What to know about the Iran war today:
o Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Monday that Tehran has been preparing for the new sanctions announced by the U.S. "for a long time" and that it is ready to face them.

o China warned the U.S. on Tuesday against trying to interfere in its business dealings with Iran, which it insists adhere to international law. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened Monday to sever Iran's remaining ties with its trade partners as part of a shift in U.S. strategy in the nearly six-month war aimed at breaking the stalemate by heaping economic pressure on Iran.

o Pakistan's interior minister heralded "significant progress" after a meeting with Iran's president on Tuesday that focused on the U.S.-Iran war. Pakistan was a key mediator in the memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June.

5:00 PM / August 25, 2026
Iranian foreign minister and Qatari prime minister hold phone call to discuss ongoing negotiations
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, who also serves as Qatar's minister of foreign affairs, held a phone call on Tuesday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

"They discussed the latest regional developments, particularly the ongoing talks between the Sultanate of Oman and the Islamic Republic of Iran on establishing a temporary joint shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, and on a joint project to clear mines from the Strait," the ministry said.

Al-Thani "stressed during the call the State of Qatar's full support for diplomatic efforts and all efforts trying to find a solution that guarantees the freedom of maritime navigation and paves the way for reaching a comprehensive agreement that achieves sustainable peace in the region," it added.

3:41 PM / August 25, 2026
Iranian foreign minister says talks on Strait of Hormuz included "proposed framework for new corridor" and "future management"
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday on social media that "Iran's commitment to peace and stability is matched by steadfast diplomacy with our neighbors. In talks with Pakistani and Omani guests, regional solutions were stressed."

He said those talks included "proposed framework for new corridor, joint mine-clearing, and future management of Hormuz."

2:10 PM / August 25, 2026
Oil prices fall for second straight day after sanctions announced
Oil prices are falling again on Tuesday, after they did the same yesterday, despite the announcement of new sanctions on Iran.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude fell 3.8% to $87.14 midday and was heading for a second decline following 13 gains in 14 days. The drop came even though tensions between the United States and Iran seemed to ratchet higher after the Trump administration announced new sanctions to further hurt Iran's economy.

Brent's price zigzagged between $72 and $102 last month as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach a deal that would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again.

A delegation from Pakistan left Iran Tuesday after talks with Iran's president and other senior officials on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reviving negotiations to end the Iran-U.S. conflict, the Pakistani military said. Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had been "very positive and productive."

1:41 PM / August 25, 2026
Iranian leaders "panicking" over economic sanctions, Secretary Bessent claims
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent quoted political leaders in Iran on Tuesday as evidence that the country is "panicking" over the stepped-up sanctions announced by the U.S. on Monday.

"Iran's leadership is admitting what the world can now see: the pressure is working," Bessent wrote on X, alongside quotes from Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and President Masoud Pezeshkian about wanting the war to come to an end soon.

The quotes are from a story published last week in The Wall Street Journal and both men have since attacked the U.S. sanctions and said they would not pose a concern.

"Americans know that no one buys their bombast; the United States is not in an economic position to further restrict its relations with other countries," Ghalibaf said Monday on X. "Iran's trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don't take these statements into account anywhere."

Iran's economy minister on Tuesday said the country had been preparing for sanctions for two years and the U.S. plan would "suffer yet another defeat."

1:10 PM / August 25, 2026
Oman says it's "hopeful" it will soon announce temporary corridor in Strait of Hormuz
Oman signaled an optimistic tone to negotiations with Iran on Tuesday, saying they are "hopeful" a temporary corridor for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will be opened soon.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said the dialogue held Tuesday with Abbas Araghchi, his Iranian counterpart, was "constructive." The comments appeared more positive than a joint statement issued by the two sides earlier, which said only the two sides had discussed a "proposed framework" to open a temporary corridor.

"I am hopeful we will soon announce a temporary corridor for the Strait of Hormuz and practical arrangements to restore safe navigation," Albusaidi said on X. "Future management of the Strait and a permanent solution will follow in due course, as per article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum."

Article 5 of the memorandum of understanding proved to be the biggest point of contention in the document signed by the U.S. and Iran in mid-June. The article stated, "Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge, for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa."

Iran has insisted, according to the language of the memorandum, that they alone should decide how passage through the strait is managed and, after an already-expired 60 days, should be allowed to charge tolls.

"Discussions with regional partners will be conducted in support of peace and cooperation, stability and freedom of navigation," the Omani foreign minister added Tuesday.

