Latest Iran news: Trump warns Tehran must do ‘two things’ to avoid US military power

Oil prices fell more than 1% this morning from multi-month highs, but were set for their biggest gains in years as risk premiums soared as a possible U.S. attack on Iran could cause supply disruptions.

Brent crude futures rose 3.4% yesterday to close at their highest since July 31 before falling 91 cents to $69.80 a barrel.

The March contract expires later today. The more active April contract fell $1.07 to $68.52.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices rose 3.4% to settle at their highest level since September 26 in the previous session, before falling $1.06 to $64.36 a barrel.

The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momenei and a businessman allegedly helping Tehran launder money, as Donald Trump’s administration ramped up pressure on the Islamic Republic.

The U.S. Treasury Department said Momenei was responsible for this month’s brutal security crackdown in Iran because he oversaw law enforcement forces that were blamed for the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters.

Friday’s financial sanctions also target five other Iranian security officials involved in “violent repression against the Iranian people,” the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on investor Babak Zanjani and two UK-registered digital asset exchanges, saying the exchanges handled funds linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“Like rats on a sinking ship, the regime is frantically funneling funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant. “Rest assured, Treasury will take action.”

International affairs editor Sam Keeley writes that Trump may be very proud of his “Armada” off the coast of Iran, but the US president will probably play nice, back the winner and support his allies by leaving Tehran alone and helping Ukraine win.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi paramilitary group has dismantled critical telecommunications equipment belonging to the United Nations, the United Nations said on Friday, warning that further restrictions on its work would worsen the humanitarian crisis.

The Houthis, who control northern areas of Yemen, entered at least six unmanned United Nations offices in the capital Sanaa and took telecommunications equipment and several vehicles to an unknown location, Julian Hanes, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, said in a statement.

“These devices are part of the minimum infrastructure required for the United Nations to exist and implement its programmes,” Hanes said.

The United Nations has warned that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is worsening, with approximately 21 million people in need of assistance.

Iran’s foreign minister announced that Iran was ready to resolve tensions but had no concrete plans to negotiate with the United States.

Abbas Araghchi held talks with Turkish officials in Istanbul on Friday. Ankara has been trying to ease tensions in the wider region after the United States threatened a possible military strike against Iran.

Araghchi told reporters at a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that Iran had no plans to “meet the Americans.”

“We are ready to conduct fair and impartial negotiations,” he said. “For such negotiations, we must first make arrangements for the form, location and subject of the talks.”

Araghchi added: “While the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready for negotiations, it is also ready for war.”

Türkiye opposes military intervention in Iran, warning that such a move would lead to regional instability.

“We are opposed to resorting to military means to solve problems, and we don’t think it will be very effective,” Fidan said. “We advocate negotiation and diplomacy.”

An Iranian military spokesman warned that Iran’s response to any U.S. action would not be limited.

He said a decisive response would be “immediate”.

Commodore Mohammad Akraminiya said in an interview with Iranian state television that the U.S. aircraft carrier has “serious vulnerabilities.”

He reportedly added that several U.S. bases in the Gulf are “within range of our medium-range missiles.” world.

“If Americans make such a miscalculation, it certainly won’t unfold the way Trump imagines – moving quickly and tweeting two hours later that the operation is over.”

A retired US Navy admiral believes Iran is “buying time” after recent protests, adding that the United States needs to be clear about its “mission objectives” before using force.

“Iran’s leadership is still playing for time after the recent mass protests and the killing of a large number of protesters by the regime. Khamenei and his deputies are more unpopular than ever,” said Professor Robert Muret, now deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

He said the movement of U.S. warships to the Middle East was “noteworthy, despite the current strong combat capabilities in the region.”

Professor Marrett added: “Determining the objectives of our mission is critical to Iran’s renewed use of force, that is, being able to credibly achieve the strategic end state.”