Strait of Hormuz

Pope urges ‘those who have the power to unleash wars’ to choose peace

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Pope Leo XIV delivers his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the City of Rome, and to the World) message from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica after celebrating the Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on April 05, 2026. [Isabella Bonotto – Anadolu Agency]

In his first Easter Sunday message since assuming the papacy, Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders to choose peace and lay down their weapons instead of unleashing wars, Anadolu reports.

“Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!” said the pontiff, speaking from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

He said the world is growing accustomed to violence, with people resigned to it and becoming “indifferent” to the deaths of thousands of people, to the “repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow,” and their economic and social consequences.

“There is an ever-increasing ‘’globalization of indifference’,” Leo said. “We cannot continue to be indifferent! And we cannot resign ourselves to evil!”

“Let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil,” he added.

Leo assumed the helm of the Catholic Church last May.

READ: US President Donald Trump issues 48-hour ultimatum to Iran over Strait of Hormuz

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Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says "Wish someone would lock him up".
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says “Wish someone would lock him up”.

Continue ReadingPope urges ‘those who have the power to unleash wars’ to choose peace

Trump says US can open Strait of Hormuz, ‘take the oil and make a fortune’

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United States President Donald Trump (R) speaks to the press before his departs the White House en route Miami, Florida on March 20, 2026, in Washington DC. [Celal Güneş – Anadolu Agency]

US President Donald Trump on Friday said the US can open the Strait of Hormuz, as well as “take the oil and make a fortune,” noting that the move would be a “gusher” for the world, Anadolu reports.

“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global oil supplies transit, has been disrupted since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran.

US President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals on Washington’s plans for the waterway.

The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global energy markets.

READ: Trump sons-backed company seeks to sell interceptor drones to Gulf states

Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Palestinians barred from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque due to restrictions imposed by Israeli forces citing Iran’s retaliatory attacks perform Friday prayers on the streets surrounding the mosque in Jerusalem on April 03, 2026. [Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency]
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says "Wish someone would lock him up".
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says “Wish someone would lock him up”.

Continue ReadingTrump says US can open Strait of Hormuz, ‘take the oil and make a fortune’

Russian, Egyptian foreign ministers support immediate ceasefire in Mideast

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Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty (L) and Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov (R) shake hands during a joint press conference following talks in Moscow, Russia on April 03, 2026. [Sefa Karacan – Anadolu Agency]

Russia and Egypt support an immediate ceasefire and a return to political and diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday, Anadolu reports.

Speaking at a joint news conference following a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, Lavrov said the talks focused on the regional crisis following what he described as a US-Israeli joint military operation.

He said the US should not simply demand that Iran unblock the Strait of Hormuz but instead end hostilities to restore functioning of the strait.

Lavrov also said that “someone” appears intent on “undermining” negotiations on the Iranian issue.

READ: Turkish president tells Putin Ankara opposes attacks on Iran, warns of Black Sea instability

“The adoption of a resolution that does not even mention that Iran has become a victim of aggression will antagonize the authorities in Tehran. This means that someone wants to undermine the negotiating prospects that had begun to emerge or were beginning to take shape,” he said.

On Thursday, Abdelatty met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During their talks, Putin proposed considering the establishment of grain and energy hubs in Egypt and said he had ordered increased grain deliveries to the country.

Both sides highlighted cooperation on energy and food security while also discussing regional tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation.

READ: US fighter jet shot down by Iran: Report

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Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Palestinians barred from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque due to restrictions imposed by Israeli forces citing Iran’s retaliatory attacks perform Friday prayers on the streets surrounding the mosque in Jerusalem on April 03, 2026. [Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency]
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says "Wish someone would lock him up".
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says “Wish someone would lock him up”.

Continue ReadingRussian, Egyptian foreign ministers support immediate ceasefire in Mideast

UN chief warns of wider Middle East war, urges de-escalation

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference as part of his visit to Lebanon in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 14, 2026. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency]

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Thursday of the consequences of the war in the Middle East, saying it is causing widespread destruction and could expand into a full regional conflict.

Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said “the world is on the edge of a wider war that would engulf the Middle East with dramatic impacts around the globe,” noting that its impact is already being felt in many countries, “in the daily lives of people struggling with rising food and energy costs.”

He said “Every day this war continues, human suffering grows,” warning that any disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would directly affect the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

Guterres added that attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure, along with rising food and energy prices, are placing increasing pressure on societies worldwide, stressing that continued escalation will only worsen the situation.

He called for an end to what he described as a “spiral of death and destruction”, urging the protection of civilians and vital facilities, including nuclear sites, and the safeguarding of international maritime navigation.

READ: Iran publishes lists of regional bridges in possible ‘tit-for-tat’ retaliation after US-Israeli attack

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Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingUN chief warns of wider Middle East war, urges de-escalation

Triple veto blocks Arab push to reopen Strait of Hormuz by force

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Commercial ships anchor off the coast of the United Arab Emirates due to navigation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Dubai on March 2, 2026. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Russia, China and France have blocked a broad Arab initiative aimed at securing international backing for military action against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported.

According to a diplomat and senior United Nations official, Arab states sought a resolution “authorising the use of force” to ensure global freedom of navigation. However, the effort failed due to opposition from the three countries, which hold veto power.

Russia, China and France said their stance was based on a “principled opposition to any language authorising force”. This position has been widely interpreted as effectively allowing Iran to continue holding the global economy hostage and restricting the flow of oil and goods.

The development highlights deep divisions within the international community. France aligned with Russia and China in blocking what was described as a necessary military decision against Tehran, while the United States and Israel continue their military actions against Iran and reject calls for a ceasefire.

READ: Iran publishes lists of regional bridges in possible ‘tit-for-tat’ retaliation after US-Israeli attack

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

  • Relates to a UN Security Council resolution which was defeated – through being opposed – by Russia, China and France.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingTriple veto blocks Arab push to reopen Strait of Hormuz by force