Iranian banks were hit by a cyber attacks just days after Donald Trump said that frozen funds would be returned to the Islamic Republic as part of their initial deal to end the war.
Iran’s state-owned technology provider said on Tuesday that ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and mobile apps linked to card systems at three banks were affected. The banks had to temporarily suspend all card-related operations to stop further unauthorised access to accounts, they told state TV.
Cybersecurity teams were working to restore normal operations after the attack, which adds to the disruption from an earlier incident on 14 June that hit the communication infrastructure at several banks. There has been no official statement on who Iran thinks was behind the cyberattacks.
The attacks came after Washington offered relief from sanctions and the release of frozen assets held around the world as part of an interim deal to end the war. The US on Monday agreed to waive sanctions for 60 days after a first round of talks in Switzerland.
Negotiations remained tense, however, as Iran denied it had agreed to invite nuclear inspectors back into the country, after US Vice President JD Vance said it had.
Key Points
- Trump slams Senate vote and says Iran is willing to 'give us anything'
- Iranian banks hit by cyber attacks amid peace talks
- US partially lifts Iran oil sanctions
- Talks between Iran and US conclude in Switzerland - report
- Iran disputes Vance's nuclear inspection claims
- Iran's lead negotiator insists Strait of Hormuz will be managed by Iran
Trump slams Senate vote and says Iran is willing to 'give us anything'
04:54 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump said the Senate vote on war powers related to Iran had made his job more difficult."So, I have Iran on the 'ropes,' ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He added that for "the first time in decades" Iran was "respecting the hell out of the United States and its President, ME, and the US Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act Vote, telling the Number One Sponsor of Terror in the World that the United States doesn’t like what I am doing to them, and I must stop, and by so doing has provided aid and comfort the Enemy."
Trump added: "These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done."
US Senate votes to block Trump's military action
04:38 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US Senate backed legislation directing president Donald Trump to halt US military action against Iran, the latest rebuke of the Republican president from an increasingly restive Congress.
The Senate voted 50-48 in favour of the war powers resolution, which passed the House of Representatives early this month, reflecting growing concern even among some of Trump's Republicans about the unpopular conflict that began on 28 February when the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran.
It was the first time both chambers of Congress had passed a resolution directing a president to remove US armed forces from hostilities since the War Powers Resolution, more commonly known as the War Powers Act, was enacted in 1973.
While likely to remain largely symbolic, the vote was a setback for Trump, who until recently had enjoyed near-unanimous support from Republican members of Congress.
It also comes as the administration is expected to ask Congress to authorize tens of billions of dollars to pay for the war.
Recap: Iran and the United States still at odds over nuclear inspections
04:00 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to indefinite nuclear inspections on its facilities accusing “fake news” media of distributing false rebuttals.
“Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!),” he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
“This will insure ‘Nuclear Honesty’. If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!”
Iran has denied that it will allow inspectors into its nuclear sites despite US vice president JD Vance also insisting that Tehran had agreed to the visits.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Tehran had agreed “no new commitments” on inspections, adding that Iran would continue its current obligations as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
Iran-US war in numbers: Five charts on impact of Trump’s conflict
03:00 , James Reynolds
It is nearly four months since the US and Israel launched war on Iran - a decision which had a dramatic and devastating impact stretching almost every corner of the world.
From skyrocketing oil prices, rising costs of global commodities, and deepening levels of food insecurity and poverty, normal people have been paying the price for a war involving the world’s most advanced military and the two most powerful forces in the Middle East.
But a war that many believed would be short-lived - with Donald Trump repeatedly vowing it would end “soon” with a total victory - dragged on for days, weeks, and then months, inflicting spectacular damage not only on global finances, but on the US military’s reputation as an unassailable force.
Alex Croft reports:
Iran-US war in numbers: Five charts that lay bare the impact of Trump’s conflict
Only Iran will control its unfrozen assets, Iranian envoy says
02:00 , James Reynolds
Iran alone will decide how to use assets that are unfrozen under a deal with the United States, an Iranian envoy said on Tuesday, denying Washington would have any control over the funds or that they must be used to buy U.S. commodities.
The U.S. waived sanctions on Iran for 60 days from Monday after the talks in Switzerland on turning an interim deal into a lasting peace agreement. Frozen Iranian assets worth about $12 billion are expected to be released under the initial accord.
