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The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has asked the European Commission to activate its blocking statute to prevent compliance with US sanctions on the international criminal court (ICC) over its investigation into Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The EU blocking statute is a legal mechanism that would effectively allow European companies to ignore the US sanctions.

In a post on X, Sánchez wrote:

Spain does not look the other way. Sanctioning those who defend international justice puts the entire human rights system at risk.

The EU cannot remain idle in the face of this persecution.

That is why, today, we ask the Commission to activate the Blocking Statute, to protect the independence of the international criminal court and the United Nations, and their actions to end the genocide in Gaza.

Donald Trump signed an executive order in February last year that authorises aggressive economic sanctions against the ICC, accusing the body of “illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the US and Israel.

The US president issued the order in response to the court’s decision in 2024 to approve prosecutor Karim Khan’s requests for arrest warrants against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has spoken on the phone with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, according to a statement on the former’s Telegram channel.

The statement said:

The parties in this conversation, whilst reviewing the latest regional developments, stressed the continuation of the path of diplomacy and cooperation between regional countries to prevent the emergence and escalation of tension.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been deeply distrustful of each other, and regional tensions have escalated sharply since the US and Israel launched strikes against Tehran on 28 February. Iran has responded with retaliatory attacks against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf.

UN demands release of Gaza flotilla activists in Israeli detention

The UN has called on Israel to immediately release two activists taken from a Gaza aid flotilla, and demanded an investigation into “disturbing accounts” they had been severely mistreated.

Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila were among dozens of activists on a flotilla attempting to transport aid to Gaza when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Crete last Thursday. The two men are being held in a prison in Ashkelon in southern Israel.

“Israel must immediately and unconditionally release Global Sumud Flotilla members Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, who were detained in international waters and brought to Israel where they continue to be held without charge,” UN rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement.

“It is not a crime to show solidarity and attempt to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, who are in dire need of it.”

The flotilla’s vessels set sail from France, Spain and Italy with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Representatives for Avila and Abu Keshek have accused Israeli authorities of abusing the two men, who have been on hunger strike for the past six days.

Kheetan decried the “disturbing accounts of severe mistreatment”, calling for an investigation and insisting “those responsible must be brought to justice”.

“We call for an end to Israel’s use of arbitrary detention and of broadly and vaguely defined terrorism legislation, inconsistent with international human rights law,” he said.

“Israel must also end its blockade on Gaza, and allow and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance to the besieged Palestinian strip, in sufficient amounts.”

We have more statements from Beijing following Araghchi and Wang’s meeting.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Wang had urged the US and Iran to heed international calls to reopen the strait of Hormuz, where an effective blockade has brought roughly 20% of global oil trade to a virtual standstill.

The ministry said China recognised Iran’s “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy” - a bone of contention in stalled talks between Washington and Tehran.

French shipping giant confirms vessel targeted in earlier attack in strait of Hormuz

French shipping giant CMA CGM has confirmed one of its vessels was targeted in an attack while transiting the strait of Hormuz yesterday.

“The CMA CGM San Antonio was the target of an attack yesterday while transiting the strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel,” the shipping company told AFP.

It added that the injured crew had been evacuated from the ship for medical care.

The vessel was attacked the same day Donald Trump halted the so-called “Project Freedom” to help ships leave the strait of Hormuz. The US president said he ordered the pause to see whether the US and Iran can reach a deal to end the war.

The US military operation to escort ships through the strait was announced on Sunday, but the Iranian military said it has fired at US warships since then to deter them from navigating the waterway.

CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, had reported last month that one of its vessels was the target of warning shots in the strait, although no crew were injured.

The French firm has indicated that 14 of its vessels were stranded in the Gulf at the start of the war. One ship, the Kribi, exited the strait of Hormuz at the start of April.

Updated

We have some statements coming through the newswires on this morning’s meeting between the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and his chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing.

Araghchi described China as a close ally and said bilateral cooperation “will become stronger under current circumstances”, Reuters reported, quoting a statement from Iran’s Isna news agency.

“We will do our best to protect our legitimate rights and interests in the negotiations ... We only accept a fair and comprehensive agreement,” he added regarding talks between Iran and the US to end the conflict.

Wang said China is a reliable strategic partner to Iran, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

The Chinese foreign minister told Araghchi that China was “deeply distressed” over the war, according to AP, quoting a video of the meeting.

“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Wang said.

It is the first time Araghchi has travelled to China since the outbreak of war in late February. His visit comes a week before Donald Trump is due to hold talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that the two leaders will seek to keep the US-China relationship on track following a trade truce in October. Bessent also urged China to intensify its diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to open the strait of Hormuz to international shipping.

The UK work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, has warned that job losses “could happen” in Britain due to the economic impacts of the Iran war.

He said the UK economy was “going in the right direction” at the start of the year and unemployment figures for February showed a decline. He added that interest rates were expected to come down and the markets were pricing in cuts during the course of the year.

“The truth is, with the effect of the Iran war, we can’t count on any of that at the moment,” he told Sky News.

“There is likely to be an effect on prices, which feeds through from energy costs, and there may well be labour market implications.”

When asked if this meant job losses, McFadden replied: “Yes. It could happen.

“The market projections for unemployment for the rest of the year have been revised upwards as a direct result of the Iran war.”

In Lebanon, the Israeli military has ordered people in 12 southern towns and villages to flee their homes as its bombing campaign continues unabated.

