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US turns up heat on Iran with UN nuclear push as Tehran threatens retaliation: report<\/p>\n
Washington is set to increase diplomatic pressure on Tehran within days with a proposed U.N. resolution demanding that Iran \u201curgently remedy its non-compliance\u201d and restore access for nuclear inspections, Bloomberg<\/a> reported Monday.<\/p>\n According to a two-page draft obtained by the outlet, the U.S. is also looking to refer Iran<\/a> to the U.N. Security Council over its moves to block International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring.<\/p>\n The resolution, backed by European members of the IAEA board, also highlights its support for a “diplomatic solution\u201d and encourages \u201call parties to constructively engage in diplomacy.\u201d <\/p>\n Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei warned Monday that Tehran would retaliate if the U.N. nuclear watchdog adopts the measures.<\/p>\n Baghaei had criticized European nations that were also backing the motion as “irrational,” arguing that the war has made nuclear facilities inaccessible, Reuters<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that inspectors are locked out of Iran’s nuclear sites, saying the agency has neither \u201creceived information from Iran regarding the status of its declared nuclear material or facilities nor had access to any of those facilities to conduct in-field verification activities.\u201d<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 2 hours agoTrump vows oil prices will plunge after Iran war, gas could fall below $2<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> predicted Monday that oil and gasoline prices will plunge once the war with Iran ends, claiming gas could eventually fall below $2 per gallon.<\/p>\n \u201cOil prices will drop precipitously, like everything else is dropping (but more!), when we WIN the war with Iran,\u201d Trump said in a post on Truth Social.<\/p>\n \u201cThree Dollars a gallon, but ultimately, below Two Dollars a gallon,\u201d he added, saying it would \u201chappen quickly\u201d and that \u201cIran<\/a> will never have a Nuclear Weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 2 hours agoFine puts UK on notice over Israel move: ‘Any nation that boycotts Israel is boycotted by Florida’<\/p>\n Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., warned Monday that Britain\u2019s planned ban on trade with Israeli <\/a>settlements could trigger Florida\u2019s anti-boycott law, potentially barring affected British companies from certain state and local government contracts.<\/p>\n His remarks came as the British government appeared poised to ban settlement trade in the West Bank with U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expected to make the announcement Tuesday.<\/p>\n Fine said the U.K. \u201cshould be aware that a Florida law that I passed as a member of the Legislature would ban any British company forced to comply from doing business with any state or local government in Florida,\u201d he said on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would also end any British business participating in that boycott from doing any business in Florida if it needed any official interaction with state or local government to operate (permits, tax collection).\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFlorida<\/a> has made it clear. Any company \u2014 or nation \u2014 that boycotts Israel is boycotted by Florida,\u201d Fine added.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 3 hours agoIran warns new Gulf exclusion zone puts US warships, bases in its crosshairs<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Supreme National Security Council chief, Mohsen Rezaei, warned Monday that Tehran\u2019s new maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf<\/a> will alter how its forces position themselves and prepare to respond to U.S. warships and bases.<\/p>\n \u201cIn recent days, Washington has received a clear warning from Iran\u2019s new missiles,\u201d Rezaei said in a post shared on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cEconomic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter,\u201d he said of the new zone.<\/p>\n \u201cThe operational posture toward U.S. warships and bases has been fundamentally recalibrated.\u201d<\/p>\n Rezaei had announced Sept. 6 that Tehran would establish a new zone as well as a shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz within days, Reuters<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Rezaei said the zone would begin where a U.S. blockade begins and extend into parts of the Gulf.<\/p>\n Any vessel entering the area would be placed on an Iranian sanctions list, he had warned.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 3 hours agoMladenov warns Gaza stalemate could make two-state solution \u2018practically impossible\u2019<\/p>\n Nickolay Mladenov, high representative for the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, warned Monday that the stalemate in Gaza <\/a>and violence against Palestinians in the West Bank are making a two-state solution impossible.<\/p>\n Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, Mladenov also said that because over half of Gaza is under Israeli military control and the rest is held by Hamas, there is no path toward a resolution without implementing the proposed ceasefire plan.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say that if Gaza continues the way it is now, or does not move into implementing\u2026 the plan that we have under the comprehensive plan, the two-state solution will become practically impossible,\u201d Mladenov said, according to The Times of Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n Progress has stalled over the sequence of a roadmap, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 4 hours agoIran slams Canada over Hormuz criticism, support for US military action, sanctions<\/p>\n Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei criticized Canada on Monday for condemning Tehran\u2019s actions in the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> while backing U.S. military action.