How Trump's Iran Attacks Could Help Putin
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Russia's oil exports, which fund Vladimir Putin's war machine, could get a boost in the aftermath of the U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear sites if Tehran makes good on its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, energy experts have told Newsweek.
Oil prices have surged and Iran, a key oil producer, has warned it could retaliate to the strikes by the U.S. and Israel by closing the world's most strategic transit point for the commodity connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Iranian officials have threatened to mine the strait and as such U.S. military officials are preparing a plan for such a closure which could choke off a quarter of the world's oil supply and a fifth of its liquefied natural gas, according to The New York Times.
But this move may reverse months of declining Russian oil revenue, allowing Moscow to continue to finance its war against Ukraine.
"Russia could emerge as a beneficiary if Iran were to close the Strait of Hormuz," Nikos Tzabouras, senior market analyst at Tradu.com, told Newsweek on Monday.
This image from June 28, 2019 in Osaka, Japan shows Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit.
This image from June 28, 2019 in Osaka, Japan shows Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit.Why It Matters
Revenues from fossil fuels are the core of Russia's fiscal planning. This has been steadily decreasing and in May they over a third lower than for the same month last year.
But spiking oil prices after Israel and then the U.S. targeted the nuclear facilities of Iran, a key producer of the commodity, could deliver a boon for Russian revenues.
The U.S. attacks may also take away global attention from Putin's aggression for the time being and lead to strikes by Iran and its proxies on American military interests in the Middle East, which could play into Russia's hands.
What To Know
Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer for the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), told Newsweek it is unclear how Iran will respond but the threat to commercial shipping in the waters around the Arabian Peninsula "has gone up yet another notch."
Larsen said Iran might attempt a wider disruption of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz through attacks on merchant ships via antiship missiles or drones of both airborne and surface type.
The laying of sea mines would be another dangerous development, but Iran's intent to do so is questionable due to the risk to Iran-affiliated commercial ships and the risk of environmental disaster in case a ship is damaged, Larsen added.
On Monday, West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose to just under $74 a barrel, a 0.2 percent gain, less than the nearly 4 percent spike seen Sunday evening.
Brent crude rose 0.8 percent on Monday to $77.62 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate climbed by the same margin to $74.42 in early trading with prices going as high as $81 over the weekend before settling down.
Tzabouras, from Tradu.com told Newsweek the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, even for a limited period, could trigger a surge in oil prices, potentially pushing them above $100 per barrel.
Russia could get a boost from such a move and even though it's not easy to determine the impact on volumes, higher oil prices from such action would boost Russia's revenues.
"This, in turn, could enable Moscow to continue funding the war in Ukraine and resist growing international pressure to end the hostilities," Tzabouras added.
Russell Shor, senior market analyst at Tradu.com, said a blockade could increase Russia's revenue from its 7.5 million bpd (barrel per day) exports, which bypass the strait via Suez or Pacific routes.
Asian markets, like China and India, might also favor Russian oil in such a scenario. However, Iran relies on the strait for its own oil exports, and closure risks alienating allies like China. The U.S. Fifth Fleet would likely intervene, escalating tensions and so Iran might choose targeted disruptions over a full blockade to pressure the West, he added.
Trump referred to the impact on oil prices that his strikes might cause with a post on Truth Social in which he said "everyone, keep oil prices down."
Larsen said that as well as a blockade, there are many other risks posed to the region such as Tehran's proxies, the Houthis who may attack in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden merchant ships with affiliations to Israel or the U.S, with strikes against merchant ships with other affiliations also possible.
BIMCO recommends merchant ships in the area to avoid the Iranian coast and maintain contact with naval forces in the area through U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
This infographic from Getty shows maritime tanker traffic in September 2024 through the Strait of Hormuz.
This infographic from Getty shows maritime tanker traffic in September 2024 through the Strait of Hormuz.
Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Nikos Tzabouras, senior market analyst at Tradu, told Newsweek on Monday: "Russia could emerge as a beneficiary if Iran were to close the Strait of Hormuz."
