Iran's football team's plane returns after entry denied in Iraq due to US sanctions

An Iraqi civil aviation official told Reuters that the decision was taken because the country could not risk violating US sanctions on Iranian airlines.

A Treasury Department spokesperson said Bessent “will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats”, adding that he remained committed to carrying out the administration's campaign to put pressure on Iran. Bessent at centre of US economic pressure campaign against Iran Bessent has led Washington's economic pressure campaign against Tehran since August, seeking to isolate Iran financially through tougher sanctions and restrictions on trade routes. The campaign aims to cut off funding to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's most powerful military force, which also controls a substantial part of the country's economy, according to The New York Times. The Treasury Department has imposed financial restrictions targeting individuals, companies, maritime networks and participants in Iran's oil trade as part of the broader effort to restrict Tehran's revenue and its ability to finance military operations. The campaign has been pursued alongside the US-Israeli military offensive against Iran, which began on February 28. Strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, along with Israeli attacks in Lebanon, have killed thousands and displaced millions across the region.

“As always, when faced with a choice between the gravity of the moment and the resilience of Israeli society on one hand, and his political survival on the other, Netanyahu will always choose himself.

The president also described Massie as a “stone cold loser” and said he would stand by Hegseth even if the House voted to impeach him.

He described the negotiations as showing “positive momentum” and said there was a “good chance” the conflict could end.

US President Donald Trump met with his national security team on Thursday to discuss whether to resume military operations against Iran, saying Washington would soon decide whether to launch further strikes or pursue other options to end the conflict.

In an interview with The New York Times, Rubio rejected speculation that he might step down ahead of a possible 2028 presidential campaign and declined to discuss his political ambitions.

The remark referred to the defeat of a California ballot measure that would have required voters to show government-issued photo identification when casting ballots in person or provide identification numbers when voting by mail.

The White House had announced on Tuesday that Melania Trump would host representatives from Russia and Ukraine on Thursday to discuss the ceasefire and the humanitarian operation.

He later apologised, saying he was “sorry” to “anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful”.