<\/p>\n Baqaei said Canada \u201cknows full well that the Strait of Hormuz was open and secure before USrael launched a war of aggression against Iran on Feb. 28.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCanada cannot credibly present itself as a champion of \u2018peace and security,\u2019 \u2018freedom of navigation,\u2019 and \u2018international law\u2019 while simultaneously backing U.S. military aggression and Washington\u2019s illegal, interventionist actions in our region,\u201d he said in a post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is neither \u2018diplomacy\u2019 nor \u2018responsible statecraft.\u2019 It is a display of strategic confusion and submission to intimidation \u2014 a choice that will not even shield Canada itself from American bullying and aggression,\u201d Baqaei added.<\/p>\n Canada on Sept. 6 called on Tehran<\/a> to end what it described as destabilizing activities in the Middle East, its pursuit of “illicit nuclear activities and its support for regional proxy groups.”<\/p>\n \u201cCanada is working closely with partners, including within the G7, to maintain significant pressure on Iran,\u201d Canada\u2019s foreign and finance ministers said in a statement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 4 hours agoUS military redirects nearly 100 ships while enforcing Iran port blockade: CENTCOM<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM<\/a>) said Monday that its forces had redirected nearly 100 ships as they continue to enforce the U.S. blockade against Iran.<\/p>\n CENTCOM also shared an image on X of an EA-18G aircraft launching from the flight deck of the USS George H.W. Bush during \u201cnight flight operations\u201d in the Arabian Sea<\/a>.<\/p>\n As of Sept. 7, CENTCOM forces had redirected 94 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two to ensure compliance with the blockade, the command said.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 5 hours agoNauru strengthens ties with Israel, opens new embassy in Jerusalem<\/p>\n The Pacific Island nation of Nauru opened its first Israeli embassy in Jerusalem<\/a> on Monday, strengthening its diplomatic ties with Israel.<\/p>\n Israel’s Foreign Ministry noted that the move also aims to strengthen Jerusalem’s international standing and encourage more countries to establish a presence in the city.<\/p>\n Nauruan Vice President and Foreign Minister Lionel Aingimea attended the inauguration with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, The Times of Israel<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n During the ceremony, Aingimea described the embassy as a statement of where Nauru stands, highlighting its role as one of Israel’s most consistent U.N. allies and pledging to further increase its diplomatic support.<\/p>\n Sa’ar also praised Nauru as one of Israel’s greatest friends. He also said that other countries would open embassies in Jerusalem with Colombia expected to do so in October.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 5 hours agoKuwait, Pakistan confer on Middle East crisis, agree to meet on ‘sidelines’ at UNGA<\/p>\n Kuwait\u2019s foreign minister, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, spoke with Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Monday about efforts to stabilize the Middle East<\/a>, according to Kuwait\u2019s Foreign Ministry.<\/p>\n \u201cThe two Foreign Ministers discussed bilateral relations and cooperation in areas of mutual interest, and exchanged views on regional developments,\u201d the ministry said in a post shared on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThey agreed to remain in close contact and meet on the sidelines of the upcoming UNGA session,\u201d it said of the UN General Assembly.<\/p>\n The call came as Pakistan continues to push mediation efforts between the U.S. and Iran to resolve the conflict.<\/p>\n Kuwait has also faced direct Iranian strikes targeting its energy facilities and military infrastructure.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 7 hours agoUK PM Burnham presses Trump on Hormuz reopening, keeping nuclear weapon from Iran<\/p>\n Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged the U.K.’s commitment to Middle East peace<\/a> and security during a call with President Donald Trump on Monday.<\/p>\n A Downing Street spokesperson said, \u201cOn the Middle East, the Prime Minister set out the UK\u2019s commitment to working towards peace and security in the region, stressing the importance of the Two-State Solution, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham<\/a> also opened the call by extending Labor Day wishes to Trump<\/a> and congratulating him on recent U.S. employment figures, the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 7 hours agoTurkey accuses Israel of fueling Mideast conflict, sabotaging Islamabad agreement<\/p>\n Turkish<\/a> President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel on Monday of fueling the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and undermining the June Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). <\/p>\n \u201cIsrael\u2019s war, which began with its plots and provocations, is being paid for not only by the Iranian people and our brotherly Gulf countries, but by everyone involved or uninvolved,\u201d Erdogan said in a statement shared by his office on X. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is also Israel\u2019s lies and sabotage that have undermined the Islamabad Agreement<\/a>, which had allowed our entire region to breathe a sigh of relief,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n Erdogan went on to criticize what he described as a \u201cradical mindset\u201d that he said would prolong instability and \u201ccrises in the region.\u201d <\/p>\n Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated amid broader regional tensions<\/p>\n Posted by Emma Bussey<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 8 hours agoCENTCOM strikes showed Iran how US can \u2018permanently and irreversibly harm\u2019 the regime, expert says<\/p>\n Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. John Teichert told \u201cFox News Live\u201d on Monday that U.S. Central Command\u2019s latest strikes against Iranian oil tankers<\/a> demonstrate how at \u201cany time of our choosing,\u201d the U.S. military can \u201cpermanently and irreversibly harm the regime\u2019s ability to fund itself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n “I think these strikes over the weekend sent the biggest signal with respect to the ship that was struck off of Kharg Island, because it’s a not-so-subtle reminder to the Iranian regime that any time of our choosing, we can strike Kharg Island and permanently and irreversibly harm the regime’s ability to fund itself,\u201d Teichert said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kharg Island<\/a> is a tiny but strategically vital island that handles roughly 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude oil exports and has become the centerpiece of Washington’s economic pressure campaign against Tehran.\u00a0<\/p>\n CENTCOM said Saturday that a \u201cU.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFollowing Iran\u2019s failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M\/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M\/T Stark 1 near Jask. American forces also completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M\/T Kylo (also known as the \u201cNoxen\u201d) in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable after the crew was directed to abandon ship,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox News Digital\u2019s Efrat Lachter contributed to this post.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 9 hours agoIran warns South Korea of \u2018serious consequences\u2019 as it considers Strait of Hormuz deployment<\/p>\n Iranian Foreign Ministry<\/a> spokesperson Esmail Baghaei warned South Korea of potential \u201cserious consequences\u201d on Monday following reports that the country is considering sending forces to the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a post written in Korean on X, Baghaei said, \u201cIran places great importance on its friendly relations with the Republic of Korea.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, at present, the Iranian people are defending themselves against America’s aggressive actions, and in the situation where they are resolutely responding to America’s war crimes against women and children, any other country maintaining a military presence or participating in operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as directly supporting the perpetrators of the aggression, and it will lead to serious consequences,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n South Korea\u2019s presidential office said Friday that it is reviewing options, including military measures, the support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which remains down during the U.S. was with Iran, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 9 hours agoStrait of Hormuz traffic plunges to lowest levels since May: report<\/p>\n The average number of ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> has fallen to the lowest levels since May, a report said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Analytics firm Kpler said as of Sunday, a moving average of 10 commodity ships moved through the key waterway over the past 10 days, down from more than 15 on Friday and nearly 13 on Saturday, according to Reuters.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Only two ships crossed the Strait on Saturday and six on Sunday, the report added.\u00a0<\/p>\n The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said in a recent report that \u201cSouthern Omani route remains the highest-risk corridor, accounting for 21 of 24 projectile strike incidents reported by UKMTO\u201d since July 6.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDespite a brief recovery in late June, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains significantly reduced, AIS transit information suggests operators favoring the Northern route following projectile attacks, ongoing security concerns ,and heightened enforcement activity,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 10 hours agoMarines conduct live-fire training onboard USS Boxer<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command released new images Monday showing Marines conducting live-fire training onboard the USS Boxer, one of the Navy ships stationed in the Middle East<\/a> in support of the Iranian port blockade.<\/p>\n The photos show multiple marines opening fire at human targets positioned onboard the amphibious assault ship.<\/p>\n CENTCOM said last week that more than 2,600 sailors and Marines are deployed on the USS Boxer.<\/p>\n It added that “More than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to continue executing operations directed by the Commander in Chief.”<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 11 hours agoIDF eliminates Hamas commander who was working to restore group\u2019s \u2018terrorist capabilities\u2019<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> announced Monday that it killed a Hamas commander in the Gaza City area.