PMX warned against Muslim revolt, political backlash for facilitating Zakir Naik’s extradition

PMX warned against Muslim revolt, political backlash for facilitating Zakir Naik’s extradition

“If Dr Zakir ends up being extradited to India, PMX would essentially be digging his own political grave.”

Such was the instant reaction to a one-liner revelation by political influencer Khairul Azri that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had confirmed discussions with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi regarding the extradition of the controversial Islamist preacher Dr Zakir Naik to his homeland, India.

Anwar sahkan ada perbincangan isu ekstradisi Zakir Naik dengan Modi di New Delhi. - Vannakam Malaysia.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CDDybhG1D/

Apparently, PMX who was on a five-day working visit to India/Maldives for the BRICS Summit 2026 has confirmed to India’s NDTV (New Delhi Television) over the weekend (Sept 12) that the issue of extradition of fugitive Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was pursued in private instead of being brought up at official level.

“We thought we should keep it very private to protect the interests of both nations. But we, of course, put it on the priority list for building trust and relationship between our countries,” the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman had told NDTV.

“We have some understanding of it (extradition demand) but we need to do it very cautiously. Respect the rule of law and the importance of these bilateral relations.”

Interestingly, the seemingly rightist/pro-opposition fraternity who revered Zakir for his profound Islamic knowledge were further wary of PMX’s track record of easily “yielding to external authorities such as with the ART (Malaysia-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade) tariff agreement”.


‘Over our dead body’

Another questioned if PMX “ever has the heart to send a fellow Muslim brethren to be slaughtered” while one commenter mocked that “this is what Malay PH voters desire”.

Educator and cartoonist Yusuf Yaacub clarified that PMX rejected India’s advances “in a diplomatic language” with one remarking that “if PMX is a leader who is brave and firm in looking after the rakyat, he could have simply rejected that motion”.

“There is no need for discussion as ZN (Zakir Naik) has already obtained permanent residency (PR) status in Malaysia, hence has become part of the Malaysian populace.”

In another similar FB post by self-proclaimed lawyer, singer and professional magician AMAR, one commenter hit out at Modi for being “truly anti-Islam for he allows and encourages the massacre of Muslims in India” with Indian freelance emcee Dr. M.A Lingkesvaran Maniam rebutting “Zakir Naik is anti-Hindu, so tally lah”.

AMAR

on Sunday

Ramai tak tahu yang baru-baru ni PM India tuntut supaya PMX serahkan Dr. Zakir Naik kepada India.

As one commenter likened India to Israel, another wondered if PMX can be considered “a traitor of his religion” should he surrender a brethren who indulges in dakwah work to a perceived enemy of Islam.

“It’s a duty for Muslims to wage jihad to defend and protect Dr Zakir. We’re unable to do what the Holy Prophet and his companions did in conveying the truth of Islam but Dr Zakir can. Therefore, it is obligatory for us to protect him,” deducesd one commenter.

This is when another recounted that New Delhi’s request for an Interpol Red Notice against Zakir had been rejected thrice previously because they failed to meet the necessary requirements.

“In other words, they were baseless. The Indian government is treating Dr Zakir Naik unjustly.”

At the end of the day, one commenter claimed that instead of extraditing Zakir to India, it wound be better off “to deport this ‘6%’ if they don’t stop making life difficult for all the races in Malaysia”.

“… Even if you keep demanding Dr Zakir (extradition) for a million years, we’ll not let him go!” he insisted. – Sept 15, 2026

MOST Belligerent Bellicose Bullying Country in the World

From the FB page of:

Robert Young Jr.

25 minutes ago ·

Zahid's body barbs draw 'sexist' fire from Kasthuri, but Noraini wasn't his only target

Zahid's body barbs draw 'sexist' fire from Kasthuri, but Noraini wasn't his only target

Published: Sep 15, 2026 8:39 AM


Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi raised eyebrows at the party’s general assembly with a speech that was as politically provocative as it was personally barbed - from daring the Madani government to boot Umno out of Putrajaya and call a fresh election to making snide remarks about the physical appearance of fellow leaders.