12:45 PM / August 25, 2026
U.S. "annihilating" international law, showing no respect for countries' sovereignty, Iran foreign ministry says
Iran's foreign ministry struck back at the Trump administration's "economic D-Day" on Tuesday, saying the U.S. campaign is actually about global bullying and disrespect for other countries' sovereignty.

"When a bully declares that every bank, company, port, and government must choose between obeying Washington's whims or facing American vengeance, this is no longer just about Iran," Esmaeil Baqaei, the foreign ministry's spokesperson, wrote on X.

"It is about annihilating the most foundational rules of international law and the UN Charter — namely, respect for the sovereign equality and self-determination of all States," he continued.

Baqaei also invoked the United States' newly reignited trade war with Canada, saying it was a symptom of the same policy the U.S. has taken with Iran.

"No decent State that values its sovereignty and national interests will accept the normalization of such grand lawlessness and systemic bullying," he wrote. "Canada is among those already learning that lesson."

12:21 PM / August 25, 2026
Iran, Oman say they discussed temporary corridor, mine-clearing in Hormuz
Iran and Oman said Tuesday they have discussed establishing a temporary corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a joint statement published after a visit from Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, the two countries said the ministers "discussed a phased framework that could provide a practical and implementable basis for moving forward."

??This included "the establishment of a joint temporary navigational corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and an agreement to implement a joint project to clear the Strait of mines," according to the statement, despite President Trump reiterating his claim earlier Tuesday that the waterway had been completely de-mined already.

Technical negotiations between Iran and Oman "would continue with a view to agreeing on a permanent navigational corridor and future administration of the Strait," read the bulletin, "as well as a mechanism for information-sharing, traffic management, and the provision of relevant navigational and security services."

The two countries, which sit on either side of the strait, have been negotiating over the future of the chokepoint for weeks.

11:57 AM / August 25, 2026
Oman's top diplomat in Iran for talks
Oman's top diplomat held talks in Iran on Monday, Tehran said, as the two countries seek a way to regulate transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as a flashpoint in the Middle East war.

"Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi met and talked with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran," an Iranian foreign ministry statement said.

No further details of the meeting were immediately announced.

Oman and Iran, whose shorelines sit across the vital waterway, have been engaged in talks for weeks to negotiate how to manage the chokepoint. Some details have emerged regarding the possible introduction of fees for ships transiting the strait, as well as specific routes for entering and exiting the area, but no official information has been announced.

11:24 AM / August 25, 2026
Iranians queue for gas after U.S. announces new sanctions
Long lines formed at gas stations in Tehran Tuesday after the United States announced fresh sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran into submission.

Washington has turned to pulling economic levers six months into a war on Iran that has ground to a stalemate militarily, with peace talks stalled and most traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz blocked.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday laid out plans for the "economic asphyxiation" of Iran, saying the "objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime."

Though Iran's leaders have shrugged off the tough talk, having already endured sanctions for decades, some residents of the capital feared that they would feel the pinch.

"Naturally, sanctions affect people's lives," realtor Mehdi Yazdian, 55, who urged the authorities to control prices, told the AFP news agency. "People are being hurt, both those who are financially well-off and those who are financially weak."

"Yes, these sanctions are having an effect," he said. "But naturally, our people are resilient. These sanctions have been in place for 47 years."

"I personally am not afraid of war at all because this is our land," English teacher Kia Farahani, 45, said. "But I think that this war will be more economic and will cause people to feel a lot of pressure, and now maybe there will be protests again."

Iran's national police chief said Monday that the U.S. was "seeking to create unrest in a part of the country or throughout the country," by imposing the additional economic pain.

10:52 AM / August 25, 2026
U.S. will destroy any Iranian ship deploying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump says
President Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. was implementing a "Zero Tolerance" policy on any Iranian ships placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, saying they would be "immediately and systematically destroyed."

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump reiterated his claim that all mines have been removed or destroyed from the vital waterway, adding, "Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed."

He said the U.S. Space Force was "watching every square inch of the Strait" and that there is "a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect."

Quoting anonymous Iranian sources, the Financial Times reported last week that Iran would fire missiles at U.S. targets in Europe if Mr. Trump stepped up military pressure over the Strait of Hormuz.

10:35 AM / August 25, 2026
Iranian news agency says Pakistan set to relay Tehran's conditions for a return to ceasefire deal with U.S.
Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir did not carry a threatening message from the United States during his visit to Tehran this week, but instead sought to help reopen negotiations, and it is expected that he will convey Iran's positions to Washington, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted a source close to Iran's negotiating team as saying Tuesday.

