Updated 10:40 PM EDT,
Sat August 22, 2026
Here’s the latest
• Economic pressure: A close ally of Iran’s supreme leader said President Donald Trump’s current rhetoric about the war stems from desperation, vowing Iran “will not submit.” The US is preparing to ramp up economic sanctions on Tehran, with further details set to be announced Monday.
• Strait of Hormuz: Iranian state media reports the country will allow Iraqi oil tankers to travel through the critical waterway. The number of ships using the strait stands at 20% of the pre-war average, according to a CNN analysis of figures from the UK’s maritime agency.
• US gas prices: Meanwhile, drivers are paying nearly $1 more per gallon for gas, as compared to a year ago. The national average gas price on Friday was $4.11 per gallon, up $0.97 from this time last year.
11 HR 4 MIN AGO
US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Friday. Evan Vucci/Reuters
US President Donald Trump played down the war with Iran, calling it a “little detour,” with his administration set to ramp up economic sanctions on Tehran.
“Look, it’s a Friday night. We have plenty of time, right? What the hell do I have to do? Go back, bomb Iran a little bit more?” Trump said at a rally in South Carolina yesterday.
CNN’s Laura Sharman, Xiaoqian Lin, Betsy Klein, and Charlotte Reck contributed to this reporting.
23 HR AGO
A person pumps gas at a Chevron gas station on August 7, in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Traffic on the Strait of Hormuz remained muted this week as compared with pre-war levels, even though US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said “oil is flowing” through the critical waterway.
The number of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz rose 27% in the past week, according to a CNN analysis of figures from the UK Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO). However, that is only 20% of the seven-day pre-war average.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Laura Sharman and Eyad Kourdi contributed reporting.
• Strait of Hormuz: Iranian state media reports the country will allow Iraqi oil tankers to travel through the critical waterway. The number of ships using the strait stands at 20% of the pre-war average, according to a CNN analysis of figures from the UK’s maritime agency.
• US gas prices: Meanwhile, drivers are paying nearly $1 more per gallon for gas, as compared to a year ago. The national average gas price on Friday was $4.11 per gallon, up $0.97 from this time last year.
11 HR 4 MIN AGO
Trump calls Iran war "a little detour" as Tehran maintains defiance
By Adam PourahmadiUS President Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Friday. Evan Vucci/Reuters
US President Donald Trump played down the war with Iran, calling it a “little detour,” with his administration set to ramp up economic sanctions on Tehran.
“Look, it’s a Friday night. We have plenty of time, right? What the hell do I have to do? Go back, bomb Iran a little bit more?” Trump said at a rally in South Carolina yesterday.
Here’s what else is going on in the Middle East:
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will hold a news conference Monday after pledging to apply measures that have “never been seen” on Iran.
- Iran pushed back on US President Donald Trump’s threat of an “economic D-Day,” calling it “a recipe for an abysmal return to full-scale classic colonialism.”
- Iran has urged Qatar to aid with the transfer to dry land of four Iranian pilots, missing since the downing of their aircraft earlier this year, after Kuwait agreed to facilitate access to the men, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
- The number of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz rose 27% in the past week, according to a CNN analysis of figures from the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO), which recorded 103 entering and 89 leaving.
CNN’s Laura Sharman, Xiaoqian Lin, Betsy Klein, and Charlotte Reck contributed to this reporting.
23 HR AGO
Latest on Iran war: Hormuz traffic remains at a trickle, gas prices up
By Xiaoqian LinA person pumps gas at a Chevron gas station on August 7, in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Traffic on the Strait of Hormuz remained muted this week as compared with pre-war levels, even though US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said “oil is flowing” through the critical waterway.
The number of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz rose 27% in the past week, according to a CNN analysis of figures from the UK Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO). However, that is only 20% of the seven-day pre-war average.
Catch up on more headlines:
- Iran pushes back: Tehran condemned Trump’s threat of an “economic D-Day,” calling it “a recipe for an abysmal return to full-scale classic colonialism.” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also said the sanctions are an “assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent Member State of the United Nations.”
- US gas prices: Drivers are paying nearly $1 more per gallon for gas, as compared to a year ago. The national average gas price on Friday was $4.11 per gallon, up $0.97 from this time last year.
- Diplomatic efforts: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Oman’s ambassador in the United States on Thursday. Their meeting came days after Trump threatened to bomb the country over their Strait of Hormuz negotiations with Iran. The foreign ministers of Oman and Iran also held a phone call to discuss navigation in the strait, according to a readout from Oman on Friday.
- Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during which they discussed the conflict in southern Lebanon, among other issues, said Aoun’s office.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Laura Sharman and Eyad Kourdi contributed reporting.
23 HR 1 MIN AGO
By Elise Hammond
Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on August 17. Reuters
This week, a two-month window for peace talks expired without a clear path to end the US war with Iran. Global oil prices have continued to rise, traffic through Middle East waterways is muted and the Strait of Hormuz remains a key sticking point.
Still, Trump said Wednesday the “situation” with Iran “was so good,” as he threatened heightened sanctions and more economic pressure on Iran.
© 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.
CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.
Timeline: What has happened this week since US and Iran missed deadline for peace talks
By Elise HammondVessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on August 17. Reuters
This week, a two-month window for peace talks expired without a clear path to end the US war with Iran. Global oil prices have continued to rise, traffic through Middle East waterways is muted and the Strait of Hormuz remains a key sticking point.
Still, Trump said Wednesday the “situation” with Iran “was so good,” as he threatened heightened sanctions and more economic pressure on Iran.
Here’s a recap of what happened this week:
- Monday: The 60-day deadline for the two sides to reach a deal toward ending the conflict passed, and Trump said there are no talks underway or scheduled with Iran. The US president told his envoys to halt their conversations with Tehran, a US official later said.
- Tuesday: Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf issued a list of demands he said the US must meet before the Strait of Hormuz reopens, including lifting sanctions on Iranian oil and ending military threats. Shortly after, Trump posted an image on social media showing the Strait of Hormuz labeled as “New US Territory.”
- Wednesday: Trump threatened “crushing economic warfare” on Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the potential move and warned that those who order or implement the levies “are liable to prosecution and punishment.” The US also imposed new sanctions against Hezbollah and designated the Lebanese militant group as an Iranian proxy.
- Thursday: The USS Abraham Lincoln began its journey home, according to a source familiar, after an extended deployment during the Iran war that drew concerns for the crew’s mental health and morale. The USS George Washington arrived in the Middle East on Wednesday to relieve the Lincoln, the military said.
- Friday: China, a major trading partner of Iran, pushed back on Trump’s threat of an “economic D-Day,” saying the sanctions “do not fit the interest of any party.” In the US, drivers are paying nearly a dollar more per gallon for gas than this time last year, as refineries face a perfect storm of wartime obstacles.
© 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.
CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.
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