Vice President JD Vance said on Monday the U.S. and Qatar would have control over the funds when they are unfrozen, and that the money could be spent on U.S. corn, soy and wheat.
Ali Bahreini, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said on Tuesday the two sides had held "very good talks" but challenged Vance's statement on use of the assets.
"Iran is the only country to decide what to do with its assets, which are going to be defrozen, and so I reject any claim about that if there would be any role for any other country to have an influence on those decisions or on those processes," Bahreini told reporters in Geneva.
Recap: Trump insists his peace deal will ensure ‘nuclear honesty’ in Tehran with new inspections
01:00 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to indefinite nuclear inspections on its facilities accusing “fake news” media of distributing false rebuttals.
“Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!),” he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
“This will insure ‘Nuclear Honesty’. If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!”
Iran has denied that it will allow inspectors into its nuclear sites despite US vice president JD Vance also insisting that Tehran had agreed to the visits.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Tehran had agreed “no new commitments” on inspections, adding that Iran would continue its current obligations as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
New Mossad chief plotting new ways to topple Iranian regime, says report
Wednesday 24 June 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
The new head of Israel’s spy agency Mossad is looking at new ways to topple the Iranian government, according to reports.
Roman Gofman is said to have told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a war with Iran would lead to a swift collapse of the government, three Israeli officials told CNN earlier this year.
However, nearly four months later the government of the Islamic Republic remains in power despite weeks of conflict with the US and Israel. The Trump administration has since entered negotiations with the regime on its nuclear programme after striking an initial agreement to end the violence.
Mossad chief plotting new ways to topple Iranian regime, says report
Recap: Iranian banks hit by cyber attacks amid peace talks
Tuesday 23 June 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds
Iranian banks were hit by a cyber attack days after Donald Trump said frozen funds would be returned to the Islamic Republic under the terms of their initial deal to end the war.
Iran’s state-owned banking technology provider said on Tuesday that ATMs, terminals and mobile apps linked to card systems were all affected.
Customers experienced interruptions, and the banks had to suspend card operations to stop unauthorised access.
Major banks including Melli, Saderat, Tejarat and the Export Development Bank of Iran have faced disruptions that were first reported on June 14.
Iranian state media said those took several days to resolve.
Trump claims 'bully' Iran has left 'without any nuclear capacity'
Tuesday 23 June 2026 22:00 , Rachel Dobkin
Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has been left “without any nuclear capacity.”
The US president said Iran was “the bully of the Middle East” before the war.
“Now we’re leaving Iran with no navy, no air force, no anti-aircraft, no missile capability, no nuclear program”, Trump said at an event in Pennsylvania Tuesday.
“We’re leaving them without any nuclear capacity, and they’ve agreed to that”.
In the interim peace deal that the US and Iran signed, Tehran agreed not to obtain or develop nuclear weapons.
Trump’s assertions about Iran’s military capabilities are contrary to reports.
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation: ‘Real alien s**t’
Tuesday 23 June 2026 21:00 , James Reynolds
The US fighter pilot rescued by commandos after he was shot down by Iran in April has described how Iranian drones swarmed him in what appeared to be a “jellyfish” formation before he ejected from his plane, according to a report.
Iranian forces opened fire on the $31m F-15E Strike Eagle on 3 April, triggering a major search for the missing weapons-system officer, who held out in the mountains for hours before his dramatic rescue.
During a debriefing with intelligence officials, the pilot described seeing a unified and overwhelming drone formation resembling a jellyfish, sources familiar with the matter told CNN in a report published on Tuesday.
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation: ‘Real alien s**t’
Watch: Trump says Strait of Hormuz is open and threatens Iran to 'stick to an agreement'
Tuesday 23 June 2026 20:00 , James Reynolds
US following up on Lebanon ceasefire plans, Washington says
Tuesday 23 June 2026 19:00 , James Reynolds
JD Vance and Marco Rubio told Lebanese president Joseph Aoun in a call on Tuesday that the US was following up on understandings reached in Switzerland, including plans to consolidate a ceasefire in Lebanon.
The statement, issued as Lebanon and Israel began a new round of talks in Washington, added that arrangements for a mechanism to firm up the ceasefire and monitor its implementation were still being discussed.
Lebanese officials have insisted that face-to-face negotiations with Israel are the only way to secure an end to the war. But four rounds of Lebanese-Israeli talks since April have failed to produce a durable ceasefire.
