US swaps strikes with Iran while keeping nuclear talks alive

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Fresh satellite imagery indicates Iran may be moving to restore parts of its nuclear infrastructure damaged during recent US airstrikes, raising new questions about the effectiveness of the military campaign and the prospects for reviving negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program.

A visual investigation by CNN, based on commercial satellite images, found signs of renewed activity at several nuclear and missile-related sites across Iran. The images show construction equipment, excavation work, heavy vehicles and newly disturbed earth at facilities that were struck during the conflict, suggesting Tehran has begun recovery efforts despite continuing military pressure.

The apparent rebuilding comes as the US and Iran remain locked in a fragile diplomatic standoff following the collapse of a ceasefire and renewed US strikes on Iranian military targets. According to CNN's analysis, satellite images captured in recent days show work underway at several facilities associated with Iran's nuclear and missile programmes, including sites previously targeted during US operations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Oman on Saturday leading a diplomatic delegation for talks on regional developments, particularly the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, state-run IRNA reported. The report provided no further details about the planned meetings or the officials Araghchi is expected to meet.

A fire broke out on Friday at a refinery and petrochemical facility in Iran’s western Lorestan province. Firefighters were working to contain the blaze, while emergency teams responded to the scene.

According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, the fire erupted in an industrial area in the city of Pol-e Dokhtar. Tasnim News Agency reported that the intensity of the blaze hampered firefighters' efforts to reach its centre.

An official said firefighting and emergency crews were working to contain the fire at the Oxin Palayesh industrial facility in Pol-e Dokhtar county.

No deaths or injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, which has been mediating in the Middle East conflict, on Friday urged Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian to safeguard the "hard-earned peace" after Tehran and Washington exchanged strikes this week.

"We discussed the evolving regional situation and underscored the imperative of restraint, dialogue and diplomacy to safeguard the hard-earned peace gains of recent months," Sharif posted on X of his conversation with the Iranian president.

Sharif added that Pakistan remained ready to continue "as an honest and sincere mediator for lasting regional peace."

Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Friday said the conflict with the United States would not end with Tehran's surrender, after hostilities between the decades-old foes resumed this week with tit-for-tat attacks.

"Ending the war is a priority for the countries of the world, but everyone must know that this confrontation will never end with Iran's surrender," said Ghalibaf, who also serves as Iran's parliament speaker, ISNA news agency reported.

"Whenever the Americans betray the understanding (agreement), we are fully prepared to defend ourselves; we will stand firmly against them and secure the rights of the Iranian people," he added, speaking in a meeting with the speaker of Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly.

Ghalibaf said that during negotiations with Washington he made it clear to US Vice President JD Vance that "we have no trust in you".

"From my point of view, those who can negotiate with America are those who are prepared for war," he said.

Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministers on Friday called on the United States and Iran to resume negotiations, Cairo's foreign ministry said, as US President Donald Trump repeated that the ceasefire between the two countries was over.

During a phone call, Egypt's Badr Abdelatty and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani "urged all parties to give priority to the language of diplomacy and dialogue and to return to the negotiating table", the ministry said in a statement.

They also called for "implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the US and Iranian sides, as a prelude to reaching a final agreement between the two sides, in a manner that contributes to de-escalation and to enhancing regional security and stability", the statement added.

In a separate statement, Qatar's foreign ministry said Sheikh Mohammed stressed "the need for all parties to commit to dialogue and diplomacy" and to implement what had been agreed under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, including "ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz" to preserve regional security and stability.

President Donald Trump said Friday the United States has agreed to continue negotiations with Iran but reiterated that the ceasefire between the two countries is finished.

"Iran has asked us to continue 'talks.' We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Trump said in Ankara earlier this week that the April 8 ceasefire - which ended weeks of all-out war but has been marred by repeated lower-intensity conflict - was done, terming Iranian officials "scum" and "sick people."

