Donald Trump’s administration is preparing for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, according to a new report.
Military and intelligence officials have canceled their Memorial Day weekend plans in case of possible strikes, sources told CBS News.
"The President always maintains all options at all times, and it is the job of the Pentagon to be ready to execute any decision the Commander-in-Chief could make," a White House spokesperson told the outlet.
No final decision to launch the strikes had been made as of Friday afternoon, local time.
If the US were to launch fresh strikes, it would threaten the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. Peace talks seem to be getting nowhere as the war drags on for nearly three months.
Also Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Nato allies need to prepare a “Plan B” to open the Strait of Hormuz.
“What if Iran decides we refuse to open the straits, we’re going to own the straits, and we’re going to charge tolls for it?” he said at a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sweden. “At that point, something has to be done about it.”
Key Points
- Trump preparing for fresh round of military strikes against Iran: report
- Nato needs to develop 'plan B' for Strait of Hormuz, says Rubio
- Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill 10, including paramedics and a child, officials say
- How close are the US and Iran to an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz?
Trump met with national security officials while weighing next steps on Iran: report
03:49 , Samantha Beech
US President Donald Trump met Friday with his top national security officials as he considers a path forward on the war with Iran, a person familiar with the meeting told CNN.
The White House session reportedly came as diplomacy grinds ahead in an attempt to secure a deal to end the war. It ended without a decision on what will happen next, the source said.
It comes as military and intelligence officials have canceled their Memorial Day weekend plans in case of possible strikes, sources told CBS News.
Oil and gas prices to remain high in Europe at least until the end of 2027, officials say
03:00 , Alex Croft
European Union officials said Friday that Europeans can expect oil and gas prices to remain above what they were before the Iran war for at least until the end of 2027, with prices of other goods also following an upward trajectory.
EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said that higher energy prices are primarily responsible for driving inflation to a forecast 3.1% for this year and 2.4% for 2027. That’s significantly higher than the earlier forecast for this year of 1.9%.
“We expect that this energy inflation will gradually also trickle down to different sectors of the economy,” Dombrovskis said after a meeting of the 21-member eurozone's finance ministers, who make up the Eurogroup.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said that even if the conflict in the Middle East ended now, “lagging effects” would keep the prices of goods elevated.
“And it’s probably a fact that price levels will be higher at the end of this crisis, when we see the end of the crisis,” Lagarde said.
Read more here:
Oil and gas prices to remain high in Europe at least until the end of 2027, officials say
Trump 'has other options' if diplomacy doesn't work, says Rubio, admitting there's still work to be done
02:00 , Alex Croft
The United States has seen some progress in talks with Iran and is in constant communication with the Pakistani mediators, but there is more work to be done, Marco Rubio said today.
“There's been some progress. I wouldn't exaggerate it. I wouldn't diminish it,” Rubio told reporters after a NATO ministers meeting in Sweden.
“There's more work to be done,” he admitted. “We're not there yet. I hope we get there.”
Rubio said Trump would prefer to make a good deal, but will need to discuss concerns about Iran’s possible access to nuclear weapons, the issue of future uranium enrichment, and the Strait of Hormuz.
“We're dealing with a very difficult group of people, and if it doesn't change, then the president's been clear he has other options,” Rubio said.
Watch: Rep. Pat Ryan blasts Republicans for pulling Iran War vote as 'Chickenhawk motherf***ers'
01:01 , Alex Croft
Trump preparing for fresh round of military strikes against Iran: report
00:12 , Rachel Dobkin
Donald Trump’s administration is preparing for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, according to a new report.
Military and intelligence officials have canceled their Memorial Day weekend plans in case of possible strikes, sources told CBS News.
"The President always maintains all options at all times, and it is the job of the Pentagon to be ready to execute any decision the Commander-in-Chief could make," a White House spokesperson told the outlet.
No final decision to launch the strikes had been made as of Friday afternoon, local time.
'50-50' chance of Hormuz resolution, says UAE presidential advisor
00:00 , Alex Croft
UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash says they assess there is a “50-50” chance that the US and Iran can strike a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He also warns that any move by Iran to alter the status of the waterway would have severe global repercussions and set a dangerous precedent.
Rubio earlier said Iran is “trying to create a tolling system” and convince Oman to join.
“There is not a country in the world that should accept that,” he said.
US pauses major arms sale to Taiwan over Iran war
23:32 , Alex Croft
The US Navy has put a major arms sale to Taiwan on “pause” to ensure the military has enough munitions for its war in Iran.