Instead, the longest lull in fighting came this week after Iran and the US agreed a memorandum of understanding that stipulated fighting would halt across all fronts, including Lebanon.
That deal buoyed Iran-backed Hezbollah and dealt a blow to the Lebanese state, whose leaders including Aoun had repeatedly warned that Tehran cannot negotiate on Lebanon's behalf.
Israel committed genocide in Gaza by deliberately killing Palestinian children, UN inquiry says
Tuesday 23 June 2026 18:00 , Maira Butt
Israel has deliberately and intentionally targeted Palestinian children during its military campaign in Gaza, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, a UN commission of inquiry has said.
A report released on Tuesday says that Israeli authorities and security forces deliberately and intentionally targeted Palestinian children, including after a ceasefire came into effect in October 2025.
It says that Israeli forces "deliberately carried out acts inflicting death and severe bodily and mental harm on hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children", as part of a “deliberate strategy to destroy the future of the Palestinians in Gaza”. Around 30% of those killed in the Gaza war were children, the report found, with a total death toll of at least 20,179 by October 2025.
UN says Israel committed genocide in Gaza by deliberately killing children
The Strait of Hormuz's future is unsettled even as more ships venture through
Tuesday 23 June 2026 17:30 , Maira Butt
Ship traffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. signed an interim deal to end a war that constricted global oil supplies and fuelled inflation, but questions surrounding control of the vital waterway and whether vessels will be charged tolls to cross it could interfere with negotiations to forge a lasting peace.
Tehran and Washington clashed over the Strait of Hormuz again this past weekend. Citing Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon, Iran declared that it reclosed the strait. The U.S. was quick to contest that. Maritime tracking data showed that dozens of ships passed through on Saturday and Sunday, though far fewer than the daily average before the war.
The Strait of Hormuz's future is unsettled even as more ships venture through
Oman and Iran to pursue talks on managing navigation in Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday 23 June 2026 17:00 , Maira Butt
Oman and Iran agreed on Tuesday to continue discussions about the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including maritime services in the strategic waterway and the costs associated with them.
In a joint statement issued after talks in Muscat, the two countries said a joint working group involving their foreign ministries would be formed to continue the discussions and that they would consult other littoral states and relevant parties.
Three stranded supertankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, while seven empty Qatar-linked liquefied natural gas tankers have entered in recent weeks in an early sign Gulf gas shipping may be resuming, ship-tracking data showed.
Iranian banks hit by cyber attacks amid peace talks
Tuesday 23 June 2026 16:31 , James Reynolds
Iranian banks were hit by a cyber attack days after Donald Trump said frozen funds would be returned to the Islamic Republic under the terms of their initial deal to end the war.
Iran’s state-owned banking technology provider said on Tuesday that ATMs, terminals and mobile apps linked to card systems were all affected.
Customers experienced interruptions, and the banks had to suspend card operations to stop unauthorised access.
Major banks including Melli, Saderat, Tejarat and the Export Development Bank of Iran have faced disruptions that were first reported on June 14.
Iranian state media said those took several days to resolve.
Trump was boasting of his ability to buy ‘good maple trees’ in early days of Iran war, book claims
Tuesday 23 June 2026 16:30 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump was more enthusiastic about buying “good maple trees” for the White House than discussing his recently-launched war with Iran when visited by two reporters in March, a new book claims.
In the latest advanced extract from Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, the authors recount an Oval Office meeting with the president in the early weeks of the conflict.
Trump had attacked Haberman on Truth Social three days before the sitdown as a”SLEAZEBAG writer” but, according to a passage read aloud by Lawrence O’Donnell on MS NOW Monday, the pair found him in a buoyant mood.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
Trump boasted he was ‘good at buying maple trees’ in early days of Iran war: report
Israeli military moves 'yellow' and 'orange' lines deeper into Gaza
Tuesday 23 June 2026 16:00 , Maira Butt
A new coordination line issued by the Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA) for Gaza this morning advances the Israeli military’s “orange line” several hundred meters north in the Rafah area of Gaza, forcing Palestinians into a smaller area of land, according to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
However, both the “yellow” and “orange” lines are not clearly demarcated, putting civilians at risk of death and injury, with Israeli military attacks continuing throughout Gaza, says MAP.
The UN OHCHR has warned that Israeli forces have killed Palestinians apparently for being too close to the “yellow” line.
