Briefing: What we know on 61st day of Iran warDonald Trump has reportedly told his aides to prepare for a prolonged blockade of Iran, choosing sustained economic pressure over further strikes or withdrawal. Trump is unhappy with Iran’s latest peace proposal and has told White House aides that it shows Tehran is negotiating in bad faithTrump claimed Iran had informed the US it was “in a State of Collapse”, though this has not been confirmed by Tehran. A public spat between Donald Trump and German chancellor Friedrich Merz erupted after the latter said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran – prompting Trump to hit back sharply. The United Arab Emirates has quit Opec after nearly 60 years, weakening the group and signalling a major shift in global oil politics and regional alliances. Former US officials have criticised the lack of transparency over the deadly Minab school strike, calling the Pentagon’s silence “highly unusual”. Energy prices are expected to surge by 24 per cent in 2026 if the most acute disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East end in May, the World Bank said. Read more
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 05:45
Scott Bessent says US blockade cut off billions of dollars in revenue for Iran
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has claimed that the US’s economic pressure on Iran through sanctions and a blockade has already cut off tens of billions in revenue, driven up inflation, and weakened Iran’s currency.
With key export hubs like Kharg Island nearing storage limits due to restricted shipping, Bessent said that Iran may soon be forced to reduce oil production, losing around $170m a day.
“The Treasury Department, through Economic Fury, has targeted Iran’s international shadow banking infrastructure, access to crypto, shadow fleet, weapons procurement networks, funding for terrorist proxies in the region, and independent Chinese ‘teapot’ refineries that support Iran’s oil trade. These actions have disrupted tens of billions of dollars in revenue that would be used to fund terrorism,” he wrote on X.
“Under @POTUS’ maximum pressure campaign, Tehran’s inflation has doubled and its currency has rapidly depreciated.“Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal, is soon nearing storage capacity, which will force the regime to reduce oil production, resulting in an additional approximately $170 million per day in lost revenue, and causing permanent damage to Iran’s oil infrastructure.”
He said that the “Treasury will continue to exert maximum pressure and any person, vessel, or entity facilitating illicit flows to Tehran risks exposure to US sanctions”.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 06:56
Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to a new low of 34 per cent, driven largely by public dissatisfaction with rising living costs and his handling of the Iran war.
The previous approval rating was 36 per cent.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows growing frustration as fuel prices surge due to conflict-related disruptions, with only 22 per cent approving of his performance on the cost of living.
While most Republicans still back him, concerns are rising within his party, and independent voters are leaning toward Democrats ahead of the midterm elections.
The survey also found that only 34 per cent of Americans support America’s war on Iran, down from 36 per cent in mid-April and 38 per cent in mid-March.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 06:46
Houthis reaffirm support for Iran
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have declared that they are “not neutral” in the ongoing war between US and Iran and reaffirmed support for Iran and allies, including Lebanon.
In a statement, they condemned what they called US “piracy” in the Gulf of Oman, accusing Washington of illegally targeting Iranian commercial vessels and disrupting global trade.
The group backed Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a legitimate form of self-defence, and warned that Yemen’s position is “clear, public, and explicit”.
They also reiterated past threats to escalate, including potentially targeting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key global shipping route, if the conflict continues.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 06:36
Iran ambassador complains to the UN over seizure of Iranian vessels
Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, has formally complained to the UN secretary-general and the Security Council president, condemning the United States for seizing Iranian vessels and calling the actions “piracy”.
In the letter, reported by the Tasnim News Agency, he argued that “reliance on domestic arrangements, which are inherently illegal, can under no circumstances justify such an abhorrent crime committed through the use of force”.
He added: “Such behaviour constitutes illegal coercion, interference in lawful international trade, and the unlawful seizure of property. Simultaneously, it sets a dangerous precedent that severely undermines the international rule of law.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 06:26
Trump directs his team to prepare for prolonged blockade – report
Donald Trump has directed his team to prepare for a prolonged blockade of Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
Instead of escalating with more military strikes or pulling back from the conflict, Trump sees the blockade as the least risky option, the officials said.
Earlier, it was reported that Trump was reviewing Iran’s new peace proposal, but that he was unhappy with it since it didn’t include nuclear talks.
(AFP/Getty)
WSJ reported that the US president told his aides on Monday that Iran’s three-step offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and save nuclear talks for the final phase proved Tehran wasn’t negotiating in good faith.
In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said: “Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse’. They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!).”
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 06:16
Trump responds to Merz’s remarks after German chancellor said US was being ‘humiliated’ by Iran
Donald Trump has publicly lashed out at Friedrich Merz after he said that America was being “humiliated” by Iran.
Trump hit back on social media. “The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I am doing something with Iran, right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago. No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!”
Earlier, Merz had said that the Americans “clearly had no strategy” and that “the problem with conflicts like this is always that you don’t just have to go in; you also have to get out again. We saw that all too painfully in Afghanistan, for 20 years. We saw it in Iraq. So this whole affair is, as I said, ill-considered, to say the least”.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 06:06
Opec takes major hit as UAE leaves oil cartel after nearly 60 years
The Opec has taken a major hit as the United Arab Emirates announced it is leaving after nearly 60 years, weakening Opec’s ability to control global oil prices.
The move is seen as a win for Donald Trump, who has long accused Opec of inflating prices.
The UAE, one of the group’s top producers, wants more freedom to increase oil output, especially during the ongoing Middle East crisis, which has disrupted supply through the Strait of Hormuz and driven prices up.
Exterior views of Opec (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) headquarters on 28 April 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Earlier, the United Arab Emirates announced that it is leaving the cartel of oil producers from 1 May, saying the decision ‘reflects the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile’ (Getty)
Tensions with Saudi Arabia over production limits also reportedly played a role, as the UAE was frustrated with restrictions on pumping more oil.
A statement from the UAE’s energy ministry said leaving Opec would give it greater flexibility to respond to a “new energy age” in line with its “long-term strategic and economic vision”.
While the immediate impact may be limited due to current supply disruptions, analysts say this signals a long-term weakening of Opec.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 05:56
US silence on Minab school strike highly unusual, former US officials say
A missile strike on a primary school in Minab in Iran, on 28 February, killed 168 people, including around 110 children, and weeks later the Pentagon has still not confirmed responsibility.
US authorities have only said that “this incident is currently under investigation”.
Five former US officials say this level of silence is highly unusual and that in past cases the US typically released details or admitted fault much sooner.
The current US position “strikingly departs from the standard response”, Lt Col Rachel E VanLandingham, a retired Judge Advocate General in the US Air Force and former senior legal adviser at US Central Command during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, told BBC.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 April 2026 05:46