The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement
WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war

US-Iran war as it happened: Iran rejects Trump’s peace plan, makes counteroffer, state TV reports; White House says talks ‘have not’ hit dead end; Albanese to hold fuel crisis national cabinet

Jack Gramenz, Sarah McPhee and Alexander Darling
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

Government not yet recommending people work from home
Trump team examines what $200 per barrel oil would mean
The latest fuel shortage numbers
Report: Iran proposing charges for ships to pass through strait
Hegseth prays for violence ‘against those who deserve no mercy’
Australia defending Gulf states, supportive of peace: Deputy PM
Visiting European leaders urge diverse alliances in ‘brutal’ world
Fuel excise cut call, better data demand planned for national cabinet
NSW needs to work towards energy independence, premier says
Barnaby Joyce calls on PM to ‘be brave enough’ to ration fuel now
Pinned post from yesterday 6.31pm
Go to latest

What we covered today

By

Thank you for joining our continuing live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East. Here’s a wrap of day 27:

  • Iran and the United States hardened their positions as diplomacy aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the war appeared to be faltering Thursday.
  • Tehran meanwhile, has moved to formalise its control over the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Industry experts described Iran as instituting a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime” with some ships paying in Chinese yuan to pass through the strait, through which 20 per cent of all oil and natural gas traded typically passes in peacetime.
  • Meanwhile, a strike group anchored by the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli drew closer to the Mideast with some 2500 Marines, and at least 1000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne have been ordered to the region.
  • More than 350 service stations nationwide remain without fuel, according to the latest data.
  • As he continues to come under attack from the opposition, Energy Minister Chris Bowen has issued a new directive forcing suppliers to sell to independent regional service stations that are running on empty.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will convene a national cabinet meeting on Monday as his government contemplates a national plan on fuel conservation.
  • Barnaby Joyce has called for fuel rationing, saying it will be “too late” when a shortage hits. Opposition industry spokesman Andrew Hastie wants a cut to fuel excise.
  • Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stood by Australia’s early support for the US intervention in Iran, but his visiting German counterpart Boris Pistorius says the conflict needs a “diplomatic solution, as soon as possible”.
  • The death toll from the war has risen to more than 1500 people in Iran, nearly 1100 people in Lebanon, 20 in Israel and 13 US military members, as well as a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region. A further two people were killed in Abu Dhabi on Thursday by falling shrapnel from a missile interception.

Latest Posts

‘Go hard, minister. Do whatever you have to’

By

Labor has intervened to secure regional fuel supply chains in one of the most drastic market interventions since petrol rationing during WWII, as Energy Minister Chris Bowen forces suppliers to sell to independent regional service stations that are running on empty.

Bowen’s moves come as the federal government shows signs of tension after weeks of pressure to fix shortages and calls from state leaders for a national approach to fuel conservation.

Read more here.

Two killed in Abu Dhabi after missile interception

By Alexander Darling

To the UAE now, where the media office of the Gulf nation’s capital Abu Dhabi has confirmed two people have died in the most recent Iranian missile attack.

“The competent authorities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi responded to an incident resulting from the fall of shrapnel in Suyahan Street following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defences, which resulted in the death of two unidentified individuals,” the office said.

View post on X

A further three people were injured and several vehicles damaged.

A total of 10 people have been killed in the UAE since the war began on February 28.

The latest missile, drone strikes

By Alexander Darling

Israel said it carried out a wave of attacks early on Thursday targeting Iranian infrastructure, and air defences were heard in Tehran, while heavy strikes were also reported around Isfahan, Iran.

Isfahan is home to a major Iranian air base and other military sites, as well as one of the nuclear sites bombed by the US during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June.

View post on X

Sirens sounded very early on Thursday morning in parts of Tel Aviv and cities in central Israel. Rescue workers said two people were injured in a blast in Kfar Qasim.