Haitham Saqqa, MAP’s Nutrition Programme Officer, has said: “My home is in Khan Younis, in an area close to what is called the "yellow line," near areas whose status can change at any moment. Daily life is filled with uncertainty, fear, and the constant possibility of displacement, attack or stray bullets that come from where the Israeli army is located”.
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation: ‘Real alien s**t’
Tuesday 23 June 2026 15:30 , Maira Butt
The US fighter pilot rescued by commandos after he was shot down by Iran in April has described how Iranian drones swarmed him in what appeared to be a “jellyfish” formation before he ejected from his plane, according to a report.
Iranian forces opened fire on the $31m F-15E Strike Eagle on 3 April, triggering a major search for the missing weapons-system officer, who held out in the mountains for hours before his dramatic rescue.
During a debriefing with intelligence officials, the pilot described seeing a unified and overwhelming drone formation resembling a jellyfish, sources familiar with the matter told CNN in a report published on Tuesday.
James C Reynolds reports:
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation: ‘Real alien s**t’
Lebanon's president says he will accept nothing less than end of Israeli occupation
Tuesday 23 June 2026 15:05 , Maira Butt
Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun has said on Tuesday that he will accept nothing less than the end of the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
It comes as two people were killed in Israeli fire on Tuesday with Israel saying that the two people killed were Hezbollah “terrorists”.
He said that the new round of US-backed talks with Israel could be decisive.
Iran reopens part of country's airspace amid interim deal
Tuesday 23 June 2026 14:41 , Maira Butt
Iran’s state media has reported that the country has re-opened part its airspace as an interim ceasefire agreement appears to hold.
The reopening affects part of western Iran.
Watch: Qatar PM appears to snub JD Vance at US-Iran peace talks
Tuesday 23 June 2026 14:30 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Displaced people return to their homes in souther Lebanon amid interim deal
Tuesday 23 June 2026 14:00 , Maira Butt
Mossad chief plotting new ways to topple Iranian regime, says report
Tuesday 23 June 2026 13:30 , Maira Butt
The new head of Israel’s spy agency Mossad is looking at new ways to topple the Iranian government, according to reports.
Roman Gofman is said to have told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a war with Iran would lead to a swift collapse of the government, three Israeli officials told CNN earlier this year.
However, nearly four months later the government of the Islamic Republic remains in power despite weeks of conflict with the US and Israel. The Trump administration has since entered negotiations with the regime on its nuclear programme after striking an initial agreement to end the violence.
Read the full story below.
Mossad chief plotting new ways to topple Iranian regime, says report
Iran-US war in numbers: Five charts that lay bare the impact of Trump’s conflict
Tuesday 23 June 2026 13:00 , Maira Butt
It is nearly four months since the US and Israel launched war on Iran - a decision which had a dramatic and devastating impact stretching almost every corner of the world.
From skyrocketing oil prices, rising costs of global commodities, and deepening levels of food insecurity and poverty, normal people have been paying the price for a war involving the world’s most advanced military and the two most powerful forces in the Middle East.
But a war that many believed would be short-lived - with Donald Trump repeatedly vowing it would end “soon” with a total victory - dragged on for days, weeks, and then months, inflicting spectacular damage not only on global finances, but on the US military’s reputation as an unassailable force.
The global impact of the Iran war ranges from jet fuel prices, to the price of food, to increases in household bills.
Alex Croft reports:
Iran-US war in numbers: Five charts that lay bare the impact of Trump’s conflict
Trump claims Iran has agreed nuclear inspections for 'infinity hours'
Tuesday 23 June 2026 12:34 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump has insisted that Iran has in fact agreed to indefinite nuclear inspections despite denials by Iran.
“Despite their protestations and false statements to the contrary, coupled with the drumbeat of the Fake News, which is doing everything possible to make the U.S. Victory as small and insignificant as possible, Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!),” he wrote in a post n Truth Social on Tuesday.
“This will insure ‘Nuclear Honesty’. If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations! Based on this and other major concessions being made by Iran, I have agreed to allow the Hormuz Strait to remain OPEN, with no further Naval Blockade.
“However, all ships are remaining in place should it be necessary to reinstitute the Blockade, which seems, at this point, highly unlikely.”
Watch: Trump says Strait of Hormuz is open and threatens Iran to 'stick to an agreement'
Tuesday 23 June 2026 12:15 , Maira Butt
Oil prices fall to early March levels as US-Iran peace talks progress
Tuesday 23 June 2026 11:45 , Maira Butt
Oil prices have continued their descent towards levels last observed before the Iran war, following the US decision to waive sanctions on Iranian oil amidst progress in peace negotiations.