A delegation from mediator Qatar arrived in Iran on Friday for talks, local media reported, as hostilities resumed between Washington and Tehran this week following attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

"The main purpose of the visit is reportedly to try to reinforce Qatar's role as a mediator following events on Tuesday," Tasnim news agency reported, after Doha accused Iran of an attack on an LNG carrier, with two other tankers also hit in the strait.

Following the recent military escalation between the US and Iran in the Middle East, which has jeopardised the transition through the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Friday maintained the maritime security threat level for the strategic waterway at "severe", urging ship owners, operators and mariners to remain vigilant.

In an advisory, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said the security threat in the Strait of Hormuz remains severe and reiterated guidance for vessels navigating the strategic waterway.

"The maritime security threat level in the SoH remains SEVERE. Notwithstanding recent unprovoked attacks on merchant vessels, mariners are reminded that the southern route of the SoH has been expanded and remains available for all traffic," the advisory stated.

The advisory strongly encouraged vessels to maintain engagement with the Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) and use established reporting and coordination procedures.

However, it clarified that coordination with NCAGS is not mandatory and that ships may transit the southern route without prior coordination. It also noted that additional transit routes remain available but are not protected.

"There is no controlling authority regulating passage or fee required for any route," the advisory added.

The JMIC encouraged vessels to communicate with the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) NCAGS for information on safe transit routes.

Separately, the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, USNAVCENT said, "No nation has the authority to close or control the Strait of Hormuz. US forces are fully prepared to deter threats, defend freedom of navigation, and respond decisively to any attempt to disrupt lawful transit through the Strait."

Three former crew members of a Thai cargo ship struck by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz filed a lawsuit on Friday against the vessel's operator and captain for labour violations.

The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was hit on March 11 while travelling through the Gulf waterway early in the US-Israeli war with Iran, leaving three Thai crewmen dead and requiring 20 others to be rescued.

Former crew members Panithi Tumkaew, Noppadon Wongsuvan and Suradech Manpuen were dismissed after the incident and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the attack, their lawyer Kunpat Singhathong said.

They filed a lawsuit at the Central Labour Court in Bangkok against the ship's owner, Precious Shipping, two affiliated companies - Precious Flowers and Great Circle Shipping Agency - and the vessel's captain, Sathaporn Hoksee. All of them are Thai.

The suit claims the companies acted negligently by ordering the ship to transit the strait during the conflict.

In a statement, Precious Shipping said it had complied with applicable laws and fulfilled its obligations to the crew, adding that it had provided medical and psychological support following the attack.

The company also said it had not yet been formally served with the lawsuit and could not comment on the allegations.

Iran will respond to any attack against its infrastructure, including by striking Israel, the head of the country's top security body said on Friday, as Tehran and Washington have resumed fighting this week.

"Any attack on infrastructure will be retaliated against, and the criminal Zionist regime responsible for these atrocities will not be safe from the response of our fighters," Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said in a statement carried by state TV.

The US military carried out heavy strikes overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, saying it targeted 90 military sites.

But the Islamic republic accused Washington of also targeting civilian infrastructure in order to detract from the funeral of late supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Bridges and railway links between the capital Tehran and Khamenei's hometown of Mashhad, where he was buried on Thursday, were hit, according to Iran.

Iranian authorities say 17 people have been killed in US strikes.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani reaffirmed Doha's support for efforts to contain the regional escalation and reach a comprehensive agreement during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

According to Qatar's Foreign Ministry, the two ministers reviewed the latest developments in the military escalation between the US and Iran over the past two days.

Sheikh Mohammed stressed Qatar's support for initiatives aimed at containing the crisis and achieving a comprehensive agreement that would strengthen regional security and stability and pave the way for lasting peace.

He also expressed Qatar's condemnation and rejection of attacks targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, saying such actions undermine confidence, threaten the security of international maritime navigation and jeopardize efforts to reinforce regional stability.

The International Energy Agency said Friday that "a recovery" in global oil demand had started as supplies tentatively start moving through the strategic Strait of Hormuz again and prices ease.

