Tuesday, August 18, 2026

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UAE: All trade and financial transactions with Iran suspended until further notice Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director of Strategic Communications: Afra Al Hameli, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Strategic Communications Department, rejected all claims about the state of economic relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Al Hameli reiterated the UAE’s firm commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and regional integration as essential tools for advancing peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. She stated that, in view of escalating regional tensions that undermine regional and international peace and security, all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran have been suspended until further notice. Al Hameli stressed that the UAE remains firmly committed to safeguarding the integrity of the international financial system, in accordance with international law and the highest global standards. mofauae 📡 @VahidOnline

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French Foreign Minister: Two Iranian diplomats to be expelled Jean-Noël Barrot: The people of Iran, a great people, are the principal victims of this period of intense tension in the Middle East—caught between the bloody crackdown on protests in January 2026 and the bombings. It is precisely because France stands with the people of Iran and supports its artists, scientists, and researchers that two French diplomats were shamefully and deliberately targeted last July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. That has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the next few days. jnbarrot 📡 @VahidOnline

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Ghalibaf: Americans think that if they put more pressure on Iran, they can get concessions that were never part of the agreement. Bessent and Hegseth are simply not up to the job. Stop waiting for this bunch of clowns to pull a rabbit out of their hat; clean up the mess you’ve made yourselves. mb_ghalibaf 📡 @VahidOnline

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UAE National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority: The air defense systems of the United Arab Emirates detected a missile threat targeting the country. Please remain in a safe place and follow alerts and updates issued through official channels. #NCEMAUAE Update: End of emergency status New text message sent to residents in Dubai: Thank you for your cooperation. We assure you that the situation is currently safe. You may resume your normal activities, but please remain cautious, take the necessary preventive measures, and follow official instructions. — UAE Ministry of Interior 📡 @VahidOnline

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Vahid, just now: Dubai missile alert. 18:52 local time. Message and photo from two different citizens. Update: I’ve received other similar messages and photos too. 📡 @VahidOnline

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UKMTO: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre has received a delayed report of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz. A third party reported that a bulk carrier was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The impact damaged the vessel’s starboard side and injured one crew member. No environmental impact has been reported. Authorities are investigating. UK_MTO 📡 @VahidOnline

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Trump: No negotiations or talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran are underway, and no negotiations or talks are planned. The naval blockade remains in full force. The Strait of Hormuz is open and operational. All naval mines have been removed or detonated. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President Donald J. Trump realDonaldTrump 📡 @VahidOnline