Brent crude saw a nearly 2 per cent drop in morning trading on Tuesday, reaching 76.4 US dollars a barrel. This marks a new low since early March and brings the price closer to the 72 dollars a barrel recorded before the US-Israel war on Iran commenced on 28 February.
The latest decline is directly linked to the US Treasury’s issuance of a 60-day licence, which waives sanctions on Iranian oil as part of an interim agreement to end the conflict, thereby allowing Iranian oil to re-enter the US market.
Oil prices fall to early March levels as US-Iran peace talks progress
Israel says it struck 'terrorists'
Tuesday 23 June 2026 11:30 , Maira Butt
Israel said on Tuesday that it had struck “terrorists” in Lebanon who posed an immediate threat to soldiers operating in the security zone in southern Lebanon.
It follows reports that Israeli gunfire killed two people despite a ceasefire.
Violations of memorandum will cause 'challenges' to talks, says Iran after Lebanon killing
Tuesday 23 June 2026 11:25 , Maira Butt
An Iranian envoy has warned on Tuesday that any violation of a memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran last week will pose challenges to ongoing talks.
The first article in the agreement referred to a cessation in conflict between the US, Israel and Iran and would also apply to Lebanon.
However, Israeli gunfire has killed two people on Tuesday, according to reports.
Death toll from Israeli gun fire in Lebanon rises to two
Tuesday 23 June 2026 11:15 , Maira Butt
Israeli gun fire in Lebanon has killed two people on Tuesday, the Lebanese civil defence and state media reported.
NYC coffee shop bans pro-Israel congressman who bought a drink: ‘See how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice?’
Tuesday 23 June 2026 11:00 , Maira Butt
A New York City coffee shop is facing a Department of Justice investigation after banning a congressman over his views on Israel.
Poetica Coffee posted a photo of NY-10 Representative Dan Goldman at the Brooklyn outlet, with a caustic post saying they would have turned him away if they had recognized him at the time.
The post, which has since been taken down, read: “Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?
Sophie Clark reports:
NYC coffee shop bans pro-Israel congressman: ‘It doesn’t taste like genocide juice’
One person killed by Israeli gunfire in Lebanese twon
Tuesday 23 June 2026 10:30 , Maira Butt
One person has been killed by Israeli gunfire in a southern Lebanese town on Tuesday.
Lebanese civil defence and security source reported the killing.
Iran warns against 'exaggeration' following agreement
Tuesday 23 June 2026 09:30 , Maira Butt
Iran’s foreign minister spokesperson Esmail Baqaei has warned against “exaggeration” as technical talks proceed following a ceasefire agreement signed last week
“If power is not proven in war, it will not be proven through exaggeration after agreement either.,” he wrote on X on Tuesday.
“Agreement stands on the shoulders of respect and fidelity to reality; and any self-congratulatory narrative constructed to compensate for past failures will, above all, destroy that very process of agreement.
“Then, defeat and failure extend beyond the battlefield and seep into the negotiating table as well.”
Tehran has no plan to let IAEA inspectors visit nuclear sites, says foreign ministry spokesperson
Tuesday 23 June 2026 08:55 , Maira Butt
Iran has neither held a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi in Switzerland nor plans for the U.N. nuclear watchdog to inspect Iran's damaged nuclear facilities, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Esmaeil Baghaei said there was no protocol for such inspections, adding that Iran would continue its current obligations as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
Naftali Bennett accuses Netanyahu of misleading Israeli public
Tuesday 23 June 2026 08:30 , Maira Butt
Former Israeli prime minister and opposition politician Naftali Bennett has accused Benjamin Netanyahu of misleading the Israeli public in relation to the war in Lebanon.
“When Netanyahu and Israel Katz announced yesterday at 11pm at night that the IDF has freedom of action in Lebanon—they didn't tell the truth,” he wrote in a post on X.
“It's not true. The truth is that our boys' hands are tied in Lebanon.”
He said that he had spoken to Israeli soldiers who had told him that Hezbollah are “re-establishing themselves, repairing infrastructure, arming up, and returning to activity, and our soldiers are forbidden from opening fire on them.”
