could cooperate successful the look of planetary crises. 

The 11-nation bloc reminded “the obligations of each states to resoluteness their differences done peaceful means, to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each nations, to support civilians and civilian infrastructure successful equipped conflicts”. 

It called “for the afloat and effectual implementation of the ceasefire, aimed astatine preventing further suffering and nonaccomplishment of lives, ensuring maritime information and state of navigation and overflight”. 

-AP

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that Britain volition not articulation the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We are not supporting the blockade,” Mr. Starmer told BBC radio, adding the U.K. “is not getting dragged in” to the warfare with Iran. 

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China connected Monday called reports it had supplied oregon intended to proviso weapons to Iran “baseless smears”, aft respective outlets quoted U.S. quality sources to that effect.

“China has ever adopted a cautious and liable cognition towards the export of subject items, implementing strict controls successful accordance with its ain export power laws and regulations and its planetary obligations. We reason baseless smears oregon malicious association,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular quality briefing. 

-AFP

Iran threatened ports successful the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman aft the U.S. announced a blockade connected Iran’s ports and coastline.

“Security successful the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone oregon for nary one,” according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, IRIB.

“No larboard successful the portion volition beryllium safe,” the Iranian subject said. 

-AP

China said connected Monday it hoped the United States and Iran would not reignite the Middle East war, aft talks betwixt Tehran and Washington successful Pakistan failed to present a deal.

“China hopes the applicable sides volition abide by the impermanent ceasefire agreement, proceed resolving disputes done governmental and diplomatic means, debar reigniting warfare and make conditions for an aboriginal instrumentality to bid and tranquility successful the Gulf region,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a quality conference. 

-AFP

An Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson ‌said connected Monday ⁠that U.S. restrictions connected vessels ‌in planetary waters was ‌illegal ‌and “amounts ⁠to piracy”, ⁠and said Iran would decisively instrumentality a “permanent ‌mechanism” to power the Strait of Hormuz ‌following U.S. threats to blockade it.

He added ⁠that Gulf ports ‌must beryllium accessible to each oregon none, adding that ‌no larboard successful the Gulf oregon ⁠Gulf of Oman ⁠would stay unafraid if ‌Iranian ports were endangered. 

-Reuters

Gold prices touched a adjacent one-week debased connected Monday (April 13, 2026), pressured by a stronger dollar, portion ⁠a surge successful lipid prices pursuing failed U.S.-Iran bid talks fuelled ostentation worries and dampened expectations for Federal Reserve involvement complaint cuts this year.

Spot golden ‌was down 0.4% astatine $4,726.64 per ounce, arsenic of 06:20 GMT, aft hitting its lowest since April 7 ‌earlier successful the time astatine $4,643. U.S. golden futures for ‌June ⁠delivery fell 0.8% to $4,748.70.

The dollar strengthened 0.3%, portion lipid ⁠prices bounced backmost supra $100 a barrel, arsenic the U.S. Navy prepared a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that could restrict Iranian lipid shipments, pursuing the U.S. and Iran’s nonaccomplishment to ‌reach a woody to extremity the war. 

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Sales astatine Europe’s biggest luxury brands person shrunk successful Dubai and Abu Dhabi arsenic the Iran struggle deed the sector’s fastest-growing marketplace successful the latest setback for the $400 cardinal manufacture whose worth ‌has contracted implicit the past 3 years.

Luxury brands successful March reported income drops of 30-50% astatine the Mall of the Emirates, 1 of Dubai’s largest, compared to the aforesaid period past year, according ⁠to a root with cognition of the antecedently unreported figures.

The figures are a gauge of the interaction of the struggle connected the luxury assemblage conscionable arsenic LVMH, Kering and Hermes are owed to study quarterly income this week. 

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U.S. President Donald Trump forcefully criticized Pope Leo precocious connected Sunday successful ‌an unusual, nonstop onslaught connected the person of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church that drew contiguous rebuke from believers. 

The President, successful an evident effect to the pope’s increasing criticisms of the ⁠U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran and the Trump administration’s hard-line migration policies, said Leo was “terrible”. 

“Pope Leo is WEAK connected Crime, and unspeakable for Foreign Policy,” Mr. Trump wrote successful a station connected Truth Social. 

Catholics connected societal media rapidly lambasted Mr. Trump for attacking the person ‌of their Church, who they judge is the successor of St. Peter, 1 of Jesus’ 12 apostles. 

-Reuters

China and Hong Kong stocks weakened connected Monday, joining a broader equity sell-off successful Asia, arsenic the illness of U.S.-Iran bid talks dampened hazard appetite ‌across the region. 

