The UK is set to finalise a new three-year agreement with France, pledging £662 million to bolster efforts against English Channel small boat crossings. The deal includes deploying riot-trained police to French beaches, along with new drones and helicopters, with a portion of the funding contingent on measurable reductions in crossings.
Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi has declared that Iran will never relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, asserting it as an "inalienable right." A new bill is reportedly being introduced in parliament to formalise this control, citing national security, environmental concerns, and maritime safety. This development emerges following wide-ranging US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, killing hundreds of civilians, including 110 children at a primary school.
The US Navy intercepted and seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Gulf, as confirmed by Donald Trump, who stated the vessel ignored warnings to stop. This development jeopardises a second round of peace talks in Pakistan, which Iran indicated it would not attend while the US blockade persists. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, impacting global energy prices, as the ceasefire approaches its expiry.
