Iran president says US naval blockade 'doomed to fail'

This live blog follows updates for Day 62 of the US-Israel war on Iran. For a recap of Day 61, go here.

• Tehran at center of 'anti-disruption' efforts instigated by US, says IRGC 
• Trump holds meeting with oil, gas executives 
• Pentagon says Iran war has cost $25B so far
• Israeli attack kills preschooler in southern Lebanon

Lebanon president condemns 'continuing Israeli violations' of truce

Published: April 30, 2026 | 10:05 GMT | by AFP

Lebanon president condemns 'continuing Israeli violations' of truce, AFP reported. 

Nigerian airlines avert shutdown as Iran war hikes fuel prices

Published: April 30, 2026 | 10:03 GMT | by AFP

Nigerian airlines continued flying Thursday despite threatening a shutdown over sky-high jet fuel prices roiling the industry in Africa's top crude producer and most populous nation.

It is the second time a strike has been averted in as many weeks, with government talks with airlines having already resulted in a promise to grant carriers debt relief.

Global crude oil prices have been hiked since the United States and Israel's attacks on Iran prompted Tehran to shut the Strait of Hormuz - soaring above $126 per barrel on Thursday, the highest level since 2022.

ECB set to hold rates despite Iran war energy shock

Published: April 30, 2026 | 10:03 GMT | by AFP

The European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady again on Thursday as policymakers weigh concerns about higher inflation triggered by the Middle East war against worries about weakening growth.

Energy costs have spiked since the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and gas usually passes, following the start of US-Israeli war on Iran.

Eurozone inflation is already picking up -- it jumped to three percent in April, above the ECB's two-percent target -- but the central bank appears reluctant to quickly hike rates, fearing higher borrowing costs could weigh on the region's already lackluster growth.

The ECB will thus keep its key deposit rate at 2%, where it has been since June last year, as it waits to see how the war plays out, analysts believe.

The central bank for the 21-nation euro area announces its rate decision at 1215 GMT.

German economy expands faster than expected

Published: April 30, 2026 | 09:33 GMT | by AFP

The German economy expanded slightly faster than expected at the start of the year, data showed Thursday, with the full impact of the Middle East war energy shock yet to be felt.

Output in Europe's biggest economy rose 0.3% from January to March compared to the previous quarter, according to provisional data from statistics office Destatis. 

Analysts surveyed by financial data firm FactSet had forecast growth of 0.2%.

French economy records zero growth in first quarter

Published: April 30, 2026 | 09:32 GMT | by AFP 

France's economy recorded zero growth in the first quarter of this year due to "sluggish" domestic demand and a "strongly" negative contribution from foreign trade, the national statistics agency INSEE said Thursday.

The first estimation of first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) shows the impact of the war in the Middle East, which began on Feb. 28.

As little as two weeks ago, the French central bank estimated that the country's economy could grow by as much as 0.3 percent in January through March, while INSEE had cut its forecast from 0.3% to 0.2% growth at the end of March.

France's economy had expanded by 0.2% in the final quarter of 2025.

US pushing for new coalition to restart Hormuz traffic: Reports

Published: April 30, 2026 | 09:31 GMT | by AFP

The United States is pushing for a new international coalition to restart commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as talks with Tehran stall, according to US news outlets.

The State Department sent an internal cable to US embassies calling on diplomats to convince governments around the world to join the "Maritime Freedom Construct," a US-led bloc to share information, coordinate diplomatically, and enforce sanctions, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The coalition will see the State Department serving as a "diplomatic operations hub" and the US Central Command providing "real-time maritime domain awareness," the Journal reported, citing the cable sent on Tuesday.

"Your participation will strengthen our collective ability to restore freedom of navigation and protect the global economy," the cable reportedly said.

"Collective action is essential to demonstrate unified resolve and impose meaningful costs on Iranian obstruction of transit through the Strait."

A senior Trump administration official confirmed to the Journal that the idea was one of the many diplomatic and policy resources at the president's disposal.

Spanish growth defies Mideast war impact in first quarter

Published: April 30, 2026 | 09:30 GMT | by AFP

Spain's dynamic economy withstood the turmoil unleashed by the Middle East war to post 0.6% growth in the first quarter, in line with expectations, official data showed on Thursday.