Hung Cao, the acting secretary of the US Navy, said during a congressional hearing about the stalled $14bn weapons purchase, that “right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty”.
“But, we're just making sure we have everything, then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”
How close are the US and Iran to an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz?
23:01 , Alex Croft
Although Donald Trump and Marco Rubio have hinted that talks are progressing better than previously, there is still no sign of a clear deal over the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Iranian source said on Thursday that it remained one of the key sticking points.
Speaking on Thursday, Trump railed against Tehran’s intentions to charge fees on ships using the Strait of Hormuz.
“We want it open, we want it free. We don't want tolls,” Trump said. “It's an international waterway.”
The closure of the Strait through the war has created massive disruption to a vital channel of commerce that ordinarily carries a fifth of global oil and LNG. Iran has floated plans to continue charging some $2m for tankers post-war.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea says countries bordering straits cannot demand payment simply for permission to pass through.
But Iran has said it aims to reopen the strait to friendly countries that abide by its terms that could potentially include fees.
It emerged on Thursday that Iran and Oman have reportedly held discussions on enforcing a permanent toll on the Strait of Hormuz, despite Donald Trump’s warnings.
People familiar with talks told the New York Times that Oman has come around to the idea of sharing revenues from ships crossing the Strait.
“It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it's a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it's completely illegal,” Rubio said.
Fifa to enforce ban on pre-revolutionary Iran flag at World Cup in United States
22:00 , Alex Croft
Fifa is set to prohibit fans from bringing the pre-revolutionary Iran flag into stadiums at the World Cup in the United States – a ruling also made for the last World Cup in Qatar.
While similar in its red, white and green band formation, the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag has a lion and the sun in the middle, while the official flag, changed following the Iranian revolution in 1979, has an Islamic symbol and phrasing, depicting the shift from a monarchy to a theocratic government.
The pre-revolutionary flag has been used by Iranians in the US and worldwide as a symbol of protest and standing against the current regime and, while prohibited at the 2022 World Cup, some fans managed to sneak the flag into stadiums in Qatar.
Read more here:
Fifa to enforce ban on pre-revolutionary Iran flag at World Cup in United States
UK-France plan for Strait of Hormuz is only for when 'no one is shooting', says Rubio
21:34 , Alex Croft
A proposed mission by the UK and France to secure the Strait of Hormuz is for “when no one is shooting”, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said as he stressed the need for a “plan B” to reopen the waterway if Iran continues to threaten vessels.
While America’s top diplomat said he hoped a deal was reached with Tehran to ensure free passage through the sea route, he stressed the need for a fallback if Iran refused to give up control of the channel and enforced tolls.
In this scenario, “then someone’s going to have to go in and do something about it”, argued Mr Rubio.
He was speaking at a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sweden, against the backdrop of the Iran conflict, which has fuelled frictions within the military alliance.
Donald Trump has been scathing over Britain’s reluctance to be drawn into the war, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of being weak and deriding the Royal Navy.
The Prime Minister refused to give the US free rein in its use of British military bases to carry out attacks against Iran, with permission limited to defensive strikes on missile sites.
There have also been tensions over the response of the UK and other countries to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, which was open to shipping prior to the US and Israel offensive against Iran.
Trump snubs son's wedding as he maintains focus on government business - including Iran war
21:31 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump won't be attending the wedding of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr because he has to stay in Washington for government business, he has revealed.
Trump Jr is marrying Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson on a small island in the Bahamas, CNN reported.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that Donald Trump Jr. wanted his father to attend, but that it was going to be a "small private affair."
Trump said then he would try to make the wedding but the timing was bad for him.
"I have a thing called Iran and other things," Trump said on Thursday.
"While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
"I feel it is important for me to remain in Washington, D.C., at the White House during this important period of time," the post continued.
Trump: We have destroyed everything in Iran
21:13 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump is speaking to a crowd of supporters in Suffern, New York State.
“Everything’s gone, their leaders are gone,” he says, referring to Iran’s leaders.
He claims Chinese president Xi Jinping, who he calls a “good man”, was full of high praise for the US military.
The US president has moved on to other topics now, but we’ll bring you any more lines from the speech related to Iran.
Qatar and Iran holding talks, says Tehran foreign ministry
21:01 , Alex Croft
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Friday a Qatari delegation was currently holding talks with Iran’s foreign minister.
