FILE: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian/ Iran’s Supreme Leader is the ultimate authority in the Islamic Republic who calls all the shots.
- Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says that “all paths” to a diplomatic solution “remain open from our side”, but warns that “forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion”.
- Global condemnation is growing after Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, posted a videoof himself taunting abducted Gaza aid flotilla activists as they were being mistreated by Israeli prison guards.
- Iran’s new Persian Gulf Strait Authority has announced the establishment of a “supervision area” in the Strait of Hormuz that requires a permit for transit, stating that “passage without permission will be considered illegal”.
- Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon have killed more than 20 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry and media, as a “ceasefire” extension agreed upon between Lebanese and Israeli officials continues in name only.
- Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 72,773 people, with a further 172,723 people injured, since October 2023, according to the Palestinian territory’s Health Ministry.
UAE says new pipeline that will bypass Strait of Hormuz is nearly 50% complete
Oil prices rise on supply fears amid ongoing Iran war uncertainty
Following a two-day decline, oil prices have risen as ongoing supply anxieties continue to take centre stage amid uncertainty over the US-Israel war on Iran.
Trump official warns Iran of unprecedented military action over deal holdout
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has issued a stark warning to the Iranian leadership regarding the ongoing standoff as negotiations have failed to progress.
US lifts sanctions on Francesca Albanese, UN expert on Palestinian rights. n a brief update on its website on Wednesday, the Treasury Department listed Albanese’s name under the heading: “International Criminal Court-related Designation Removal”.
‘Sorry for your feels Ted’: Massie doubles down on criticism of pro-Israel opponent
Outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie has reiterated his criticism of pro-Israel lobbyists backing his opponent in a recent US primary election, after top Republican Ted Cruz questioned his choice of words.
While conceding defeat in the primary race to Ed Gallrein on Wednesday, Massie quipped that he’d had trouble reaching his opponent “in Tel Aviv”, a reference to the AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby that had financially supported Gallrein’s campaign.
Cruz responded in a post on social media, saying he wished Massie “hadn’t said this”.
To which Massie replied: “You wish I hadn’t pointed out that 95+% of my opponent’s funding came from the Israeli lobby, and millions of that came from a woman who has Israeli citizenship and served in the [Israeli military]? Sorry for your feels Ted.”
Massie, who angered Trump by criticising US military action in Iran and Venezuela and backing efforts to release files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, will remain in Congress until the midterm elections in November.
I wish he hadn’t said this. https://t.co/zBijGpvJAD
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 20, 2026
US senators slam Israeli minister’s ‘disgusting, inhumane’ treatment of flotilla activists
US Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley have condemned Ben-Gvir’s treatment of detained Gaza flotilla activists, saying it reflects more broadly on Israel’s actions towards Palestinians.
“Ben-Gvir’s treatment of these detainees is disgusting and inhumane,” Senator Merkley said in a post on X.
AL JAZEERA
