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10:05
Israeli Strikes On Iran Oil Depots May Amount To War Crimes, Says Rights Group
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Israeli air strikes on oil depots around Tehran in March may have caused serious long-term harm to civilians and could constitute war crimes.
In areportpublished on April 13, the organization said attacks on infrastructure that is primarily civilian in nature and causes foreseeable harm "are violations of international humanitarian law and are likely war crimes."
The strikes took place on March 7 when Israel targeted four oil depots in the Tehran area. Iranian authorities reported the following day that "four sites used for storing and distribution of petroleum products and a petroleum products transport centerwere attacked by hostile enemy aircraft."
On the same day, the Israel Defense Forces announced it had struck "several fuel storage complexes" in Tehran that belonged to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on March 7 and 8 shows fire erupting at an oil depot in Iran's capital, Tehran.
HRW said the attacks could have severe long-term consequences for those living in Iran. The strikes "may have devastating consequences on the environment and people's health for many years and likely amount to war crimes," wrote HRW researcher Bahar Saba.
"Israeli forces don't appear to have factored in the foreseeable long-term harmand should be held accountable," she added.
The organization said it based its findings on interviews with eight people in Tehran and Karaj, consultations with nine environmental and health experts, and analysis of satellite imagery and verified videos.
HRW wrote to Israeli and Iranian authorities on March 26 requesting clarification. Iranian officials did not respond. Israeli officials replied on March 30, saying the strikes were "conducted in accordance with the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions."
They added that the targeted facilities were "to provide fuel directly to units in the regime's armed forcesincluding aviation, UAVs, [and] naval vessels."
Flames and smoke rise from the Shahran oil depot in Tehran.
HRW said it had confirmed that the oil depots were used for "civilian purposes" but noted it could not determine whether they were also used for military support.
An informed source told the organization that "the oil depots only contained gasoline and dieselnot used for aviation, UAVs, or naval vessels."
The rights group concluded that, given the foreseeable environmental and health damage, the strikes raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.
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07:39
UN Secretary-General Says 'No Military Solution' To Iran War
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for continued diplomacy to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, stressing that a negotiated solution is the only viable path forward.
In a post on X on April 14, Guterres said "after weeks of destruction & distress, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East," and urged all sides to pursue dialogue.
He also emphasized that "freedom of navigation must be respected," underscoring the importance of maintaining international law in key waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.
His remarks come after recent talks between Iran and the United States ended without a breakthrough.
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06:56
Length Of Uranium Enrichment Ban Reportedly A Major Stumbling Block In US-Iran Talks
The length of a ban on the enrichment of uranium was a key obstacle to reaching a deal in US-Iran peace talks last weekend in Islamabad, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
The outlets, citing US officials close to the negotiations, said Washington was seeking a 20-year moratorium on enrichment in exchange for relief from US sanctions on Tehran. The New York Times added that Iran's negotiating team offered a counter proposal of five years.
Neither US or Iranian officials have confirmed or commented on the reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 13 that Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation in Islamabad, had told him removing of all of Iran's uranium that has been enriched to a level of 60 percent is a "central issue" for Trump.
Netanyahu added that Trump also wants to ensure "that there is no further enrichment in the years ahead -- even decades ahead -- no enrichment within Iran."
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06:41
Delays And Rising Costs: Central Asia Feels Fallout From Iran War
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By
RFE/RL's Tajik Service
In Dubai, rows of cars bound for Kyrgyzstan are sitting idle. Aktilik Alipbay uulu, a Kyrgyz importer based in the city, isnt sure when they'll move.
We havent received clear information like load now, it will arrive in 3540 days, he says. So, we are keeping the cars in garages. These are entrusted goods. If something happens at the port, it would mean losses for us.
Previously, cars shipped by ferry across the Persian Gulf to Iranian ports then traveled overland to Bishkek. With the war in Iran, that supply chain has slowed significantly.
The strait is not completely closed, cars are still moving, but they are being held in ports for 1520 days or even up to a month. We are trying to get them out to Kyrgyzstan, but there are serious delays. They are stuck in Iranian ports, says Alipbay uulu.
People at the ports are afraid to release shipments because missiles are being fired across the Persian Gulf. Thats why the cargo is being held up. Thats why everything is being held up.
To read the full report, clickhere.
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01:14
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
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01:10
Vance Says Ball In Tehran's Court After 'Progress' In Peace Talks In Islamabad
US Vice President JD Vance says the ball is now in Iran's court after peace talks last weekend in Islamabad made "a lot of progress."
Speaking to Fox News in an interview on April 13, Vance said that during the peace talks, which lasted around 20 hours, "we actually made very clear what our red lines were."
"I really think the ball is in the Iranian court, because we put a lot on the table," Vance said.
He added that during the talks, it was made clear that US President Donald Trump had no flexibility with regard to Iran's enriched uranium, which Washington must have, and the verification mechanism that would ensure Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons in the future.
"It's one thing for the Iranians to say that they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. It's another thing for us to put in place the mechanism to ensure that's not going to happen," Vance said.
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23:42
13.4.2026
Toll Booths and Tankers: How the US Navy and Economic Sanctions Aim To Squeeze Tehran
WASHINGTON --A US naval blockade on ships entering Iranian ports and coastal areas took effect on April 13 as Washington increasingly turns to "economic statecraft" to force Tehran to agree on a peace deal after weeks of air strikes.
RFE/RL spoke with Max Meizlish, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a former official at the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), on the intersection of naval blockades and financial warfare.
Meizlish argues that while kinetic air strikes grab headlines, the real battle is being fought against the Chinese financial lifelines and clandestine trade networks that keep the Iranian regime afloat.
To read the full interview, clickhere.
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22:47
13.4.2026
Touting US Oil Reserves, Trump Says 'We Don't Need The Strait' As Blockade Begins
Telling reporters that a US naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz had started, US President Donald Trump said other countries are turning to US oil and gas to compensate.
Speaking at the White House on April 13, Trump also that "the appropriate people" want to strike a deal to end the standoff.
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