Middle East: Iran vows response to fresh US sanctions
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Iran vowed to push back against new US "economic D-day," sanctions saying key trading partners would resist US pressure. Meanwhile, Pakistan reports progress in US-Iran mediation efforts. Follow DW for more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5JLNa Iranian says it is prepared for the impact of fresh US sanctions Image: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/picture alliance Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Here are the latest developments from the Iran war and the Middle East on Tuesday, August 25:
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08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 US plans to send evacuated diplomats back to Middle East — report The New York Times has reported that the United States is preparing to send diplomats evacuated before the start of the war with Iran back to the Middle East.
According to the report, US missions in the region could begin scaling back emergency measures and bringing Foreign Service officers back as early as this week.
Staffing levels were expected to increase at US missions in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait.
The US State Department told the newspaper it was adjusting staffing based on its latest security assessment, "to ensure we can continue advancing US foreign policy objectives while protecting the safety and security of our personnel."
08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 Strait of Hormuz sees lowest daily vessel count since May The strait has become a central flashpoint in the war between the United States and Iran Image: REUTERS Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, with just two commodity tankers transiting the vital energy chokepoint on Monday, the lowest daily total since early May.
Shipping data from Kpler showed both vessels entered the Gulf, well below the recent daily average of 14 crossings. Some ships may not have been counted after switching off navigation transponders.
Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz carried about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
Iran said it had blacklisted 45 tankers for violating passage rules and threatened action against vessels involved in ship-to-ship transfers with them.
Analysts said it remained unclear how Tehran would enforce those measures, but warned that any escalation or attack in the waterway could further disrupt traffic.
In a sign of how dangerous the crossing can be, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Monday an oil tanker was hit by an "unknown projectile" off the coast of Oman.
The vessel was disabled but the crew was reported safe. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack.
08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 WATCH — Can Iran survive Trump's new sanctions? Iran's leaders are acknowledging economic hardship just as the Trump administration prepares the toughest sanctions the US has ever levied against the country. Will Tehran be able to withstand another wave of economic pressure?
Can Iran survive Trump's new sanctions? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 China vows to protect interests after new US sanctions on Iran China says it is monitoring the new US sanctions on Iran and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests Image: Johannes Neudecker/dpa/picture alliance China's cooperation with Iran complies with international law and should not be disrupted, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
"China has already stated many times that it firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian said.
"China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests," he added.
His statement comes after the United States on Monday targeted Iran's economic ties with the rest of the world.
"The new sectoral sanctions determinations issued today target five of Iran's most vital lifelines that it exploits in other countries: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
China is Iran's biggest trading partner and, according to the US, the primary buyer of Iranian oil.
08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 Gulf maritime casualties reached 20 dead, 35 injured — IMO At least 20 seafarers and port workers were killed, 35 were wounded, and one remained missing in the Gulf and nearby waters, including the Strait of Hormuz , since the start of the Iran war, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said.
The United Nations agency said 68 incidents had been confirmed, the equivalent of roughly one every two-and-a-half days.
About half the incidents involved oil tankers, while container ships and bulk carriers were also affected.
The rate of incidents eased after a mid-June agreement established a framework for peace talks, but rose again after those talks collapsed in early July.
Since then, four people were killed, 16 were injured, and one was reported missing as attacks and other incidents continued across the region.
08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 Iran vows retaliation over expanded US sanctions Iran vowed to retaliate against expanded US sanctions, saying it was "fully prepared" to respond to what it called an economic attack.
Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran had its, "own tools and know how to play the game."
His statement came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced fresh sanctions targeting 60 individuals, entities, and vessels linked to Iran.
Washington warned countries that continued trading with Iran could risk losing access to the dollar-based financial system.
You can read more about the US sanctions on Iran by clicking here .
08/25/2026 August 25, 2026 Pakistan notes progress in mediation talks Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said "significant progress" has been made in talks focused on the US-Israeli conflict with Iran…
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