The spike in energy prices and inflation triggered by the conflict has sparked fears for the world economy, with the Bank of Spain warning last month of a potentially "significant slowdown".

But the growth figure for January-March announced by the National Statistics Institute (INE) is consistent with a forecasted expansion of 2.3% in 2026.

"The Spanish economy is maintaining its growth rate in a start to the year marked by the war in Iran," Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said in a video shared with media.

"We continue to lead among the European Union's major economies," notably thanks to household consumption and business investment, Cuerpo added.

Iran president says US naval blockade 'doomed to fail'

Published: April 30, 2026 | 07:35 GMT | by AFP

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday said a US naval blockade on Iranian ports would deepen disruptions in the Gulf and would fail to achieve its targets.

"Any attempt to impose a maritime blockade or restrictions is contrary to international law... and is doomed to fail," Pezeshkian said in a statement.

He added that such measures would "not only fail to enhance regional security, but are in fact a source of tension and a disruption to lasting stability in the Persian Gulf".

Tehran at center of 'anti-disruption' efforts instigated by US, says IRGC 

Published: April 30, 2026 | 05:41 GMT | by Web Desk

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said that Tehran has emerged at the center of “anti-disruption” efforts instigated by the US, according to Iranian state-run Press TV.

“The Trump administration shifted from a strategy of ‘managing global energy’ to one of ‘disruption,’” the state television quoted the IRGC as saying.

“But after 20 days, the White House is increasingly convinced the project has failed.” It added that Tehran has emerged as “the center of an ‘anti-disruption coalition’”.

Trump holds meeting with oil, gas executives 

Published: April 30, 2026 | 05:41 GMT | by Web Desk

The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump and some of his top administration officials met Tuesday with oil and gas executives, according to Axios.

The executives discussed many topics, including "steps we [US] could take to continue the current blockade for months if needed and minimize impact on American consumers."

Trump has repeatedly said he would not end the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz until Iran agrees on a peace proposal that addresses their nuclear capabilities.

The president said that he rejected an offer from Iran that would end the naval blockade without a nuclear agreement.

Pentagon says Iran war has cost $25B so far

Published: April 30, 2026 | 05:01 GMT | by Web Desk

During a House hearing on the Pentagon's budget request on Wednesday, Pentagon comptroller Jay Hurst said the cost of the Iran operation so far has been $25 billion, according to ABC News.

"At this day, we're spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury. Most of that is in munitions," Hurst said.

Iran just has to 'cry uncle' now, says US president

Published: April 30, 2026 | 04:43 GMT | by Web Desk

The US President, Donald Trump, while speaking about how long he was prepared to maintain the naval blockade, said that Iran has to "cry uncle" and say, "We give up", according to ABC News.

"Militarily, we've wiped them out. They have no military left there," Trump said while taking questions during an Oval Office event with the Artemis II astronauts. 

"The Navy's at the bottom of the sea. The Air Force is never going to fly again." "Now they have to cry, uncle. That's all they have to do," he continued. 

"Just say, 'We give up. We give up.' But their economy is really in trouble. It's a dead economy."

Preschooler killed in Israeli attack in southern Lebanon 

Published: April 30, 2026 | 04:43 GMT | by Web Desk

A Lebanese girl, Mila, barely four years old, was killed alongside her mother in an Israeli attack on their home in Tayr Debba, in southern Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, about 2,500 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, including more than 170 children.

US claims seizing nearly $500M in Iranian crypto assets

Published: April 30, 2026 | 04:41 GMT | by Web Desk

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Washington has seized “close to half a billion” in Iranian cryptocurrency assets and that its “Operation Economic Fury” has sent the government in Tehran into “crisis”.

“We were able to grab about 350 million crypto assets, and then on top of another 100 that we had recently gotten, so we’re almost at half a billion there, and we are freezing bank accounts everywhere,” Bessent told Fox News, according to Al Jazeera.

He said Trump had ordered the economic pressure campaign in March of last year and told him to “up the pressure again” about three weeks ago.

