In today's episode of Trending Middle East, the US and Iran formally sign an interim agreement aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The deal includes sanctions relief, a $300 billion reconstruction fund and a commitment by Tehran not to pursue nuclear weapons, while negotiations on a broader settlement continue.
We also look at Lebanon as US President Donald Trump says the conflict still needs to be addressed, and French President Emmanuel Macron calls for an immediate ceasefire, while Israel continues to reject calls to withdraw as fighting carries on.
Iran has also announced plans for the funeral of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with nationwide ceremonies beginning in early July and a final burial in Mashhad after a planned stop in Iraq.
In the UAE, business leaders tell The National they remain confident the country will emerge stronger from the economic disruption caused by the Iran war, drawing comparisons with previous recoveries from major global crises.
And Abu Dhabi marks a medical milestone as Burjeel Cancer Institute becomes the first centre in the world to administer Camizestrant, a new precision treatment for advanced breast cancer.
Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.
![A damaged car and a damaged building are seen at the site of a strike in Bartalla in the northern Iraqi Nineveh province on July 29, 2026. US-Saudi strikes on Iraq on July 29 killed at least 20 members of a former paramilitary alliance that includes pro-Iran groups, the alliance said. The United States and Saudi Arabia said they had struck Iran-backed militants in Iraq in response to attacks on US forces and Saudi oil facilities. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP) / Attention editors: AFP covers the war in the Middle East through its extensive regional network, including bureaus in Tehran, Jerusalem and several neighboring countries. Since the start of the conflict, journalists have been working under increasingly restrictive conditions. Authorities in several countries have limited reporters’ movements, photo and live video coverage from sensitive locations. Some governments and armed groups have banned images of missile or drone strikes and other security-related sites. / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Ziad OBEID has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: corrects byline [Zaid AL-OBEIDI] instead of [Ziad OBEID]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. ”](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/PLSC2TSQZTFNYGSCPBJVUPIB2I.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0d3bd2d2b21bfcd8f9d5a89db763ef91727ee31e46f2bd5651027a66d97a8f5&width=188&height=104)
