The Independent World
· collected 2026-08-31 · by Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran said it struck two US bases in Jordan in retaliation after Donald Trump's forces hit two rocket launchers on Iran's Larak Island on Sunday, marking the first American strikes on the Islamic Republic since late July.
asserted
forces → say → July
The small Iranian island of Larak in the Strait of Hormuz near the strategic port of Bandar Abbas overlooks shipping lanes at the mouth of the Gulf, giving it a key role in tension over Iran, maritime security and global energy supplies.
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island → overlook → Iran
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the US attack on Iran killed and wounded several soldiers and citizens, and vowed a "response and punishment”, according to Iranian state media.
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attack → say → media
The US military claimed it took "limited, precise" action against minelaying forces of the Guards that posed an "imminent threat" in the strait.
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that → claim → strait
The exchange of fire comes as US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said new secondary sanctions were likely to be unveiled weekly in the effort to pressure Iran, with an initial focus on banks.
"We're starting with the banks, and we're telling the banks it's not okay to have Iranian money and to aid the regime," Bessent said in an interview.
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Bessent → come → interview
Iranian oil executive calls Trump's Kharg Island claims 'laughable', says oil production continuing
A top Iranian oil executive has taken a swing at Donald Trump, as he insisted US strikes on Kharg Island has not stopped production there.
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strikes → call → production
It comes after Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video clip that he said showed Iran's oil hub being blown to “smithereens”.
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hub → come → smithereens
Hamid Bovard, the chief executive of government-run National Iranian Oil Co, said the claims were “laughable”.
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claims → run → Co
He told Iranian media: “Trump’s tweets are laughable and conditions in Kharg are calm and appropriate.”
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conditions → tell → Kharg
Mr Bovard added that oil operations had not stopped and workers were busy repairing previous damage and modernising facilities.
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workers → add → facilities
“As I speak to you, several contractors are carrying out operations to rebuild and renovate storage tanks,” he said.
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he → speak → tanks
Bessent heads to the G20 to rally allies on Iran as tariffs strain ties
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wants to rally the world’s largest economies this week at a time when the United States has disrupted the international order with aggressive tariffs on major allies and an unpopular war on Iran is keeping gas prices high for consumers.
As Bessent hosts meetings of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Asheville, North Carolina, on Monday and Tuesday, he intends to put the focus on a range of issues intended to draw uncontroversial support, from economic growth to addressing mounting debt.
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he → head → debt
However, the event comes shortly after hostilities renewed between the U.S. and Iran, and as trade friction with Canada spiked following a breakdown in negotiations that led to escalating tariffs.
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that → come → tariffs
Daniel Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for European affairs in the George W. Bush administration, said the U.S. may "find it difficult to rally its usual friends and allies” under the circumstances.
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it → say → circumstances
If Bessent and other administration officials want international support, he said, they will need to “take greater care in consulting with allies and partners than the U.S. has shown in recent months.”
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U.S. → want → months
Iran releases footage purporting to show missiles launched at US military targets in Jordan
UAE condemns Iran's 'dangerous escalation' after attack
The UAE has strongly condemned Iran’s attack, calling it a “dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of its sovereignty”.
It said the UAE reserved its full right to respond and called for an immediate halt to the attacks.
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UAE → release → attacks
The foreign ministry did not provide further details on the drone, including whether it was shot down or its intended target, but its defence ministry earlier said that the air force engaged a drone over its territorial waters that had come from Iran.
Targeting Gulf states has failed, UAE presidential adviser says
The policy of targeting Gulf Arab states and Jordan has failed, a UAE presidential adviser has said.
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adviser → provide → states
In a social media post on Monday, Anwar Gargash wrote: “A state of neither war nor peace cannot be a sustainable solution.”
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state → write → war
He added that realistic political solutions should begin with de-escalation and the restoration of normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
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solutions → add → Hormuz
“What is needed today are realistic and sustainable political solutions that address the political and economic dimensions of the crisis, beginning with overcoming the escalation and returning navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its normal state, and extending to a more realistic approach that goes beyond the memorandum of understanding that failed to outline a practical and acceptable roadmap”
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that → need → roadmap
Iran’s foreign ministry said this morning that Tehran struck US military bases in the Gulf as an act of self-defence after the US attacked Larak Island.
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US → say → Island
UAE denies Al Minhad Air Base was targeted
The UAE denied reports that Al Minhad Air Base had been targeted by missiles, saying in a defence ministry statement that the reports were false.
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reports → deny → statement
The ministry said the armed forces remained on a high state of readiness to respond to any threats and safeguard the UAE’s sovereignty, security and stability.
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forces → say → sovereignty
Iran's army said this morning that it had attacked the United Arab Emirates' Al Minhad Air Base with drones, Iranian state TV reported, citing an army statement.
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TV → say → statement
The army said the attack targeted locations where U.S. forces and helicopters were stationed at the base.
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forces → say → base
Iran denies attack on Kharg Island
Oil operations at Iran's Kharg Island have not stopped, said Hamid Bovard, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company, according to Nournews.
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Bovard → deny → Nournews
The statement comes after US president Doanld Trump posted a bizarre AI-generated video and claimed that the key oil hub was being destroyed.
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hub → come → video
"Trump's tweets are laughable and conditions in Kharg are calm and appropriate," Nournews cited Bovard as saying, adding that the island, from which 90 per cent of Iranian oil exports originate, had been bombed repeatedly by US and Israeli forces in the past.
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cent → cite → past
Contractors were currently rebuilding and modernising storage tanks and jetties, he added.
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he → rebuild → tanks
UAE says it tackled drone coming from Iran
The UAE air force engaged a drone over its territorial waters that had come from Iran, the defence ministry said this morning.
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ministry → say → Iran
It did not provide further details on the drone, including whether it was shot down or its intended target.
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it → provide → shot
Iran’s foreign ministry this morning said Tehran struck US military bases in the Gulf as an act of self-defence after the US attacked Larak Island.
3.8 earthquake strikes Tehran
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck east of Tehran at 7.19am this morning, Iran International reported, citing the Tehran Emergency Organization.
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International → say → Organization
The earthquake was felt in Pardis, Bumehen and Lavasan, according to the report.
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earthquake → feel → report
Khamenei tells Gulf rulers to confront ‘real enemy’ for Islamic Unity Week
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Muslim nations, particularly those in the Gulf, to unite against their "real enemy", warning that divisions among Muslims serve the interests of their adversaries.
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divisions → tell → adversaries
The statement was published on Khamenei’s Telegram account to mark Islamic Unity Week, which commemorates the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
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which → publish → Muhammad
Advocating mutual defence and joint cooperation across various fields, it warned that anyone creating division among Muslims, "knowingly or unknowingly," ultimately assists the enemies of Islam.
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anyone → advocate → Islam
