US-Iran tensions: Trump calls Hormuz ‘American territory’, warns Iran on nuclear weapons

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Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei threatened on Saturday to retaliate against any further action by US President Donald Trump and warned countries neighboring Iran against joining Washington’s economic campaign.

“If Trump wants to take action, we will retaliate in an earthquake-like manner,” Rezaei said in a televised interview.

“We tell all the countries around us not to join the United States in its economic war, otherwise we will consider them enemies,” he said. “We are not seeking to expand the war, but if countries around Iran cooperate with the Americans in the economic war, we will strike their interests.”

“If countries around Iran cooperate with the Americans in the economic war, not a drop of oil will leave through the Strait of Hormuz, and we will also target other routes through which oil is exported,” Rezaei added.

Iranian lawmaker Farshad Ebrahimpour Nourabadi, a member of the parliament’s presiding board, said on Saturday that the government’s negotiations with the United States in Oman and the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in Pakistan were carried out with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s authorization.

“We must accept that the country’s major policies approved by the Supreme National Security Council can only be implemented with the leader’s signature,” Ebrahimpour told Jamaran.

He rejected claims that anything had been imposed on Khamenei, saying such assertions were incompatible with the Islamic Republic’s governing structure.

The number of US service members killed or wounded in the Iran war has risen to more than 770, according to casualty figures provided by the Pentagon, reported by The Washington Post on Friday, as the conflict enters its sixth month.

The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon's casualty reporting system showed 774 US service members killed or wounded, including 18 killed and 756 wounded in the conflict.

According to the Post, the Pentagon added scores of new troops to the wounded list in recent days, even as the United States and Iran have largely remained under a ceasefire in recent weeks.

It noted that some of the newly added figures could reflect a delay between an injury being recorded in the military's medical system and its appearance in the Pentagon's casualty database.

US President Donald Trump also did not extend the ceasefire with Iran, as per the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in June, after it expired on Monday.

However, there has been no large-scale resumption of combat operations by either side since then

The top diplomats for Egypt and Iran discussed efforts to bring Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table to settle the war, Egypt's foreign ministry said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty also discussed the Iranian-Omani talks on the management of the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said.

Araghchi briefed Egypt's foreign minister about "Iran's view of ongoing developments, the course of negotiations and their challenges," the ministry said, without elaborating.

There was no immediate statement from Araghchi.

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said on Saturday that the government would protect the economy and people’s livelihoods against US economic pressure, arguing that such measures would fail to change Iranians’ resolve.

“The government will not allow US economic terrorism to target economic stability and people’s livelihoods,” Aref wrote on X. “The experience of the Islamic Revolution has shown that economic pressure cannot change the will of the Iranian people and produces the opposite result.”

Israeli warplanes struck an area between the villages of Sarbin (Srobbin) and Rashaf in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The latest strike follows heavy Israeli artillery fire earlier in Al Mansouri, around Bayt Al Sayyad and outside Majdal Zoun. An air raid was also reported near the Ali Al Tahir heights, while extensive demolitions were carried out overnight, according to NNA.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran has received messages from neighbouring countries about forming new regional security arrangements and expanding economic cooperation.

In a post on X, Ghalibaf said the region needed a “homegrown, independent order” to deliver peace and security, while accusing the United States of putting the security of its allies at risk by prioritising Israel’s interests.

Dozens of former senior French and UK diplomats urged their governments to work together to uphold international law in the Palestinian territories, accusing Israel of seeking to "destroy" any prospect of a viable Palestinian state.

The 102 signatories of the letter published in Le Monde included former British ambassadors to the UN Jeremy Greenstock and Emyr Jones Parry as well the former directors for the Middle East at the French foreign ministry Yves Aubin de la Messuziere and Denis Bauchard.

They said the involvement of France and the UK was essential given the historic roles of the two powers in the Middle East and the fact that both permanent members of the UN Security Council, in 2025 recognised a Palestinian state.