Trump allies defend him to Israelis anxious over Iran deal
Tuesday 23 June 2026 08:00 , Maira Butt
American allies of President Donald Trump this week defended him to an Israeli public anxious about a US interim deal with Iran and White House criticism that together appeared to signal fissures in Israel's decades-old alliance with Washington.
“The United States and Israel have an unbreakable bond,” Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said on Sunday after acknowledging there was an “enormous level of anxiety about the relationship.”
UK ‘did not like’ Starmer refusing to be drawn into Iran war, says Trump
Tuesday 23 June 2026 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has said the British public “did not like” Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to be drawn into the war against Iran, as he again derided the outgoing prime minister as “not Winston Churchill”.
The president also repeated his claim that Sir Keir had “hurt himself very, very badly” over his stance on immigration and energy, while declaring him “a very nice man” and “sort of a friend of mine”.
Trump made his comments at the White House after Sir Keir quit as Labour leader, having acknowledged he had lost the support of his MPs, and with former Greater Manchester mayor and new MP Andy Burnham waiting in the wings.
More here.
UK ‘did not like’ Starmer refusing to be drawn into Iran war, says Trump
Britain to have surplus of energy for winter despite Iran war, forecasts show
Tuesday 23 June 2026 07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Britain has more than enough electricity supply to meet demand through the winter months, despite households facing higher bills following the Iran war, according to the energy system operator.
The National Energy System Operator (Neso) nonetheless cautioned over “tight days” during potential cold snaps this winter.
In its early winter outlook, the electricity system is forecast to have a surplus of 5.5 gigawatts between the end of October and the end of March next year.
This represents an 8.8 per cent buffer of peak winter demand, which is slightly below the margin forecast for 2025, but greater than the years before that.
Neso, which is a publicly-owned body, independent of government, is tasked with ensuring that the supply of electricity remains balanced with demand for it.
If supply cannot meet demand, then the country risks blackouts.
Neso said its modelling – which stress-tests thousands of scenarios based on electricity demand, weather conditions and generation – shows that Britain’s electricity system is expected to remain stable this winter.
Watch: Qatar PM appears to snub JD Vance at US-Iran peace talks
Tuesday 23 June 2026 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Strait of Hormuz's future is unsettled even as more ships venture through
Tuesday 23 June 2026 06:55 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Ship traffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the US signed an interim deal to end a war that constricted global oil supplies and fueled inflation, but questions surrounding control of the vital waterway and whether vessels will be charged tolls to cross it could interfere with negotiations to forge a lasting peace.
Tehran and Washington clashed over the Strait of Hormuz again this past weekend. Citing Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon, Iran declared that it reclosed the strait.
The US was quick to contest that. Maritime tracking data showed that dozens of ships passed through on Saturday and Sunday, though far fewer than the daily average before the war.
More here.
The Strait of Hormuz's future is unsettled even as more ships venture through
Iran central bank governor says no obligation to by American produce
Tuesday 23 June 2026 06:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati has responded to Donald Trump's claims that the released Iranian funds will be used to buy US produce.
Hemmati said Iran has “no obligation to buy” agricultural products from the US.
He told the Tasnim news agency that the agreement says the first $6bn can be used to buy “basic goods and medicine”.
However, he added that “if the price and quality of American inputs are more suitable compared to other countries, we have no obstacle to purchasing from that country."
He said the $6bn could be used to purchase other non-sanctioned goods.
Rubio heads to the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain
Tuesday 23 June 2026 06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US secretary of state Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain this week as the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to end the war with Iran, while Gulf countries remain uneasy about a proposed deal.
The state department announced yesterday that Rubio would visit the three countries for bilateral meetings with leaders to discuss the memorandum of understanding reached last week between the US and Iran.
Rubio will discuss "regional priorities," "efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region," the department said in a statement.
While in Bahrain, Rubio will also meet with Gulf Cooperation Council officials "to discuss shared priorities".
Talks between Iran and US conclude in Switzerland - report
Tuesday 23 June 2026 06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The technical talks between Iran and the US in Switzerland have concluded, according to Iran's state media.
Both nations will set up negotiating groups on nuclear power and sanctions, it said.
Turkish president offers support for US-Iran agreement
Tuesday 23 June 2026 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and the US during a telephone call with his Iranian counterpart and pledged Turkey's continued support for the process to conclude peacefully.
A statement from the Turkish president's office said that during his conversation with Masoud Pezeshkian, Erdogan also urged vigilance "against those who want to sabotage the negotiations", in an apparent reference to Israel.