Pakistan remains the main mediator in the negotiations, he said.
We earlier reported that Pakistan's military chief Asim Munir had arrived in the Iranian capital of Tehran as a part of the ongoing mediation efforts.
The ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme
20:29 , Alex Croft
Iran’s nuclear programme is the lingering issue that had troubled American negotiators in talks before the conflict erupted on 28 February.
On the eve of the war, Iran had agreed to convert its existing enriched uranium into fuel, abandoning its stockpiles and committing to “never, ever” hold the nuclear material needed for a bomb, according to Omani mediators.
But 10 weeks on, the demands appear to have changed. A US plan floated earlier this month reportedly proposed a temporary moratorium on enrichment, allowing limited enrichment for civilian use after several years, according to American outlet Axios.
That plan also sketched provisions for the UN’s nuclear watchdog to carry out snap inspections of Iranian sites, while Iran would give up its underground facilities and agree to move all of its enriched uranium out of the country, according to reports.
In return, the US has offered to lift sanctions on Iran and release billions of dollars in frozen funds.
Trump insisted this week that the US will eventually recover Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which Washington believes is destined for a nuclear weapon though Tehran says it is intended purely for peaceful purposes.
“We will get it. We don't need it, we don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not consider the war over until enriched uranium is removed from Iran, Tehran ends its support for proxy militias, and its ballistic missile capabilities are eliminated.
But Iran has so far retained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, and its ability to threaten neighbours with missiles, drones and proxy militias.
Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters before Trump's comments that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had issued a directive that the uranium should not be sent abroad.
Watch: Marco Rubio says there has been ‘slight progress’ on Iran as NATO ministers meet in Sweden
20:01 , Alex Croft
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon kill 10, including paramedics and a child, officials say
19:30 , Alex Croft
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon Friday killed 10 people, including six paramedics and a Syrian girl, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said, the latest in near-daily attacks from both sides that have not stopped despite the fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war.
The first strike hit the village of Hanouiyeh, killing four paramedics working for Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Association and wounding two others including one paramedic, the ministry said.
Another strike Friday morning on the village of Deir Qanoun al Nahr in the coastal Tyre province killed six people, including a Syrian child and two paramedics from the Al-Rissala Scouts Association, a paramedic group affiliated with Hezbollah’s ally, the Amal movement, the ministry said. An additional six people were injured, including three paramedics and a Syrian woman.
Read more here:
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon kill 10, including paramedics and a child, officials say
What are Tehran's latest peace demands?
18:59 , Alex Croft
Tehran submitted its latest offer to the United States earlier this week.
The proposal appeared to be better received than previous iterations in Washington, as senior members of the Trump administration said differences between the two sides were narrowing.
But Tehran’s descriptions of the offer suggests it largely repeats terms Trump previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of US troops from the region.
Trump continues to publicly oppose some of these conditions, but also faces domestic pressure over the war ahead of the November midterm elections.
With Americans angry over the surge in fuel prices and Trump’s approval rating hitting new lows since he returned to the White House last year, the president will be keen to secure a resolution to the conflict soon.
France drafts UN resolution on opening Strait of Hormuz
18:28 , Alex Croft
France has drafted a UN Security Council resolution on setting up an international mission open the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
It comes as Washington struggles to bring to a vote a text Russia and China may say is biased against Tehran.
Control of the narrow waterway, the closure of which has led to spiralling oil prices, is a major obstacle in talks to end the US-Iran war.
A US-Bahraini resolution on the strait has been under discussion for more than two weeks, with a vote repeatedly delayed as China and Russia signal they could veto it.
The US-Bahraini draft resolution demands Iran halt attacks and mining in the strait. China and Russia vetoed a similar US-backed text in April, arguing it was biased against Tehran.
Washington has secured almost 140 countries to co-sponsor its text in the hope of avoiding a veto, two European diplomats said.
France, another veto-wielding power, has so far refused to back the US text.
Six Lebanese paramedics killed in two Israeli strikes
18:02 , Alex Croft
Six Lebanese paramedics have been killed in two Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon in the past day, Lebanon's health ministry said on Friday.
An Israeli strike overnight Thursday into Friday in the southern Lebanese town of Hanaway killed four paramedics from the Islamic Health Association, it said. On Friday morning, an Israeli strike killed two medics from the Al-Rissala Scouts Association in Deir Qanoun En-Nahr.
