on Thursday dismissed U.S. s threats of economic pain and isolation, while the U.K and other nations condemned Israel over a controversial settlement project.
Meanwhile, Syria鈥檚 foreign minister visited Pakistan, which is seeking to defuse tensions between the United States and Iran.
Here鈥檚 a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Thursday. Full coverage can be found .
Iran denounces Trump’s economic threat
Iran鈥檚 Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected the economic threats made against his country, saying that such 鈥渇ailed policies鈥� will stir more hostility among Iranians and 鈥渂ring more failures.鈥�
Araghchi’s comments came a few hours after threatened 鈥渃rushing economic measures鈥� against Iran. Trump promised 鈥淓conomic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,鈥� but provided few details.
In a social media post, Araghchi maintained the threats aim to divert the attention of the U.S. public from domestic financial problems, adding that the U.S. 鈥渆conomic terrorism threatens the global economy and the national sovereignty of countries around the world.鈥�
Planned West Bank settlement project draws rebuke from UK and others
Several countries condemned the latest development in a near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the occupied in two.
Israel鈥檚 Ministry of Construction and Housing issued a tender for constructing several compounds with more than 1,200 homes in total in an open tract of land east of Jerusalem. It鈥檚 in a project for more than two decades, which critics say would prevent the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state in the territory.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the publication of the tender 鈥渁n unacceptable and destructive act鈥� and denounced 鈥渟ettler violence and terrorism.鈥� In a statement released on Wednesday, he added that the British government 鈥渄emanded an immediate reversal鈥� and had summoned the Israeli Charg茅 d鈥橝ffaires.
Egypt and Jordan also condemned Israel鈥檚 move, which Cairo said would isolate east Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded on Thursday by defending 鈥渢he historic right of the Jewish people to reestablish their national home in the Land of Israel 鈥� including in the area in question.鈥� Saar criticized Britain鈥檚 government for 鈥渂laming only Israel while ignoring Palestinian extremism.鈥�
Turkey denies delegation had visited air base in Syria that was hit by Israel
Turkey has denied that a Turkish military delegation had visited an that was hit by Israeli airstrikes, and vowed to continue supporting Syria in its efforts to rebuild its military.
The Israeli strikes targeted the Abu Duhur base early on Tuesday, causing damage but no casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 office said Israel had attacked the base because Syria was 鈥渙n the verge of breaching鈥� an agreed-upon 鈥渟tatus quo in security matters鈥� by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there.
Syrian officials have said that a Turkish delegation visited the base before the Israeli strike to review rehabilitation work underway there.
鈥淲e state that no Turkish military delegation was present at the base before or during Israel鈥檚 strike on the Abu al鈥慫uhur air base,鈥� Turkey’s defense ministry said in a statement. It said Turkey would continue to support Syria鈥檚 infrastructure and military capacity-building efforts.
The attack drew condemnation from Turkey, Syria and a number of Arab countries.
Syria’s top diplomat discusses Middle East in Pakistan
Syria’s Foreign Minister has arrived in Islamabad for talks expected to focus on regional issues, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The visit comes days after Israeli airstrikes targeted an air base in northern Syria, causing damage but no casualties.
Pakistani officials say the country’s political and military leadership remains in contact with both Iran and United States over efforts to de-escalate tensions and push for the resumption of talks after a 60-day deadline under a June memorandum of understanding expired. The agreement was brokered by Pakistan with help from regional countries.
Pakistani crew members killed in Houthi attack are repatriated
The bodies of two Pakistanis killed in last week鈥檚 on a Tanzanian-flagged in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have been repatriated to Pakistan.
Six Pakistani sailors who were injured in the attack have also safely returned to the country, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a post on X.
Dar thanked Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Foreign Ministry for its cooperation, including medical assistance.
鈥淧akistan condemns the attack in the strongest terms and reiterates that the safety and security of seafarers must be ensured at all times,鈥� Dar said.
Oman reaffirms commitment to maritime security
An Omani official said that ensuring safe passage through the is 鈥渋nseparable from the security and prosperity of the wider region.鈥�
Speaking at a press briefing alongside his Japanese counterpart, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al鈥態usaidi said lasting security in the strait requires 鈥渓asting peace in the region,鈥� which can only be achieved through restraint and sustained diplomacy.
Earlier in the week, Iran announced it had reached an understanding with Oman on a framework for ship transit through the strait, which run between the two countries, and that both sides are working to finalize the details for a joint statement.
Shipping has been disrupted and the strait has been virtually closed since the Iran war started on Feb. 28. Before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, about one-fifth of the world鈥檚 traded oil and natural gas passed through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
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