The source told Tasnim Iran had clearly communicated its positions to the Pakistani side during meetings with Munir's delegation, including that the U.S. returns to and fully implements the principles of the memorandum of understanding signed in June.

Tasnim's report said, specifically, that the U.S. must adhere to Article 5 of the MoU, which deals with arrangements concerning ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Under the MoU, Iran was to immediately "make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa," and it was also to negotiate with Oman "to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in discussion with other Persian Gulf states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran accused the U.S. of violating the MoU, which also called for "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts … and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other," as President Trump left the U.S. naval blockade of Iran's ports and vessels in place.

According to Tasnim, the source said Tuesday that Iran's conditions were clearly conveyed to the Pakistani side, which was "seeking to pass them on to the United States."

9:55 AM / August 25, 2026
China insists trade with Iran "within the framework of international law and should not be disrupted"
China's government on Tuesday dismissed any looming efforts by the U.S. to impose punishment for doing business with Iran as likely illegal, and warned Washington against taking such measures.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent, in announcing new sanctions targeting Iran on Monday, said President Trump was making phone calls to world leaders warning them to cease interactions with the Iranian regime. He declined to name any of those leaders when asked by CBS News, and he didn't get into a timeline or other specifics.

Asked whether Chinese banks that finance Iranian oil imports would be among those hit with the punishing financial measures, Bessent said, "no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions."

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Tuesday that China has "repeatedly stated its firm opposition to illegal unilateral sanctions without the basis of international law and without authorization from the UN Security Council," according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

"Economic warfare and extreme pressure do not help solve problems; they only further intensify conflicts, cause risks to spill over, disrupt the global economic and financial order, and harm the legitimate rights and interests of other countries," Lin said, adding that China's cooperation with Iran has "always been conducted within the framework of international law and should not be disrupted or undermined."

China "will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests," he added.

9:26 AM / August 25, 2026
Iran's currency continues falling vs. dollar as U.S. announces "unprecedented campaign" of sanctions
Iran's currency continued its plunge in value Tuesday, after the U.S. Treasury announced the beginning of an "unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers" using sanctions and other economic measures aimed at pressuring the country into capitulation.

Iranian officials have shrugged off the new sanctions, insisting they will have little impact, but Iran's economy has been in tatters for years, even before the war began, with high inflation making it difficult for most families to afford basic goods.

On Tuesday, the value of one U.S. dollar was up by another 1,000 Iranian tomans, selling for about 203,000 tomans. The euro also gained about 1,000 tomans in value in Iran reaching 240,000 tomans. Tomans are an informal unit of measure, equal to about 10 Iranian rials, so the U.S. dollar is currently worth about 2 million rials.

According to Iran's state-linked Nour News agency, currency market activity was being influenced by concern over possible restrictions along the Iran-Iraq border, which could disrupt foreign currency inflows, as well as uncertainty over the new U.S. sanctions.

8:31 AM / August 25, 2026
Iranian lawmaker claims Pakistani army chief came to Tehran with U.S. message calling for renewed talks
Abbas Golrou, chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, said Monday that the United States had asked a visiting Pakistani delegation to encourage Iranian officials to return to peace talks.

Golrou said Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, during his visit to Tehran on Monday, delivered a message from Washington urging Iran to return to the memorandum of understanding.

"The Americans asked the Pakistanis to speak with the Iranian side so that Iran enters the political space and they can move forward together," Golrou told Iran's state-run ISNA News Agency. "On behalf of the United States, Asim Munir sent a message to Iran that Iran should return to the memorandum of understanding."

Iranian officials have called over the past couple days for a return to the principles of the MoU signed by President Trump and his Iranian counterpart in mid-June. That agreement ushered in a ceasefire and a 60-day period intended for talks to negotiate a wider peace deal, but it collapsed and fighting resumed in early July.

Mr. Trump declared the ceasefire over, and the U.S. and Iran have remained locked in a stalemate over control of the Strait of Hormuz ever since.

According to Golrou, the message conveyed by the Pakistani delegation reflected what he called a contradictory U.S. approach, with Washington simultaneously threatening Iran and imposing new sanctions while also sending direct and indirect messages seeking negotiations.

"Americans, on the one hand, threaten and, on the other hand, directly and indirectly send messages for negotiations. This approach shows the ugly dual behavior of the American side," he said, adding that the message delivered by Munir would need to be assessed by Iran's leadership.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran unanimously supports the political process and wants the interests of the Iranian people to be resolved through political processes," he was quoted as saying, adding: "The people of Iran are now prepared to stand against the Americans' excessive demands and not give concessions to the American side."

