Trump warns he’ll ‘very simply’ return to warfare if Iran negotiations fall by – as one chief says the world was ‘perilously near catastrophe’: Live updates

Speaking to the hosts of Sky’s Trump100 podcast, Trump said: ‘If the [ceasefire] isn’t good, we’ll go right back to [war].’

Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said the world was ‘perilously close’ to disaster after Trump threatened to wipe out Iran’s ‘entire civilisation.’

Albares told Spanish media that Trump’s ultimatum to Iran was ‘absolutely unacceptable for humankind.’

He added: ‘When the leader of a military superpower makes such threats, I take them seriously.’

Pope Leo said this morning that he welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war with ‘great satisfaction.’

The pope, who has ​emerged as an outspoken critic of the conflict in recent weeks, had said on Tuesday that Trump’s threats against the population of Iran were ‘unacceptable.’

Explosions have reportedly been heard on Iran’s Sirri Island, according to the Mehr news agency.

The source of the explosions is not currently known.

A group representing Norway’s shipping industry said Trump’s two-week ceasefire has not brought enough clarity to resume shipping across the Strait of Hormuz.

The Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) said on Wednesday said the security situation in the Gulf remains uncertain and that owners were seeking further information.

‘We note the signals of a ceasefire, but the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved and unpredictable,’ the NSA’s CEO Knut Arild Hareide said in a statement.

The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, has forced shipping companies to suspend sailings, reroute cargo and rely on costly workarounds to keep goods moving across the Gulf.

‘It is not yet clear under what conditions safe transit can be carried out. Shipowners are assessing the situation and will not resume transits until there is real security for safe passage,’ Hareide said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said about 15 countries were planning to facilitate the resumption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

China and Hong Kong stocks jumped on Wednesday as a U.S. ceasefire deal with Iran lifted investors’ appetite for risk.

China’s blue-chip CSI300 Index jumped 3.5%, its biggest daily gain since October 2024, and the Shanghai Composite Index rose 2.7%. Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng gained 3%. Hong Kong-listed tech giants surged 5.2%.

Poland’s defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, said today that it is ‘good there is a ceasefire’, adding: ‘It’s an optimistic sign.’

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he may send his troops to the Strait of Hormuz.

He said in his evening address last night: ‘Ukrainian military personnel are participating in consultations on the functioning of the Strait of Hormuz going forward.

He said his nation’s experience in ‘protecting maritime routes in the Black Sea’ made it a solid international partner for this sort of work.

Zelensky added that his officials are working on the ‘European component of our security proposals.’

The Ukrainian leader added: ‘The coming weeks will be devoted to working in this way with our partners in Europe – our joint production, defence modernisation, defence financing programmes and coordination of security efforts.’

Oman’s foreign minister, ⁠Badr Albusaidi, praised the temporary ceasefire deal, stating: ‘For now the world has stepped back from disaster.’

But he warned: ‘There’s no room for complacency. Serious negotiations now required for lasting peace.

‘Oman will support this work for the vital and urgent purpose of strong and enduring regional security.’

Iraq has announced the reopening of its airspace, following a weeks-long closure amid the war in the Middle East.

The country’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement carried by local media: ‘It has been decided to reopen Iraqi airspace to air traffic starting today, following the stabilisation of the situation and the return to normalcy.

‘Under this measure, all civilian flights are permitted to resume, including overflights, takeoffs, and landings at Iraqi airports, in accordance with the established regulations and instructions.

It added that it was affirming its ‘full commitment to implementing the highest standards of air safety and security, and to maintaining continuous coordination.’