The Israeli military has not immediately responded.
The ministry distributed a video that it said was in Deir Qanoun En-Nahr, showing two men in yellow vests on the side of a road tending to someone. When an ambulance approaches the two men, a flash is seen and a loud boom goes off. The same men are then seen lying on the floor.
Reuters was able to confirm the location of the video as the western edge of Deir Qanoun En-Nahr from the buildings, trees and road layout which matched archive imagery of the area.
Pakistani military chief arrives in Tehran for further peace talks
17:41 , Alex Croft
Pakistan's military chief Asim Munir has arrived in the Iranian capital of Tehran as a part of the ongoing mediation efforts between the US and Iran, the Pakistan military said in a statement on Friday.
We’ll bring you any fresh news from the ongoing talks as it comes.
The key issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
17:00 , James Reynolds
It has been nearly three months since Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu launched their war on Iran, a conflict that quickly spiralled into an international crisis due to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz.
A Pakistani delegation was in Tehran on Friday to discuss the latest proposals to end the war, just as Washington insisted there had been “good signs” in recent talks.
But even as Islamabad tries to stoke peace talks, insiders suggest key issues remain unresolved and oil prices continue to climb as investors doubt the prospect of a real breakthrough.
The Independent reviews the key obstacles to securing a deal:
The key issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
Fifa to ban pre-revolutionary Iran flag at World Cup in United States
16:32 , James Reynolds
Fifa is set to prohibit fans from bringing the pre-revolutionary Iran flag into stadiums at the World Cup in the United States – a ruling also made for the last World Cup in Qatar.
While similar in its red, white and green band formation, the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag has a lion and the sun in the middle, while the official flag, changed following the Iranian revolution in 1979, has an Islamic symbol and phrasing, depicting the shift from a monarchy to a theocratic government.
The pre-revolutionary flag has been used by Iranians in the US and worldwide as a symbol of protest and standing against the current regime and, while prohibited at the 2022 World Cup, some fans managed to sneak the flag into stadiums in Qatar.
Fifa to ban pre-revolutionary Iran flag at World Cup in United States
Recap: Marco Rubio says there has been ‘slight progress’ on Iran as NATO ministers meet in Sweden
16:00 , James Reynolds
Decision to leave OPEC was long in the making, says senior UAE advisor
15:30 , James Reynolds
The UAE's decision to leave OPEC was three years in the making and is based on its view the world is near the “autumn of the hydrocarbon age”, meaning the country needs to maximise oil revenues while it can, a senior adviser to the president said.
The UAE ended its nearly 60‑year membership of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on May 1.
In the immediate term, the decision is unlikely to affect the market because of Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but it could have a major impact on OPEC's control over supplies when oil flows normalise.
Anwar Gargash, adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said the country's exit was chiefly because its OPEC production quotas kept output well below capacity.
"We see that we are close to the sort of autumn of the hydrocarbon age," he added. "And as a result, if you have the ability to produce and generate income and use that income in other investments, that's what you should do."
Trump 'has other options' if diplomacy doesn't work, says Rubio, admitting there's still work to be done
15:16 , James Reynolds
The United States has seen some progress in talks with Iran and is in constant communication with the Pakistani mediators, but there is more work to be done, Marco Rubio said today.
“There's been some progress. I wouldn't exaggerate it. I wouldn't diminish it,” Rubio told reporters after a NATO ministers meeting in Sweden.
“There's more work to be done,” he admitted. “We're not there yet. I hope we get there.”
Rubio said Trump would prefer to make a good deal, but will need to discuss concerns about Iran’s possible access to nuclear weapons, the issue of future uranium enrichment, and the Strait of Hormuz.
“We're dealing with a very difficult group of people, and if it doesn't change, then the president's been clear he has other options,” Rubio said.
The key issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
15:01 , James Reynolds
A Pakistani delegation was in Tehran on Friday to discuss the latest proposals to end the US-Israeli war, Iranian media reported, as Washington insisted there had been “some good signs” in recent talks to settle the conflict once and for all.
Syed Mohsin Naqvi held another round of talks with Iran’s Abbas Araghchi in the Iranian capital just two days after Pakistan presented the Iranians with the latest US message in negotiations.
But even as Islamabad tries desperately to stoke peace talks, insiders suggest a few prickly issues remain unresolved, and oil prices continue to climb with investors doubting the prospect of a breakthrough.
