US-Iran war and Trump assassination attempt: Gunman’s disturbing manifesto revealed, Iran peace talks on hold

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will head to North Asia this week as the Albanese Government broadens its diplomatic efforts to secure oil supplies, including with China which has recently curtailed exports of jet fuel.

Senator Wong has announced she will head to Japan, China and South Korea over coming days for face-to-face discussions with her counterparts to “strengthen Australia’s relationships and our shared energy security”.

“The Middle East conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt global energy markets, with Asian refineries and the Indo-Pacific region disproportionately affected,” she said in a statement.

“Direct, in-person engagement with counterparts across our region will help ensure we are coordinating effectively as these disruptions continue to unfold.”

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US Secret Service agents and Montgomery County Police interviewed Cole Tomas Allen’s sister at the family home in Rockville, Maryland, where she revealed concerns about his behaviour.

She said Allen had a tendency to make extreme comments and had spoken about doing “something”, according to information released by the White House.

The sister also confirmed he had purchased two handguns and a shotgun from CAP Tactical Firearms and had been storing them at their parents’ home, without their knowledge.

Authorities were told Allen regularly trained at a shooting range and was part of a group known as “The Wide Awakes”.

She also said he had attended a “No Kings” anti-Trump protest in California.

According to the White House, Allen’s social media accounts contained strong anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric.

US President Donald Trump says Iran can pick up the phone if it wants to negotiate an end to the two-month conflict, as diplomatic efforts stall and planned talks in Pakistan are called off.

Speaking on Sunday, Mr Trump made clear Washington’s position remains unchanged, insisting Tehran must abandon any path to a nuclear weapon before talks can proceed.

“If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We have nice, secure lines,” Mr Trump told The Sunday Briefing on Fox News.

“They know what has to be in the agreement. It’s very simple: They cannot have a nuclear weapon, otherwise there’s no reason to meet,” Mr Trump said.

The comments come as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain locked in a fragile stalemate, neither escalating into full conflict nor moving toward peace, with both sides appearing to wait the other out.

Hopes of progress took a hit on Saturday when Mr Trump scrapped a planned visit to Islamabad by senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Despite the setback, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has continued travelling between countries involved in mediation efforts, including a return to Pakistan, even without US officials at the table.

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A man accused of opening fire outside a high-profile White House dinner allegedly laid out his intentions in chilling detail just minutes before the attack, including how he planned to carry it out.

As US President Donald Trump and hundreds of guests attended the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday night, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen had already positioned himself inside the Washington Hilton, armed and undetected.

Authorities allege Allen sent a manifesto to family members about 10 minutes before the shooting, outlining both his targets and his reasoning.

In the document, Allen identified members of the Trump administration as his intended targets, ranking them by seniority.

“Administration officials (not including FBI Director Kash Patel): they are targets, prioritised from highest-ranking to lowest,” he wrote.

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