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Iran says coastal attack will lead to full Gulf closure and mine-laying

An attack on Iran's southern coast and islands will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, the country's Defence Council said on Monday, according to state media. The US is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, according to Axios. "Any attempt to attack Iran's coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf (...) to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast," the statement read. "In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time (...) One should not forget the failure of more than 100 minesweepers in the 1980s in removing a few sea mines." The Defence Council recalled that non-belligerent states can only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating passage with Iran...
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Trump faces stock manipulation charges after 90-day tariff pause

US President Donald Trump’s unexpected move to pause tariffs on most trading partners sent global markets surging on Wednesday, but also drew swift criticism from political opponents, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has accused the administration of market manipulation. The announcement, made less than 24 hours after Trump imposed steep new duties, was widely seen as a dramatic reversal — one that briefly cooled trade tensions and lifted investor sentiment. Global indices closed sharply higher, and the US dollar gained ground as traders recalibrated their outlook. Despite the immediate market euphoria, the policy shift has triggered a wave of scrutiny. Senator Warren has called for a formal investigation, alleging that the White House may be using tariff policy to create artificial market volatility that benefits wealthy donors and insiders. “This smells like corruption,” Warren posted on X. “Trump’s tariff flip-flopping may have allowed insiders to cash in, while working Americans and small businesses are left paying the price.” The Massachusetts senator further argued that Trump's erratic tariff actions — including raising levies on Chinese imports to 125% while pausing them for others — have contributed to rising economic uncertainty and damaged investor confidence. Market analysts are divided on the long-term impact. Some see the tariff suspension as a welcome de-escalation in global trade tensions. Others warn that the unpredictability of U.S. trade policy under Trump continues to pose serious risks. “This on-again, off-again approach to tariffs undermines stability,” said Sarah Lin, a trade policy analyst at the Global Markets Institute. “It creates a climate where policy becomes impossible to predict — and markets hate unpredictability.” The White House has not commented on the allegations, but the President previously defended his tariff strategy as a necessary tool to protect U.S. industries and to pressure trading partners, particularly China. While some tariffs remain paused for 90 days, those aimed at China are set to stay in place — keeping trade tensions with Beijing high. In the meantime, markets continue to watch closely, navigating a policy landscape that shifts by the day.

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