Although his daughter, Nurulhidayah, a Wanita Umno executive member, later apologised for her father’s remarks concerning Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad's weight, it did not stop DAP executive council member Kasthuri Patto from launching a broadside against the veteran politician.

However, Kasthuri appeared unaware that Zahid (above) did not spare male leaders either, namely Malacca Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh, when she questioned whether he had made similar remarks about men, including about “their teeth, their thinning hair, or even their physical appearance, which may have changed from before”.

“Or is it simply that he felt free to mock or comment on women leaders without shame or embarrassment?” she asked.

In his speech, Zahid used the term “bulat” (round) in reference to Rauf (below), who is on the heavier side.

“If Malacca is considered ‘bulat’ because of Rauf, InsyaAllah, there is not just one formula. Johor, Negeri Sembilan; Malacca next? I am simply asking who is ‘bulat’, not trying to stir things up.

“Earlier, my officers advised me to speak properly and be a little more serious, but ultimately, it is up to me what I want to say,” he was quoted as saying.


'Low' behaviour

On Zahid’s remarks about Noraini’s weight and his urging her to eat more, Kasthuri said they could not simply be dismissed as a joke, as Zahid’s daughter had sought to do by insisting that her father never intended them to be demeaning.

“This is low, YB. Even for you,” she said in a Facebook post, adding that such remarks set the tone for how men and women will continue to objectify and ridicule women in politics, particularly over how they look and present themselves.

Kasthuri (above) stressed that leaders should not be judged by their appearance, body shape or facial features, but by their principles, struggles and convictions, as well as their political vision and determination for society and the country.

“YB’s comments were undeniably distasteful and insulting to women in the political arena. Although YB Noraini and I belong to different parties, I would still respond in the same manner when any woman in the political landscape becomes a victim of political patriarchy.

“Where, too, is the voice of the newly appointed Puteri Umno information chief?” she asked, in reference to former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s daughter Nooryana.

'Ozempic, Mounjaro?'

Zahid had teased Noraini during his winding-up speech, remarking that she appeared to be getting increasingly thin.

He had asked Noraini whether she had taken any injections that had caused her to become so thin.

“From being like this, she has become like this,” he said, comparing his thumb with his little finger.

“Have you been taking injections? Not Ozempic or Mounjaro?” he asked, referring to injections that can aid weight loss.

Zahid also said he had tried them at the urging of his wife, Hamidah Khamis, but to no avail, as his weight remained unchanged.

Zahid's daughter apologises

Meanwhile, in an Instagram post featuring a photograph of herself with Noraini (above), Nurulhidayah acknowledged that her father’s remarks had upset some Wanita Umno members, while stressing that neither physical appearance nor age should be used as fodder for jokes.

"Personally, I believe and am very confident that the Umno president may have intended to joke and did not mean to demean anyone, but sometimes an unguarded joke can have a different impact on the person hearing it," she wrote.

She also highlighted Zahid’s use of the phrase "grandmothers' machinery", warning that it could carry the implication that women were no longer capable of leading or contributing to the party.

"If grandfathers can still lead, why not grandmothers? They are among the most loyal pillars of Umno, working through difficult and good times without asking for much," she said.

Nurulhidayah (above) said she had personally heard from Wanita Umno members who were disappointed by Zahid’s remarks following his winding-up speech at the 2026 Umno General Assembly.

"If anyone was hurt, especially Kak Ani (Noraini), I personally, with humility and an open heart, as a daughter, apologise for his words or jokes on stage at the Umno General Assembly," she said.

