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US strikes kill three near Ahvaz, Iran

U.S. strikes on Iran killed three people and wounded several others in the country’s west, state news agency IRNA reported, quoting Valiollah Hayati, the deputy governor of Khuzestan for security and law enforcement. Hayati said the casualties occurred in an American attack on the outskirts of the city of Ahvaz. The report provides an official Iranian confirmation of fatalities and injuries resulting from the strikes. Immediate consequences include confirmed deaths and injuries and the prospect of further official updates or statements as authorities document the incident and assess next steps.

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U.S. oil futures rise after Trump says Iran ceasefire ended

U.S. oil futures jumped about 7% to more than $75 a barrel after President Trump said he believed the ceasefire with Iran was over and vowed to continue bombing. The rally was described as one of the best days of the year for U.S. oil futures and followed reports that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had been on the upswing, prompting energy traders to factor in shipping and supply risks. The immediate consequence is greater energy price volatility and potential upward pressure on global fuel costs.

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EU to open cluster 6 external relations for Ukraine, Moldova

The EU plans to open cluster 6 External Relations for Ukraine and Moldova at a General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 14 July, after the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) decided on 8 July to send the two countries letters requesting their negotiating positions. The EU intends to adopt common negotiating positions on cluster 6 by the afternoon of 10 July, with intergovernmental conferences to launch the cluster scheduled alongside the council meeting. The step follows Hungary's earlier block and its agreement on 3 July, according to European Pravda citing EU sources.

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US military strikes over 80 targets in Iran

The US military says it completed a series of strikes in Iran that hit more than 80 targets, including air defenses, command and control equipment, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missiles and over 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Officials described the operation as an "immediate response" to recent Iranian strikes on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and said the goal was to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce in that trade corridor. Central Command added that forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable if agreements are not obeyed.

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US launches strikes against Iran after attacks on commercial vessels

The United States carried out a series of strikes against Iran after Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command said on X. The command said the strikes were intended to impose heavy costs and described Iran's actions as unwarranted, dangerous and a clear violation of the ceasefire. Iranian state media later reported multiple explosions in southern Iran, including Sirik, Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas, and said projectiles struck the Taheroui Pier, with no immediate casualty or damage details provided. The situation marks an escalation with direct implications for shipping safety and regional tensions.

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NATO allies to pledge €140 billion for Ukraine

Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul told media that NATO allies are preparing to pledge €140 billion ($160 billion) in support for Ukraine for 2026 and the following year, drawn solely from European and Canadian contributions. He framed the planned commitment as a clear signal to Moscow that Kyiv's backers are not wavering and said recent battlefield developments show Ukraine can strike Russia more heavily, demonstrating Western support is having an impact. The announcement precedes the NATO Ankara summit and is intended to increase pressure on Russia to seek negotiations.

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Iran's IRGC fires missiles at two commercial ships

State media images showed the coffins of Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and family members at a funeral procession in Tehran on Monday, and early Tuesday the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly fired missiles at two commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz. The provided text is incomplete on sources and damage. Attacks on commercial vessels near a major maritime chokepoint carry immediate risks for international shipping, crew safety and regional stability, and could prompt heightened naval patrols, insurance costs and diplomatic responses if confirmed.

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NATO ministers meet Gulf counterparts over Strait of Hormuz

NATO foreign ministers met Gulf Arab counterparts on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara to try to break a stalemate over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The gathering included ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and focused on a Franco-British proposal for a multinational maritime mission that Iran has rejected. The talks follow weeks of tensions in the strategically important waterway and come after an interim US-Iran peace deal; without agreement, restrictions on transit and continued maritime insecurity could persist with wider implications for international shipping and regional diplomacy.

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UK, Netherlands, Finland and Poland expand multilateral defence financing

The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland and Poland announced a renewed commitment to strengthen defence financing and improve the cost-efficiency of defence spending by developing a Multilateral Defence Mechanism (MDM). The MDM is designed to accelerate defence investment, stimulate joint procurement and aggregate demand for critical capabilities, with partners aiming to start formal treaty negotiations and set up the mechanism by 2027. The four countries said they will expand the coalition of participants, move to the next design phase this autumn, and work with NATO allies to align financing approaches while continuing support for Ukraine.