\u00a0<\/p>\n The IDF said Yusuf Aqila was part of Hamas\u2019 Nukhba force, and in recent weeks, he \u201cadvanced attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians while working to restore Hamas\u2019 terrorist capabilities, in systematic violation of the ceasefire.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe strike was conducted to remove the immediate threat he posed,\u201d the IDF said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The IDF previously has described the Nukhba force as consisting of \u201cterrorists selected by senior Hamas operatives, designated to carry out terrorist attacks such as ambushes, raids, assaults, infiltration through terror tunnels, as well as anti-tank missile, rocket, and sniper fire.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n “The Nukhba elite forces were one of the leading forces that infiltrated the State of Israel in order to carry out murderous acts of terror against its civilians,\u201d according to the IDF.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox News Digital\u2019s Lawrence Richard contributed to this post.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 11 hours ago’No single state’ should control Strait of Hormuz, UAE official says<\/p>\n A senior United Arab Emirates official vowed Monday that “no single state” should control the Strait of Hormuz.<\/a><\/p>\n Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the United Arab Emirates’ president, made the remark in Abu Dhabi after a top Iranian official said on Sunday that Tehran will release maps showing a \u201cnew international corridor\u201d through the Strait of Hormuz and establish a restricted zone for ships traveling in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n \u201cOur energy exports will not be held hostage, nor will our trade and economic activity,\u201d Gargash said.<\/p>\n Gargash said Iran should face consequences for threatening oil tankers and commercial vessels in the strait with mines, drones or missiles, according to The Associated Press.<\/p>\n \u201cUsing an international waterway as an instrument of coercion is unacceptable,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rebuilding trust between Iran and the Gulf countries could take decades, Gargash also warned, because by targeting its neighbors, Tehran has \u201cdemolished\u201d any presumption of good faith.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 12 hours agoBahrain official, US ambassador discuss strengthening ties following latest Iranian attacks<\/p>\n Diplomats from Bahrain and the United States are seeking to strengthen ties Monday as Iran <\/a>continues to threaten countries across the Middle East.<\/p>\n The Bahrain News Agency reported that Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, speaker of the Council of Representatives, met with U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain Stephanie Hallett.<\/p>\n “The meeting discussed current regional and international developments, developments in the region, and the repercussions of the Iranian attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as well as the risks of closing the Strait of Hormuz to international navigation,” it said.<\/p>\n “It also discussed means to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and coordination, and efforts to achieve security, stability and comprehensive development,” the report added.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 12 hours agoIran\u2019s economic minister strikes defiant tone as Treasury Department ramps up pressure on Tehran<\/p>\n Iran’s Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh<\/a> vowed that \u201cthe responsibility of reforming Iran\u2019s economy is with its government and people, not with the U.S. Treasury,\u201d following the latest actions announced during Operation Economic Outcast, a report said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey speak of economic pressure and isolation, of breaking off financial ties and they think that by pressuring the economy of a country they can change \u2060the decisions of its people,\u201d Madanizadeh also told state media, according to Reuters.\u00a0<\/p>\n The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the Turkey-based Golden Global Bank on Friday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Turkey-based financial institution Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi (Golden Global Bank) and its subsidiaries, which have facilitated tens of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of transactions for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and provide the Iranian regime with key correspondent banking access that allows it to move its funds internationally,\u201d the Treasury Department said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFinancial institutions continue to find out the hard way that we are serious about Operation Economic Outcast,” added Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement. \u201cWhile we hope no more banks will need to be sanctioned, that ultimately depends on how quickly the international community comes to its senses and ceases support of the murderous Iranian regime. We know who you are, we know where you are, and we will continue to take action together with our allies and partners until we have buried the head of the Iranian snake.\u201d<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 13 hours agoUN human rights chief calls for US, Iran to make \u2018immediate return to negotiations\u2019<\/p>\n United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker T\u00fcrk said Monday that the U.S. and Iran should immediately return to the negotiating table following the latest strikes<\/a> between both sides.