Overview
- The U.S. Treasury designated an Iranian foreign-exchange house, dozens of companies and about 19 ships in recent days and Secretary Scott Bessent publicly urged allies to more aggressively disrupt networks that help Iran move oil and dollars.
- President Trump announced he paused planned strikes at the request of Gulf states, a move U.S. analysts say reflects a search for a negotiated way out rather than immediate military escalation.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping that boosted energy and political ties, and Xi called publicly for an immediate comprehensive ceasefire in the Middle East.
- Punjab and Lahore police moved to high alert for Eid al-Adha, deploying thousands of officers to secure 222 livestock markets and ordering investigations and arrests after complaints of police harassment in Gujjarpura.
- A New York Times report that U.S. and Israeli planners once discussed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a post‑attack option is circulating but remains based on unnamed sources and has not been independently verified.