Azalina pushes questions on Najib’s pardon bid to Hannah Yeoh, says BHEUU is just the messenger

Azalina pushes questions on Najib’s pardon bid to Hannah Yeoh, says BHEUU is just the messenger



Umno Information Chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman speaks to the media after the winding-up session of the 2026 Umno General Assembly at Dewan Merdeka, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on September 12, 2026. — Bernama pic


Summary

• The deferment of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's royal pardon petition has sparked inquiries, with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh, identified as the appropriate contact for questions regarding the delay.
• Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said clarified that the Pardons Board's administrative processes fall under her purview but not its executive decisions.
• Opposition leaders, including PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, are calling for a government explanation due to the public interest surrounding the deferment.
• Najib, serving a reduced sentence for the SRC International case, continues to appeal his 1MDB conviction.

By Malay Mail
First Published: Tuesday, 15 Sep 2026 10:44 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Questions surrounding the deferment of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's royal pardon petition should be directed to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

The minister for law and institutional reform said that she does not sit as the executive representative on the Federal Territories Pardons Board, noting that the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) under her purview functions strictly as the board's administrative secretariat, NST reported.

"BHEUU is under me, but for the Pardons Board in each state, BHEUU is the secretariat, while the minister and menteri besar of the respective state are the executive representatives on the board.

"Any questions about what happened, why it was deferred and the new date should be directed to the minister responsible, Hannah Yeoh. I have no information at all, so I cannot answer," she told reporters after attending the Program Kayuhan Fashionista: Bulan Kebangsaan Dua Sambutan Satu Jiwa at the Putrajaya Lake Promenade.


Azalina was responding to mounting demands from opposition leaders for the government to clarify why the board postponed deliberations on Najib's application.

Her remarks follow statements by PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who urged the government to issue an immediate explanation, contending that the decision was a matter of significant public interest and would not have occurred automatically.

BHEUU had earlier confirmed that the Federal Territories Pardons Board agreed to defer consideration of Najib's petition to a future sitting.


The decision was made during a meeting chaired by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, at Istana Negara, which also saw royal pardons granted to 65 other prison inmates.

Najib, who has been serving his prison sentence since August 2022 following his conviction in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case, previously had his 12-year jail term halved to six years and his fine reduced from RM210 million to RM50 million during an earlier review by the board in 2024.

The former PM is also serving a separate custodial sentence following his conviction in the 1MDB trial, which is currently under appeal.

PM: Decision to defer Najib’s pardon petition based on law, not personal prejudice

PM: Decision to defer Najib’s pardon petition based on law, not personal prejudice



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim holds a press conference in Calicut, Keralam on September 14, 2026. — Bernama pic


Summary

• Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that the decision to defer former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's royal pardon petition was made in accordance with the Federal Constitution, the rule of law, and legal advice from the Attorney-General, while highlighting the discretionary role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
• Anwar clarified that while he considered political representations, his contributions to the Pardons Board were strictly guided by legal principles and good governance.
• The deferral of Najib's pardon petition, consented by Sultan Ibrahim, was formally announced following the recent Pardons Board meeting.
• Najib was sentenced in December to 15 years in prison and fined RM11.4 billion for his involvement in the 1MDB scandal.

By Malay Mail
First Published: Tuesday, 15 Sep 2026 8:45 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — The decision to defer former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s petition for a royal pardon was guided strictly by the Federal Constitution, the rule of law, and official legal advice, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

Anwar stressed that his participation in the Pardons Board proceedings was bounded by statute and formal guidance provided by the Attorney-General, The Edge reported.

“A prime minister, whoever he is, must have a voice and give his views based on the law, on advice from the Attorney General and on the rules. That is what I did.

“However, we also know that this is within the discretion and authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia), in the Pardons Board meeting, and the King must of course take all factors into consideration,” he told a joint press conference with Malaysian media in Calicut, Kerala, prior to concluding his official visit to India on Monday.


Anwar said the question of Najib’s pardon must not be viewed through a personal lens, but evaluated against established legal benchmarks and good governance.

“For me, in carrying out this duty, we must submit to the principle of the rule of law and what has been agreed upon in the constitution.

“So, I only gave my views along those lines. I have never, for example, taken a prejudiced or hateful stance. No,” he said.