President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Monday: "EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I'M WATCHING! YOU'RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON'T DO IT!"
Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer for the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), told Newsweek: "It can't be ruled out that Iran will attempt a wider disruption of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz through comprehensive attacks on merchant ships by for example antiship missiles or drones of both airborne and surface type."
What Happens Next
As The New York Times reported, U.S. officials have raised the need to prepare for the closure of the Strait. Meanwhile, military officials and analysts said missile and drone attacks are the biggest retaliatory threat by Tehran to U.S. bases and facilities in the region.
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Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump says Israel, Iran agree to 'Complete and Total CEASEFIRE': Live updates
President Donald Trump said Monday that Israel and Iran have agreed to a "total cease-fire," hours after the Iranian military retaliated for U.S. strikes on three of the country's nuclear facilities with a response Trump said was announced ahead of time. "CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,'' Trump proclaimed in a social media post, adding that the truce would take effect in about six hours after both parties have completed military missions. Trump said Iran would take the first step with a 12-hour cessation of hostilities, followed in kind by Israel. After that 24-hour stretch of peace, "an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World,'' the president said. It's not clear yet whether the warring countries will actually go along with that plan. Earlier in the day, Trump had posted a message thanking Iran for providing advance warning of its Monday attack, and he said he made a peace offering to end the brief but intense war. He said Iran fired 14 missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar and 13 of them were intercepted, while the other one was deemed nonthreatening. Trump reported there were no American or Qatari casualties and very little damage from the attack. Iran's military claimed it had carried out a 'devastating and powerful' missile assault on the Al Udeid U.S. military base in Doha, but Qatar said the missiles were intercepted. U.S. officials said the base had been emptied out, lending credence to the notion Iran was merely saving face with the missile launch. "They've gotten it all out of their 'system,' and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,'' Trump said in his earlier post. "I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.'' The latest developments come as Israel stepped up airstrikes on Iran on Monday, hitting several locations the Israeli defense minister described as "regime targets" in Tehran, including the notorious Evin Prison and the internal security headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Contributing: Francesca Chambers, Zac Anderson More: Iran fires missiles at U.S. base in Qatar. Where else could it strike? Developments: ∎ Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Iran's foreign minister in Moscow and told him there was no justification for the U.S. bombing of Iran, which he described as "unprovoked aggression," according to the Kremlin. Putin added that Moscow is making efforts to assist the Iranian people. ∎ Iranian official Ebrahim Zolfaqari warned that the U.S. should expect severe consequences. "Mr. Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said in English in a video shared Monday. A U.S. defense official who was not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to USA TODAY that Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran. There were no reports of U.S. casualties, the official said. Another U.S. official said on condition of anonymity that the base had been mostly evacuated, and that it appeared the Qatari military had fended off most missiles. Majed Al Ansari, foreign affairs spokesman for Qatar, issued a statement strongly condemning the missile launch, calling it "a flagrant violation'' of the country's sovereignty. "We reassure that Qatar's air defenses successfully thwarted the attack," the statement said. The U.S. has remained on alert with its 40,000 troops in the region two days after Trump ordered the bombing of Fordow, a uranium-enrichment facility deep inside a remote mountain in Iran, and facilities at Natanz and Isfahan. Trump convened his national security team Monday afternoon in the Situation Room. Many world leaders − including those from the UK, France and Germany − called for restraint and a return to diplomatic negotiations. The extent of the damage to the Iran nuclear sites remains in question because so far there has been no independent assessment. The U.S. Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq had activated its air defense system out of concern of a potential attack, military officials told Reuters. Al Udeid is the sprawling hub of U.S. military air operations in the Middle East. There about 10,000 U.S. troops stationed there, on the outskirts of the capital of Doha. Its air operations center has overseen fighters, bombers and drones that have conducted combat missions in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Dignitaries make stops there frequently, including Trump and secretaries of Defense. Trump warned other countries Monday not to supply nuclear weapons to Iran in response to the U.S. bombing, after a former Russian president suggested the option. 