Donald Trump has said he believes US negotiators should “go silent” in peace talks with Iran after reports that Tehran has pulled out of diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Speaking to NBC, the US president said “we have been talking too much” amid fears that weeks of talks aimed at ending the three-month old conflict have collapsed.
His comments follow reports that Iran has called off peace talks with the US over Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, according to the Tasnim news agency.
The agency said Iran and the Resistance Front, which includes its Shiite allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, have set an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts, including the Bab El Mandeb Strait, in order to “punish” Israel and its supporters.
“There will be no talks until Iran and the resistance's views on this matter are met,” said the statement.
Key Points
- Trump says Iran eager to 'make a deal' with US in late night post
- US troops struck Iranian air defence sites over the weekend
- Iran's Ghalibaf accuses US of ceasefire violation
- Oil prices still below $90 a barrel
- US proposes new plan to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions
- What is Beaufort Castle and why is it being occupied by Israel?
Iran star controversially dropped from World Cup squad heading to US amid conflict
17:40 , Maira Butt
Iran have unveiled their 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, with coach Amir Ghalenoei opting for the experience of Mehdi Taremi and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, but notably excluding prolific striker Sardar Azmoun.
Azmoun, who boasts an impressive record of 57 goals in 91 international appearances, was a significant omission from both the preliminary and final selections. His exclusion comes despite a public plea for his return from Iran's Vice President, Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh.
The Shabab Al-Ahli player was also left out of the national team in March, with local media reports suggesting he had been expelled for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government.
Iran star controversially dropped from World Cup squad heading to US amid conflict
Trump says he is not aware of reports Iran will suspend talks
17:23 , Daniel Keane
Donald Trump has said that he is not aware of reports claiming that Iran will suspend talks with the US unless Israel halts its military operations in Lebanon.
Speaking to NBC, the US president said he had not been informed of the decision ahead of time.
“It’s an appropriate thing to say, because they’re better negotiators than they are fighters,” he said in a brief call. “But they haven’t informed us of that.”
“It doesn’t mean we’re going to go and start dropping bombs all over there,” Trump added. “We’ll keep the blockade.”
In pictures: Families flee as over 1.3 million displaced in Lebanon in Israeli strikes
17:10 , Maira Butt
Netanyahu orders Israeli strike on southern Beirut as Lebanon conflict deepens
16:40 , Maira Butt
Benjamin Netanyahu says he has ordered Israeli forces to strike Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh.
The order comes as the Israeli military expanded its incursion into southern Lebanon, pushing north of the Litani River and recapturing the strategic Beaufort Castle on Sunday 31 May, 44 years after it first occupied it.
Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of violating the nominal ceasefire brokered by the United States, which officially began on 17 April.
“In light of the repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by the terrorist organisation Hezbollah and the attacks on our cities and citizens, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz have instructed the IDF to strike terror targets in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut,” a joint statement from Mr Netanyahu and Mr Katz said.
Jessie Williams reports:
Netanyahu orders Israeli strike on southern Beirut as Lebanon conflict deepens
Britain orders more missiles to shoot down drones from Thales
16:10 , Maira Butt
Britain has signed a new contract with defence company Thales TCFP.PA to supply hundreds of Lightweight Multirole missiles for the country’s armed forces.
The deals are worth £36 million ($48.46 million) and are for a type of missile has been by UK forces used to shoot down drones in the Middle East since the start of the Iran war.
A statement from the Ministry of Defence said on Monday deliveries would begin in the coming months.
Large explosion reported in Arabian Gulf, says UKMTO
15:40 , Maira Butt
The UK Maritime Trade Organisation has recorded an explosion in the Arabian Gulf, it said on Monday.
It said it has received a report of an incident 40 nautical miles southeast of Umm Qasr in Iraq.
A cargo vessel was transiting through the region when a large explosion was recorded following a hit from an unknown projectile on the starboard side.