The prime minister acknowledged that political representations, including strong appeals made by Umno leaders, were considered, but maintained that he chose to fulfil his constitutional duties based on principled governance.

“I know what the easy way is and what the difficult way is, but I chose the path I believe is right, following the principles of law and what we consider important in terms of the spirit of governance and the rule of law in the country,” he said.

Last Friday, Sultan Ibrahim consented to defer Najib’s pardon petition to a subsequent meeting of the board.

The decision was disclosed in an official statement by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department following the 63rd Pardons Board Meeting for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya at Istana Negara on Sept 11.

On Dec 26 last year, the High Court sentenced Najib to 15 years in prison and imposed an RM11.4 billion fine after convicting him of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3 billion misappropriated from 1MDB funds.

Umno’s call for election in PAS-led state stems from distrust

Umno’s call for election in PAS-led state stems from distrust


4 hours ago
Dineskumar Ragu


PAS’s declaration that it would contest all seats it won in previous elections and that it wanted to lead the country could have irked Umno, says analyst

PAS’s statement that it would contest all seats in its stable and that it already has a candidate for prime minister could have irked Umno, prompting party deputy president Mohamad Hasan to propose early elections in Terengganu.

PETALING JAYA: Umno’s proposal for PAS to call for an election in Terengganu to prove its sincerity in the push for Malay unity could be attributed to its distrust of the Islamic party, an analyst said.

These trust issues, according to Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, likely stemmed from remarks made by PAS leaders at its recent muktamar on the post of prime minister and seats to contest.

PAS declared it wanted to defend seats it won in previous elections, basing its claim on the incumbency formula, and leading the federal government as well as revealing it had a candidate for prime minister, he said.

The remark could have irked Umno, Mazlan said.

Mazlan Ali.

“I think Tok Mat’s statement implies that Umno does not fully trust PAS,” he told FMT, referring to Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad had on Saturday mooted the idea, adding that if the two parties could agree on a formula for seat negotiations in Terengganu, a similar approach could be adopted for the next general election.

Mohamad’s PAS counterpart, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man shot down the idea on Sunday.

Mazlan felt that Umno was asking “too much” of PAS by suggesting that an election be held to prove its sincerity.

“As it stands the two parties have not formalised their partnership and only consider whatever pact they have as an ‘understanding’,” he said.

Separately, Lau Zhe Wei of International Islamic University Malaysia said Umno is aware it would not gain seats if the incumbency formula was used in a PAS-Umno partnership in any election, especially in Terengganu where PAS and its Perikatan Nasional partner Bersatu hold all 32 state and eight parliamentary seats.

Lau Zhe Wei.


However, Lau cautioned that Mohamad’s suggestion would backfire, as questions would be posed regarding Umno’s commitment to the Malay unity agenda in Melaka, where Barisan Nasional has already declared its intentions to defend the 21 seats it won in the 2021 state elections.

PAS failed to win any seat in the 28-seat Melaka assembly.

“If we were to use the same principle in Melaka, shouldn’t Umno make way for PAS in some seats?” he said, adding that Umno could not have its cake and eat it too.

“Giving up seats are among the critical parts (that would factor in) how Umno and PAS go into negotiation (for the Melaka polls),” Lau added.

Indian Refineries Run At Up To 108% Capacity On Soaring Diesel Demand

Indian Refineries Run At Up To 108% Capacity On Soaring Diesel Demand

by Tyler Durden
Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026 - 10:30 AM


India’s refineries have been running at an unprecedented 105% to 108% capacity utilization in the past six months as demand for diesel soars and international fuel markets tighten amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, OilPrice reports citing Reuters.

Refinery capacity utilization in the world’s third-largest crude oil importer has been between 105% and 108% since the war began, a senior executive at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) said at the APPEC petroleum conference in Singapore on Wednesday.



“Most of our refiners are complex, ‌can take a wide ‌variety of crude from an API range of something like 16 to 45 or 48,” Nandakumar Pillai, a company director at MRPL, said at the event, as carried by Reuters.

MRPL operates a refinery with the capacity to process 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) on the coast of India’s southern state of Karnataka. The refinery has a versatile design with complex secondary processing units and high flexibility to process crudes of various API, delivering a variety of quality products, the refiner says.

MRPL will continue to run its refinery at above 100% until March 2027, Pillai told Reuters on the sidelines of the conference.

All Indian refiners are currently prioritizing diesel production at the expense of jet fuel amid soaring domestic diesel demand and a crunch in global middle distillate supply.

Diesel prices globally are soaring, and diesel cracks have hit all-time highs as supply remains constrained in the Middle East and Russia, while maximized refinery runs elsewhere cannot offset the supply lost to the U.S.-Iran war and Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian refineries.

The re-escalation in the Middle East and the Russian ban on diesel exports pushed middle distillate cracks to record highs last week.

Analysts have been warning for weeks that diesel and other fuels are the real stress test in the oil markets, not crude oil.

Supertanker Explodes After Hitting Mine, IRGC Says, & Asserts 'Strait Of Hormuz Is Closed'

Supertanker Explodes After Hitting Mine, IRGC Says, & Asserts 'Strait Of Hormuz Is Closed'

by Tyler Durden
Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026 - 05:59 AM


Summary

• IRGC says supertanker exploded after hitting mine in Hormuz, says strait remains closed.
• 'Deal' headlines return: US seeks "Step-by-Step" agreement with Iran, reports state media.
• Houthis seized more Red Sea territory, including Perim Island near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
• Iran-Gulf diplomacy was postponed, delaying efforts to address the Strait of Hormuz crisis in what was to be a rare GCC-Iran meeting.
• Saudi oil exports face ongoing disruption after a pipeline shutdown, pushing oil prices above $100/barrel.

* * *

Supertanker Explodes After Hitting Mine: IRGC

Iran's IRGC Navy has late Monday (local) announced that a foreign supertanker exploded when it struck naval mines after attempting to enter an unapproved zone of the southern Strait of Hormuz, Fars reports.

Bloomberg also picked up the reported tanker explosion, providing the following further details:

• Efforts to contain the blaze have been unsuccessful, leaving the vessel engulfed in flames, Fars says
• The statement identified the vessel as the supertanker EL GAIA, with IMO number 9325336
• “Warnings had previously been issued regarding the dangers of this illegal passage”
• “IRGC Navy decisively declares that the Strait of Hormuz is closed”

If the emerging reports are accurate, it contradicts President Trump's recent claims that the strait has been fully de-mined. Reuters in late August noted of a Truth Social post that the president proclaimed "all mines ‌had been detonated or removed from international waters of the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran has been told that any ship ​or boat placing new mines will be ​destroyed."

Oil Drops on Return of 'US Seeks Deal' Headlines

Just as President Trump is appearing to show some desperation concerning soaring energy prices ahead of the midterm elections, and amid growing Republican angst, we witness a return to the 'a deal could return' style headlines which marked earlier phases of the war:

IRNA News Agency ☫

@IrnaEnglish

·

Follow

The IRGC Navy stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and under its control. The supertanker “Algaya” (IMO 9325336) was attempting to navigate through a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz when it reportedly struck sea mines and exploded.

5:38 AM · Sep 15, 2026

23

Reply

Copy link

Oil Drops on Return of 'US Seeks Deal' Headlines

Just as President Trump is appearing to show some desperation concerning soaring energy prices ahead of the midterm elections, and amid growing Republican angst, we witness a return to the 'a deal could return' style headlines which marked earlier phases of the war:


US seeks "Step-by-Step" agreement with Iran, reports ILNA citing Pakistani sources

As the war and US pressure against Iran continue, Washington's efforts to reach a "step-by-step" agreement with Tehran; a scenario that could be a prelude to the US entering the path of negotiations, without abandoning military and economic pressure.

And the all too familiar pattern that marked early summer...