7:57 AM / August 25, 2026
Trump claims Iran not paying its military
President Trump claimed Tuesday that Iran was failing to pay some of its military units and executing protesters "even when they are not protesting."

In a post on Truth Social, the president said Iran "is not paying large segments of their military, while at the same time killing protesters, even when they are not protesting, at levels not seen before."

According to data from Amnesty International, Iran executed at least 39 people in the three months between Feb. 28 and May 28.

Mr. Trump described the situation as a "humanitarian crisis of epic proportions" that he said "must be stopped, NOW."

7:03 AM / August 25, 2026
Iranian security chief calls on U.S. to return to memorandum of understanding
Iran's national security chief on Tuesday called on the U.S. to return to the memorandum of understanding signed in June.

Speaking during a visit by the Pakistani army chief, Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said "America must change its behavior and take practical steps regarding the implementation of the conditions of the memorandum of understanding."

Rezaei's comments echoed a statement by Iranian President Pezeshkian on Sunday, when he defended the memorandum of understanding as the best path forward to end the war with the U.S.

The two countries signed the MoU in mid-June, initiating a ceasefire and a 60-day period intended to give time for a full peace deal to be negotiated. Iran accused the U.S. of violating the deal for keeping a naval blockade of Iranian ports in place, and it attacked several ships around the Strait of Hormuz in response.

President Trump then, in the first week of July, ordered new strikes against Iran and declared the ceasefire "over," and peace talks have been on hold since.

6:47 AM / August 25, 2026
Pakistani army chief and Iranian interior minister meet in Tehran
The Pakistani military released pictures Tuesday showing Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir meeting with Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran.

In the caption, the Pakistani military says the two officials are seen looking over maps of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been a focal point of the U.S.-Iran war and subsequent negotiations.

Earlier, Pakistan's interior minister said "significant progress" was made during the meeting in Tehran, which he said had focused on the conflict.

Pakistan played a central role as a mediator in the U.S.-Iran negotiations which led to the signing of the memorandum of understanding between both sides in June. Since then, a 60-day negotiation period designated by the MoU for Iran and the U.S. to nail down a wider peace deal has expired, and both countries have declared that agreement dead.

5:39 AM / August 25, 2026
State Department offers $10 million reward for information on Iranian IRGC leaders
The U.S. State Department said Monday that it was offering rewards of up to $10 million for information on key leaders of Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the department's website.

The agency's Rewards for Justice program identifies five senior Iranian commanders who it accuses of targeting U.S. personnel with armed attacks and U.S. infrastructure with cyber operations.

The State Department says the individuals command or direct various elements of the IRGC and also accuses the force of planning, organizing and carrying out terrorism worldwide. The IRGC has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. government for almost a decade.

5:07 AM / August 25, 2026
Price of oil falls after U.S. sanctions announcement
The price of Brent crude, the international standard for oil, fell 0.6% early Tuesday to $90.04 per barrel. U.S. benchmark crude oil shed 0.6% to trade at $84.51 per barrel.

Last month, the price of Brent zigzagged between $72 and $102 as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach a deal that would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again.

The new U.S. sanctions announced Monday helped drag the value of Iran's currency, the rial, to a record low against the U.S. dollar.

While the key oil prices have dipped again slightly this week, they remain up about 35% on the year, compared to pre-war levels, and about 2% higher than they were a month ago.

4:12 AM / August 25, 2026
China vows to defend its "rights and interests" in face of U.S. sanctions on Iran
China has defended its cooperation with Iran on Tuesday when asked about the new U.S. sanctions on Tehran, which are aimed at pressuring the country's allies

A foreign ministry spokesperson said China will "firmly safeguard its own rights and interests," when asked about the new sanctions announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Monday.

The spokesperson added that China's cooperation with Iran should not be interfered with or disrupted.

"China has already stated many times that it firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions ... China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news briefing.

2:39 AM / August 25, 2026
Pakistan says talks with Iran yielded "significant progress"
Pakistan's interior minister heralded "significant progress" after a meeting with Iran's president on Tuesday that focused on the U.S.-Iran war, according to the Reuters news agency.

Talks between Pakistan and Iran were held on Tuesday and focused on measures to prevent further escalation and the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from the Pakistani military quoted by Reuters.

Pakistan was a key mediator in the memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June. It set an ambitious 60-day deadline for ending the war with Iran and reaching an accord on its nuclear program. That period ended last week, after weeks of stalled progress and flare-ups, with both sides declaring they had abandoned it.

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