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Iran war LIVE Updates: US sanctions Iranian crypto exchange BitBank over Strait of Hormuz payments
Iran war LIVE Updates: The US Treasury sanctioned Iranian cryptocurrency exchange BitBank, controlled by sanctioned financier Babak Zanjani. Washington accused BitBank of processing payments for ships seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran war LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump reportedly said that the US is “hopefully toward the end” of its war with Iran. He said that Tehran wanted a deal. Axios reported that Trump said Washington had heard that directly from Iran.
“Well, hopefully we’re toward the end of the war,” Trump told reporters. “Iran is very much wanting to make a deal. We’ll see how that works out," he added.
Trump is expected to meet Persian Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next Tuesday to discuss next steps in the war with Iran, three sources told Axios.
The meeting is expected to focus on US ideas for a postwar strategy as Trump and his senior team work on a “day-after” plan expected to be finalised after the midterm elections, according to the report. One source reportedly said the meeting could be expanded to include other Arab and Muslim leaders.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges de-escalation and diplomacy in the Middle East as fighting intensifies in Yemen and between the Houthi group and Saudi Arabia.
Iran backs Chinese President Xi’s Middle East peace proposals
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that consultations in China had been successful and stressed the importance Tehran places on its strategic partnership with Beijing.
“Successful consultations in China with our partners. Iran values strategic partnership we have built over time,” Araghchi said in a post on X.
He said decisions being made now would shape the region’s future strategic balance and have far-reaching consequences, adding that President Xi Jinping’s four proposals for peace were “key.”
US officials met senior Houthi representatives in Oman over the weekend, where the Iran-backed group said it had no intention of attacking American vessels and remained committed to its 2025 ceasefire with Washington, Reuters reported Wednesday.
The US Treasury sanctioned Iranian cryptocurrency exchange BitBank, controlled by sanctioned financier Babak Zanjani.
Washington accused BitBank of processing payments for ships seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
BitBank allegedly routed hundreds of millions of dollars to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
BitBank was allegedly used to transfer payments to Iran’s newly established Hormuz Safe Marine Services Authority.
Treasury described BitBank as a key part of Iran’s digital-asset-based sanctions-evasion network.
"Our fighters will not open the Strait of Hormuz until they bring the criminal Trump and the bloodthirsty Netanyahu down from the seat of power," Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, the political adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said according to Iranian state broadcaster IRNA. (CBS)
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the situation in the Middle East during a phone call on Thursday.
The conversation focused on developments in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict involving the US and Iran.
The call came days before Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are expected to meet in Washington.
Beijing is seeking to mediate in the conflict between Tehran and Washington.
US officials met Yemen’s Houthis in Oman over the weekend, Reuters reported citing five sources familiar with the meeting.
The meeting was reportedly held at the US Embassy in Muscat, with Oman helping organise the talks.
The talks came days after the Houthis seized a strategic stretch of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the port of Mocha and Perim Island.
Houthi representatives reportedly told US officials they would not attack American vessels and remained committed to the 2025 US-Houthi ceasefire.
One source said the Houthis also pledged not to attack Israeli ships or commercial vessels, except those belonging to Saudi Arabia.
The US delegation was represented by embassy personnel, according to two sources. (Reuters)
Saudi Civil Defense said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed one person and injured two others in Taif province.
The person killed was Yemeni, while the injured were a Saudi citizen and a Pakistani national.
Drone debris also damaged vehicles and buildings, according to Saudi officials.
The statement did not specify when the incident occurred.
The incident comes amid escalating tensions between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis on Wednesday of attempting to target Mecca with a drone.
The Houthis denied targeting Mecca, while Iran condemned attacks on Islamic holy sites and urged against escalating tensions.
UN-backed human rights experts cited the two strikes as the basis for its war-crimes allegations against the US.
The two US strikes in Iran allegedly killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children.
The strikes took place on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
One strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, southern Iran.