"Our two nations believe that those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held to account. Only then can our governments rebut the accusation of double standards. That is why they must act together to uphold international law in Palestine," said the letter.

It accused Israel of seeking "to destroy any prospect of an independent Palestinian state, showing contempt for the law, the rulings of the International Court of Justice and countless UN Security Council resolutions."

An Iranian military official said three pilots from two Su-24 aircraft shot down over Qatar are being held “on water” in poor physical condition, renewing an allegation that Doha has rejected.

Mohammad Bagherzadeh, commander of the Armed Forces General Staff’s committee for missing personnel, called on Qatar to move the pilots to land and transfer them to a properly equipped hospital as soon as possible, according to Tasnim.

He also urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to send an air ambulance to return the pilots to Iran, saying their current location was unsuitable for protecting their health. Qatar last week rejected Iran’s assertion that the three pilots had been captured alive and held for about six months.

Doha said it recovered the remains of only one pilot after the Iranian aircraft were shot down in March and had invited Tehran to review details of the search-and-rescue operation.

Iran has doubled its production of defence weapons and equipment over the past year, despite attacks on parts of its defence industry during the 12-day war, Defence Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik said, according to IRNA.

He said Iran’s domestic production capacity had allowed it to rapidly replenish weapons and ammunition used in the conflict. Production of some strategic defence products and wartime supplies increased more than threefold, he added.

Talaei Nik said Iran’s defence industry had expanded from producing 31 basic products before the 1979 Islamic Revolution to more than 1,000 advanced systems, weapons and ammunition today.

Iran has granted permission for several Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported, citing Iranian state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

According to IRNA, the decision followed repeated appeals from Baghdad and was among Iraq’s main requests during Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s recent visit.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains well below pre-conflict levels, with the strategic waterway emerging as a key bargaining point in the conflict between the US and Iran.

Wall Street will get key updates next week on closely-watched measures for consumer confidence and inflation.

The latest consumer confidence report from business group The Conference Board will be released Tuesday. Wall Street expects the report to show that confidence in the U.S. economy fell again in August after slipping in July.

Consumer confidence has been weak most of the year as inflation remains stubbornly high. The U.S. war with Iran helped fuel inflation by stifling oil supplies worldwide. That raised gasoline prices, squeezing household budgets. It has also raised costs for shipping a wide range of products, from groceries to clothing.

Wall Street will get another important inflation update on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its report on personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, for July. It is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation. Much like the consumer price index, it has shown that the rate of inflation remains stubbornly above 3%.

The Fed has been struggling to get inflation back to its target rate of 2%. It came close in early 2025 but then inflation started creeping higher as the U.S. imposed a wide range of tariffs globally. The rate of inflation leaped higher in early 2026 as the Iran war curtailed global oil shipments from the Strait of Hormuz.

The Fed is expected to continue holding its benchmark interest rate steady at its upcoming meeting in September.

Iran’s army says it is shifting from a defensive to a more offensive military posture after lessons from recent conflicts.

Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia warned that any future attack on Iran would trigger an immediate and broader response, while stressing the shift does not mean pre-emptive attacks.

He said Iran has repaired damaged military systems, deployed new capabilities and restructured its command to respond faster.

More than 15 million barrels of oil and petroleum products were moved through the Strait of Hormuz with the help of the US military on Tuesday, while total shipments leaving the region, including oil transported through pipelines, approached 20 million barrels, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Saturday.

In a post on X, Wright said the seven-day average of oil shipments leaving the Strait had risen above 8 million barrels a day, crediting the US Navy with helping maintain the flow.

“Make no mistake, thanks to the US Navy, oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz,” Wright said.

The figures come as diplomatic efforts to ease the confrontation between Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked.

Iran has said it wants an agreement but has rejected terms it considers unacceptable. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has stepped up economic pressure on Tehran and threatened tougher sanctions.

The dispute has kept uncertainty over shipping through the strategically important waterway high.

Individual NATO member states are exploring ways to help protect freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, although the effort would not amount to a formal NATO mission, Reuters reported.

US Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top military commander, brought together defence chiefs from interested allied countries for a videoconference on Wednesday to discuss potential contributions.

A spokesperson for Grynkewich said NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe hosted the meeting to help countries coordinate possible support for navigation through the strategic waterway.

The spokesperson stressed that “this is not a NATO mission”, saying the alliance could use its coordination capabilities to help participating countries assess what resources they could provide.

France and the UK are separately leading efforts to build a coalition of around a dozen countries to help ensure safe passage through the Strait once tensions ease or the conflict ends, according to Reuters.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a key flashpoint amid the escalating US-Iran tensions, with disruption to shipping through the waterway continuing to affect global energy markets.

Trump said Washington would “see what happens” following its latest sanctions against Iran, while claiming the country has been weakened economically and militarily.

Trump said Iran “would love” to reach a deal with the US but is not yet ready to accept the terms Washington is seeking.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the US pressure campaign, saying on social media that Trump’s plans for economic warfare are “bound to fail”.

Iran has condemned new US sanctions against Tehran, calling them a “declaration of war” against all governments and accusing Washington of trying to extend its authority beyond US borders.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, in remarks carried by Fars news agency, said the sanctions amounted to an attempt to impose “extraterritorial sovereignty” over independent UN member states.

Key points

• Iran rejects secondary sanctions: Baghaei said the US has no right to pressure foreign banks, companies or airports to stop legitimate trade with third countries.

• Calls sanctions unlawful: He said secondary sanctions have no basis in international law and violate the principle of sovereign equality under the UN Charter.

• Warns over naval blockade: Baghaei said combining economic sanctions with a naval blockade threatens the sovereignty of other states.

• Warns of ‘colonialism’: He said accepting such pressure could lead to the erosion of national sovereignty and a return to “full-scale colonialism”.

• Iran escalates rhetoric: Tehran’s comments come amid rising tensions with Washington over US economic measures and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has hit back at US President Donald Trump’s threat of an “Economic D-Day”, saying Washington’s planned economic measures risk paving the way for a return to “full-scale classic colonialism”, CNN reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Friday that the US announcement of new economic sanctions amounted to an attempt to impose “extraterritorial sovereignty” over independent UN member states.

Baghaei said economic pressure designed to force a sovereign state to change its lawful policies constituted an “internationally wrongful act”.

He argued that countries complying with the US measures would effectively allow their banks, businesses and airports to operate under foreign control.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry also warned that those who order or implement the measures could face prosecution and punishment, according to Iranian state media IRIB.

Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz “American territory” during a campaign rally in South Carolina, while defending the US campaign against Iran, Fox News reported.

Trump said the US acted to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, insisting Tehran would never be allowed to develop one. He also said Iran wants a deal with Washington but suggested the US may not want an agreement on Tehran’s terms.

Trump said oil prices would fall once the conflict with Iran ends, predicting they would drop below levels seen before the latest escalation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Oman's Ambassador to the United States Talal Al Rahbi in Washington and discussed issues of mutual interest, while reaffirming the strong cooperation between the two countries, the Oman Embassy in Washington said on Friday.

In a post shared on X, the Oman Embassy said, "H.E. Ambassador Talal Al Rahbi met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of an event organized by the U.S. Department of State at the Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C."

"During their conversation, they exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest, commended the strong cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and the United States, and underscored the importance of continued coordination and cooperation in addressing shared issues and challenges," it added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the US anti-Iran economic operation is doomed to fail like its other coercive measures against the country.

"14 years ago: 'Most crippling sanctions in history.' Failed. 8 years ago: 'Maximum pressure.' Failed. 5 months ago: 'Unconditional surrender.' Failed. Today: 'Most crushing economic operation ever.' Bound to fail," Araghchi posted on social media platform X.

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday "the most crushing economic operation ever taken" against any country providing a lifeline to Iran, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said that the United States is now further pressuring Iran under the label of an "economic war," which he views as an attempt to cover up Washington's previous failure.

