THE LATEST | CANADANew York Times: Several hundred U.S. Special Operations forces have arrived in the Middle East, joining thousands of Marines and Army paratroopers in a deployment meant to give President Trump additional options to expand the monthlong war with Iran, two U.S. military officials said on Sunday.
The commandos, including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, have not yet been assigned specific missions, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters…
Trump says Iran agrees to ‘most of’ 15-point plan as Tehran warns against ground invasion
15-point plan: President Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to “most of” the 15-point list of demands from the US to end the war. Last week, however, Tehran had not immediately accepted the plan and signaled skepticism of Washington’s position. Trump added he’s still considering whether to seize key fuel hub Kharg Island, and claimed there has been “regime change” in Iran.
US troops: Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations. The USS Tripoli — carrying 3,500 US service members — has arrived in the Middle East…
Donald Trump says US could ‘take the oil in Iran’
Donald Trump has said he wants to “take the oil in Iran” and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island, as the US sends thousands of troops to the Middle East.
The US president told the FT in an interview on Sunday that his “preference would be to take the oil”, comparing the potential move to Venezuela where the US intends to control the oil industry “indefinitely” following its capture of strongman leader Nicolás Maduro in January…
US-Israeli war against Iran escalates as talks prove fruitless
The US-Israeli war against Iran escalated over the weekend with a string of attacks on civilian infrastructure, even as regional diplomats held talks in a bid to de-escalate the conflict.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, one of Iran’s top wartime leaders, on Sunday accused the US of using diplomatic efforts as cover to prepare for ground operations in the Islamic republic, while warning that “our men are waiting”…
Trump: Deal to end war ‘could be soon,’ Iran agreed to let 20 more boats through Hormuz
US President Donald Trump says a deal to end the war with Iran could come “soon,” but warns that “they’re not going to have a country” unless Tehran agrees to a US proposal to stop the fighting.
He says that Iran agreed to allow another 20 boats of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a “sign of respect” and a further demonstration of its willingness to negotiate an agreement…
Trump Weighs Military Operation to Extract Iran’s Uranium
President Trump is weighing a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, according to U.S. officials, a complex and risky mission that would likely put American forces inside the country for days or longer.
Trump hasn’t made a decision on whether to give the order, the officials said, adding that he is considering the danger to U.S. troops. But the president remains generally open to the idea, according to the officials, because it could help accomplish his central goal of preventing Iran from ever making a nuclear weapon…
Pakistan secures Iran deal to send 20 ships through Strait of Hormuz
Iran has agreed to allow 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz, in what Islamabad has called a meaningful step towards easing one of the worst energy crises in modern history.
Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s foreign minister, announced the move on Saturday, posting on X that two ships would cross daily under the arrangement…
As Gas Prices Approach $4 a Gallon, Americans Rethink Vacations
Already pinched by the high costs of living, some families have modified how they plan to travel by road and air as the Iran war pushes gas and oil prices higher…
A month into Iran, the GOP’s political reality sinks in
Republicans in battleground states are largely sticking by the president’s war — but they’re finding it harder to brush off the consequences…
Iran activates its ‘resistance economy’ to survive the war
Islamic republic has spent years building a model designed to withstand hostility even as it presides over a deepening economic malaise…
Iran’s missile infrastructure severely strained after weeks of strikes
Four of Iran’s key ballistic missile manufacturing locations and at least 29 ballistic missile launch sites have been damaged in the first four weeks of the U.S.-Israeli offensive, undermining Iran’s central military strategy, according to a Washington Post review and analysis by experts…
Iran’s aggression will bring Gulf countries closer to the US
Despite their resentment, states in the region need American and Israeli technology to defend themselves…
German chemicals groups boost prices as Iran war adds to industry woes
Germany’s biggest chemical companies are hiking prices as they struggle with surging energy prices owing to the war in Iran, threatening to accelerate the deindustrialisation of Europe’s largest economy…
The Web of Patronage That Keeps Iran’s Regime in Control
Since its founding, the Islamic Republic has built a tentacled ecosystem that controls more than half of the economy and acts as a powerful protection policy for the regime. It rewards loyalists with cash and careers and other opportunities in exchange for crushing dissent and staying true to the regime, say academics and analysts who study the Iranian regime.
The depth of the social and economic contract is helping the regime maintain cohesion despite the weekslong Israeli and American air campaign eroding its leadership and infrastructure…
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