"A recovery in world oil demand is underway, with consumption set to rise from its May nadir," the IEA's monthly report said.

The agency had in June predicted a fall in demand of 1.1 million barrels a day (mbd) through 2026 because of the Middle East war, which strangled traffic through the strait. It now expects a one million barrel a day fall.

"Global oil supply rebounded by a sharp 4.1 mbd to 98.8 mbd in June, as a resumption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz underpinned a partial recovery in Gulf production. World output was nevertheless some 9.4 mb/d below pre-war levels," it said.

"Total Gulf oil exports, including volumes bypassing the Strait, surged by 6.5 mbd in June, to 16.1 mbd - a big jump but still well below the 24 mbd average before the war started."

According to the IEA, world supply improved to 102.6 mbd in June and would continue to get better if there was "a swift de-escalation of renewed hostilities".

"If transit volumes improve, oil supply will expand by 7.5 mbd next year," the agency added.

The agency said world oil reserves increased for the first time since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 set off the war.

It added that stocks in the richest nations had fallen as their oil imports remained low despite the rise in volumes being transported by sea.

While oil prices fell dramatically in June, fresh fighting between US and Iranian forces this week "clouds the outlook", the IEA said.

"Renewed exchanges of fire in the Gulf this week highlight the risks of not reaching a lasting peace agreement, which is a must for the normalisation in oil markets," it commented.

Dubai: Emirates Global Aluminium has restarted alumina production at its Al Taweelah refinery in Abu Dhabi, more than three months after operations were suspended following Iranian attacks on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi.

Production is expected to reach 50% of the plant’s capacity within days, while EGA expects to have the technical capability to return the refinery to full output by the end of 2026.

Amid surging regional frictions triggered by the breakdown of the Washington-Tehran truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stern warning to Iran, asserting that the "war is not over yet" and confirming that Tel Aviv is preparing for all potential eventualities.

Delivering an address at the Israeli Air Force graduation ceremony at Hatzerim Air Base on Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister emphasised that preserving the nation's dominant aerial capabilities continues to be the cornerstone of its national defence framework. He indicated that despite Tehran enduring notable reverses, fresh strategic hurdles are surfacing.

"The Iranian regime has been dealt a severe blow, and our policy is clear that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons, whether with or without an agreement. If we had not acted, Iran would have acquired nuclear weapons; the war is not over yet, and new challenges are emerging before us," Netanyahu said, as quoted by local media outlets.

Three former crew members of a Thai cargo ship struck in the Strait of Hormuz in March filed a lawsuit Friday against the vessel's operator over labor rights violations and unfair dismissal.

The ship, the Mayuree Naree, was hit by a projectile north of Oman on March 11, killing three people. The remaining 20 crew members were rescued and returned to Thailand about a week later.

Former crew members Panithi Tumkaew, Noppadon Wongsuvan and Surades Manpuen filed the lawsuit against Precious Shipping Co. as well as two affiliated companies and the ship's captain.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants endangered their lives by sailing through the strait despite the security risks, according to their lawyer Kunpat Singhathong.

Kunpat said the three men were also dismissed before the completion of their nine-month employment contracts after the attack rendered the ship inoperable. He said they received compensation equivalent to two months' salary.

The compensation was inadequate because they have since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, leaving them unable to continue working as sailors for the foreseeable future, he said.

"We tried to negotiate with the company, but it denied responsibility, so we believe the matter should be brought to the court," Kunpat said before filing the case with the Central Labor Court in Bangkok.

He declined to identify the amount of compensation they are seeking, only that it would be over a million baht ($30,000) per person.

Panithi, who said he had worked for Precious Shipping for more than a decade, said his wife encouraged him to seek medical treatment after noticing changes in his behavior.

"When there are loud noises, I'll get startled," he said. "I can't work now, and I have to take medication."

Precious Shipping did not respond to requests for comment.

