2026 Iran War: 2026-09-28

War Monitors reported Iran denied involvement in the suspected plot targeting a U.S.-operated air base in England. UK counter-terrorism policing said all arrested suspects are UK nationals and that the five men detained near RAF Fairford would be released on bail, with the investigation opening multiple new lines of enquiry.

War Monitors reported Brent crude futures gained more than 4% to $108.75 a barrel, the highest since Sept. 15, after stalled U.S.-IRGC peace efforts. U.S. crude futures also rose more than 4% to a session high of $96.44.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran does not care about U.S. midterm elections and stands ready both to negotiate and to face any aggression, even a doomsday war. In a separate remark carried by Middle East Spectator, he said there is little reason to trust U.S. diplomacy after prior talks were followed by attacks and a broken MoU, but that Iran is trying diplomacy one last time.

Reuters reported that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said enemy forces do not dare enter the Gulf and that the Arabian Sea would soon be cleared of enemies. Middle East Spectator summarized a related Holy Defense Week message in which he said the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz had been emptied of American military presence and that U.S. forces would eventually be expelled from the Arabian Sea as well.

NBC News, citing three US officials, reported that eight Marines were injured on Sept. 14 when an Iranian cruise missile hit the ship they were operating on in the Strait of Hormuz. Officials said the injuries were not serious but included smoke inhalation and possible concussion symptoms. Middle East Spectator separately said the Marines were aboard a US-contracted vessel rather than a US warship. The attack had not been previously disclosed publicly.

President Trump told reporters the UK arrests near RAF Fairford were "fantastic" and that British and US authorities had monitored the suspects for some time because they intended to cause major damage at the US bomber base. British police earlier said five men were arrested on explosives and terrorism suspicions after three vans were reported near the base, with bomb disposal teams examining vehicles and about 85 households evacuated. Police have not publicly named any state or group behind the plot.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told NBC Meet the Press that during earlier talks aimed at ending the war, Washington offered to sell Iran uranium for civilian use under tight controls similar to the UAE model, and that Tehran refused. Waltz said the Trump administration remains open to Iran keeping a civilian programme if it accepts NPT obligations and inspections, including options for Iran to hand over highly enriched material.