OIL DROPS TO INTRADAY LOW, BRENT TRADES NEAR $106 A BARREL

Iranian state media is meanwhile suggesting that Washington interfered in what was a planned meeting between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council states (GCC) toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz. That meeting, which was supposed to happen Monday, was postponed indefinitely - after reports said the Saudis sought to add something untenable to a draft agreement. Tehran is still rejecting that it is 'seeking' new talks with Washington.

Michael Tracey

@mtracey

·

Follow

Hey @grok, since February 28, 2026, how many times has Our Favorite President said Iran is asking, begging, pleading, or desperate to "make a deal" -- whether on Truth Social, interviews, speeches, press scrums, sitting at his desk in the Oval Office, or any other format

2:51 AM · Sep 15, 2026

179

Reply

Copy link

Trump has issued several provocative Truth Social posts throughout the morning...



The next weeks could possibly see a return to Axios' 'negotiations imminent' WH leak tactics, to artificially keep energy prices under control...

zerohedge

@zerohedge

·

Follow

Stocks just spiked on this: US seeks "step-by-step" agreement with Iran, a scenario that could be a prelude to the US entering the path of negotiations, without abandoning military and economic pressure: ILNA reports citing Pakistani sources.

2:52 AM · Sep 15, 2026

1K

Reply

Copy link

Meanwhile and important indicator of where things actually stand...

Mohammad Ghaderi | محمد قادری

@ghaderi62

·

Follow

#Iran has no plans for talks under current circumstances. As emphasized in the conditions announced to the US, there will be no talks & the Strait of #Hormuz will not be reopened until the war on all fronts ends, the blockade is lifted & Iran's financial resources are released.

5:20 AM · Sep 15, 2026

53

Reply

Copy link

Yemen's Houthis Attack Saudi Base, And Take Fire After Major Conquest

Yemen's Ansar Allah -- also known as the Houthis -- claimed it fired drones and missiles at King Khalid Air Base in southern Saudi Arabia. Dozens of ballistic missiles and drones targeted military infrastructure in the rare and major cross-border attack.

The Houthis say the base suffered direct hits and extensive damage in a "large-scale military operation", though this could not be immediately verified, after the operation which their military spokesman described as retaliation more than 300 Saudi airstrikes across Yemen over most of the past week. Early reports from open source analysts suggest serious damage sustained at the base.

The sprawling base in Khamis Mushait has historically been used at times by US and UK advanced fighter jets, and has hangars that are well-fortified, though it's unknown the degree to which Western assets continue to be stationed there. For example, it was heavily utilized by the Pentagon during the first Gulf War, from where stealth fighters were launched to attack high priority targets in Iraq.

A Houthi spokesman has declared that the ongoing mission's targeting includes "weapons depots and command and control centers that are managing the aggression against our nation and people."

On Sunday, the internationally recognized Yemeni government -- which controls neither the capital nor territory encompassing a majority of the population -- said its air force launched three strikes on Houthi positions in the Taiz region. There were also reports of artillery fire on a Houthi stronghold in Saada province, on the northern border with Saudi Arabia.

Via Institute for the Study of War

In a blitz that caught the world by surprise, the Houthis late last week achieved an enormous strategic victory by conquering the remainder of Yemen's western coastline it didn't already control -- positioning it to easily enforce its declared blockade against Saudi-related shipping entering or leaving the Red Sea via the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Houthi soldiers also took over Perim Island, which sits in the strait.

As Associated Press noted, the seizure of the new territory puts the Houthis in much closer proximity to US forces:

The Houthis’ advance puts them just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the U.S. military base in Djibouti, on the other side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It’s the main U.S. base in Africa and one of several foreign military bases in Djibouti, including those of China, France and Japan.



The Houthi blockade is positioned as retaliation for the Saudi coalition's siege and blockade of Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Though the Houthi blockade only targets Saudi shipping, global cargo lines are highly wary of transiting the waterway that's narrower than the Strait of Hormuz. Many are rerouting traffic all the way around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, which requires at least 20 extra days and a lot more money. “Freedom of navigation and international trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb are safe and orderly,” a Houthi official told Al Jazeera.