'The 'N word' should not be treated so casually,' Trump said in a social media post, referring to nuclear was alluding to a social media post by Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia, but questioned its accuracy. Medvedev's post suggested 'a number of countries are ready to directly support Iran with their own nuclear warheads.'−Bart Jansen House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Monday he didn't think it was 'an appropriate time' for the House to vote on a bipartisan war powers resolution pushed by two representatives, Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie and California Democrat Ro Khanna. 'I don't think it's necessary,' Johnson said, according to Punchbowl News. 'For 80 years, presidents of both parties have acted with the same Commander in Chief authority under Article 2.'' Johnson said President Joe Biden used the authority in three Middle East operations, and added: "President Obama went on an eight-month campaign bombing Libya to take down the regime there. I never heard a Democrat balk about any of that. And suddenly now they're just up in arms. It's all politics. This is not a time for politics.' His remarks will likely earn pushback from Massie and Khanna, who were looking to bring their measure to the floor for a vote, seeking to forbid the U.S. from "unauthorized hostilities' in Iran after Trump ordered airstrikes at three nuclear sites in Iran. Lawmakers across the aisle have alleged that Trump's order violated the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of military action. Some of Trump's staunchest allies have split with him over Iran. − Sudiksha Kochi Stocks wavered but quickly moved back into positive ground after Iran said it attacked a U.S. military base Monday. The market wound up on a high note upon news the assault caused no casualties or disruptions to oil supplies. The blue-chip Dow closed up 0.89%, or 374.96 points, to 42,581.78; the broad S&P 500 added 0.96%, or 57.33 points, to 6025.17 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.94%, or 183.57 points, to 19630.98. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.34%. U.S. oil prices initially rose on the news of explosions over Qatar but settled back to trade down about 7.94% to $67.98 per barrel. Qatar said it intercepted Iran's missiles. − Medora Lee The Israeli military released an urgent warning to residents in Tehran urging them to stay away from "security institutions" as they plan to continue pounding the capital city with airstrikes. "Dear citizens of Tehran, In the coming days, the Israeli army will continue its attacks against military targets in the Tehran region," read the statement posed Monday on X. "To maintain your personal safety, we ask you to stay away from weapons production centers, military bases, and security institutions affiliated with the regime." Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East and is home to an estimated 9.5 million people. On Monday, Israel launched several strikes on the city, hitting near Evin Prison and several command and security operations centers. Oil prices initially rose on reports of explosions over Qatar but dropped again as analysts said oil supplies remained safe. Just after 1:30 p.m. ET, oil prices were down 4.97% at $70.17 per barrel. Analysts' primary concern is if Iran retaliates by closing the Strait of Hormuz, the main artery that carries global oil supplies. If transport through the Strait of Hormuz is significantly disrupted, oil prices could surge to $130-150 per barrel, said David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics. − Medora Lee There are no U.S. forces at the military base in Syria that reportedly had come under mortar fire, a U.S. official said Monday. The official, who could not confirm whether an attack had occurred at the base, was not authorized to speak publicly about U.S. troop movements in the region. The alleged attack at a base in western Syria was first reported by Mehr, a news agency affiliated with the Iranian government. The Pentagon has been bracing for a counterattack after the U.S. airstrikes Saturday on three nuclear facilities in Iran. The Pentagon has sent an additional aircraft carrier strike group to the region and bolstered air defenses to protect troops in recent weeks following Israel's ongoing attacks on Iran. Militia groups, funded and supplied by Iran, have regularly fired rockets, mortars and drones at bases with U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. Those attacks typically do not cause casualties or major damage. Is it safe to travel abroad right now? Worldwide caution issued after US strikes on Iran Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has been one of Trump's most loyal supporters, but she's not holding back in slamming his decision to bomb Iran. In a second lengthy social media post since the bombing, Greene accused Trump of a 'bait and switch' with his supporters. Greene wrote in the Monday post that she campaigned with Trump on a 'MAGA agenda' that included 'NO MORE FOREIGN WARS. NO MORE REGIME CHANGE. WORLD PEACE.' Now, less than six months into Trump's second administration, Greene wrote 'we are back into foreign wars, regime change, and world war 3.' 