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Indonesia and Singapore vow to keep Malacca Strait open

Indonesia and Singapore renewed a pledge to keep the Strait of Malacca open after rising tensions in the Middle East reignited concerns about freedom of navigation in what the article describes as the world's most important waterways. The two countries said they have a vital interest in maintaining security in the straits, including measures to prevent accidents, and framed the move as a response to external risks to shipping. The article fragment does not detail specific measures, timelines, or who made the pledge, leaving implementation and effects unclear.

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EU moves to adopt 21st sanctions package against Russia

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is working to adopt a 21st sanctions package against Russia after an overnight attack that used over 400 drones and missiles against the capital. She said Ukraine urgently needs more air defence and that allies will discuss support at this week's NATO summit in Ankara. The EU provided the first €4 billion under a €90 billion loan to strengthen Ukraine's defence with advanced drone technology, with further support promised as officials work to increase pressure until the attacks stop.

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Iran holds weeklong funeral processions for Ali Khamenei

Iran is holding a week of mass funeral processions for Ali Khamenei, with his coffin displayed outdoors under glass and the coffins of several close relatives laid out beside his. Authorities plan ceremonies in Qom then in the Iraqi shrine cities of Najaf and Kerbala before returning for a Mashhad burial, and they say they will mobilise millions offering transport, food and lodging. A ceasefire has paused a four-month war under an agreement with Washington, and US comment that peace talks are paused for a week highlights immediate diplomatic effects. Some injury reports about Mojtaba Khamenei come from unnamed sources.

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Putin and Trump discuss Ukraine and ties in phone call

Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president Donald Trump spoke by phone for about 1.5 hours on the United States' 250th independence anniversary, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said. Putin congratulated the United States and briefed Trump on battlefield developments, saying Russian forces were advancing and "liberating one settlement after another." The two discussed the Ukraine conflict, the situation around Iran, and prospects for restoring ties, with Trump again saying he was ready to help seek a peaceful settlement and his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, ready to continue mediation.

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U.S. and Iran reportedly to hold talks in Pakistan

Al Arabiya reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiators are expected to hold a meeting in Pakistan on July 11 to pursue a broader agreement after last month’s interim accord. The talks are said to focus on U.S. sanctions, billions in frozen Iranian financial assets and Tehran’s nuclear program, and follow indirect technical discussions in Doha mediated by Qatar and Pakistan. Iran has not yet named who will lead its delegation, a decision said to come after state funeral ceremonies conclude on July 9. Neither Washington nor Tehran has officially confirmed the reported meeting.

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Iran president says government followed supreme leader on talks

President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government fully followed guidance from Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei by moving ahead with negotiations after the Supreme National Security Council vote, in which 12 of 13 members supported the proposal and met the leader’s three‑quarters condition. He presented the council outcome as evidence of national unity during recent challenges, said officials must implement legally reached decisions, and emphasized maintaining economic activity, strengthening strategic reserves and infrastructure domestically. The government also reaffirmed its commitment to defend the Islamic Republic, uphold 1979 revolution ideals, and expand cooperation with neighboring and Islamic countries to support regional stability.

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Nigel Farage welcomes India-UK trade deal

Nigel Farage welcomed the signed India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, saying it was long overdue and possible because Brexit freed the United Kingdom to set its own trade policy. He broadly endorsed the pact while keeping open the option that Reform UK would review elements if it formed a government. The agreement, announced alongside prime ministerial engagements and due to enter into force on July 15, is expected to give Indian exporters a 7–10 percent tariff advantage and zero duty on over 99 percent of tariff lines, and it arrives amid an existing Indian surplus in goods and services with the UK.

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Starmer to attend UK-EU summit on July 22

Sir Keir Starmer confirmed a second UK-EU summit in Brussels on July 22 as his Labour government seeks to reset relations nearly ten years after the 2016 referendum in which 17.4 million people voted to leave. The summit is framed as a chance to coordinate on security, resilience, the cost of living, jobs and opportunities for young people, and was welcomed by European Council president Antonio Costa. The announcement has drawn criticism from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and prompted a Daily Express campaign calling for a "proper Brexit".

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Iran's former supreme leader Khamenei to be buried in Mashhad

Iranian state funeral organizers have released a timetable for the rites of former supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, with a farewell ceremony at Tehran's Mosalla complex on July 4-5, a transfer to Qom for a further farewell, and burial in Mashhad on July 9 in accordance with his will, APA's Tehran bureau reports. The headquarters overseeing the arrangements published the sequence and locations, which sets firm dates and locations for national ceremonies and for logistical and security preparations in three cities.

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