Israeli military issues evacuation order for residents of Beirut's southern suburbs
15:20 , Maira Butt
The Israeli military issued an evacuation order for residents of Beirut's southern suburbs and warned that it would strike targets in the area if Hezbollah continued firing rockets at Israeli cities and towns, military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Monday.
Iran says ceasefire with US includes Lebanon, Washington and Israel responsible for any violation
14:55 , Maira Butt
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has reiterated the importance of Lebanon being included in a ceasefire and blamed the US and Israel for any violations of an agreement.
“Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The U.S. and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” he wrote in a post on X on Monday.
Breaking: Iran's negotiating team to stop exchanging messages with US over Lebanon, says Tasnim news agency
14:27 , Maira Butt
Iran's Tasnim news agency said on Monday that Iran's negotiating team is stopping exchanging messages with the United States through mediators over attacks on Lebanon.
“There will be no talks until Iran’s demands on cessation of Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza are met,” read the statement shared by Tasnim.
Pezeshkian vows to take 'every measure possible' to restart traffic through Strait of Hormuz
14:25 , Maira Butt
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has vowed to take “every measure in our power” to normalise maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and maintain stability and security in the waterway.
Following a call with Japan's prime minister Sanae Takaich, he said that Iran will try to make the passage of Japanese ships through the vital shipping route easier, according to state media.
Watch: Beachgoers flee as strikes from Lebanon hit northern Israel
14:00 , Maira Butt
Israel orders strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs as Hezbollah rockets hit northern Israel
13:42 , Maira Butt
Israel's government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, a day after its ground forces reached their deepest point in Lebanon in 26 years and as Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel including the outskirts of coastal city of Haifa.
A joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said that following what they called repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah and the “attacks against our cities and citizens,” they have ordered the Israeli military to attack targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs known in Arabic as Dahiyeh.
Israel orders strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs as Hezbollah rockets hit northern Israel
US says it intercepted two Iranian missiles over Kuwait
13:22 , Maira Butt
US forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait late on Sunday, the U.S. military said on Monday, adding that no American personnel were harmed.
Early on Monday, Kuwait’s foreign ministry said missiles had flown into its airspace, before the foreign ministry released a statement asserting the country’s right to “take all necessary measures to defend its territory.
US military quietly guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz, according to reports
13:00 , Maira Butt
The United States military has been quietly guiding ships through the beleaguered Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital shipping routes, according to the New York Times.
Around 70 vessels have transited the waterway according to US officials cited by the publication as discussions on a resolution remain deadlocked. Tracking devices have been switched off in order to enact the strategy, according to the reports.
UK regulator says no evidence fuel retailers taking advantage of Iran crisis
12:45 , James Reynolds
Britain's competition regulator has found no evidence that retailers had altered their fuel pricing strategies to take advantage of the Middle East crisis, the watchdog said on Monday.
The Competition and Markets Authority's analysis indicated that elevated wholesale prices continued to explain most of the increase in pump prices in March and into April, it said in a statement.
As Iran war threatens undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz, is it time to rethink the internet?
12:35 , Maira Butt
When one of the world’s worst ever energy crises began in the Strait of Hormuz in February, few believed that their internet access – rather than their gas bill – would be the worst-affected aspect of daily life.
But lurking many thousands of metres beneath the oil ships being attacked by the Iranian navy lie a series of undersea cables that play a vital role in the global economy, helping to power our internet and keep the world connected.
Earlier this month, Tehran floated plans to impose tariffs on Strait of Hormuz submarine cables, warning that they were a vulnerable chokepoint for the region’s digital economy.
Alex Croft reports:
As Iran and Russia threaten undersea cables, is it time to rethink the internet?
Iran insists current ceasefire includes Lebanon as Israel expands attacks in Beirut suburbs
12:24 , James Reynolds
The ceasefire already in place between Iran and the United States is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon, Iran's top diplomat said on Monday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered attacks on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut.
“Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The U.S. and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on X.
Britain orders more missiles to shoot down drones
12:20 , James Reynolds
Britain said it signed new contracts worth £36 million with French defence company Thales to supply hundreds of Lightweight Multirole missiles for the country's armed forces.
