China rejects US push to isolate Iran, says sanctions will not resolve conflict

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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.

Iran’s parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee chairman said on Friday that the United States does not understand diplomacy and would ultimately be forced to lift sanctions, release Iran’s frozen assets and end what he called “maritime piracy”.

“The US has proven that it does not understand the language of diplomacy,” Ebrahim Azizi wrote on X. “History, however, will show that the language of strength will compel it not only to take these steps, but also to apologise to the great Iranian nation and leave the region forever.”

The foreign ministers of Oman and Iran discussed conditions for resuming negotiations aimed at ensuring free and smooth navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Oman’s state news agency reported.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, also discussed broader regional developments and the need to continue talks towards practical understandings on the waterway and regional security.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has mocked Washington’s latest pledge to impose the “toughest sanctions in history” on Iran, arguing that successive US campaigns to force Tehran into submission have failed.

His comments came after President Donald Trump announced the “most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country”, threatening severe economic consequences for countries and businesses that continue to provide Iran with financial or commercial support.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would impose the “toughest sanctions in history” as part of its intensified pressure campaign.

In a post on X on Friday, Araghchi portrayed the latest campaign as another version of a decades-old US strategy.

He pointed to a 2012 US statement describing sanctions on Iran as the “most crippling in history”, followed by the “maximum pressure” campaign launched eight years ago and demands for “unconditional surrender” five months ago. He wrote “Failed” after each.

Turning to Washington’s latest threat, Araghchi wrote: “Same bull. Different bullies,” arguing that escalating economic pressure would once again fail to force Iran to capitulate.

India on Friday said that it stands for a peaceful resolution of issues in West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy when asked about US President Donald Trump's threat of imposing tougher economic measures against Iran as the conflict in the region continues.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is "closely monitoring developments" in West Asia.

"We stand for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy," he said during a media briefing.

New Delhi has consistently advocated dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred means of resolving disputes and has called for de-escalation and regional peace and stability.

Hezbollah said on Friday that the United States "will not deter" its resistance against Israel after Washington announced new sanctions on the group, accusing it of serving Iran.

The US Treasury Department amended Hezbollah's legal designation on Thursday to note that it operated in "service to the Iranian regime under the command of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps".

It also announced new sanctions targeting 10 people who are allegedly part of a network that transfers cash to Hezbollah.

"All these unjust sanctions and classifications will not deter us from adhering to the path of resistance and the right of Lebanon and the Lebanese to defend their land, sovereignty and resources," Hezbollah said in a statement.

The group, armed and funded by Iran, stressed that it "does not need anyone to vouch for its Lebanese identity and patriotism".

"Our close and fraternal relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran is a relationship we cherish and are proud of," it added.

Hezbollah said the latest move aimed "to target the resistance, its community, its environment, and its supporters, and to besiege and pressure them" to protect Israel.

New Delhi said 22 Indian sailors are among seafarers onboard two ships seized by gunmen in the Gulf of Aden this week, India's foreign ministry said Friday.

The Seamull tanker, also known as SIBU 1, with 16 Indian sailors, issued a distress call in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday. Gunmen boarded the vessel and forced it to change course towards Somalia.

"Two foreign-flagged vessels were involved. One had 16 Indian nationals on board, while the other had six," ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.

"We are in touch with authorities, all of them are reportedly safe."

India did not give details about crew members from other nations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday it was time to end the months-long Middle East war with the United States because Tehran was in a position of strength over Washington.

"It is better that we bring the war to an end now as we are in a position of power and dignity, and the whole world acknowledges our victory and emphasises that America has attacked our schools, hospitals and infrastructure in violation of all regulations and is hated around the world," he said in a meeting with doctors.

His comments came after Iran's foreign ministry accused the US of "economic terrorism" and "crimes against humanity" after Washington said it would ramp up sanctions to heap pressure on Tehran.

"The perpetrators and instigators of these sanctions are deserving of trial and punishment for committing such heinous crimes," it said in a statement carried by state media.