The Trump administration has not directly accepted responsibility for the school strike and has not released findings of a Pentagon investigation.
The UN-backed team said the school was a “clearly identifiable” civilian target.
The second strike targeted a sports complex and residential area in Lamerd, southern Iran.
The experts said missiles used in the Lamerd strike dispersed tungsten pellets over the area.
China has privately asked Iran to use its influence over Yemen’s Houthis to help curb the group’s activities, according to Reuters citing three Iranian sources.
The request came after Saudi Arabia appealed to Beijing to intervene, the sources said.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi about the changing security situation in the Middle East, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
During their conversation on Tuesday, the two officials agreed that carrying out the memorandum of understanding reached between Iran and the United States would be the most effective way to ease tensions in the region, according to a statement issued on Thursday. Grossi also offered technical assistance from the IAEA to support implementation of the agreement, should it be required, the statement said.
Iran gave a Swedish diplomat in Tehran 48 hours to leave the country on Thursday after Sweden expelled a staff member from the Iranian embassy in Stockholm.
The Swedish ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry in Tehran to protest against the Swedish decision, which is "unjustified and contrary to international law", Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement broadcast by state television.
(AFP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has discussed regional developments in a telephone call with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, while visiting Beijing, according to the Tasnim news agency.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday that Seoul had not yet decided whether to deploy military forces to the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.
Cho made the remarks to reporters before leaving for Washington, where he is due to hold talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
His comments came after South Korea’s presidential Blue House said Seoul was reviewing practical ways to contribute to operations in the strait, including possible military measures.
Reuters had previously reported that options under consideration included deploying a maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support vessel or a mine detection and clearance unit.
The Blue House has also rejected suggestions that South Korea had provided no assistance related to Hormuz, saying such claims were “not true.”
US officials met representatives of Yemen's Houthis in Oman over the weekend, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, days after the Iran-backed militia seized a strategic stretch of the Red Sea coast in a sweeping offensive that routed Saudi-backed forces.
The meeting, which has not been made public, was held at the US Embassy in Muscat, three of the sources said on the condition of anonymity. Two sources said that Oman's government, a longtime regional mediator, helped organise the meeting.
Trump is expected to meet leaders or foreign ministers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The State Department sent initial invitations Wednesday, Axios reported.
Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry.<br><br> In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. <br><br> Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. <br><br> One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. <br><br> When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. <br><br> Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism.<br><br> Connect with Akriti here<br> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a><br> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a><br> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in
Ravi Hari is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint, where he covers major international developments, with a focus on politics, policy shifts, elections, conflicts, diplomacy, and evolving geopolitical power dynamics. He closely tracks the United States and other strategically important regions that shape global economic and political discourse. Based in Mumbai, Ravi plays a key role in planning daily news execution, delivering breaking news coverage, and producing in-depth, long-form stories tailored for a digital-first audience. <br><br> With more than 15 years of experience in digital journalism, Ravi specializes in producing and overseeing news content across multiple platforms. He is adept at delivering both breaking and analytical stories, tracking emerging trends, and implementing strategies to optimize audience engagement and visibility. He believes in delivering journalism that is accurate, insightful, impactful, grounded in integrity, facts, and thorough analysis. <br><br> Ravi has built a distinguished career across leading news and media organizations. Earlier, he worked with Moneycontrol, BTVI, and Times Now. These roles strengthened his real-time editorial decision-making, and social media strategy, while honing his ability to navigate fast-paced news cycles and deliver engaging content. <br><br> Ravi holds a Master’s degree in English, awarded with a Gold Medal. Outside of work, he is passionate about engaging with diverse perspectives and enjoys reading books on history and international relations to deepen his understanding of global affairs, as well as exploring culture, literature, and traditions to gain insights into societies. He values staying connected with friends. He is also passionate about mentoring young athletes, drawing on his own experience as a university-level table tennis player to guide and inspire emerging talent.