This type of missile has been by UK forces used to shoot down drones in the Middle East since the start of the Iran war.
A statement from the Ministry of Defence said on Monday deliveries would begin in the coming months.
15 ships including four oil tankers transit through Strait of Hormuz, says IRGC
12:05 , Maira Butt
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday that 15 ships, including four oil tankers, passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours.
The vessels were permitted to transit the waterway after obtaining permission from Iran, according to Fars news agency.
Watch: Trump tells Americans to ‘sit back and relax’ as sides exchange fresh strikes
11:35 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue as people flee bombing
11:10 , Maira Butt
Netanyahu orders deeper Israeli incursion into Lebanon
10:40 , Maira Butt
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, he said on Sunday, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
“I instructed the (military) to expand its ground manoeuvre in Lebanon,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Watch: Sirens heard across Kuwait City following US attacks on Iranian military bases
10:10 , Maira Butt
Iran's Ghalibaf accuses US of ceasefire violation
09:55 , Maira Butt
Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf has accused the US of a ceasefire violation after the countries exchanged strikes over the weekend.
In a post on X he said that the naval blockade imposed by the US and the “escalation of war crimes” by Israel in Lebanon are “clear evidence of US noncompliance with the ceasefire.”
“Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place,” he wrote.
Kuwait condemns Iranian attacks on its territory, says foreign ministry
09:40 , Maira Butt
Kuwait has condemned alleged Iranian attacks on its territory, according to a statement by the foreign ministry on Monday.
The country intercepted a missile amid a fresh exchange of fire between the US and Tehran.
It affirmed its “full right to take all necessary measures” to defend its territory. It said Iranian attacks “undermine” efforts to reduce tensions in the region, which were sparked by US-Israeli attacks on Iran on 28 February.
Mapped: US and Iran exchange fresh strikes
09:20 , Maira Butt
Iran says lack of trust, changing US position and Israeli actions in Lebanon delaying diplomatic process
09:00 , Maira Butt
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has blamed the US and Israel for delays in efforts to resolve the deadlocked conflict.
Baghaei cited a “lack of trust,” the US’s constant changes in position, and Israeli actions in Lebanon as reasons for the stalemate on Monday.
He said Iran believes a ceasefire in Lebanon is crucial to any agreement with the US.
He added that “US aggressive action” constitutes a ceasefire violation and led Iranian armed forces to target positions from which the US attack originated.
Trump blasts ‘Dumocrats’ as Iran deal hangs in the balance
08:30 , Maira Butt
Donald Trump asserted on Monday that Iran is eager to strike a deal with the United States, which he believes would be beneficial for Washington and its allies, despite the protests of “Dumocrats.”
This declaration came just hours after the U.S. military reported striking Iranian military sites over the weekend, prompting Iran's Revolutionary Guards to claim a retaliatory attack on a U.S. base.
These exchanges mark the latest escalation amid ongoing negotiations to resolve a three-month-old conflict.
Trump blasts ‘Dumocrats’ as Iran deal hangs in the balance
Iran attacks damaged 20 US military sites according to satellite imagery
08:01 , Maira Butt
Iran has damaged 20 US military sites since the Iran war started in February, according to satellite images and videos analysed by BBC Verify.
The pictures appear to confirm previous reports that Iranian strikes have caused more extensive damage than has been publicly acknowledged.
A US defence official declined to comment on BBC Verify's findings, citing "operational security reasons".
Trump says Iran 'really wants to make a deal' and tells Americans to 'sit back and relax'
07:31 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump said that Iran really wants to make a deal with the US and that it would be a good one for Washington and its allies.
“Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us,” the US leader wrote in a post on Truth Social on Monday.
“Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end - It always does!”