The Shanghai Composite Index mislaid 0.2% to 3,979.26 by the luncheon break, ⁠and the blue-chip CSI300 Index weakened 0.1%, some clawing backmost from the steep losses astatine the opening hour. 

Hong Kong benchmark ‌Hang Seng mislaid 1.2% to 25,587.26. The Hang Seng Tech Index was down 1%. 

-Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that helium is “not a large fan” of Pope Leo XIV, aft the planetary person of Catholics made a plea for peace.

“I’m not a large instrumentality of Pope Leo. He’s a precise wide person, and he’s a antheral that doesn’t judge successful stopping crime,” Mr. Trump told reporters astatine Joint Base Andrews successful Maryland.

He accused the pontiff of “toying with a state that wants a atomic weapon.”

Earlier, Pope Leo publically implored leaders to extremity the violence: “Enough of the idolatry of aforesaid and money! Enough of the show of power! Enough of war!”

- AFP

South Korean ‌shares fell connected Monday (April 13, 2026), aft the U.S. and Iran failed to scope a woody ⁠to extremity the warfare implicit the weekend. The won weakened, portion the benchmark enslaved output rose.

The benchmark ‌KOSPI was down 62.26 points, oregon 1.06%, astatine 5,796.61 arsenic of 2:45 GMT, aft ‌falling much than 2% earlier successful the ‌session.

- Reuters

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese connected Monday (April 13, 2026) called for the Strait of Hormuz to beryllium unfastened and said the United States had not requested Australian assistance to blockade it.

Mr. Albanese told Nine Network television, “We’ve received nary requests, and they’ve made this announcement overnight and they’ve done that successful a unilateral way. And we haven’t been asked to participate.” 

“What we privation to spot is negotiations proceed and resume. We privation to spot an extremity to this conflict. We privation to spot the Strait of Hormuz opened for all. We privation to spot state of navigation arsenic required by planetary instrumentality arsenic well,” helium added. 

- AP

President Donald Trump said past nighttime helium does not attraction if Iran comes backmost to negotiations with the United States aft talks successful Pakistan failed to nutrient a deal.

“I don’t attraction if they travel backmost oregon not. If they don’t travel back, I’m fine,” Mr. Trump told reporters astatine Joint Base Andrews successful Maryland, upon his instrumentality from Florida.

-AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump connected past nighttime said his “civilisation volition die” remarks brought Iran to the bargaining array for the present failed bid talks, and predicted that they volition travel back.

“Let maine archer you, that connection got them to the bargaining table, and they person it left. They person near the bargaining table. I foretell they travel backmost and they springiness america everything we want,” Mr. Trump told Fox News programme ‘Sunday Futures’.

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Chicago wheat futures roseate today, supported by higher lipid prices aft U.S.-Iran talks collapsed and fears of a imaginable U.S. blockade ‌of the Strait of Hormuz, which heightened concerns implicit planetary substance and fertiliser supplies.

Corn ⁠and soybean futures besides climbed.

FUNDAMENTALS The most-active maize declaration connected the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Wv1 had gained ‌1.8% to $5.81 a bushel by 0042 GMT, portion CBOT maize Cv1added 1% to $4.45-1/4 a ‌bushel and soybeans Sv1 roseate 0.5% to $11.82 a ‌bushel.

-Reuters

Oil prices jumped supra $100 a tube ‌on Monday (April 13, 2026) arsenic the U.S. Navy prepared a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that could restrict Iranian lipid shipments aft the ⁠U.S. and Iran failed to scope a woody to extremity the war.

Brent crude futures roseate $7.60, oregon 7.98%, to $102.80 a tube by 2310 GMT aft settling 0.75% little connected ‌Friday (April 10, 2026).

U.S. West Texas Intermediate was astatine $104.88 a barrel, up $8.31, oregon 8.61%, pursuing a 1.33% nonaccomplishment successful the erstwhile session.

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Oil tankers are steering wide of the Strait ‌of Hormuz up of a U.S. blockade aboriginal contiguous pursuing failed bid talks betwixt the U.S. and Iran implicit the ⁠weekend, shipping information showed.

President Donald Trump said past nighttime the U.S. Navy would commencement blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes aft marathon talks with Iran failed ‌to scope a woody to extremity the war, jeopardising a fragile two-week ceasefire.

U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces would statesman implementing ‌the blockade of each maritime postulation entering and exiting Iranian ports astatine ‌10 ⁠a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. IST) today.

-Reuters