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI am alarmed by the resumption of attacks between the United States and Iran, affecting the entire Gulf region,\u201d T\u00fcrk said during a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRecent reports of civilian deaths and injuries, including at a wedding in Hormozgan province, are particularly concerning. The geopolitical and economic impacts of this entirely avoidable crisis are again reverberating around the world, and I appeal for an immediate return to negotiations,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 13 hours agoIsrael strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon after \u2018explosive drones\u2019 fired at troops<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Monday that it struck \u201cSeveral Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites across southern Lebanon, including a weapons storage facility,\u201d after the Iran-backed terrorist group launched explosive drones at its soldiers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAdditionally, the IDF struck terrorists who were identified transferring weapons in the area of Kfar Reman, in order to remove the threat they posed,\u201d the IDF said on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe strikes were in response to Hezbollah\u2019s launch of 2 explosive drones toward IDF troops in the Security Zone,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 13 hours agoIran threatens American oil, gas companies in response to Hegseth\u2019s warning about firing at US ships<\/p>\n Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened fresh strikes on American energy assets in the Middle East on Monday following a warning from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth against opening fire at U.S. ships.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n After U.S. Central Command struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, Hegseth wrote on X: \u201cIt\u2019s simple: if Iran shoots at U.S. ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers. All they have to do is not shoot at [the] U.S. Navy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n CENTCOM said Saturday that its forces \u201cstruck three Iranian crude oil carriers, Sept. 5, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles toward two U.S. Navy warships patrolling regional waters.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s simple: the oil and gas production chain here is sprawling, accessible, and exposed. American oil and gas companies across these waters and facilities share that exposure. Strike our assets and you get struck,\u201d Ghalibaf wrote in a response to Hegseth on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve already proven it. Ask the bases that are no longer viable,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 14 hours agoNetanyahu’s Rosh Hashanah toast: ‘End is near’ for ‘weak,’ ‘faltering’ Iranian regime<\/p>\n Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a fresh warning to Iran on Sunday, saying Tehran would face a devastating response if it attacks Israel as he vowed to complete the mission of toppling the Iranian regime.<\/p>\n “That regime in Iran, its end is near,” Netanyahu said at a government Rosh Hashanah toast in Jerusalem, according to a translation from Hebrew. “It is weak. It is fighting for its life. It is faltering. There is another mission to complete, and we are determined to achieve it.\u00a0<\/p>\n “This will permanently change the face of the Middle East and the history of our people. We know we are determined to do it, and we know we are capable of doing it.”<\/p>\n Israel is \u201cstronger than ever,\u201d he hailed, claiming the military campaign, carried out with U.S. support, has removed the threat posed by Iran\u2019s nuclear program and ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n “We are determined to defend ourselves,” Netanyahu continued. “We are determined to strike our enemies. They are not attacking us. Iran is refraining from doing so, and it knows why.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Of course, it could make the mistake of attacking us. If it does, it will suffer a blow beyond anything it can even imagine.”<\/p>\n Netanyahu\u2019s remarks came as he praised Israeli forces and security services for ongoing operations in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank, and told his enemies: \u201cDo not mess with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Yesterday’s Fox News Digital live blog<\/a> offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.<\/p>\n Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Posted by Eric Mack<\/p>\n Share <\/p>\n 14 hours agoIran to announce new Strait of Hormuz route, restricted zone in Persian Gulf: report<\/p>\n A top Iranian official said Tehran will release maps showing a \u201cnew international corridor\u201d through the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> and establish a restricted zone for ships traveling in the Persian Gulf, a report said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The maps of a new international corridor which lies in Iranian and Omani waters and in which Iran will have management have been agreed and should be signed in the coming days,” Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told state TV, according to Reuters.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n “We will only commit to the Strait of Hormuz being open when they [the Americans] stop the sabotage, threats and attacks on Iran,” Rezaei reportedly added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rezaei also said the restricted zone will begin where the U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports starts, and that any ship entering that area would be added onto a sanctions list, Reuters reported. He did not add further details.\u00a0<\/p>\n Iran and Oman have been discussing a deal to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n The developments come as energy prices remain elevated on Labor Day, due in part to the disruption of maritime traffic in the key waterway.\u00a0<\/p>\n