The remains of the three crew members killed in the attack were repatriated to Thailand earlier this month.

Israel shared intelligence with the United States this week about a new and "specific" plan by Iran to assassinate President Donald Trump, US media reported Thursday.

The reports come as renewed US and Iranian attacks raised fears of a return to all-out war, and after Trump's puzzling use of an old plane to depart from Turkey after the NATO summit.

Washington has monitored "a steady drumbeat" of intelligence about possible plans to assassinate Trump, "but the warning from Israel was new and concerned a specific plot," CNN reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The Wall Street Journal, also citing unidentified sources, said the intelligence described a "fresh" plot.

Tehran has for years vowed to hit back at Trump for ordering the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, during his first term.

When AFP contacted the White House about the reports, an unidentified official pointed to Trump's remarks from Wednesday.

"They want to take out the US leader - me. I'm on whatever list. I saw this morning I'm on every single one of their lists," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew home from a NATO summit.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the latest regional developments with his Omani and Turkish counterparts as well as Pakistan's army chief in separate phone calls following renewed US strikes on Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

In phone calls with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Araghchi discussed the recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz and other issues of common concern, read a ministry statement.

They stressed the importance of pursuing diplomacy and maintaining contacts and coordination to address regional issues and prevent further escalation, the statement said.

The US and Iran continue to hold technical negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, even as the two countries exchange military strikes in one of the most dangerous escalations in years, a US official said Thursday.

The official told CNN that Washington remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution despite President Donald Trump's authorisation of a new round of retaliatory strikes against Iranian military targets following attacks on 3 civilian tankers which the US and allies blamed on Iran.

"The United States is still committed to finding a resolution, and technical talks continue. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon," the official said.

The talks underscore a dual-track US strategy of maintaining military pressure while leaving the door open for diplomacy to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

However, the official said progress toward any broader agreement has been undermined by Iran's recent actions in the Gulf.

The latest developments reflect the increasingly complex nature of US-Iran relations, where military confrontation and diplomatic engagement are unfolding simultaneously.

While Washington insists that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon, it has also signaled that negotiations remain the preferred long-term path — provided Tehran halts attacks that threaten international shipping and regional stability.

Former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei was buried in his home city of Mashhad, state television reported, following a ceremony at which his son and successor was not seen.

The "body of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution was buried in the memorial hall of the shrine of Imam Reza," state broadcaster IRIB reported.

Marine tracking firms have reported a sharp decline in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting growing concerns among shipowners and insurers after renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran threatened one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.

According to maritime intelligence firms cited by The Wall Street Journal, vessel movements through the narrow waterway have fallen well below recent levels after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire.

Data from Kpler and Windward showed only about 25 vessel transits, compared with the 30 to 50 crossings recorded during the partial recovery in recent weeks.

Iranian state media said two military facilities in southern Iran came under attack Thursday evening, but US officials denied that American forces were carrying out any new strikes, adding to uncertainty over the latest reported explosions.

The state-run IRNA news agency, citing Ehsan Jahanian, the political and security deputy governor of Bushehr province, reported that a military facility near the city of Bushehr was struck by what he described as "US-Israeli enemy projectiles".

The report did not specify the extent of the damage or whether there were casualties.

Iran has warned that it will deliver a "firm and decisive response" to what it called repeated violations by the US, and said it has already carried out actions targeting US interests and bases in the region.

In a strongly worded statement during an interview with IANS, Iran's Consul General, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, said on Thursday that "Tehran had initially shown restraint in the face of US 'breaches of commitments" but was now compelled to respond, as it has done on previous occasions".

"This time, as before, we have responded accordingly, and we will deliver a firm and decisive response that, God willing, will once again make the aggressor regret its actions," he added.

The Consul General also said: "We have consistently demonstrated our commitment to negotiations and dialogue at all times before, during, and after both periods of attacks. Unfortunately, the United States has repeatedly undermined the principles of dialogue through its lack of commitment."

