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"The United States and an international task force have threatened Iran with financial penalties, accusing it of violating international guidelines designed to block money-laundering and funding of terror groups."

"Britain's Middle East minister travels to Tehran Sunday for talks with Iranian officials. Britain's Foreign Office said Andrew Murrison will call for "urgent de-escalation in the region." Murrison will also discuss Iran's threat to cease complying with the nuclear deal that the United States pulled out of last year."

"The plans had been drawn, the targets set, and a single word from the commander in chief would have activated the U.S. military to strike a foreign adversary. But President Trump was having second thoughts."

"U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he intends to nominate Army Secretary Mark Esper to be secretary of defense, the White House said in a statement."

"President Trump stepped away from the precipice of an immediate military conflict with Iran on Friday, calling off a strike in response to Iran’s downing of a U.S. surveillance drone."

"President Trump said Friday morning that the United States military had been 'cocked and loaded' for a strike against Iran on Thursday night, but that he called it off with 10 minutes to spare when a general told him that 150 people would probably die in the attack."

"The Afghan government is calling for a cease-fire to facilitate intra-Afghan dialogue, but the Taliban has yet to agree."

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has released its sixth lessons learned report. Continue on for the key points and a link to the full report.

"The Trump administration has portrayed Iran’s recent moves, including its threat to resume stockpiling low-enriched uranium in violation of the nuclear agreement, as proof that Iran is an implacable rogue state, bent on acquiring nuclear weapons, that can be contained only through the threat of military force."

"Officials say a future military response hasn’t been ruled out."

"Each side has so far refrained from escalation, but Trump administration officials had not ruled out the prospect of a response."

"President Donald Trump declared Thursday that 'Iran made a very big mistake' in shooting down a U.S. surveillance drone near the Persian Gulf but suggested it was a foolish error rather than an intentional escalation of the tensions that have led to fears of open conflict."

"The Senate on Thursday passed three measures to block President Trump from using his emergency authority to complete several arms sales benefiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but fell short of the support needed to overcome a pledged veto."

Unveiling new data indicating that global displacement numbers are at “the highest level” that the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has seen in its almost 70-year existence, Mr. Grandi noted that these were “conservative” estimates.

"Iran shot down a U.S. naval surveillance drone near the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian and U.S. officials said Thursday, adding to weeks of tensions in the Persian Gulf region amid growing concerns of a wider military confrontation."

"Loopholes in U.N. Security Council sanctions procedures are allowing blacklisted al Qaeda and Islamic State terrorists and their supporters to tap their bank accounts despite a U.N. asset freeze, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and people familiar with the matter."

"Key takeaways from the United Nations report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi."

"Senior U.S. officials called back to White House after desalination facility in kingdom hit."

"Last winter, the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro seemed a sure bet to President Trump, a quick foreign policy win at a time when other initiatives in Asia and the Middle East appeared stalled or headed in the wrong direction."

Continue on for an update on the latest news concerning the U.S.-Iran crisis from the Associated Press and Voice of America.

The U.S. envoy seeking a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban has said Washington is seeking a “comprehensive peace agreement, not a withdrawal agreement” in its talks with the Taliban.

The use of “fake Overseas Contingency Operations” funds is a product of the arbitrary Budget Control Act spending caps and will not disappear until the caps do. The only honest solution is to eliminate those caps and begin budgeting based on real needs with real money in real accounts.

"Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has privately delivered warnings intended for Iranian leaders that any attack by Tehran or its proxies resulting in the death of even one American service member will generate a military counterattack, U.S. officials said."

"The president was named Reagan, and Iran and Iraq were locked in a horrific war with each other over control of land and the Persian Gulf."

The United States explicitly stated Tuesday it is seeking a comprehensive peace agreement with the Taliban that would cover counterterrorism assurances, withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, intra-Afghan talks to find a political settlement to the war and a permanent cease-fire.