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Economic confidence plummets in US amid Iran war, poll shows

currently at -56. It was the worst set of findings on the economy that the index recorded since 2022 when the cost of living rose after the [COVID-19 pandemic](/news/2026/5/12/why-the-hantavirus-outbreak-is-different-from-covid-19) and Russia’s invasion

Trump needs Xi much more than Xi needs Trump

Tehran has effectively choked off the Strait of Hormuz, with over a dozen US warships now enforcing a blockade that has rerouted dozens of vessels, sending shockwaves through global energy markets and raising fears

Iran's flurry of diplomacy, as Trump insists U.S. has 'the cards'

Tehran. [](https://www.npr.org/2026/04/18/nx-s1-5761904/lebanon-war-israel-hezbollah-displacement-ceasefire) ### [Middle East conflict

Does Trump hold ‘all the cards’ against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz?

situation” should be “carried out in coordination with the armed forces”. On Monday, the Iranian Fars news agency reported that a US warship had been hit by two Iranian drones, the claim was denied

Trump shifts between diplomacy and threats in Iran standoff

economic warfare”, “remake the world in America’s energy dominance image”, and “order the US military to forge a path through [the Strait of Hormuz](https://nypost.com/2026/05/01/us-news/iran-eyeing-mine-carrying-dolphins-to-attack-us-warships-in-strait-of-hormuz/) to restore freedom of navigation

Pakistan’s army chief in Iran as US’s Rubio says ‘slight progress’ in talks

situation,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ⁠Baghaei said on Friday. Iranian state media quoted Baghaei as saying the gaps between Tehran and Washington are “deep and significant”. “We cannot necessarily say that we have

Will Iran give up on ceasefire talks as strait of Hormuz blockade continues?

situation was the incubator for the protests in January. ![Esmaeil Baghaei speaks at a press conference. He stands against a blue background with an outline map of the region and next to a green, white

Uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz remains, as ceasefire nears its end

current ceasefire with Iran expires next week. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Friday night, asked by a reporter what he will do if there's no deal before the ceasefire expires, Trump said

‘Homeland or death’: How Cuba would defend itself against a US attack

Tehran since February 28, though a fragile ceasefire is in place — said Malamud. Any attack on Cuba, he said, carries with it the very real possibility of Cuban retaliation reaching American cities. “The capacity

Pakistan scrambles to salvage US-Iran diplomacy as ceasefire faces collapse

currently parked in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire period and bear no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement,” the ministry said. The Foreign Ministry also pointed out that any significant foreign military

Are Iran, US really close to a breakthrough ‘deal’?

situation in the Strait of Hormuz is more insecure due to US actions.” Baghaei acknowledged that the “mediators are active and we have clearly communicated our positions to them”, referring to Qatar and Pakistan