- September 16, 2026
- Posted by: Tresmark
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Iran has rejected talks with the United States after President Donald Trump said he was open to resuming discussions, as fighting and attacks across the Middle East continue to raise concerns over energy and shipping security.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran would not enter negotiations until its conditions were met.
“ No talks until Iran’s conditions are met,” Rezaei said in a post on X, responding to Trump’s recent comments.
Trump said on Monday that he was open to talks with Iran after weeks of saying it was too early to reach a deal to end the conflict.
Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and offered technical support for implementing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in June 2026 as an interim arrangement aimed at ending hostilities between Iran and the US.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said both sides agreed that implementing the Islamabad MoU remained the best way to reduce regional tensions. The FO did not provide details about the proposed technical support.
Dar also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Charter, international law and diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace.
Saudi Arabia faces fresh attacks
Saudi Arabia issued security alerts across several areas on Tuesday, including Makkah and Jeddah, following a series of attacks by Iran-aligned fighters.
The alerts were later lifted, while Saudi authorities did not immediately report whether any projectiles had landed. Saudi Arabia has vowed to respond firmly after Houthi attacks wounded 13 people using missiles and drones.
The Houthis have claimed several attacks on Saudi targets over the past week, including an air base on Monday. Saudi Arabia has also blamed a separate Iran-aligned group in Iraq for an attack that forced the temporary closure of its East-West oil pipeline.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said crude oil should begin flowing through the pipeline again within days.
Oil loadings at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu have also been suspended following the attacks.
Hormuz and Red Sea shipping disrupted
Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply as attacks in the region intensify. Kpler data showed only four commodity vessel transits through the strait on Monday, compared with 10 the previous day.
Oman said an oil tanker, EL GAIA, was being towed to an Omani port after its engine room caught fire following an attack. Twenty-three crew members were evacuated, while two remained missing.
Qatar warned that any closure of the Bab el-Mandab waterway would have serious consequences for global trade and energy supplies, calling for diplomacy and dialogue.
Oil prices have also climbed to their highest levels since May. Brent crude futures rose above $108 a barrel on Tuesday, while the average US retail diesel price reached a record of nearly $6.27 per gallon.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also scheduled to visit China on September 16 to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while Turkey has called for an immediate end to reciprocal attacks and the restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
