The war grinds on

On day 32 of the war on Iran, US and Israeli air strikes continued across the country, with powerful explosions reported in Tehran and Isfahan. The diplomatic channel has not exactly shut down, either, though it now appears to run mostly through intermediaries, which is a reassuringly modern way to manage a regional war.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said communication between Tehran and Washington is still ongoing, mostly through third parties. He added that US war objectives would be achieved in “weeks, not months”.

US President Donald Trump has also threatened to destroy Iran’s main oil export hub and wider energy infrastructure if a deal is not reached soon.

In Iran

  • State media said a parliamentary commission approved tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil and gas route that has effectively been closed by the war.
  • Trump threatened to destroy Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, along with oil wells and power plants if no agreement is reached soon.
  • Israeli and US strikes continued, with major explosions reported in Tehran and Isfahan.
  • Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall said Iranian leaders are now focused on the war effort and deeply distrust the US, believing Washington is not genuinely prepared to negotiate an end to the conflict.
  • Iran launched its latest regional attack wave, the 87th in a month, through its navy. Vall said the move sends a “very strong message to the US”, undercutting Washington’s claims that Iran’s naval forces have been obliterated.
  • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, said Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, its naval commander, was killed in a recent Israeli strike.

War diplomacy

  • Pakistan-China talks: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is due in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The meeting follows weekend talks in Islamabad with senior diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt.
  • G7 ministers pledge action on energy: Group of Seven economy and finance ministers said they are ready to take “all necessary measures” to stabilise energy markets.
  • Egypt’s el-Sisi appeals to Trump: In Cairo, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said, “I say to President Trump: no one will be able to stop the war in our region, in the Gulf … Please, help us to stop the war, you are capable of it.”
  • NATO intercepts missile headed for Turkiye: NATO forces intercepted a missile fired from Iran towards Turkiye, the fourth such interception since the wider Middle East war began.

In the Gulf

  • Attack on a Kuwaiti oil tanker: Iran launched what was described as a “direct and criminal” attack on the Al-Salmi, a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker stationed at Dubai port.
  • Missile interceptions in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia said it intercepted at least eight ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh and the energy-rich Eastern Province.
  • Gulf leaders condemn escalation: At a summit in Jeddah, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan jointly condemned Iran’s attacks on key civilian facilities.
  • Regional alerts: The conflict’s spillover has kept neighbouring states on high alert. Bahrain activated sirens and told residents to move to the nearest safe place.
  • Araghchi calls for US forces to leave: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it is “high time” for US troops to leave their bases in Gulf states.

In the US

  • Rubio said most of the communication with Tehran is indirect and passes through intermediaries, though messages and some direct contacts are still continuing.
  • He said the waterway will remain open regardless of what Iran does.
  • The secretary of state also said the US war objectives could be achieved “in weeks, not months”, adding that the campaign was on track after destroying Iran’s air force and much of its navy.
  • More than 200 US soldiers have filed complaints over superior officers using religious rhetoric to justify the war.
  • The US State Department publicly backed Israel after the Israeli parliament approved a law allowing the execution of Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks.

In Israel

  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the war on Iran had achieved more than half of its goals, but did not say when it might end.
  • Israel’s military said it struck Imam Hossein University in Tehran, which is run by the IRGC, claiming the institution was used for advanced weapons research.
  • A major fire broke out at Israel’s Haifa oil refinery after debris from an intercepted projectile hit the site on Monday.

In Lebanon and Iraq

  • UN peacekeepers killed in Lebanon: UNIFIL said two of its personnel were killed in an explosion in southern Lebanon on Monday, a day after another peacekeeper was killed.
  • Drone attack near the US Embassy in Baghdad: In Iraq’s capital, one civilian was wounded late on Monday after shrapnel from an intercepted drone attack targeting the embassy landed in their neighbourhood, according to a police source.

Oil, food and gas crises

  • Oil prices surge: The conflict is now affecting the US economy directly. West Texas Intermediate, the US crude benchmark, went above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022. Average petrol prices at the pump have passed $4 a gallon for the first time since Russia’s war on Ukraine began.
  • Norway cuts fuel taxes: Norway will temporarily reduce petrol and diesel taxes to help offset rising prices as the Middle East war disrupts global energy supplies.
  • Bangladesh orders energy-saving measures: Bangladesh has told civil servants to switch off lights and lower air conditioning in an effort to save power as the war worsens its energy crunch.