Gharibabadi said in a social media post that while the United States claims Iran is "on the verge of collapse," it is reaching out to all its allies for help, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that American forces have redirected 68 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two others as part of efforts to enforce a blockade against Iran amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post shared on X, CENTCOM said US sailors observed an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter landing on the flight deck of the USS Ross (DDG 71), one of more than 20 warships supporting the US blockade against Iran.

"U.S. Sailors observe an MH-60R Sea Hawk landing on the flight deck aboard USS Ross (DDG 71). Ross is one of more than 20 warships supporting the U.S. blockade against Iran. As of Aug. 21, U.S. forces have redirected 68 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and boarded 2 to ensure compliance," the post read.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route, where maritime operations have intensified in recent months.

• Trump says Iran wants a deal: US President Donald Trump said Tehran wants an agreement but is not ready to accept what he calls the “right deal”.

• Strait of Hormuz: Trump claimed the US has “total control” over the region around the strategic waterway.

• US economic pressure: Trump announced tougher measures targeting Iran’s oil-smuggling networks, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies.

• Nuclear warning: Trump reiterated that Iran will not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

• Iran rejects US campaign: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the latest US pressure strategy another approach destined to fail.

• Iran sets conditions: Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the US meets commitments including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and easing oil sanctions.

• Tensions remain high: The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

US stocks recovered on Friday, trimming losses from a volatile week, even as rising Treasury yields continued to pressure Wall Street.

The S&P 500 gained 0.4% to 7,674.37, while the Dow Jones rose 1%, or 518 points, to 53,277.01. The Nasdaq added 0.4% to 26,180.45.

Bond yields remain a concern

The 10-year US Treasury yield climbed to 4.73%, while the 30-year yield approached its highest level since 2007. Rising yields can weigh on the economy and make other investments less attractive.

Higher oil prices, driven partly by uncertainty over when tankers can freely leave the Arabian Gulf amid the Iran war, added to inflation concerns. Brent crude settled at $92.67 a barrel, up 0.8%.

Bitcoin and gold gain

Bitcoin climbed above $77,000, up from below $63,000 a week earlier, boosting crypto-related stocks. Robinhood jumped 13.7%, while Coinbase gained 8.2%.

Gold also rose, briefly topping $4,690 an ounce, helping mining stocks including Newmont and Freeport-McMoRan.

Retailers lead gains

Ross Stores jumped 4.4% after reporting better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue, helped by new customers, stronger demand from existing shoppers and tariff refunds.

Meanwhile, OSI Systems fell 5.2% after weaker-than-expected revenue, with the company citing the impact of Middle East conflicts on planned deliveries

An oil tanker under US sanctions for allegedly transporting Iranian petroleum products was seized off the coast of Yemen and diverted towards Somalia, Reuters reported on Friday, in the latest attack amid a resurgence of Somali piracy.

The Eritrea-flagged Sibu 1 was boarded by six armed individuals on Thursday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The US Treasury sanctioned the tanker in December for allegedly being part of a “shadow fleet” used to transport Iranian petroleum products in an effort to evade sanctions.

The vessel was at least the 13th ship attacked this year off Somalia or in the Gulf of Aden, compared with five such attacks throughout 2025, according to International Maritime Bureau data and UKMTO reports cited by Reuters.

Day 169: Oman, Iran discuss resuming talks on Strait of Hormuz

Day 168: US-Iran conflict: Trump says Iran situation is ‘so good

Day 167: Trump says no talks planned; UAE detects Iranian missiles

Day 166: Israel strikes Lebanon; Oman holds Hormuz talks

Day 165: US-Iran tensions rise over Trump’s Hormuz claim

Day 164: Iran demands faster US exit from Middle East

Day 163: 2 ADNOC vessels attacked in Hormuz; no injuries

Day 162: Trump says US has ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz

Day 161: Tehran: Hormuz stays shut as US-Iran diplomacy push continues

Day 160: Tehran reshuffles military