US-Iran war news Highlights: Qatari negotiators in Iran for talks to de-escalate rising tensions, says report

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Oil prices edged lower on Friday following the latest round of fighting between the United States and Iran, as investors grew optimistic that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would eventually resume. Despite the decline, both benchmark crude contracts remained on track for strong weekly gains, as per Reuters.

Brent crude futures fell 38 cents, or 0.5%, to $75.92 a barrel by 10:30 a.m. CDT (1530 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped 69 cents, or 0.96%, to $71.39 a barrel.

For the week, Brent was headed for an increase of around 6%, while WTI was set to post gains of about 5%

US President Donald Trump said he has “left instructions” in the event Iran carries out an assassination attempt against him, in an apparent reference to banners displayed during the funeral ceremony of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that called for his killing.

Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said, “I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with.” He added, “The only thing is, I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”

Trump also claimed that Tehran has wanted him dead for years, adding, “I hope you’ll miss me.”

The absence of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei from the funeral ceremonies of his father, Ali Khamenei, has sparked speculation over his health, concerns about a possible assassination threat, and what it may signal about his leadership style compared with his predecessor, as per AFP.

The funeral rites for Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28 at the outset of the conflict with Iran, concluded on Thursday in the holy city of Mashhad. The burial was attended by many of the Islamic Republic's top political, military and religious figures.

Russia's deputy UN envoy accused the UK, France and Germany of having “cheer-led” the US and Israeli strikes on Iran's civilian infrastructure during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, as per Al Jazeera.

Anna Evstigneeva, Russia's deputy permanent representative to the UN, also criticised what she described as the “hypocrisy of Western states” for targeting Iran while, she said, overlooking the actions of the US and Israel.

“We are compelled to express our disappointment that once again a majority of UNSC members are continuing to indulge the attempts of some states to cast doubt on objective, procedural realities”, she said.

Trump took to Truth Social and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue “talks.” We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!”

France has condemned Iran over what it described as attacks on neighbouring countries and vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz in recent days.

As per Al Jazeera, French envoy Jerome Bonnafont said, “Despite Pakistan and Qatar’s mediation, Iran has violated the MoU. It has carried out unacceptable attacks on Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan. France condemns these attacks. Iran is responsible for this situation. It needs to end this violence as part of the 60-day ceasefire period as part of the MoU.”

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone conversation to discuss ways to implement the framework of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, reported Al Jazeera.

The two leaders also reaffirmed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and strengthening regional security.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported two additional Israeli drone strikes in the southern Nabatieh governorate, targeting the towns of Kfar Reman and Nabatieh al-Fawqa.

The agency did not provide details about the intended targets, and no casualties were immediately reported.

The latest attacks followed an earlier Israeli drone strike on Kfar Reman the same day.

Qatar has called on the United States and Iran to uphold their memorandum of understanding and continue negotiations to avoid further escalation in the region, reported Al Jazeera.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said in a post on X that he conveyed the message during a phone conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

He also underscored the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, saying the uninterrupted movement of vessels through the strategic waterway is vital for regional security.

Negotiations between the United States and Iran on a long-term peace agreement are continuing, a US official said, despite two days of fighting that have put an already fragile ceasefire under strain.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, said Washington remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution with Tehran and described the ongoing engagement as technical-level talks, reported Bloomberg.

Iran will retaliate against any attack on its infrastructure, including by targeting Israel, the head of the country's highest security body stated on Friday, as hostilities between Tehran and Washington resumed this week.

"Any attack on infrastructure will be retaliated against, and the criminal Zionist regime responsible for these atrocities will not be safe from the response of our fighters," Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said in a statement carried by state TV.

Qatari negotiators are in Iran for meetings with Iranian officials as part of an effort to reduce tensions and pave the way for broader negotiations, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. The discussions are being held in coordination with the United States, the source said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it is closely monitoring the situation at Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and urged all parties to exercise restraint amid rising regional tensions, Interfax (IFX) reported, citing IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

The first six employees of Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant have begun returning to the facility, according to Russia's state news agency RIA, citing the head of Rosatom.

Military analyst Alex Alfirraz Scheers said talks between Iran and the United States could potentially resume, but cautioned that deep-rooted mistrust between the two sides remains the biggest hurdle to any meaningful negotiations.

“These talks will yield, I think, very little. I think in many ways they’re almost symbolic and until there is genuine momentum with regards to trust building and confidence building, in the current context these talks will likely lead nowhere,” he told Al Jazeera.

China on Friday announced an immediate temporary ban on helium exports as renewed military tensions in the Middle East raised concerns over fresh disruptions to supplies of the gas, which is vital for semiconductor manufacturing, as per Reuters.

Earlier this year, the US-Israeli conflict with Iran triggered a global helium shortage, affecting companies worldwide, including those in China, where the growing artificial intelligence industry depends on domestically produced chips to train and run AI models. Helium plays a crucial role in cooling and heat management during semiconductor production.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency has warned that the security threat in the Strait of Hormuz continues to remain at its highest level.

The advisory comes in the wake of the latest military escalation between the United States and Iran, which has heightened risks for commercial vessels navigating the strategically important waterway.

Oil prices edged lower on Friday but remained on course for weekly gains as renewed hostilities between the US and Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, fuelling fears of potential supply shortages, reported Reuters.

Brent crude futures slipped 19 cents, or 0.3%, to $76.11 a barrel by 1007 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 21 cents, or 0.3%, to $71.87 a barrel.

Despite the day's decline, Brent was headed for a weekly gain of around 6%, while WTI was poised to rise about 5%.

"Prices have backed off the midweek highs, but there is still a substantial risk premium as Hormuz transits are back to a near-standstill with no clear signs of when normal reopening might resume," said Vandana Hari of oil market analysis firm Vanda Insights.

Three former crew members of a Thai cargo ship that was struck in the Strait of Hormuz in March have filed a lawsuit against the vessel's operator, alleging labour rights violations and unfair dismissal, as per Al Jazeera.

The cargo vessel, Mayuree Naree, was hit by a projectile off the coast of northern Oman on March 11, leaving three people dead. The remaining 20 crew members were rescued and repatriated to Thailand about a week after the attack.