'It feels like a complete bait and switch to please the neocons, warmongers, military industrial complex contracts, and neocon tv personalities that MAGA hates and who were NEVER TRUMPERS!' Greene added. Greene was among a vocal MAGA contingent warning against attacking Iran before Trump decided to go forward with the strike. Greene has remained outspoken, saying in an earlier social media post that 'I can also support President Trump … while disagreeing on bombing Iran and getting involved in a hot war that Israel started.' − Sudiksha Kochi, Zac Anderson Trump called for oil prices not to increase after U.S. airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran. 'EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I'M WATCHING! YOU'RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON'T DO IT!' he wrote in a Truth Social post. It wasn't clear who he was referring to in the post. In a follow-up Truth Social post, Trump urged the Department of Energy to 'DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!' − Sudiksha Kochi and Savannah Kuchar When asked about Trump's recent musings on regime change in Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that the administration and the U.S. military posture has not changed from its stated goal of taking out Iran's nuclear capabilities. "The president was just simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking," she said, adding that if Iran's government "refuse(s) to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn't the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime?' She also told Fox News that Trump 'believes the Iranian people can control their own destiny' — including by toppling their country's theocratic regime. Leavitt said Iran was an 'imminent threat' and that the U.S. strikes "took away Iran's ability to create a nuclear bomb." "They no longer have the capability to build this nuclear weapon and threaten the world," Leavitt said in an interview on ABC News. Her statement comes amid questions around the success of the strikes to destroy Iran's nuclear sites. While Trump and his administration remain adamant that the strikes caused "monumental damage," no independent assessment of the facilities has taken place. Misinformation and fears: Gen Z, Iran and the mass panic happening on TikTok The U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued an alert on its website warning American citizens to "shelter in place until further notice." It's unclear what exactly triggered the alert, though it comes amid high tensions in the region after the U.S. bombed several nuclear facilities in Iran. On Sunday, the State Department released an advisory urging U.S. citizens worldwide to "exercise increased caution" as the conflict between Israel and Iran continued to escalate. Qatar's foreign ministry in a statement on Monday said recent advisories issued by embassies "do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific threats." The statement added the the security situation in Qatar is "stable." Iran's parliament voted Sunday in support of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route that carries an estimated 20% of the world's oil and gas. The decision to close the strait ultimately belongs to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, which has yet to officially weigh in. Leavitt said the Iranian regime would be 'foolish' to close the strait when asked whether the Trump administration would release more oil to dampen potential price hikes. 'I can assure you the administration is actively and closely monitoring the situation in the Strait of Hormuz,' Leavitt told ABC News. 'The Iranian regime would be foolish to make that decision.' − Savannah Kuchar and Bart Jansen Trump met with his national security team as tensions in the Middle East grew after he ordered a trio of strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities Saturday. In a post on his social media platform, Trump raised the prospect of regime change while officials in his administration said they were seeking to resume negotiations talks with Iran. "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!" Trump wrote. Following the latest round of Israeli missile strikes on Tehran, the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency said electricity was cut off in several city districts and that the situation at Evin Prison is "under control." The judiciary said on of the strikes in northern Tehran hit one of the main lines supplying the area, resulting in power outages. The notorious Evin Prison was built in 1971 and has housed political prisoners, Westerners and journalists used as bargaining chips by Iran. It has previously been targeted by sanctions, and human rights groups have long condemned the treatment of prisoners there. U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said he expects that U.S. bombing on Iran's Fordow nuclear enrichment site caused "very significant damage," but he added that the extent of any damage remains unclear as the International Atomic Energy Agency has not been able to carry out an inspection. "Given the explosive payload utilized and the extreme(ly) vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred," Grossi said in a statement Monday to an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Moscow that aggression against Iran was groundless. Putin made the comments at the start of Kremlin talks and said Russia, which has condemned the U.S. strikes, was ready to help the Iranian people. Iran and its hard-line supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are almost certainly going to strike back in response to historic U.S. military strikes on three of its suspected nuclear facilities. But if history is any guide, that response could happen at any time − and anywhere, and in any form, former U.S. intelligence officials and diplomatic experts say. 