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The U.S. president once again called the Strait of Hormuz “U.S. territory” in a post on his social network, Truth Social, on Tuesday, 27 Mordad. In a new post on Truth Social, Donald Trump shared a graphic marking the Strait of Hormuz as “new territory” of the United States. He had previously described the waterway as part of U.S. territory in a speech, in a tone that was half-joking and half-serious. @ VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson called the Islamic Republic of Iran’s request for the International Committee of the Red Cross to get involved in the case of the Iranian pilots a “media ploy,” and said Iran had still not responded to the country’s invitation to look into the matter. Majed Al Ansari said on Tuesday, 27 Mordad, “Doha’s invitation to the Iranian delegation to travel to Qatar and examine this case remains open, but Tehran has still not responded to Doha’s invitation to send a delegation to Qatar.” @ VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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The speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and chief negotiator with the United States says Tehran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the U.S. lifts its blockade of Iranian ports and meets certain other conditions. On Tuesday, 26 Mordad, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in his opening remarks to parliament that Iran’s other conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz were “the release of frozen assets, the lifting of oil sanctions, an end to threats and military operations on all fronts, and the other conditions” in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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After Donald Trump confirmed a back-channel line of communication between the United States and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Iranian government and the IRGC denied it, Al Arabiya, citing informed sources, has reported new details about efforts by Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to establish contact between the United States and the IRGC. Citing sources close to the Kurdistan Region’s presidency, Al Arabiya reported that Barzani had met with senior Iranian and U.S. officials in an effort to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington. The meetings included two in Baghdad with Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force. According to Al Arabiya’s sources, Barzani began mediating between Iran and the United States in early March, just days after the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran began. DILSHAD SHAHAB, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region’s presidency, confirmed yesterday, in response to a question from BBC Persian, that Barzani had facilitated contact between the United States and the IRGC: “This report has been published by a reliable source, and some people have been named as sources in it. We have the same information and details. It is all true, and we confirm it. For now, I can’t provide any more information than what has already been published.” The contacts were first reported by the news website Axios. Citing informed sources, Axios reported that the United States had contacted the IRGC through Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, about a month before signing a memorandum of understanding with Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters yesterday: “The report of a secret meeting between Iran and the United States in Erbil is completely fabricated.” IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi also responded to Donald Trump’s remarks confirming the existence of a back channel between the United States and the IRGC, saying: “This lie from Trump is merely a fantasy brought on by delusions and nightmares stemming from defeat and desperation in the war.” @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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Iran’s parliament speaker says that raising gasoline prices by Masoud Pezeshkian’s government is “not a well-calculated measure,” claiming that the “enemy” has “planned for this issue.” On Tuesday, 26 Mordad, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a pre-agenda speech to parliament that “according to both public and confidential information, the enemy is waiting to foment unrest and combine it with military operations such as assassinations and separatist actions.” Without offering a solution, he stressed that the gasoline shortage must be addressed through comprehensive, highly intelligent planning, in a way that “creates the greatest possible fairness and the least dissatisfaction among the people.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged on 25 Mordad that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports was having an impact. He said routes for bringing goods into Iran had been blocked and the government lacked the funds needed to import gasoline. According to the latest figures released by the Iranian government, the country produces more than 115 million liters of fuel per day, while consumption has reached 129 million liters—a shortfall of 14 million liters. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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A source told Iran International that Mohsen (Mehrdad) Takash, a 33-year-old resident of Isfahan, has been sentenced to death twice on charges of moharebeh in connection with last year’s Dey protests. Takash, who lives in Dizicheh, Isfahan, was arrested during the crackdown on protests in the final week of Dey. The source said he was severely tortured in custody and that his hand was broken as a result. According to the source, pressure and torture forced Takash to accept charges his interrogators had attributed to him, and those coerced confessions became the basis for opening a case against him and issuing his sentence. For around four months after his arrest, Takash’s family had no precise information about where he was being held or how he was doing. After four months without news, he contacted his family from Ward A-T at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. The source told Iran International that, apart from the confessions extracted from Takash under pressure and torture, there is no other evidence in the case to substantiate the charges against him. Before his arrest, Mohsen Takash ran a motorcycle repair shop in Dizicheh and earned his living that way. @ VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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UKMTO: The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre has received a report of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz. A company security officer reported that a vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile while outbound through the Strait of Hormuz. The impact damaged the engine room and injured one crew member. The Omani Coast Guard is currently assisting the remaining crew. No environmental impact has been reported so far. Authorities are investigating the incident. UK_MTO 📡 @VahidOnline

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Canada’s Federal Court has rejected former Islamic Republic Interior Ministry deputy and spokesperson Salman Samani’s final request to halt his deportation. Samani held the post during the nationwide crackdown on protests in Aban 1398. Canada’s border agency is therefore required to carry out his deportation order. After resigning from his position, Samani entered Canada on a tourist visa. Under Canadian law, senior officials from governments that violate human rights are barred from entering the country. In his application, Samani claimed that if he returned to Iran, he would face “the risk of torture, execution, or suicide.” According to the court ruling, the judge rejected this claim, noting that Samani had defended the Interior Ministry’s actions in Aban 1398 in interviews and that there was no evidence the Iranian government considered him a “traitor.” The judge also stressed that Canada’s public interest in preventing the country from becoming a “safe haven for repressors” outweighed Samani’s claims. @ VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told U.S. President Donald Trump in a conversation that continuing talks with Iran is important for making use of diplomacy, and that Turkey is ready to take part. The Turkish presidency said that during the phone call, Erdoğan expressed Ankara’s readiness to support peace efforts. Earlier, Donald Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner said that talks between Iran and the United States were serious and intense, but the two sides had not yet reached an understanding. Kushner, who is also Donald Trump’s son-in-law, told Fox News that negotiations between the United States and various Iranian government institutions were probably stronger than ever, but the two sides had still not reached a final outcome. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline