US President Donald Trump said on August 2 that he had agreed to cancel a planned strike on Iran, subject to a rapid deal, after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called to caution him against fresh attacks; Iran's top diplomat had earlier warned of a decisive response to any US-Israeli aggression

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps launched attacks on US military bases and strategic assets in Kuwait and Bahrain on July 31, 2026, saying the strikes were retaliation for US strikes on multiple locations in Iran including Qeshm island the previous day; US President Donald Trump said he was 'losing faith' with Iran but did not rule out a deal

Pakistan's Foreign Office said on July 30 it is making its 'utmost' effort to return the US and Iran to negotiations under the Islamabad MoU ceasefire framework; the FO urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint and resume technical-level talks; the statement came as fresh US and Saudi strikes in the region added to pressure on the June 2026 ceasefire agreement

Iran rejected a US ceasefire proposal on July 24 that Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had carried to Tehran from Washington; Iranian officials said the proposal fails to address the question of control over the Strait of Hormuz, as US strikes continued for a 13th consecutive night and Trump threatened the largest bombardment yet if Iran refuses to negotiate

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi traveled to Tehran on July 23 for his first official visit to Iran since taking office, holding expanded talks with senior Iranian officials, signing four cooperation documents, and publicly stating Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to threaten Iran; the trip followed al-Zaidi's July 14 meeting with US President Trump in Washington

The US military completed its 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran on July 22 as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb were both reported closed; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed the war has cost the Pentagon $37.5 billion; Iran's IRGC claimed it hit radar sites inside Kuwait; and Brent crude rose to near $95 per barrel as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would continue strikes while remaining open to negotiations

Iranian missiles and drones hit civilian infrastructure in Kuwait and Bahrain on July 19-20, including a fire at a Kuwait power plant; Jordan intercepted three Iranian missiles; CNN confirmed a third US service member was killed in the campaign on July 20, bringing total American combat deaths to three; Washington has said its main objective is keeping oil and gas flowing through the Strait of Hormuz; a German outlet cited an Iranian insider saying mediators are pushing a 10-day ceasefire

Iran interred assassinated Supreme Leader [[ali-khamenei]] in his birthplace of Mashhad on July 9 after week-long funeral processions through Tehran and Qom; crowds at the burial chanted slogans demanding revenge on US President Donald Trump for Khamenei's killing; CNN and others reported that many Iranians remained indifferent and notable public figures were absent.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since February 28; his three brothers prayed at the coffin in Tehran as Israeli threats and reported injuries kept him away from the largest state funeral in Iran's history

Turkey's president and Pakistan's prime minister met at the Vahdettin Mansion on July 4, reaffirming strategic alignment on the Iran ceasefire, pledging a US$5 billion bilateral trade target and expanding defence and logistics cooperation

The largest US-Iran exchange since the January ceasefire erupted as Trump arrived at the NATO summit; Guardian Council begins succession proceedings today with Khamenei's burial in Mashhad; the July 11 Doha round is now the line between de-escalation and a new war

India confirmed on June 29 that Bihar Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will represent New Delhi at the state funeral of assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, scheduled across Tehran, Qom, Mashhad and Iraq from July 4-9; Pakistan PM Sharif and delegations from Russia, China and several Central Asian states are expected to attend.

Iran's Statistical Center released June data on June 27 showing households paid 88.6% more than a year ago for the same goods, with rural inflation above 108% and food prices up 134.6%, as the conflict with the US and Israel compounds pre-existing sanctions pressure.

Iranian Deputy FM Gharibabadi announces two days of indirect Qatari-Pakistani-mediated talks have ended with 'positive progress' on Hormuz and $6 billion in assets; next round after July 9

Iran's second Supreme Leader from 1989 to 2026, Khamenei commanded the IRGC, Iran's nuclear program, and regional proxy networks until his death in US-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February 2026.

The Islamic Republic of Iran controls the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz and holds the world's second-largest natural gas reserves and third-largest proven oil reserves, placing it at the center of Middle East conflict, global energy markets, and US-led sanctions regimes.

Rolling blackouts and reservoirs near 5% collide with a sixth drought year, as Pezeshkian warns the capital could run dry and even floats evacuation

Switzerland talks produced a 'roadmap', and opposite public accounts of what Iran committed to on nuclear access

Grossi says the MoU guarantees access, Tehran says inspections follow only a final deal; the 60-day ceasefire window is burning

The agency chief plays down the clock on inspections as Washington and Tehran send conflicting signals about what the June 17 deal requires

Burgenstock talks June 22 conclude with a 60-day road map, Hormuz deconfliction cell and IAEA-inspectors-back agreement; Trump threatens US tolls if no final deal by August 22

Trump insists 'no $300 billion payment to Iran by the US'; Vance says Arab states and investors will fund it, and no country has confirmed a cent as Iran's own bank warns of a 12-year rebuild

Pakistan recasts itself from war-adjacent bystander to lead mediator; Pezeshkian's thank-you visit and Nobel chatter follow a 14-point deal reopening Hormuz and extending the truce

Eight months on, the IAEA still cannot verify 440 kg of 60% HEU stored at Isfahan; Tehran says it has not resumed enrichment

With safeguards 'legally untenable' since February and inspectors locked out, the IAEA Board declares Iran non-compliant on 12 June, the agency can no longer verify the stockpile

Iran's president defends US talks and warns of economic ruin, but a new supreme leader and an IRGC-shaped parliament constrain what he can concede

The president orders international access restored after one of the longest shutdowns on record; hardline outlets say he had no authority, exposing the rift inside the system