Oil prices jump as US and Iran exchange fresh strikes
07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices jumped more than 2 per cent as negotiations between the United States and Iran continued over a potential ceasefire extension and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while stock markets in Japan and South Korea hit record highs driven by enthusiasm over artificial intelligence.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 2.4 per cent to $93.33 a barrel in early trading, up from around $70 a barrel in late February, before the war began. US benchmark crude gained 2.8 per cent to $89.76 a barrel.
Stock markets in Japan and South Korea hit fresh record highs on Monday on enthusiasm over the artificial intelligence boom and as investors await a decision on the Iran war ceasefire extension.
More here.
Oil prices jump as US and Iran exchange fresh strikes
Iranian lawyer sentenced to five years for partaking in January protests
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
An Iranian lawyer arrested during the January protests has been sentenced to five years in prison by a Revolutionary Court in Shiraz.
Mehdi Ansari was convicted of “assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security”, rights group Hengaw said.
He was arrested from his home on 28 January this year during the anti-government protests.
What a peace deal between Iran and the US could look like
06:54 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has asked for changes to the proposed Iran agreement negotiated by US envoys, triggering a fresh round of talks with Tehran, according to a report.
After deliberating for a day, the US president has demanded further amendments to a peace proposal put forward by the Iranian side which would see the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping.
The proposed memorandum of understanding would reportedly extend the ceasefire by 60 days and create a framework for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
More here.
What could a peace deal between Iran and the US look like?
Iran executes two men for January protests
06:37 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran executed two men convicted over their role in unrest in Tehran in January 2026, including setting fire to a mosque, damaging public property and clashing with security forces, the judiciary's news outlet Mizan reported.
Mizan identified the men as Mehrdad Mohammadinia and Ashkan Maleki and said they were among the main perpetrators of an attack on the Jafari Mosque in Tehran's Gisha neighbourhood.
Their death sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court before being carried out, Mizan added.
Trump now says US left Iran’s military ‘alone’ after weeks of boasting that he destroyed its forces
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has now said that Iran’s military was largely untouched by U.S. strikes over the past three months, contradicting countless statements he has made and continues to make about the scale of the U.S.’s successes in the ongoing war.
The president spoke in an interview that aired Saturday with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump on Fox News. As the war in Iran now runs past the three-month mark, the U.S. remains mired in a stalemate with Iran under the shadow of a shaky ceasefire that Trump is now considering an offer to extend for another 60 days.
A war that the president and his team have long insisted would be over in “days” or even just a few weeks is now at a flashpoint with the U.S. having proven largely unable to forcibly open the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy shipping traffic.
Negotiations continue, but details of a pending agreement to extend the ceasefire indicate that the sides are still far apart on the eventual question of Iran’s nuclear program, including its future enrichment capabilities.
More here.
Trump now says US left Iran’s military ‘alone’ as he considers deal
Israel says it intercepted rocket fired from Lebanon
06:16 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Israeli military says it has intercepted a rocket and destroyed a missile launcher used by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
This comes after air raid sirens were heard in the town of Kiryat Shmona and surrounding areas in northern Israel.
Trump says Iran eager to 'make a deal' with US
06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has claimed that Iran "really wants to make a deal" and that it would be good for the US and its allies.
In a midnight post on Truth Social, Trump said: "But don’t the Dumocrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively 'chirping', at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever.
"Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end - It always does!"
Trump criticises CNN for report on Iran deal
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US president Donald Trump has criticised CNN's reporting on his proposed agreement with Iran.
“Fake News CNN said today, routinely, that my Iran Nuclear Deal doesn’t talk about Nuclear, when actually it states, very clearly, that Iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump rued on TruthSocial.
"It then goes on, in very strong and lengthy detail, to discuss various other aspects of Nuclear. In fact, that’s what most of the agreement is about. CNN, and so many others in the Fake News Media, is a Low Ratings disaster. Even with new ownership, it is unlikely to ever get better!!"
Israel captures 900-year-old castle in Lebanon
05:27 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli troops seized the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon, the military said earlier on Sunday, a day after one of the heaviest days of Hezbollah fire toward northern Israel since the April ceasefire.