Advertisement

How the world is handling the fuel crisis

By Nick Toscano

As the war in the Middle East throttles global oil supplies for a third week, Australia is considering “light touch” ways to conserve fuel; encouraging people to work from home or use more public transport could be on the cards.

Other countries have taken a different tack. Some nations – including countries that supply Australia with fuel products – have already implemented extreme steps such as four-day work weeks or even temporary university closures to head off crippling petrol, diesel and jet-fuel shortfalls and contain the economic fallout.

Read more here.

Iran’s envoy to Japan slams US attempts to impose peace plan

By

It is not acceptable for the US to unilaterally impose a peace plan upon Tehran, Iran’s ambassador to Japan Peiman Seadat said on Thursday, as the two countries continue to wrangle over peace talks with no clear conclusion to the conflict in sight.

“It cannot be that he comes up with a peace plan and then says, ‘I will impose it,’” Seadat said in Tokyo after meeting with members of Japan’s ruling party, apparently referring to US President Donald Trump.

“No unilateral imposition. That is not acceptable,” he added.

The White House has insisted that peace talks with Iran are ongoing, even as Tehran publicly rejected US overtures and issued fresh conditions of its own to end the conflict that has wreaked havoc across the Middle East and global markets.

Asia acutely feeling energy pain

By

The Philippines has suspended spot sales of electricity until further notice due to fuel supply risks and price volatility caused by the Iran war.

The suspension was ordered under a decree that declared a state of national energy emergency to deal with the fallout from the war, including disruptions to fuel procurement.

Tricycle drivers queue in Manilla to receive cash aid amid rising fuel prices caused by the Iran war.Getty Images

The suspension follows through on plans flagged by Energy Secretary Sharon Garin in an interview with Reuters this month, in which she said the government would intervene in the market to stop a projected 16 per cent surge in power bills.

Advertisement

Qantas steps up flights to Europe as travellers scramble for options amid Iran war

By Chris Zappone

Qantas will increase flights between Australia and Europe as it responds to the strong demand driven by the fallout from the Iran war, which has resulted in thousands of flight cancellations by airlines using the Persian Gulf as a transit hub.

The nation’s biggest airline will increase flights to Paris from three to five a week, leaving from Sydney and transiting through Singapore. Departing from Sydney rather than Perth, where the flights are currently originating, will add 60 more seats on each flight, it said.

Qantas will also fly daily now from Perth to Rome, up from four flights a week.

Read more here.

Opposition call for more fuel transparency

By Alexander Darling

The federal opposition’s energy spokesperson followed Rishworth on the ABC, where he dodged a question on whether he agreed with One Nation that fuel rationing should happen now.

Barnaby Joyce called for this earlier today.

Shadow minister for energy and emissions reduction Dan Tehan and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor. Alex Ellinghausen

Dan Tehan instead tried to turn the conversation towards transparency, saying the recently appointed “fuel tsar” Anthea Harris should be out every day providing updates on exactly which stations do and don’t have fuel.

“And also updating the nation on what the situation is with regards to fertiliser. This is just a simple piece of transparency,” Tehan said.

“The thing that really concerns me is that the prime minister has this very large majority in parliament, so he thinks he can treat people like complete and utter mugs.”

Asked if the government should be spending more to get more fuel into the country, Tehan replied fuel companies didn’t need bankrolling by the Commonwealth.

Government not yet recommending people work from home

By Alexander Darling

Australia’s employment minister says the government is “not at the stage to direct people to work from home”.

On the ABC, Amanda Rishworth was asked if the government would ever get to a position where it would consider mandating this to save fuel.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth during question time at Parliament House.Alex Ellinghausen

“There is work to be done if and when – depending on the length of this crisis – where we look at other measures. But at the moment we are not directing people to work from home. But that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t sit down, if working from home works for them and employers, to come to those agreements.”

Rishworth said the government was working to make sure fuel supply was coming and getting to where it was needed.

Advertisement