In a social media post, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged people to move at least a kilometre from their homes “to open areas”. Most of the towns and villages are located north of the Litani River, south of which the IDF has stationed its troops.

Adraee said the IDF was “compelled to act” against what he described as Hezbollah’s ceasefire violations.

More than a million people in Lebanon have been internally displaced as a result of the war.

The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has called a US-proposed UN resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and laying mines in the strait of Hormuz a test of the utility of the UN and urged China and Russia not to repeat vetoes.

UN security council members began closed talks on Tuesday on a text the US drafted with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, which, if it were to pass, could lead to sanctions against Iran, and potentially authorise force, if Tehran fails to halt attacks and threats to commercial shipping.

The new draft avoids explicit language authorising force while still operating under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, Reuters reported, which allows the security council to impose measures ranging from sanctions to military action.

“Everyone wouldn’t want to see this vetoed again, and we’ve made some slight adjustments to the language,” Rubio told reporters on Tuesday at a White House briefing.

“I don’t know if it will avoid a veto or not,” he added.

South Korean shipper HMM said it had secured a vessel to tow a bulk carrier it operates to a port in Dubai after an explosion and fire damaged the ship, which had been stranded in the strait of Hormuz.

Donald Trump blamed the incident on an Iranian attack, while South Korea’s foreign ministry said the cause of the fire would only be confirmed after the vessel was towed back to port and inspected.

HMM said the damaged vessel was expected to arrive in Dubai on Thursday night or Friday morning Seoul time, according to Reuters.

The Panama-flagged ship, named HMM Namu, suffered an explosion and caught fire on Monday evening. The fire was later extinguished, with no casualties and all 24 crew members remaining on board, according to the company.

Updated

Here are some images from Beirut’s growing tent encampments. Lebanon’s health ministry says more than 2,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since 2 March, and over a million people displaced.

Brent crude oil price hovering about $108

Since Donald Trump announced the pause to Project Freedom, about six hours ago, the price of Brent crude oil has been hovering around $108 a barrel, with no notable moves up or down.

Updated

And while we’re talking fuel prices: Jet fuel has doubled in price since the start of the war on Iran. The Guardian’s Zoe Williams takes a look at how bad the disruption could get and if it will accelerate the route to jet zero.

We had this in our earlier blog, but it’s worth recapping here. The US national average retail price of gasoline surpassed $4.50 a gallon on Tuesday for the first time since July 2022, data from GasBuddy showed.

As the US Memorial Day weekend approaches and with it peak summer driving season, surging pump prices pose a major political risk for President Donald Trump and his Republican party as they campaign for midterm elections in November.

Without de-escalation in the Middle East, analysts say US motor fuel prices could rise past prior records.

Iran foreign minister flies to China for talks

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi for talks in Beijing on Wednesday, China’s Xinhua news agency reported, without giving details on the discussion.

Iran’s Fars news agency earlier said Araghchi would “discuss bilateral relations and regional and international developments with his Chinese counterpart”.

On Tuesday, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate to Tehran the need to release its chokehold on the strait.

Ordinarily, China buys more than 80% of Iran’s oil. Those Iranian imports make up about 12% of China’s oil supply.

Welcome

Welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.

Donald Trump has said the effort to guide vessels out of strait of Hormuz is paused while the US aims to finalise a deal with Iran. The president announced the decision in a social media post on Tuesday evening, saying he was pausing the effort for a short period to give space for US efforts to final a settlement with Iran to end the war.

Trump said he was making the move based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”

He added that the US blockade of vessels leaving Iranian ports would remain in place.

  • US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the military objectives of so-called “Operation Epic Fury” have concluded and the offensive stage of the war with Iran is “over”. Speaking at the White House press briefing, Rubio insisted that ongoing US military action in the strait of Hormuz is “defensive” in nature and a separate operation, in line with the Trump administration’s argument that it doesn’t need approval from Congress to continue the war against Iran. “There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first,” he told reporters, urging Iran to “make the sensible choice” and negotiate a deal.

  • With the status of the ceasefire in doubt, Donald Trump declined to say what would constitute a violation, telling reporters only that Iran knows “what not to do”. It comes amid rising tensions after both sides exchanged fire in the strait of Hormuz on Monday. “Well, you’ll find out because I’ll let you know,” the US president said. “They know what to do, or what not to do more importantly.”

  • Before Trump’s announcement on Tuesday evening, his defense secretary Pete Hegseth insisted that “Project Freedom” had allowed the US to gain control of the strait, despite Iran claiming it has actually strengthened its control of the waterway, and thousands of cargo ships remain stranded there.

  • Rubio framed the US’s operation in the strait of Hormuz as a rescue effort, saying that Iran had left thousands of mariners “for dead”. He said the US was trying to reopen the strait “as a favour to the world”, neglecting to mention that its closure is the result of the war the US started.

  • Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Wednesday morning, the official Xinhua news agency reported, without providing further details. It was the first time since the start of the war that Araghchi has traveled to China, whose close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence.

  • Meanwhile, the UK maritime authority reported a cargo vessel being struck “by an unknown projectile” in critical waterway.

  • And for a second consecutive day, the United Arab Emirates said its air defences had shot down missiles and drones from Iran. Tehran did not immediately comment. It comes a day after the UAE said it had intercepted 15 Iranian missiles and four drones.

Updated