Strait of Hormuz

March 20, 2026 10:17 AM

Trump calls for Japan, NATO to ‘step up’ on Iran as oil prices bite

President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to "step up" as he pressed allies for more support over the war with Iran and rising oil prices, while defending the secrecy of the campaign by invoking Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Trump, who greeted Takaichi with hugs at the White House, heaped praise on the leader of Washington's closest ally in East Asia during an Oval Office meeting where the expected topics of discussion included tense relations ...

March 20, 2026 10:15 AM

Netanyahu wants oil, gas to flow through Israel post-Iran war

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he believes pipelines should be built to transport Middle East oil and gas across the Arabian Peninsula and up to Israeli ports to avoid threats by Iran in the Hormuz Strait and other Gulf waters. A day after Israel attacked Iran's main gas field in a sharp escalation of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, Netanyahu told a press conference that Tehran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium, a claim that has been contested by the U.N.'s nuclear ...

March 20, 2026 10:12 AM

US may remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded in tankers, Bessent says

The U.S. may soon remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded on tankers at sea, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday as Washington seeks to curb prices soaring over Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. "In the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that's on the water. It's about 140 million barrels," Bessent told Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" program. He said the release of the sanctioned Iranian oil into global supplies would help keep oil prices down for...

March 20, 2026 10:30 AM

Trump tells Israel not to repeat strikes on Iranian energy as crisis deepens

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had told Israel not to repeat its attacks on Iranian natural gas infrastructure as tit-for-tat strikes on energy plants sent energy prices spiralling, sharply escalating the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Trump's comment came as energy prices jumped on Thursday after Iran responded to an Israeli attack on a major gas field by hitting Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, which processes around a fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas, causing damage ...

March 19, 2026 4:42 PM

Govt launches ‘RELIEF’ Scheme to support exporters amid West Asia logistics disruptions

The Government on Thursday approved a new intervention titled RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) to support Indian exporters facing disruptions due to the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia. The move comes amid heightened security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, which have led to vessel diversions, longer shipping routes, congestion at transshipment hubs, and increased freight and insurance costs. Th...

March 18, 2026 8:54 PM

PM Modi speaks with Kuwait Crown Prince, discusses West Asia situation, conveys Eid greetings

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke with Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, conveying Eid greetings and discussing the evolving situation in West Asia. During the conversation, the two leaders exchanged views on recent regional developments and shared concerns over the situation. Modi reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also emphasised that ensuring safe and free navigation th...

March 18, 2026 5:06 PM

Domestic LPG production rises 40%; no port congestion, says govt

India’s domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production has increased by 40 per cent, the government said on Wednesday, even as concerns over supply disruptions persist due to tensions in West Asia and the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Addressing a joint briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the country has adequate stocks of crude oil, petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), with no reports of dry-outs at fuel stations. However,...

March 18, 2026 3:35 PM

Middle East tensions escalate as US strikes Iran near Strait of Hormuz

Tensions across the Middle East have surged sharply, with US Central Command launching heavy strikes on Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz - a critical artery for global oil supplies. Officials say five-thousand-pound bunker-buster munitions were used to target fortified underground sites threatening international shipping. The situation intensified further with reported strikes near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility, though damage assessments are still underway. Across the Gul...

March 18, 2026 2:42 PM

Iran says nuclear doctrine unlikely to change, Hormuz Strait needs new protocol

Iran's stance against the development of nuclear weapons will not significantly change, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera in remarks relayed by Iranian media on Wednesday, cautioning that the new supreme leader is yet to publicly express his view on the matter. Former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, opposed the development of weapons of mass destruction in a fatwa, or religious edict, issued in the early 2000s. West...

March 18, 2026 1:45 PM

Indian-flagged tanker Jag Laadki reaches Mundra amid West Asia tensions

Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Jag Laadki has successfully arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat, marking a significant addition to the country’s energy imports amid rising tensions in West Asia. The vessel docked at the port carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes of crude oil, sourced from the United Arab Emirates and loaded at Fujairah Port. Measuring 274.19 metres in length with a beam of 50.04 metres, the tanker has a deadweight tonnage of around 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of a...