'Missiles, militias and acts of hostage-taking – that's their go-to' range of options, the Biden administration coordinator for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, said on CNN June 21. 'I suspect Iran will have to do something.' Read more here. −Josh Meyer The U.S. used more than a dozen multimillion-dollar, 30,000-pound "bunker busters" to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities in the strike, known as Operation Midnight Hammer, marking the weapon's first operational use, according to the Pentagon. U.S. bomber planes dropped 14 of the massive bombs on three of Iran's nuclear facilities, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said. The bombs used in the strikes, called Massive Ordnance Penetrators, or MOPs, weigh 30,000 pounds each and cost millions to produce. MOPs, also known as the Guided Bomb Unit, or GBU-57, are GPS-guided weapons designed to burrow deep into underground targets, such as fortified tunnels or bunkers. The bombs are about 20 feet long and span 6 feet at their widest point. Read more here. − Cybele Mayes-Osterman Some lawmakers, including hard-line conservatives and key progressives, are calling the U.S. strikes a breach of the Constitution,. "The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, posted on X. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, responded to Trump's social media assessment of the attack with the statement: "This is not Constitutional." The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of military action. The law also limits the deployment of armed forces beyond 90 days in the absence of a formal declaration of war. − Savannah Kuchar Trump ordered the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, effectively joining a war that Israel started on June 13 when it began bombing Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. Israel said it helped the U.S. coordinate and plan the strikes. Trump said all three sites were "totally obliterated." But an independent assessment has not yet been carried out. The International Atomic Energy Agency − the United Nation's nuclear watchdog − released a statement saying that so far it had not detected an increase in "off-site radiation levels," one of the feared consequences of the strikes. Vice President JD Vance insisted Sunday that the U.S. is not entering an open-ended conflict in the Middle East. 'We're not at war with Iran. We're at war with Iran's nuclear program.' Vance said on NBC. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iran-US live updates: Trump says parties agree to complete cease-fire
New York Post
15 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump seals his ‘President Badass' cred — and makes US foes think twice
The word 'badass' was bandied about a lot after the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump last year. Famously, the bloodied Republican candidate raised his fist in defiance. In a different context, the same pungent word applies to his 2 a.m. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Advertisement Trump the TV star has a knack for the theatrical and grand gesture. That obviously matters in domestic politics, but in international affairs, too, where projecting strength and command are just as important. We don't know where the war heads from here, and need to learn more about the damage that was inflicted. Still, it was an operation with a distinct and very useful element of Trump badassery. Advertisement It's not that Trump always follows through on his threats: He doesn't, with his on-and-off 'liberation day' tariffs an ongoing example of backing off and recalibrating. But when he makes good on a threat, it leaves a mark. He's said how foreign adversaries in his first term didn't always believe his threats 100%; they might believe him some percentage less than that, but it'd still be enough to make them wonder. Advertisement After this, whatever that number is just went up another 30% or so. Trump's signature military operations haven't been particularly complex: smashing ISIS, killing Iraqi Gen. Qassem Soleimani, bombing Fordow and other Iranian nuclear facilities. They haven't required mustering big international coalitions or launching, say, amphibious landings. But they achieve an outsized effect, thanks to the stark terms in which they are promised (e.g., bombing 'the s–t' out of ISIS), or the sheer audacity of the operation. Advertisement Killing Soleimani was a very limited action, but one that was shocking all the same. Bombing Fordow and the other sites was also quite focused, but the operation came as a strategic thunderclap. One way to put it is that the 'shock and awe' bombing campaign before the second Iraq war was much less awesome than advertised, and a prelude to a grinding, drawn-out conflict. Trump's operations tend, in contrast, to be all shock and awe, and for real. He represents the opposite approach of Robert McNamara during the Vietnam War. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Basically, the former business executive and LBJ defense secretary believed that talented managers could micromanage their way to success in government — complicated problems required complex analysis, shorn of a human element. The Trump method is to simplify everything and apply blunt-force solutions, undergirded by a very human psychology of dominance. Advertisement To wit, Iran can't have a nuclear bomb: Diplomacy would be ideal, but if it doesn't work, military force will be necessary. Tinker to Evers to Chance. QED. Trump proved immune to any subtle and counterintuitive theories about Iran, displaying the attitude toward the regime that you'd expect of any commonsensical American who's lived through the last 45 years. Advertisement Another way to look at Trump's strike is as the bookend of Desert One in 1980, Jimmy Carter's misbegotten hostage-rescue operation. The failure of that attempt represented a humiliation that was another blow to our national self-confidence and was a symbol of the reduced state of the post-Vietnam US military. It also spoke to the staying power of the Iranian regime at its inception. This is the opposite. The strike showcased the remarkable reach and proficiency of the US military, and a president willing to wield it as necessary. Advertisement The operation may eventually — although this is less certain — be seen as a prelude to the end of a decrepit regime. Again, who knows how this all plays out, and it may be that there are unanticipated downsides and mission creep. Trump posted the other day about regime change. The Iranians might believe that's merely bluster — but they need to take it more seriously than only a couple of days ago. Advertisement Such is the effect of Trump's badass move, and we should hope it is being felt not just in Tehran but in every capital of a country that wishes us harm. Twitter: @RichLowry
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK lifts warning for Qatar as Trump says Iran and Israel have agreed ceasefire
The UK has lifted advice for its citizens to shelter in place in Qatar after Iran launched a retaliatory attack on a US military base there. Iran launched a missile attack on the base after America's strikes on its nuclear facilities on Saturday. However, US President Donald Trump appeared to react positively, calling the move 'a very weak response' and thanking Tehran 'for giving us early notice' to avoid any casualties. He then claimed Israel and Iran had agreed a 'complete and total ceasefire' to be phased in over 24 hours. Foreign Secretary David Lammy had urged Iran to 'take the off ramp' and return to the negotiating table with the US after American B-2 stealth bombers and a salvo of submarine-launched missiles hit Iran's nuclear facilities on Saturday night. But after a US security alert, the Foreign Office advised British nationals to 'shelter in place' and Qatar shut its airspace as a precaution. The attacks came shortly after. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said the UK was monitoring the 'fast-changing situation' closely and that 'the UK Government utterly condemns any escalation'. 'Force protection now is at its highest state across all deployed units in the Middle East,' he told the Commons. 'The additional RAF Typhoon jets announced by the Prime Minister have now arrived in the region to reinforce our posture, deter threats and reassure our partners, and I want to be clear, we will not rule out sending further capabilities if they are required,' Mr Pollard said. Meanwhile, the UK started evacuating Britons from Israel, with the first group of 63 flown back via Cyprus and due to return to the UK on Monday. Downing Street said 'around 1,000' people had requested a seat on an evacuation flight – a quarter of the 4,000 who had registered their presence in Israel or Palestine with the Foreign Office. The Government has withdrawn staff from its embassy in Iran and it is operating 'remotely', Mr Lammy told MPs. The Foreign Secretary previously spoke of a two-week window for a diplomatic solution after Mr Trump's apparent decision last week to delay US military action. On Monday, he said the window had 'narrowed' but told MPs the need for a diplomatic solution remained. Mr Lammy said: 'My message for Tehran was clear, take the off ramp, dial this thing down, and negotiate with the United States seriously and immediately. 'The alternative is an even more destructive and far-reaching conflict, which could have unpredictable consequences.' Downing Street had said that preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb was a 'good thing' for the UK, but declined to comment on whether the US strikes complied with international law. Meanwhile, oil prices reached their highest level for nearly six months over fears a regional conflict could restrict supply, especially if Iran decided to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Mr Lammy told MPs the Government was 'closely monitoring' the energy markets and urged Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, saying a blockade would be 'a monumental act of economic self-harm' and make reaching a diplomatic solution even harder.