Turkish officials have constantly accused Israel of wanting to derail the negotiations.
Oman reaffirms commitment to 'toll-free' passage through Hormuz
Tuesday 23 June 2026 05:52 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Omani foreign minister Badr Albusaidi said discussions with Iranian officials in Muscat focused on ensuring "toll-free safe passage" through the Strait of Hormuz.
Albusaidi in a post on X said the discussions with Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi focused on the recent Iran-US memorandum of understanding, "especially the Strait of Hormuz paragraph".
"We affirmed the commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage," Albusaidi said.
Welcomed Iran’s Speaker of Parliament HE Dr. Ghalibaf and FM Dr. Araghchi in Muscat this evening. Constructive discussions on the recent Iran-US MOU, especially the Strait of Hormuz paragraph. We affirmed commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage. https://t.co/vveFdQP3EW
— Badr Albusaidi - بدر البوسعيدي (@badralbusaidi) June 22, 2026
US president Donald Trump had briefly warned he would blow up Oman if it failed to “behave”.
Pentagon seeks $80bn from Congress for Iran war
Tuesday 23 June 2026 05:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Pentagon has told senators it needs roughly $80bn, mostly to cover the cost of the US war against Iran, adding to what is already a sizable military spending boost being sought by president Donald Trump.
The White House Office of Management and Budget has yet to make a formal request to Congress. But defence secretary Pete Hegseth has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill.
A top deputy defence secretary told senators about the Iran funding request last week, according to two people familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The push for billions of dollars in Iran war funding comes at a fraught political moment. Lawmakers are skeptical of the deal Trump struck with Iran to bring an end to the war, and wary of next steps.
The White House has requested a remarkable $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon — a nearly 50 per cent increase over the current fiscal year's funding levels.
Oil prices fall below $78 a barrel
Tuesday 23 June 2026 05:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices inched down this morning, extending losses from the previous session, as investors looked for clearer signs of progress in restoring crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz following US-Iran peace talks.
Brent crude futures fell 20 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $77.70 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate declined to $73.74 a barrel, down 12 cents, or 0.2 per cent.
Prices fell more than 3 per cent yesterday after the US granted Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following initial peace talks, and as officials reported a lull in hostilities in Lebanon under the broader agreement.
Iran's lead negotiator insists Strait of Hormuz will be managed by Iran
Tuesday 23 June 2026 04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The lead negotiator of the Iranian delegation, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz would be managed by Iran and would follow international laws.
Qalibaf, who is also the speaker of the parliament, spoke with Iran's state media on a plane on his way back from Switzerland.
"Hopefully we can activate the strait again, in terms of passage, and bring prosperity back to the regional and global economy" he said.
Qalibaf confirmed that the issue of releasing the frozen assets, as well as the sale of Iranian oil were discussed in the talks with the US.
Iran disputes Vance's nuclear inspection claims
Tuesday 23 June 2026 04:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran has reportedly denied a claim by US vice president JD Vance that Tehran would allow nuclear inspectors back into the country following initial talks in Switzerland.
Vance said discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency could be happening "as soon as today".
However, Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran had made "no new commitments" on nuclear inspections.
Since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in 2025, inspectors have visited the Islamic Republic.
US partially lifts Iran oil sanctions
Tuesday 23 June 2026 04:14 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US has partially lifted sanctions on Iranian oil exports following “encouraging” talks over ending their months-long war.
The US Treasury yesteday issued a 60-day sanctions waiver after the first talks under a nascent peace deal.
US vice president JD Vance said talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland had laid a good foundation for a final peace deal, although Iran denied that it had begun discussions of its nuclear program.
Watch: Trump says Israel would be 'eviscerated' without him
Tuesday 23 June 2026 04:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Netanyahu's claims about Iran's nuclear program run counter to public evidence
Tuesday 23 June 2026 03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran would have developed a nuclear weapon and used it on Israel were it not for the two recent wars. There is no public evidence for that assessment, which runs counter to those of the U.N. nuclear watchdog and U.S. intelligence agencies.
For decades, Netanyahu has made dire predictions about Iran's disputed nuclear program, most famously at the United Nations with visual aids. The rhetoric has escalated since the U.S. and Iran reached an interim peace deal this month, and as Netanyahu faces elections later this year.
Read more here:
FACT FOCUS: Netanyahu's claims about Iran's nuclear program run counter to public evidence
Recap: What did the US and Iran agree in Switzerland?
