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2026 Iran War: 2026-08-29

Saturday, August 29, 2026 8 updates Last updated 16:07 UTC
16:07 UTC

Pezeshkian says Iran trade fell nearly 35 percent under sanctions and naval blockade

President Masoud Pezeshkian told state media that exports and imports have slumped by nearly 35 percent because of U.S. sanctions and the naval blockade, Al Jazeera reported. He said Iran sold about 90 million barrels of oil during the brief June MoU period when sales were allowed. The government called diplomacy and defence "two complementary" tracks and said it would pursue both while focusing on inflation, jobs and reducing dollar dependence.
16:06 UTC

U.S. tells mediators Trump will not return to MoU; Iran demands full implementation first

Middle East Spectator reports the United States has told mediators that President Trump does not want to return to the June Memorandum of Understanding with Iran. Iran says it will not enter any negotiations until every clause of the MoU is fully implemented. The claim comes as Qatari and Iranian officials continue separate talks on the Strait of Hormuz.
16:05 UTC

AP: U.S. Patriot stockpiles in Europe at beyond critical levels after Iran war use

A senior U.S. official told the Associated Press that Patriot interceptor stockpiles in Europe are at "beyond critical" levels because of the Iran war. The official said U.S. forces in Europe lack enough Patriots for a sustained ballistic missile attack and would have very limited ability to stop even a single strike or a stray Russian missile. Middle East Spectator relayed the AP reporting.
10:05 UTC

Khamenei urges domestic production focus amid wartime sanctions and blockade

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, in a Government Week message carried by Middle East Spectator, thanked state managers for sustaining goods, repairs and energy under U.S.-Israeli pressure, sanctions and the naval blockade during what he called the Third Imposed War. He said Iran must prioritize domestic production, manage inflation and unemployment, reduce reliance on the dollar, and keep social cohesion, while arguing U.S. demands are not the path to prosperity.
05:04 UTC

Iran SNSC chief Rezaei calls Beirut a red line against Israeli attack

Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Beirut is a red line and Iran would respond directly to any Israeli aggression against it. He also said Iran would defend Lebanon, that MoU terms include ending the regional war and Israeli withdrawal from seized Lebanese and Gaza territory, and that no Israeli attacks on Beirut have occurred since Tehran set that equation.
05:04 UTC

Basij boats sail Strait of Hormuz after Trump claims U.S. control

Middle East Spectator posted video it says shows hundreds of Iranian citizens and Basij volunteers sailing the Strait of Hormuz in response to President Trump's claim that America controls the waterway. The channel said some boats were warned by the U.S. Navy but continued. The claim sits against the ongoing U.S.-Iran dispute over the strait's status and naval blockade.
05:04 UTC

U.S. Treasury proposes sanctions on Banque Misr UAE over alleged Iran sanctions evasion

Middle East Spectator reports the U.S. Treasury Department has proposed sanctioning Banque Misr's UAE branch and cutting its access to the U.S. financial system. The department alleges the Emirati branch helped Iran evade sanctions and fund the IRGC and Ministry of Defense. Banque Misr is one of Egypt's five largest banks.
05:04 UTC

BBC: U.S. plans to end Peshmerga security aid as Iran attacks Iraqi Kurdistan

Four sources told the BBC the Pentagon does not plan to renew a security assistance memorandum with Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government that expires on 30 September, the same day remaining coalition troops are due to leave Iraq. Kurdish officials warn the cut would leave the Peshmerga more exposed after hundreds of Iranian missile and drone strikes into the region. A Pentagon spokesperson pointed to a July statement saying Iraqi and Kurdish forces will lead the fight against ISIS; one source said a final decision on security engagement is still under review.