Iran-US war latest: Trump warns Tehran ‘clock is ticking’ after UAE reports drone strike on nuclear facility
Swipe for next article
Liveupdated
Iran-US war latest: Trump warns Tehran ‘clock is ticking’ after UAE reports drone strike on nuclear facility
A drone strike has sparked a fire at an electrical generator at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi
Donald Trump has warned Tehran that the “clock is ticking” and threatened consequences if its leaders do not act quickly.
"For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!," the US president wrote in a Truth Social post.
Trump warned that if Tehran failed to reach a peace agreement with the US, it would face "a very bad time”.
"If they don’t, they’re going to have a bad time. A very bad time. They had better make a deal," Trump told French media. He also shared an AI-generated graphic of him and a US Navy admiral in front of stormy waters, and the line: "It was calm before the storm."
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi pointed out that contradictory messages from the Trump administration made Tehran "reluctant about the real intentions of Americans".
Trump’s warming comes after a drone strike sparked a fire at an electrical generator at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi.
No injuries were reported, radiological safety levels were unaffected and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed the plant's essential systems are operating normally.
UAE radiation levels normal after drone strike near Barakah plant
Radiological safety levels are reportedly unaffected by a drone strike on an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, Abu Dhabi authorities have said.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed the plant's essential systems were operating normally and reported no injuries.
However, it is not known how the drone strike happened.
"The IAEA is following the situation closely and is in constant contact with the UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed," the UN nuclear watchdog said.
The UAE has faced repeated missile and drone attacks during the Israel-US-Iran conflict.
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 18:30
Trump warns Iran that the 'clock is ticking' and they should act 'fast'
US president Donald Trump threatened that the “clock is ticking” for Iran and threatened consequences for Iran if its leaders do not act quickly.
"For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!," he wrote in a Truth Social post.
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 18:00
Watch: Trump claims ‘most’ Iranians have same first name
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 18:00
Pictured: Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 17:30
FIFA positive Iran will play 2026 world cup
FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom expressed confidence about Iran's participation in the 2026 football World Cup after a meeting with Iranian president Mehdi Taj yesterday.
All three of Iran's group matches are scheduled to take place in the US, but the team's participation in the 11 June to 19 July tournament has been in question amid the ongoing war.
"We've had an excellent and constructive meeting together with the Iranian football association. We're working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them to the FIFA World Cup," Grafstrom said.
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 17:00
Who is Ali al-Zaidi Iraq's new prime minister?
Iraq’s parliament on Thursday voted to approve the government program and part of the Cabinet lineup of Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi but hit an impasse over some of the ministerial appointments.
Al-Zaidi, a businessman with no political background, emerged as a consensus candidate for prime minister after weeks of internal debate among the Coordination Framework’s member parties aimed at selecting a compromise candidate to lead the next government.
Al-Zaidi is Iraq’s youngest prime minister at the age of 40. Born in the capital, Baghdad, to a prominent family originating in the southern province of Dhi Qar, he built his career in the private and academic sectors.
He holds bachelor’s degrees in law and finance, as well as a master’s degree in banking and finance, and is a member of the Iraqi Bar Association.
The new Iraqi PM received the blessing of officials in both the U.S. and Iran. Iraq has close ties with the two rival countries and has long performed a delicate balancing act between them.
His new government will have to deal with the political and economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which spilled over into Iraq while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted the oil exports on which Iraq’s economy depends.
Basim Mohammed was appointed as the country’s new oil minister while Fuad Hussein was kept on as the foreign minister in the new government, lawmakers told the Reuters news agency.
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 16:31
How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months after Operation Epic Fury failed to destroy missiles
Iran has enough missile capability to continue fighting should Donald Trump choose to resume the war, US and Nato intelligence has assessed – and experts say it has several more cards up its sleeve.
The US president has repeatedly claimed that American forces have comprehensively destroyed Iran’s military, including its missile capabilities and navy, during six weeks of conflict before a ceasefire was agreed.
Intelligence agencies have warned that Iran still has access to most of its missiles and underground facilities, sources told The Independent, casting doubt over President Trump’s dubious claims that Iran has been “decimated” by the war.
Read more here by Alex Croft:
How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months
Experts say Iran still has several strategies it can use if war with the US resumes
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 16:00
UAE investigate source of a droke attack near nuclear power plant
The UAE's defense ministry has launched an investigation to find the source of a drone attack that hit a generator outside the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi.
The defense ministry said it dealt "successfully" with two drones, while a third one hit a generator near the plant.
It said the drones were launched from the "western border", without providing further details.
Rebecca Whittaker17 May 2026 15:30
Israeli cabinet approves defence compound in East Jerusalem
Israel's cabinet has approved a plan to build a defence compound on the site of the recently demolished premises of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem.
Israel in January demolished structures inside the UN Palestinian refugee agency's East Jerusalem compound after seizing the site last year, in an act condemned by the agency as a violation of international law.
In a joint statement, the Defence Ministry and Jerusalem Municipality said the new compound would include the establishment of a military museum, a recruitment office and a defence minister's office.
Defence Minister Israel Katz called the decision one of "sovereignty, Zionism, and security." UNRWA, which Israeli authorities accuse of bias, had not used the building since the start of last year after Israel ordered it to vacate all its premises and cease its operations.
A UNRWA spokesperson declined to comment on the Israeli plan. The agency operates in East Jerusalem, which the UN and most countries consider territory occupied by Israel as it was captured from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be its indivisible capital.
Rebecca Thomas17 May 2026 14:59
Cuba 'acquires 300 military drones'
Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, US military vessels and possibly Key West, Fla., 90 miles north of Havana, according to classified intelligence shared with Axios.
The intelligence shows the degree to which the Trump administration sees Cuba as a threat because of developments in drone warfare and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana, a senior told the outlet.
Rebecca Thomas17 May 2026 14:42