While it's too little, too late for Riyah's hopes of some kind of big Washington intervention in Yemen, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday met US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has confirmed. Likely they reviewed the coalition's narrowing options going forward, but President Trump has thus far expressed reluctance to get directly involved militarily, at a moment he's still trying to figure out what's next with Iran.

Iran Diplomacy Postponed

Cold water has been thrown on flickering hopes for finding an exit from the latest and most dangerous chapter in America's "endless wars," as a highly-anticipated Monday summit of Iran and other Persian Gulf states was postponed.

That bad news follows an eventful several days that saw Yemen's Iran-allied Ansar Allah take control of a large swath of strategic coastside territory. Saudi Arabia's critical east-west pipeline, shut down after a drone attack that originated in Iraq, may be the center of a major hit to global oil supply.

The Monday meeting was set to take place in the Omani coastal city of Salalah, with attendees including foreign ministers of Iran, Oman, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. Taking a US-friendly line, Bahrain had declined to attend, saying stability "cannot be preserved through a policy of appeasement” and demanding the strait be re-opened without "discrimination, fees or permits." The tiny state that is was home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet also cited its ongoing suspension of diplomatic relations with Iran.

The meeting was going to focus on a proposed arrangement by which Iran and Oman would jointly manage the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic through the vital waterway is at a near standstill, more than six months after the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran. Axios' Barak Ravid, seen by many as a conduit for US-Israeli narratives, reported that Saudi Arabia had submitted amendments to the proposal.

Nostra, House of Gold

@Nostre_damus

·

Follow

Saudi Arabia: I have an amendment to the strait of Hormuz agreement Iran & Oman:

BRICS News

@BRICSinfo

JUST IN: Saudi Arabia submits amendments to Iran and Oman's Strait of Hormuz deal proposal.

8:47 AM · Sep 14, 2026

1.5K

Reply

Copy link

“At the request of some regional countries and by a joint decision of Oman and Iran, the meeting of foreign ministers of Persian Gulf coastal states, which was planned for Monday, has been postponed to another date,” Iranian foreign ministry official Mohammad Ali Bak told Iran's IRNA. If the meeting comes to fruition, it would be the first one to convene top diplomats from Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council since the war started on Feb 28.

Previously, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said attendees would be presented with route maps and other details about how ships would enter and depart the strait. Importantly, he emphasized that the proposal was not sufficient to actually reopen the strait.

Closure of Saudi Pipeline Set To Remove 4% of Global Supply

A different lifeline was completely closed over the weekend, with no end in sight: Saudi Arabia's east-west oil pipeline was shut down after a devastating attack on a pumping station that seemingly originated with Shiite militias in Iraq. The pipeline was playing a vital role in offsetting the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, by sending oil to Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port on the Red Sea.

Clash Report

@clashreport

·

Follow

Yemen’s Houthis said they struck King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, targeting hangars, radars, runways and ammunition depots. They said the attack was retaliation for more than 300 Saudi airstrikes on Yemen over the past five Show more

6:03 PM · Sep 14, 2026

420

Reply

Copy link

Saudi oil traders told Reuters that, unless the pipeline is opened up within days, the kingdom will run out of export stock, removing as much as 4% of worldwide supply from the market. Even before the pipeline-pumping station attack, Saudi inventory had plummeted to its lowest level in 30 years.

Though Saudi Arabia initially called the closure a mere "precautionary measure," some observers have very little optimism about a quick resumption of pipeline flow. One source told Reuters it could take five to six weeks to repair. If you'd imagined the pumping station some small facility, this image should give you a proper orientation to what must be restored "in a few days" to avert a major disruption of global supply:



Overnight, West Texas Intermediate futures leapt by 2.89% to $102.94 a barrel. Brent was up almost as much, trading at $107.56.