The key issues preventing the US and Iran from agreeing a peace deal
Watch: Marco Rubio says there has been ‘slight progress’ on Iran as NATO ministers meet in Sweden
14:30 , James Reynolds
Qatar sends negotiating team to Tehran
14:14 , James Reynolds
Reuters is reporting that Qatar has sent a negotiating team to Tehran, in coordination with the US, to try and secure a deal to end the war, citing a source with knowledge of the movements.
US pauses major arms sale to Taiwan over Iran war
13:47 , James Reynolds
The US Navy has put a major arms sale to Taiwan on “pause” to ensure the military has enough munitions for its war in Iran.
Hung Cao, the acting secretary of the US Navy, said during a congressional hearing about the stalled $14bn weapons purchase, that “right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty”.
“But, we're just making sure we have everything, then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”
Iran rebuilt military capacity faster than expected during ceasefire, says US intelligence
13:15 , James Reynolds
Iran has been rebuilding its military capacity much faster than expected during a six-week ceasefire with the US and Israel, according to new US intelligence reports.
The ceasefire provided an opportunity for Tehran to restart its production of drones, replace missile sites and reignite its production capacity, four US officials told CNN.
“The Iranians have exceeded all timelines the IC [the intelligence community] had for reconstitution,” one official said.
Iran rebuilding military capacity faster than expected, say US intelligence sources
More than 40 US military aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war during war
12:46 , James Reynolds
More than 40 U.S. military aircraft have been lost or damaged since the start of the war with Iran, a Congressional report has revealed.
Operation Epic Fury has led to the destruction of 42 aircraft, including F-15 fighter jets, an F-35 Lightning II aircraft, drones, and a HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search-and-rescue helicopter due to incidents including friendly fire and combat operations.
The F-35A Lightning II alone is worth around $110m, according to the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
42 US military aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war during $29bn Operation Epic Fury
12:15 , James Reynolds
Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources said, hardening Tehran's stance on one of the main US demands at peace talks.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's order could further frustrate Donald Trump and complicate talks on ending the war on Iran.
Trump vowed on Thursday that the United States will not allow Iran to have its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
“The Supreme Leader’s directive, and the consensus within the establishment, is that the stockpile of enriched uranium should not leave the country,” said one of the two Iranian sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Iran's top officials, the sources said, believe that sending the material abroad would leave the country more vulnerable to future attacks by the United States and Israel. Khamenei has the last say on the most important state matters.
Trump cancelled Iran strikes after Saudi Arabia issued Hajj pilgrimage warning: report
11:45 , James Reynolds
President Donald Trump cancelled new attacks on Iran after Saudi Arabia warned strikes during the Hajj pilgrimage would cause serious “reputational damage”, according to a report.
The US leader threatened to restart a bombing campaign on the Islamic Republic after efforts to reach a deal appeared to be deadlocked but later backtracked and said that he was in no rush to end the conflict.
Earlier this week he said he was “an hour away” from attacking the country and that Gulf leaders had intervened.
Read the full story:
Trump cancelled Iran attack after Saudi Arabia issued Hajj pilgrimage warning: report
Republican strategist says Trump is dragging down party's chances in midterms
11:13 , James Reynolds
Veteran GOP strategist Karl Rove warned that President Donald Trump’s “erratic” messaging on the Iran war and his dismissive attitude toward economic hardship is hurting Republicans’ midterm prospects.
In a new Wall Street Journal column, Rove argued that redistricting efforts alone will not be enough to save Republicans, cautioning that Democrats are positioned to reclaim control of the House come November.
Rove pointed to polling that shows Democrats leading on the generic congressional ballot - one recent poll showed Democrats up 50 percent to 39 percent in a poll against a generic Republican candidate. He also cited the 79-year-old president’s “dangerously low” approval rating — which currently stands at 39 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics average.
Read the full story:
Karl Rove says Trump is dragging down Republican chances in the upcoming midterms
'50-50' chance of Hormuz resolution, says UAE's Gargash
10:50 , James Reynolds
UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash says they assess there is a “50-50” chance that the US and Iran can strike a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He also warns that any move by Iran to alter the status of the waterway would have severe global repercussions and set a dangerous precedent.
Rubio earlier said Iran is “trying to create a tolling system” and convince Oman to join.
“There is not a country in the world that should accept that,” he said.
What are the sticking points in negotiations?
10:46 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump has said the US will eventually recover Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium - which Washington believes is destined for a nuclear weapon though Tehran says it is intended purely for peaceful purposes.
