23h04
This live is over
Thanks for following along with us.
23h04
Trump says Iran talks are ‘on the wire’
Donald Trump has sent contradictory signals since announcing on Monday that he was renouncing further strikes in order to leave time for negotiations, oscillating between optimism and threats of a resumption of hostilities.
“We’ll see what happens. Either we will reach an agreement or we will take slightly tougher measures. But I hope that will not happen,” declared the American president.
“It’s on the line, believe me. If we don’t get the right answers, it can go very quickly. We are all ready to act. You have to get the right answers. They must be completely, 100% satisfactory.”
20h02
US military says it has boarded an Iranian-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Oman
The American army announced that it had boarded an Iranian-flagged oil tanker suspected of trying to circumvent the American blockade of Iranian ports on Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman, adding that it had hijacked a total of 91 vessels to enforce compliance with this measure.
19h28
Iran announces “examining” a new American proposal, after the visit of a Pakistani mediator
Iran explains “examining” a new American proposal as part of the visit of the Pakistani Minister of the Interior to Tehran, mediator in these discussions between the two belligerents.
“We have received the views of the American side and we are currently examining them,†the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared on state television, while expressing his “great mistrust†towards the United States.
He also reiterated the demands of the Islamic Republic: “the unfreezing of Iranian assets blocked” abroad and the end of the American blockade of Iranian ports.
19h27
The Paris Stock Exchange ends sharply higher, won by optimism
The Paris Stock Exchange ended sharply higher on Wednesday, benefiting from hopes of a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East which caused a sharp decline in oil prices. The flagship index of the Paris Stock Exchange, the CAC40, ended up 1.70% at 8,117.42 points. The day before, the Parisian index had lost 0.07% to 7,981.76 points.
Investors have regained their optimism and their appetite for risk after statements by American President Donald Trump assuring that negotiations with Tehran to find a solution to the conflict in the Middle East have entered their “final phase”.
19h26
Former Iranian national team football goalkeeper imprisoned
Iran has imprisoned a former goalkeeper of the men’s national football team, who published a message in February that was very critical of former supreme guide Ali Khamenei, his wife announced on social networks.
17h57
Israeli Supreme Court confirms ban on 37 NGOs operating in Palestinian territories
The Israeli Supreme Court has upheld the ban on 37 foreign humanitarian NGOs from operating in the Palestinian Territories, the government reported on Wednesday.
The authorities decided last year to require these organizations, for “security” reasons, to transmit lists of their Palestinian employees in order to be authorized to work in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem.
However, NGOs, including MSF, which has lost 15 employees in Gaza since the start of the war in 2023, argued that they did not wish to share the list of their employees out of fear for their security.
17h55
Interest rates on US debt fall with renewed hope of a deal
The cost of debt in the United States falls after remarks by American President Donald Trump, assuring that negotiations with Tehran have entered their “final phase”.
Around 3:35 p.m. GMT, the ten-year yield on American government bonds was at 4.57%, compared to 4.67% at the close the day before. Its 30-year equivalent went from 5.18% to 5.11%.
5:51 p.m
Oil loses more than 5% with hopes of progress in Middle East negotiations
Oil prices fell further on Wednesday after Donald Trump’s remarks to a pool of journalists in Washington, discussing the “last phase” of negotiations with Iran to find a solution to the conflict in the Middle East.
17h50
In Gaza, Hamas is the “main obstacle” to the peace plan, according to the “Peace Council”
The Palestinian movement Hamas is “the main obstacle” to the establishment of the second phase of the truce in Gaza, estimates the “Peace Council” created by Donald Trump in its first report to the UN Security Council.
16h45
Saudi Arabia welcomes Trump who “gives diplomacy a chance” and calls on Iran to seize it
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhane on Wednesday welcomed the fact that US President Donald Trump is “giving diplomacy a chance”, calling on Iran to seize the opportunity to avoid an “escalation”.
16h29
Israeli army says it is on “maximum alert level”
The Israeli army claims to be “at maximum alert level”, after new exchanges of threats between the United States and Iran. “We have hit and weakened Iran and the entire (pro-Iranian) axis systematically, powerfully and methodically. We will continue to act as long as necessary, both on the near and distant fronts,” declared the army chief during a meeting with commanders.
16h03
Iran prepares ‘strong response’ to any new attack
Mohammad Ghalibaf adds that Iran must “strengthen its preparations in order to provide a strong response to any new attack”, assuring that “Iran would never give in to intimidation”.
15h49
Chief negotiator Ghalibaf says US ‘seeks to start new war’
The main Iranian negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accuses the United States of wanting to restart the war, while still hoping for a surrender by the Islamic Republic.
“The enemy’s maneuvers, both public and behind the scenes, show that, despite economic and political pressure, it has not given up its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war,” declared the man who is also the President of Parliament in an audio message relayed by Iranian media.
3:30 p.m.
Iran claims to have let 26 ships pass through Hormuz in 24 hours
“Over the past 24 hours, 26 ships – including oil tankers, container ships and other commercial vessels – have crossed the Strait of Hormuz,” the Revolutionary Guard Navy said on X. It added that they passed after “a cooperation” with her. Without specifying whether it involves payment of money.
3:12 p.m.
The very controversial video on the “Gaza flotilla”
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video of activists from the “Gaza Flotilla” kneeling with their hands tied, after their interception at sea and their detention in southern Israel. “Welcome to Israel, we are at home,” he says in these images published on Telegram, with the Israeli national anthem in the background.
A “shameful” video according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, “inadmissible” for Rome, the illustration of the “moral depravity and sadism” of Tel-Aviv, according to the Hamas terrorist movement.
14h38
An “agri-food shock” because of Hormuz?
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, warned this Wednesday of the risk of seeing the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz cause a serious global food price crisis in the coming year.
It is necessary to “establish alternative trade routes, show moderation in terms of export restrictions, protect humanitarian flows and build up reserves to absorb rising transport costs,” says the organization.
14h09
Political revolution coming to Israel?
The Israeli Parliament validated this Wednesday (in preliminary reading) a bill aimed at dissolving this assembly, which will pave the way for early legislative elections.
Of the 120 deputies sitting in the Knesset, 110 approved the text, which must still go before a committee before three new votes before Parliament. Elections will be held within 90 days.
Benjamin Netanyahu, 76 years old, including more than 18 years in power, dreams of a final mandate.
13h58
The Emirates call on Iraq
The United Arab Emirates calls on Baghdad to prevent “any hostile acts emanating from its territory, and to deal with these threats quickly, immediately and responsibly”. A drone strike identified by the Gulf emirate as coming from Iraq caused a fire on Sunday near the Barakah nuclear power plant.
12h22
Trump’s agenda (three) flou
As a reminder, the American president launched new threats against Iran on Tuesday, in order to reach an agreement. When could new American strikes take place? In “two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something like that, maybe early next week,” he said?