Nearly six months into the Iran war, US President Donald Trump is reaching for a different weapon.

After months of air strikes, threats of massive attacks and faltering attempts at diplomacy, Trump has promised an “economic D-Day” against Tehran — an unprecedented campaign of financial pressure intended to cripple Iran’s economy, choke off its remaining sources of revenue and force its leaders to accept US demands.

On the surface, the language suggests escalation. But behind the threats lies a potentially more significant development: Washington appears, at least for now, reluctant to return to large-scale military action.

That raises a bigger question. Is Trump’s economic offensive the beginning of an attempt to end the war — or simply the start of another phase in a conflict that neither side has been able to resolve?

Read more here.

China said that US "sanctions and pressure" would not resolve the Middle East conflict, after Washington urged governments including Beijing to join efforts to isolate the Iranian economy.

The United States has vowed it would "collapse" the Iranian regime with its threatened campaign, which Tehran has branded as "economic terrorism" doomed to fail, nearly six months since their war began.

Asked about Trump's threats, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters on Friday that "sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue".

"China calls on all relevant parties to take responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means," he said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended Trump's push for economic pressure on Tehran.

When asked whether the United States would pressure China to join the campaign, Bessent told CNBC that "many conversations are best to have in private", but called on Beijing "to get with the programme".

Spokesman Lin reiterated the need for all parties to take "responsible measures" in resolving the war, when he was asked about Bessent's comments.

"China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorised by the UN Security Council," Lin said.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited the grave of Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis at Wadi al-Salam cemetery in Najaf, Iraq, Iran’s Student News Network (SNN) reported.

The visit took place on the third day of an Iranian parliamentary delegation’s trip to Iraq. Ghalibaf also visited the graves of other members of Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups, according to SNN.

Al Muhandis, the former deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobiliation Forces, was killed alongside Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport in January 2020.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has begun its journey back to San Diego after nearly nine months at sea, bringing a “huge sense of relief” to its crew following an extended deployment, a retired US Navy rear admiral told CNN.

The aircraft carrier’s 13,000-mile journey home is expected to take about a month, offering sailors a welcome break after repeated delays to their expected return.

The crew faced difficult conditions during the deployment, including limited port visits, longer gaps between supplies and mail, and disruptions to basic amenities. Some sailors reported low morale, with toilets and water fountains frequently closed and hot water often unavailable.

The deployment was heavily affected by the war and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, which prevented the ship from making some planned stops at friendly ports.

Oil prices fell slightly on Friday, but were on track for a second weekly rise.

Brent crude futures ‌fell 23 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $93.55 a barrel by 0142 GMT, after climbing 2.4 percent in the previous session. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures slipped 33 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $86.50 a barrel, after rising 2.3 percent in ​the prior session.

During the previous five days of gains, Brent gained more than 7 percent and ​WTI climbed more than 8 percent, reaching their highest since

Gold prices were steady in early Asian trading on Friday, heading for a third consecutive weekly gain, supported by a weaker dollar and efforts by the US Treasury Department to curb rising long-term bond yields.

Spot gold was little changed at US$4,514.23 an ounce after reaching its highest level since early June in the previous session, and has gained 3.2 percent since the start of the week. US gold futures were steady at $4,571.20.

Among other precious metals, spot silver was little changed at $68.03 an ounce. Platinum rose 1.1 percent to $1,846.29, while palladium stood at $1,333.11.

All three metals are heading for weekly gains.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has begun its return to San Diego after more than nine months deployed in the Middle East during the Iran conflict. The carrier and its roughly 5,000-member crew are being replaced by the USS George Washington.

The extended deployment, which included thousands of combat sorties and more than 200 consecutive days at sea, has raised concerns over crew fatigue, mental health and food shortages, though US defence officials have rejected reports of deteriorating conditions.

The Lincoln’s return voyage is expected to take about three weeks.

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply on Thursday amid heightened security concerns in the Middle East, as US-Iran peace talks remained stalled, Reuters reported.