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that he ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
Israel continues to bomb Lebanon
05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's Revolutionary Guard strikes US air base
04:49 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it has targeted a US air base that has been used for launching attacks on a telecoms tower on Sirik Island in southern Iran.
The statement comes after the US a short while ago claimed it conducted strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Iran's Goruk and Qeshm Islands over the weekend.
Breaking: US troops struck Iranian air defence sites over the weekend, says central command
04:33 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US forces have struck Iranian air defence sites, a ground control station and brought down two one-way attack drones over the weekend, the central command said this morning.
It claimed that the strikes were in response to "aggressive Iranian actions", including the downing of a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters.
"No American service members were harmed," it said.
Breaking: Kuwaiti air defences intercept missile, drone attacks
04:23 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Kuwait's air defences were intercepting missile and drone attacks this morning as sirens sounded across the country, the state news agency KUNA reported.
It was unclear where the missiles and drones were coming from.
Oil prices still below $90 a barrel
04:18 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices rose more than 2 per cent in early trading after Israel ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
US crude futures rose $2.37 or 2.71 per cent to $89.73 a barrel. Brent futures rose $2.16 or 2.37 per cent to $93.28 a barrel.
The Israel-Lebanon conflict has been the broadest spillover of the Iran war. It started on 2 March when Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones across the border into Israel to back its ally Iran.
The two sides reached a ceasefire in mid-April but have continued to trade fire.
US proposes new plan to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions
04:17 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with both Lebanese president Joseph Aoun and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon and proposed a plan to allow for "gradual de-escalation", a US official said.
The US has proposed that as a first step, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group would stop all attacks on Israel and in return Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut, the official told Reuters.
"This would create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities," according to the official.
They added that Aoun tried to advance the proposal and secure an agreement.
However, Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who claimed to "guarantee" Hezbollah's commitment to a ceasefire, placed the burden on Israel to stop "shooting first".
As the Pentagon pushes for battlefield AI, some military leaders urge caution
03:00 , Alex Croft
The Trump administration is pushing to unleash the power of artificial intelligence for the U.S. military while facing calls to put up guardrails around the rapidly developing technology from some companies — and even notes of caution from top leaders in uniform.
Adm. Frank Bradley, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, told attendees of a recent annual special forces conference in Tampa, Florida, that troops “have to be very careful about how we come to (AI’s) employment and its inspiration into the delivery of lethality.”
Bradley said he can see a future where AI determines what targets to hit but that “we, as humans, have to have the confidence that ... it's going to deliver violence only where we intend it to be delivered.”
Read more here:
As the Pentagon pushes for battlefield AI, some military leaders urge caution
UK special relationship with US ‘meaningless’ unless it boosts defence, Hegseth warns
02:01 , Alex Croft
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports...
Britain’s special relationship with the United States is “meaningless” unless it “locks arms and shields” with the US and matches its military capabilities, Donald Trump’s war secretary has warned.
Giving a speech in Singapore, Pete Hegseth said that “model allies” who comply with US demands will benefit from arms sales and access to intelligence, while those seen to be “freeloading” on US capabilities will be penalised.
Referring to conversations with the UK defence secretary, the politician said: “As my friends, Mr [Richard] Marles [the Australian defence minister] and John Healey know, I’m probably the most blunt with our closest friends about what our capabilities are and where they need to be to ensure that we’re locking arms and shields, considering the threats of the world.”
He continued: “You can’t just say, ‘Oh, we’ve been friends for a long time, so let’s work together.’ It’s: ‘We’ve been friends for a long time, so you better have the same capabilities we do, because if we don’t, our alliance is meaningless.’”
Mr Hegseth also vowed to move allies who step up their military capabilities to “the front of the line” when it comes to closer ties, praising countries such as South Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
Iranian commander warns of ‘more forceful’ retaliation
01:01 , Alex Croft
Iran has warned that any new attack on its territory would trigger a stronger military response, as tensions remain high despite ongoing discussions over a possible ceasefire extension.
Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Iran’s deputy army commander for coordination, said the country’s armed forces were prepared to respond to further military action.
“The enemy should know that any aggression against the country’s territory will be met with a response even more forceful than before,” he said, per Al Jazeera.
“Today, the army of the Islamic Republic stands firmly and resolutely against any hostile move by the enemy,” Sayyari added.
The warning comes as the US and Iran remain divided over a proposed agreement covering Tehran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Recap: Iran does not trust any promises made by the US, says Tehran
Monday 1 June 2026 00:00 , Alex Croft
We heard earlier from Iran’s top negotiator and parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Ghalibaf.
He says no agreement with the US will be accepted until Iran’s rights are secured, according to Tehran’s IRNA state news agency.
The Iranian government does not trust promises made by the US side, he said, adding that only objective results matter.
It comes after Donald Trump reportedly asked for changes to the proposed Iran agreement negotiated by US envoys, triggering another round of talks with Tehran.
“At the turn of the week, we hope to have something,” a senior administration official said.
Watch: Tehran-based photographer Tahmineh Monzavi captures the lives of Generation Z in Iran
Sunday 31 May 2026 23:01 , Alex Croft
UK foreign minister calls for end to Israeli military action in Lebanon
Sunday 31 May 2026 22:54 , Harriette Boucher
IRGC navy says 28 vessels pass through Strait of Hormuz
Sunday 31 May 2026 22:00 , Alex Croft
The navy of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has said that 28 vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours.
This is according to Iranian state media - we’re working to bring you more detail on the claims.
Iran's president asks to resign - report
Sunday 31 May 2026 21:43 , Harriette Boucher
Iran’s president has reportedly asked to resign, stating that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had taken control of affairs and decision-making.
Masoud Pezeshkian’s office has denied the report from Iran International, which states that he submitted an official letter of resignation to the office of the supreme leader.
The Persian news channel cited a source familiar with the matter.
The report said the president said that under the circumstances, he could not run the government and carry out his responsibilities.
It added that it was not known if supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei will accept the resignation.
The president’s deputy head of communications has denied the claims, saying Mr Pezeshkian would not be stepping down.
What is Beaufort Castle being occupied by Israel?
Sunday 31 May 2026 21:00 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, Israel has announced its occupation of Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle will remain in place as part of its security zone.
The Israeli military had already been striking in the area around the ancient structure as it deepens its invasion and occupation of southern parts of the country.
The 900-year-old Beaufort Castle was hit by Israeli strikes on Tuesday, as its bombardment of southern Lebanon killed 31 people and wounded another 40 in the deadliest day since a ceasefire was supposed to take hold, state news agency NNA reported.
The fortress has been described by UNESCO as one of the best-preserved examples of medieval castles in the region.
In Focus | As Iran war threatens undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz, is it time to rethink the internet?
Sunday 31 May 2026 20:02 , Alex Croft
When one of the world’s worst ever energy crises began in the Strait of Hormuz in February, few believed that their internet access – rather than their gas bill – would be the worst affected aspect of daily life.
But lurking many thousands of metres beneath the oil ships being attacked by the Iranian navy lie a series of undersea cables that play a vital role in the global economy, helping to power our internet and keep the world connected.
Earlier this month, Tehran floated plans to impose tariffs on Strait of Hormuz submarine cables, warning that they were a vulnerable chokepoint for the region's digital economy.
Undersea internet cables form the backbone of all worldwide connectivity, enabling bank transfers, messaging, and critical services to function. But as global conflicts threaten crucial chokepoints through which they run, how can the critical cables be protected? Alex Croft reports
As Iran and Russia threaten undersea cables, is it time to rethink the internet?
Israel's advance to Beaufort castle provides new vantage point
Sunday 31 May 2026 19:00 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, the Israeli military on Sunday issued a fresh evacuation warning for Southern Lebanon residents south of the Zaharani.
The Israeli advance also came as the US military hosted Israeli and Lebanese defence representatives in Washington on Friday to pursue a US-brokered plan to forge peace between the two countries and disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah. On May 15, the two sides agreed to extend the ceasefire by 45 days.
