Iran moves from defensive to ‘fully offensive’ policy toward US and sets deadline for full MoU implementation within the next few weeks, Iranian official says
i24NEWS
August 16, 2026 at 11:21 PM ■ latest revision August 17, 2026 at 02:44 PM
Eight Muslim countries say Israel ‘bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to achieve peace’ after rejecting Trump’s Gaza plan, in a joint statement of foreign ministers. The signatories included Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. The countries say they condemn Israel’s public rejection of the Gaza peace plan, which “fundamentally undermines the collective efforts exerted to achieve a just and lasting peace.” The ministers reiterate the “urgent need” for the full and immediate implementation of a comprehensive plan, “which would contribute to addressing the dire humanitarian situation, ensuring security and stability for all in Gaza, paving the way for reconstruction and recovery, and advancing the achievement of a just and lasting peace based on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.”
Meanwhile, US Envoy Jared Kushner alongside Board of Peace high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to Egypt to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. According to the Egyptian President’s office, Kushner and Sisi discussed implementation of the Gaza ceasefire. The meeting focused on translating roadmap commitments into concrete, verifiable steps to preserve the ceasefire and begin transferring government authority in Gaza to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, i24NEWS learned from a source familiar with the conversation. READ MORE FROM SUNDAY
August 17, 2026
02:44 PM
Araghchi condemns attack on Iraqi Kurdistan PM Barzani’s office, warns Kurdish leaders of ‘false-flag ploys’
08:59 AM
Iran moves from defensive to ‘fully offensive’ policy toward US and sets deadline for full MoU implementation, Iranian official says
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran has decided to shift from a defensive posture to a “fully offensive” policy, warning that it will not wait indefinitely for the US naval blockade to continue. Iran has set Washington a deadline of several weeks to fully implement the memorandum of understanding, the official said, adding that Iranian entities are prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and across the region if diplomacy fails. The timeframe is expected to be conveyed to the US and regional countries through mediators.07:29 AM
‘If Oman gets in the way, the US will bomb the s*** out of them,’ US President Trump tells Fox News as Iran and Oman continue Hormuz talks
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Kushner, BoP officials meet Netanyahu following meeting with Hamas delegation in Cairo
Alongside Kushner are senior Board of Peace officials Tony Blair and Nikolay Mladenov05:31 AM
“There is no provision titled ‘60-day deadline” in the text of the memorandum of understanding,” says Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, contradicting statements made by President Trump
Baghaei said that instead of a deadline, “what was stipulated in the memorandum was merely a 60-day period for discussions on two issues: ‘lifting sanctions’ and ‘the nuclear issue.’” If no result was reached, this period could be extended the foreign minister stated
He also said no talks between the US and Iran were initiated due to the “gross and widespread violations of the June 18 MoU by the US”03:36 AM
Iran’s Army announces financial reward for killing US forces
Iran’s Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Amir Hatami announced a financial reward for anyone who kills or captures a US soldier, declaring the era of American military presence in the Persian Gulf is over, Iranian state-affiliated Mehr News Agency reported
Speaking at a ceremony marking National Journalists’ Day, Hatami said a new public crowdfunding initiative would offer 5 billion Tomans, about $30,000, to anyone who kills or captures a US soldier and hands them over to authorities. He said Iranian women who accomplish this would receive double the reward, and that the weapon used would be purchased by the Army at twice its market value and displayed in a museum12:56 AM
IRGC send commanders to Yemen’s Houthis areas, supply intelligence, for stepped-up confrontation with Saudi Arabia – report
ugust 16, 2026
11:43 PM
Shipping through Strait of Hormuz slows sharply after tanker attacks
Vessel traffic through the vital waterway has nearly ground to a halt following attacks on tankers last week, as US-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remain stalled.
Only five commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, with none recorded Sunday, down from 31 the prior weekend, Kpler shiptracking data showed. Traffic collapsed after the UAE said three ADNOC-operated vessels were attacked in transit last week.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Washington must meet Iran’s conditions for shipping to resume.11:38 PM
Erdogan: ‘Türkiye will not hesitate to fight’ if attacked
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed Lebanon, potential conflict with Israel, and a new mutual defense pact in an interview with Al Jazeera. He said Ankara is working with Washington to protect Beirut while warning against any attack on Türkiye.
Erdogan said Israel is “naturally the aggressor” in Lebanon, which he said is “currently being subjected to continuous Israeli attacks.”
On the possibility of war with Israel, Erdogan said, “We are not talking about war, we are talking about peace.” He added that if Türkiye were attacked, “Türkiye will not hesitate to fight that war and will not run from it.”
Erdogan also addressed the Mecca Agreement, comparing it to NATO’s Article 5. He said Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan would defend one another “against any kind of attack” under the mutual defense pact.11:37 PM
‘This is big,’ Trump praises Mecca agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan
In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said the agreement shows how “the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way.” He ended his post by adding that the agreement was a “big, bold, and important first step.”