Preliminary data from ship-tracking firm Kpler showed that seven commodity vessels transited the strategic waterway on Thursday, down from 14 on Wednesday.

Of Thursday’s vessels, four were entering the Gulf while three were heading out.

No supertankers or liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers were recorded passing through the Strait, according to the data.

However, a very large gas carrier carrying propane and butane was reported to have exited the waterway via the Iranian route, Kpler data showed, according to Reuters.

Hamas remains committed to Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace roadmap and expects mediators and the Board of Peace, led by Trump, to advance the plan, senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told CNN.

Naim said Hamas was ready to continue the process to help restore stability and improve conditions for Palestinians. He said US adviser Jared Kushner and other mediators had urged Hamas to consider Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political situation ahead of elections.

Naim rejected the request, saying Palestinians should not bear the cost of protecting Netanyahu’s political interests. He also accused Israel of failing to meet its ceasefire obligations, including allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, while escalating attacks since the framework was agreed.

US Senator Elissa Slotkin has condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over what she described as “violent” and “dehumanising” comments about civilians in Gaza.

Slotkin said Ben-Gvir’s remarks were “abhorrent” and called for his removal from government, urging those concerned about Israeli and Palestinian civilians to condemn him.

Her comments came after Ben-Gvir called for Israeli forces to kill 30 or 40 people in Gaza each night, remarks that have drawn international condemnation from officials and rights groups.

US Vice President JD Vancesaid economic pressure is Washington’s “most effective tool” against Iran, but called the strategy a “delicate dance”. He said Iran is currently feeling greater economic pressure than the US, as Washington seeks to keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz while penalising attacks on commercial vessels. Vance said the ultimate goal is to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear capabilities and push Tehran towards a deal.

The United States announced new sanctions against an alleged Hezbollah financing network, while highlighting the Lebanese armed group's close ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Hezbollah's legal designation as a terrorist organization has been amended to note that it operates in "service to the Iranian regime under the command of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," particularly the elite Quds Force, the Treasury Department said in a statement.

The change comes as the US facilitates direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which remain technically at war. Hezbollah rejects these talks.

Washington designated Hezbollah as a "foreign terrorist organization" in 1997, and in 2001 updated its label to a "specially designated global terrorist" group.

The new redesignation "specifies that Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy, not a stand-alone operation as implied by the previous designation," a State Department official said.

"This underscores that Hezbollah operates with little to no regard for Lebanese sovereignty, the Lebanese people, or the Lebanese state."

"This action builds on years of US designations that have repeatedly documented the operational, financial, and logistical integration between Hizballah and the IRGC-QF," the State Department official said, calling Hezbollah "an extension" of the latter.

"It is not a Lebanese resistance movement," as Hezbollah describes itself,the official said.

The new sanctions target 10 people who are allegedly part of a network that transfers cash to Hezbollah, which has already been punished with US sanctions many times, the Treasury statement said.

"The network utilizes couriers travelling on commercial airline flights between Lebanon, Turkey, the UAE, and Iran to move up to hundreds of millions of dollars between jurisdictions, providing an avenue outside the formal financial system for Hezbollah to obtain foreign currency and evade sanctions," the statement said.

The United States' debt surpassed a record $40 trillion, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs and interest on the burgeoning deficit make up an enormous share of federal spending.

The milestone figure was recorded just five months after the US hit a record $39 trillion debt in March. It reached $38 trillion five months before that, in October.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Thursday said that American forces have redirected 67 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two others as part of efforts to enforce a blockade against Iran amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post shared on X, CENTCOM said American forces have continued enforcing a blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea, with US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey utility aircraft operating from the USS Boxer (LHD 4) as the ship transits the region.

"U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey utility aircraft take off from the flight deck of USS Boxer (LHD 4) while the ship transits the Arabian Sea and continues to enforce the US blockade against Iran," the post read.

"As of Aug. 20, U.S. forces have redirected 67 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and boarded 2 to ensure compliance," the post added.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route that has remained a major point of friction since hostilities escalated on February 28.

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