Brent crude soars more than 5% after Trump blockade warning

Published: April 30, 2026 | 04:25 GMT | by AFP

Brent crude oil soared more than 5% Thursday after Donald Trump warned the US blockade of Iranian ports could last months as peace talks remained stalled.

The contract jumped 5.6% to $124.67 in Asian trade, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.4% to $109.49.

Oil prices surge as Trump warns Iran blockade could last 'months if needed'

Published: April 30, 2026 | 00:05 GMT | by Web Desk

President Donald Trump says a US naval blockade against Iran could last months, leading oil prices to spike to their highest in more than four years.

Brent crude oil futures jumped 8% to $120 per barrel, hitting their highest level since June 2022 as markets priced in dim prospects for a near-term resolution to the Iran conflict or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Meeting oil executives, Trump contended the blockade of Iranian ports — which Tehran has demanded must end before any deal — was more effective than bombing.

Trump, at the meeting that took place on Tuesday, discussed his efforts “to alleviate global oil markets and steps we could take to continue the current blockade for months if needed and minimize impact on American consumers,” a White House official said on condition of anonymity.

With diplomacy between Iran and the United States at a standstill after false starts, Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned him of “damaging consequences” if the United States and Israel resume their war on Iran.

EU’s von der Leyen says consequences of Iran war may echo for years

Published: April 30, 2026 | 02:38 GMT | by Web Desk

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for unrestricted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, saying there should be no tolls imposed on international shipping, Al Jazeera reported.

“We all want the ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon to hold, with the ultimate goal to re-establish peace and stability through diplomatic means… And this includes restoring full and permanent freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz without tolls,” she told the European Parliament.

“And it is equally clear that any peace agreement will have to address Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme. But there is also a harsh reality we all need to face. The consequences of this conflict may echo for months or even years to come,” she added.

Israel’s UN envoy confirms Israel intercepted Gaza flotilla

Published: April 30, 2026 | 02:24 GMT | by Web Desk

Danny Danon has said in a post on X that “another provocative flotilla was stopped before reaching our area.”

Israel’s UN envoy said that Israeli soldiers participating in the operation, which occurred in international waters near the Greek Island of Crete, acted with “professionalism and determination, dealing with a group of delusional attention-seeking agitators.”

Iran parliament speaker says no oil wells ‘exploded’ under US blockade

Published: April 29, 2026 | 23:26 GMT | by Web Desk

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says that US measures to halt Iran’s sale of oil have yet to see its storage tanks reach capacity and have simply resulted in oil prices going up.

“Three days in, no well exploded,” Ghalibaf said in a post on X. “We could extend to 30 and livestream the well here.”

The speaker for Iran’s parliament added that members of the US administration, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who claimed the blockade would put pressure on Iran, are acting on “junk advice”.

“[They] push the blockade theory and cranked oil up to $120+. Next stop: 140. The issue isn’t the theory, it’s the mindset.”

Gaza-bound aid ship blocked by Israeli military speedboats

Published: April 29, 2026 | 21:14 GMT | by Web Desk

Organizers of a humanitarian aid ship sailing towards Gaza with the aim of breaking Israel’s blockade say their vessel has been approached by apparent Israeli speedboats.

“Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as ‘Israel’, pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons, ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees,” said the Global Sumud Flotilla aid mission.

“Boat communications are being jammed, and a SOS was issued.”

Putin warned US against new military action in Iran in Trump call: Kremlin

Published: April 29, 2026 | 19:56 GMT | by AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his US counterpart against "damaging consequences" of a new military action in Iran, a Kremlin aide told reporters Wednesday after the two leaders spoke by phone.

Putin "highlighted the inevitable and extremely damaging consequences not only for Iran and its neighbors, but also for the entire international community, should the US and Israel resort to military action once again," said Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

Iran’s Araghchi speaks with Lebanese parliament speaker

Published: April 29, 2026 | 20:26 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says he spoke by phone with Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry, Al Jazeera reported.

In a post on his official Telegram account, Araghchi said the two officials “discussed and exchanged views on the latest regional developments”.

As we reported, Araghchi also spoke by phone earlier with India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, discussing Iran’s ceasefire with the US and other regional and international developments.