Tuesday 23 June 2026 02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Negotiators for the US and Iran met in Switzerland over the weekend for talks on a lasting resolution to the conflict.
Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said they had agreed to a roadmap towards a final deal on ending their war in 60 days.
They also said the two sides had agreed to a mechanism to end fighting between US ally Israel and Iran-aligned Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
And they said they had opened a communications line to help ensure safe passage for commercial ships through the strait, a vital global supply route for oil and liquefied natural gas.
Technical talks will continue for the rest of the week in the Qatari-owned Swiss mountain resort of Buergenstock, the joint statement said.
Vance claims Iran will allow nuclear inspectors in after hailing ‘great progress’ in peace talks
Tuesday 23 June 2026 01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
JD Vance said on Monday that Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspectors into the country again following an initial round of discussions aimed at resolving the conflict with the United States.
Speaking after discussions in Switzerland, the US vice president said the development was “probably what we’re most excited about as Americans”, and that plans could be drawn up as soon as this week.
Iran’s nuclear programme has been at the centre of the dispute with the US and Israel since before the conflict erupted, and remains the focus of the new 60-day window for talks to finalise a deal to end the war.
Read more here:
Vance claims Iran will let nuclear inspectors in following ‘great progress’ in talks
Watch: Vance claims Trump wants to 'turn over new leaf' in ties with Iranian people
Tuesday 23 June 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
What did the US and Iran agree in Switzerland?
Monday 22 June 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds
Negotiators for the US and Iran met in Switzerland over the weekend for talks on a lasting resolution to the conflict.
Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said they had agreed to a roadmap towards a final deal on ending their war in 60 days.
They also said the two sides had agreed to a mechanism to end fighting between US ally Israel and Iran-aligned Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
And they said they had opened a communications line to help ensure safe passage for commercial ships through the strait, a vital global supply route for oil and liquefied natural gas.
Technical talks will continue for the rest of the week in the Qatari-owned Swiss mountain resort of Buergenstock, the joint statement said.
Recap: Iran agreed to allow more nuclear inspectors, Vance says
Monday 22 June 2026 22:00 , James Reynolds
JD Vance told reporters in Switzerland on Monday that Iran had agreed to admit inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as talks continue.
He said the development “is probably what we’re most excited about as Americans”.
“That is a major milestone for the American people, and the first step in permanently denuclearizing or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran, and that’s exactly what we wanted to do,” he added.
'I will do what I have to do,' if Iran violates agreement says Trump
Monday 22 June 2026 21:41 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has stressed "I will do what I have to do" if Iran does not stick to its agreement with Washington.
"If Iran doesn't live up to their agreement, or if they're not behaving, I will do what I have to do," Trump told reporters.
Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed an interim US-Iran deal last week.
Trump said on Monday Iran was supposed to use the money being unfrozen to buy food exclusively from the United States.
"All that money's coming back in the form of purchases of food which they desperately need. They have 91 million people, they can't feed them. So, the money that we lift is going to go to our farmers," Trump said.
Trump says Iran will 'never have a nuclear weapon'
Monday 22 June 2026 21:38 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has claimed the Strait of Hormuz is open and that Iran will “never have a nuclear weapon.”
Speaking in the Oval Office the US president said: “The strait is totally open, you know that, and we're negotiating.
“We'll see how that all goes, but we have two things: we have an open strait, and we have a country that will never have a nuclear weapon, will never ever have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump says Strait of Hormuz is open and threatens Iran to 'stick to an agreement'
Monday 22 June 2026 21:14 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has suggested the Strait of Hormuz is "totally open" while publicly signing an executive order related to quantum computing in the Oval Office.
He added that “if Iran doesn’t stick to an agreement, I will do what I have to do.”
His comments come after Iran hit back at the president after he threatened to “take over the rest of the country” if the Strait of Hormuz is closed again.
Number of ships passing through Strait of Hormuz plummets again after Iran closes waterway
Monday 22 June 2026 21:00 , James Reynolds
Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted after Iran declared the vital waterway closed again - although a handful of ships appear to still be attempting to transit the route.
Five vessels were seen heading into the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning, two days after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that the channel would be closed due to Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon.
Five ships also crossed on Sunday, down from 26 spotted a day earlier, according to ship tracking data from analytics firm Kpler.
Number of ships passing through Strait of Hormuz plummets again