The advance into Beaufort Castle has granted Israeli troops a vantage point over much of southern Lebanon and northern Israel, from which attacks have been launched towards Israeli residential areas.
It was the first time Israel had held the site since May 2000, when Israel withdrew its troops from southern Lebanon after 18 years.
Trump lashes out at Pope Leo again over Iran
Sunday 31 May 2026 18:01 , Alex Croft
Here is everything you need to know in five bullet points with The Independent’s Bulletin.
- Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV regarding Iran's nuclear program, asserting that the country must be nuclear-free.
- Trump reshared a social media post from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who had attended a prayer with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
- In his comment, Trump suggested someone should inform the Pope that the Chicago Mayor is "useless" and that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons.
- This marks another instance of disagreement between Trump and Pope Leo concerning Iran, following Trump's earlier accusation that the pontiff was "endangering Catholics" by supporting Iran's nuclear ambitions.
- Pope Leo responded by emphasizing the Church's mission to preach peace and its long-standing, clear opposition to all nuclear weapons.
Hegseth walks back on 'any Iran deal will be a good deal' comment with 'important clarification' - ICYMI
Sunday 31 May 2026 17:29 , Alex Croft
Gas production resumes at three platforms of Iran's South Pars gas field after Israeli attacks, IRNA reports
Sunday 31 May 2026 16:58 , Alex Croft
Iran has restored gas production at three offshore platforms in the South Pars gas field that had been forced to halt output after Israeli attacks, the chief executive of the Pars Oil and Gas Company told state media on Sunday.
Touraj Dehqani said the platforms had not been damaged in the attacks, which disrupted processing capacity at some onshore facilities.
He added that production from the three platforms was being routed to other processing plants in the region while repairs continue at damaged facilities, including the Phase 14 refinery.
After weeks of boasting that he’s destroyed Iran’s armed forces, Trump now says ‘we actually left their military alone’
Sunday 31 May 2026 16:18 , Harriette Boucher
Our Washington DC correspondent John Bowden writes:
Donald Trump has now said that Iran’s military was largely untouched by U.S. strikes over the past three months, contradicting countless statements he has made and continues to make about the scale of the U.S.’s successes in the ongoing war.
The president spoke in an interview that aired Saturday with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump on Fox News. As the war in Iran now runs past the three-month mark, the U.S. remains mired in a stalemate with Iran under the shadow of a shaky ceasefire that Trump is now considering an offer to extend for another 60 days.
A war that the president and his team have long insisted would be over in “days” or even just a few weeks is now at a flashpoint with the U.S. having proven largely unable to forcibly open the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy shipping traffic. Negotiations continue, but details of a pending agreement to extend the ceasefire indicate that the sides are still far apart on the eventual question of Iran’s nuclear program, including its future enrichment capabilities.
On Saturday Trump gave another description of the U.S. operation, and seemed to break from his past claims of having obliterated Iran’s military.
After saying Iran’s navy and air force were “totally gone”, the president then commented on Iran’s “military”, telling Lara Trump: “Their military, we’ve sort of left it alone, because we think that their military is somewhat, somewhat moderate....We've actually left their military alone. People would be surprised to hear that."
Read more:
Trump now says US left Iran’s military ‘alone’ as he considers deal
Israeli army captures strategic castle in Lebanon in deepest incursion into country in 26 years
Sunday 31 May 2026 16:01 , Alex Croft
Israeli troops have captured a strategic mountain topped with a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon in the deepest incursion of the country in more than a quarter-century, the military said Sunday.
The capture of Beaufort castle, near the city of Nabatiyeh, came after days of airstrikes and intense fighting in nearby villages where Israeli troops fought Hezbollah members in the rugged area.
Its capture marks a major development in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, which began on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked its main backer, Iran.
Read the full report:
Israeli army captures strategic castle in Lebanon in deepest incursion into country in 26 years
