Middle East: No talks or conversations with Iran, Trump says
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Trump also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was "open and operating," contrary to Iranian reports. Meanwhile, Syria, the US and Turkey condemned Israeli strikes on a Syrian airbase. Follow DW for more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5J2Uw UKMTO has reported that a projectile hit a ship as it sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz [FILE: Aug 10, 2026] Image: REUTERS Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Trump says 'no talks or conversations' between the US and Iran are held or scheduled Syria , US, Turkey condemn Israeli strikes in Idlib HRW says UN peacekeepers must remain in Lebanon Read below for a roundup of the latest headlines on the Iran war and other developments in the Middle East region on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
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08/18/2026 August 18, 2026 UAE warns residents of 'potential missile threats' The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday issued a brief phone alert for "potential missile threats," in the first such alarm since July.
"Due to the current situation, potential missile threats, immediately seek a safe place in the closest secure building," the Interior Ministry said in the phone alert, which was lifted shortly after.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed it had detected missiles "directed toward the country" for the first time in months.
At various points in the Iran war, and especially in the early days, UAE sites were the target of Iranian missile and drone strikes, in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
08/18/2026 August 18, 2026 'Few tons of nuclear material' found in Syria, IAEA says Rafael Grossi, the head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday that the nuclear watchdog has found several tons of nuclear materials at a previously undeclared site in Syria which date back to ousted President Bashar Assad.
"After your courageous decision to inform us that there was another place, another site where nuclear material had been stored, we were able to access this place... we are talking about a few tons of nuclear material that could be put to bad use," Grossi told a news conference in Damascus.
Syria's foreign minister said the material was not dangerous and would remain in Syrian custody, subject to IAEA guarantees.
Speaking alongside Grossi in the press conference, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said Syria had the right to use the material for civil and peaceful purposes.
Syria's interim government has committed to working with the IAEA to address the ousted regime's legacy of nuclear activities.
08/18/2026 August 18, 2026 Syria, US condemn Israeli strikes on military base The attacks reportedly struck the runway and storage facilities at Abu al-Duhur base less than 100 kilometers from the Turkish borders Image: REUTERS Eight Israeli airstrikes hit an unused airbase in northwestern Syria's Idlib province early on Tuesday, Syrian state media reported, in attacks widely condemned by Damascus and Washington.
The attacks struck the runway and storage facilities at Abu al-Duhur base, Syrian state-run broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya reported, some 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) from the Turkish border.
Turkey is a key ally of Syria's interim government, in power since ousting former President Bashar Assad in a December 2024 lightning offensive.
Read our full report on the Israeli strikes here.
08/18/2026 August 18, 2026 'No talks or conversations' with Iran, Trump says US President Donald Trump stressed on Tuesday that no talks or conversations between Washington and Tehran were being held or were scheduled.
"The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, claiming that the strategic Strait of Hormuz is "open and operating," in contradiction to Iranian reports.
"All water mines have been removed or detonated," Trump said of the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil transited before the war began in late February.
Trump's latest statement came after a 60-day negotiating period between the US and Iran ended with no clear resolution, causing stock markets to largely fall and interest rates to spike on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a projectile hit a ship as it sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Hormuz blockade: A biological superspreader event? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
08/18/2026 August 18, 2026 Welcome to our coverage Saim DuΕ‘an Inayatullah Editor Thank you for joining us as we bring you the latest on the situation in the Middle East, where US President Donald Trump has once again dismissed any potential breakthrough in negotiations with Iran, saying no talks or conversations are currently going on.
This comes a day after his son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner was in Israel, discussing with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ways to advance Trump's peace plan in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Israel struck a military airbase in Syria, drawing condemnation from Washington.
Elsewhere in the region, Human Rights Watch is warning of the planned withdrawal of UN peacekeeping troops from Lebanon after their mandate expires this year.
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