"US does not cease its violations," Iran "will be compelled to respond on the battlefield and through military means".

Iran said it has placed the issue on its agenda and has taken action against American interests in the region. It also addressed maritime security, saying it has "had to restrict passage" in some areas to ensure the safety of vessels and crews amid insecure conditions.

"Iran has consistently sought regional peace, stability, and prosperity, and continues to work toward these objectives," the statement noted.

Dozens of missiles and drones fired by Iran caused no significant damage or injuries to American personnel, a US defense official said on Thursday.

The Iranian missiles and drones "were intercepted or failed to cause major damage," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that there were "no US injuries."

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said his country was prepared to resume its military campaign against Iran if needed, vowing to do so "with even greater force".

The latest remarks came as new fighting erupted between the United States and Iran, raising fears of a return to full-scale war after an April ceasefire and a June US-Iran agreement to end hostilities.

"The army is ready and on alert for a resumption of fighting, in order to regain air superiority and strike again... in Iran, to eliminate threats, including a third time if necessary," Katz said at a military ceremony.

"If we have to go back, we will go back, with even greater force," he added.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had been weakened by the two previous military campaigns Israel launched against it.

But he also acknowledged that the conflict was not yet over.

"The Iranian axis is weaker than ever before, while Israel is stronger than ever before," he said.

"We proved that the long arm of the Israeli Air Force can reach anywhere, from Yemen to Iran. Yet we must also acknowledge that the campaign is not over."

US President Donald Trump briefed Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about US operations in the Gulf, the Israeli Prime Minister's office said, said, after Iran reported fresh American strikes.

"As part of the continuous contact" between the two, "President Trump updated the Prime Minister on American moves in the Gulf," Netanyahu's office said in a message on X.

A US official confirmed the call occurred without providing further details Thursday.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, has condemned the Iranian attacks that violated the airspace of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, describing them as a dangerous escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region and endangers the safety of civilians and air navigation.

In a statement issued today, Al Yamahi affirmed the Arab Parliament's full solidarity with Jordan and its support for the measures taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its national security and sovereignty.

He called on the international community and the United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately to halt these violations, uphold international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and spare the region further tension.

The United States targeted the perimeter of Iran's only civilian nuclear plant with a strike on Thursday, Iranian state media reported, citing the deputy governor of Bushehr province.

"Several areas in Bushehr province were targeted today, including the perimeter of the nuclear power plant, a military base in the town of Choghadak and a fishing pier in the south of the province," Ehsan Jahanian said, adding there were no reports of casualties so far.

It came after residents of Choghadak, which sits a little more than 20 kilometres from the Bushehr plant, reported hearing several explosions.

Strikes have previously landed near the power station during the Middle East war.

In April, the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, warned that attacks near the plant "pose a very real danger to nuclear safety and must stop".

The power station, built with Russian help, has one operational reactor and two further ones under construction. Russia evacuated its staff from the site during the war.

Non-profit monitor ACLED has reported four strikes near the plant during the war.

Air raid sirens sounded in Jordan after the Kingdom's airspace was breached by missiles fired from Iran.

Government Communication Minister and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani said the missiles were intercepted and the threat was dealt with.

The United States targeted the perimeter of Iran's only civilian nuclear plant with a strike on Thursday, Iranian state media reported, citing the deputy governor of Bushehr province.

"Several areas in Bushehr province were targeted today, including the perimeter of the nuclear power plant, a military base in the town of Choghadak and a fishing pier in the south of the province," Ehsan Jahanian said, adding there were no reports of casualties so far.

It came after residents of Choghadak, which sits a little more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Bushehr plant, reported hearing several explosions.

Day 132: Israel vows stronger military action against Iran

Day 131: Trump tempers fury to end NATO summit on high note

Day 130: Iran reports explosions on sites around Hormuz Strait

Day 129: Body of Khamenei arrives in Qom ahead of procession

Day 128: Massive turnout at Khamenei funeral