China’s weaker oil demand eases Iean war energy shock – FT

US President Donald Trump privately told aides he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran killed American troops, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.

The officials said the pause in airstrikes remained in place despite continued skirmishes.

Trump’s reluctance to resume the war suggests he may be willing to tolerate smaller flare-ups to avoid a wider conflict in the Middle East, the report said.

Efforts to divide supporters and opponents of negotiations with the US are a “fifth column” tactic, said a member of Iran’s Expediency Council on Thursday.

Referring to the records of Islamic Republic officials, Mohammadreza Bahonar said branding some of them as traitors or spies would call into question the country’s governance.

He said political labels such as reformist and principlist lose meaning in wartime circumstances, adding that the aim was to create division.

US Representative Tim Burchett said on Wednesday he was not concerned about a House-passed measure seeking to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers regarding Iran, saying it was unlikely to advance in the Senate.

Burchett said Democrats brought the measure to a vote when several Republican lawmakers were absent. “It won’t go anywhere in the Senate, I am not really worried about it,” he posted on X.

Burchett also said the United States should ensure Iran’s uranium stockpile is secured, adding, “We better get that uranium out of the ground or they will be using it on us over there, so we will see what happens.”

Israel Ambassador to US, Yechiel (Michael) Leiter said on Wednesday Israel and Lebanon share an interest in reducing Iran’s influence in the region, following the announcement of a US-brokered ceasefire framework between the two countries.

“What today’s outcome reiterates: Israel and Lebanon want Iran out of our region,” Leiter posted on X. “Together, we will work to make sure that Iran and its terror proxies won’t continue to wreak havoc on our lives in the name of terror and destruction.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that "no tangible progress" been made in negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the regional conflict, according to remarks carried by IRGC affiliated Tasnim News.

Araghchi said communication channels with Washington remain open and messages have been exchanged regarding the need to halt attacks on Beirut. However, he said the diplomatic process had yet to produce concrete results.