“We will get it. We don't need it, we don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.
Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters before Trump's comments that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had issued a directive that the uranium should not be sent abroad.
Trump also railed against Tehran's intentions to charge fees on ships using the strait.
“We want it open, we want it free. We don't want tolls,” Trump said. "It's an international waterway."
Tehran submitted its latest offer to the US earlier this week.
Iran says 35 ships have passed Strait in last day
10:36 , James Reynolds
Iran's IRGC says that 35 ships including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial vessels have passed through Strait of Hormuz with permission from Iran in the past 24 hours.
Watch: Rep. Pat Ryan blasts Republicans for pulling Iran War vote as 'Chickenhawk motherf***ers'
10:15 , James Reynolds
Iran's Araghchi meets with Pakistani interior minister
09:45 , James Reynolds
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has met with the interior minister of Pakistan to review proposals for resolving disputes with the US, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
It comes two days after Pakistan presented the Iranians with the latest US message in the negotiations, with US secretary of state Marco Rubio saying there have been some “good signs” in the talks.
“There's some good signs," Rubio said. "I don't want to be overly optimistic ... So, let's see what happens over the next few days.”
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Thursday that gaps had been narrowed, although uranium enrichment and the Strait of Hormuz remained among the sticking points.
Countries need clarity on war before tapping oil reserves, says France
09:15 , James Reynolds
France's finance minister Roland Lescure tells the FT that governments cannot decide on further oil reserve releases to ease disruption from the Iran war until the likely duration of the conflict is clearer.
Lescure said a second coordinated release of strategic oil reserves was not discussed at the G7 finance ministers' meeting in Paris this week.
“We cannot release stocks — which are by nature finite — without having visibility on the duration and intensity of the conflict at this stage,” he told the newspaper in an interview published on Friday.
Oil: Brent crude just under $89/barrel
08:45 , James Reynolds
In pictures: Smoke rises over Lebanese village as Israeli strikes continue
08:14 , James Reynolds
Recap: House Republicans push back War Powers vote
07:45 , James Reynolds
If you’re just joining us, Republicans overnight postponed another vote on a measure to curb Donald Trump’s power to wage war on Iran.
With the conflict in the Middle East held to an uneasy impasse, the vote had been scheduled to take place late Thursday afternoon, just before lawmakers left Washington for their Memorial Day recess.
The House had blocked three previous war powers resolutions in close votes earlier this year. Increasingly, those margins are tightening.
Thursday's measure looked likely to pass, given expected defections by a handful of Republicans and the absences of others.
US representative Mike Levin, a Democrat, said in a post on X: “Republicans just postponed the War Powers vote on Iran because they knew they were going to LOSE.”
In photos: Concerts return in Tehran as ceasefire holds
07:14 , Shweta Sharma
Life appeared to return to normal in Tehran as Iranian artists performed traditional southern music at Tehran's Museum of Contemporary Art.
Hundreds of people arrived to watch the live performance in a sign of confidence in a fragile ceasefire. Tehran was bombed for nearly 40 days before the truce agreed on 8 April.
Pakistan's interior minister in Tehran for talks
06:51 , Shweta Sharma
Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi has held a meeting with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran as part of Islamabad’s efforts to mediate in the war.
The two officials reviewed the latest proposals to end the war and resolve the remaining sticking points between the US and Iran, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports.
Iran has destroyed over two dozen reaper drones
06:25 , Shweta Sharma
Iran has destroyed more than two dozen US MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the war, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.
The losses are estimated to be worth about $1bn and account for nearly 20 per cent of the Pentagon’s pre-war inventory of the drones.
According to the report, some drones were shot down by Iranian air defences during flight, while others were destroyed on the ground in missile strikes targeting US facilities or lost in operational accidents.
Iran calls attacks on Pasteur Institute ‘flagrant war crime'
06:15 , Shweta Sharma
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei cited a warning published in The Lancet claiming that damage to Iran’s Pasteur Institute caused by US and Israeli strikes could endanger both national and regional public health security.
The journal described the institute as a cornerstone of Iran’s public health system and warned that its destruction would pose “a real, immediate, and dangerous threat to public health”.
The Lancet, a wold-leading medical journal has warned that damage to #Pasteur_Institute of Iran, as the result of U.S./Israeli attacks, threatens regional health security.
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) May 22, 2026
According to The Lancet, "The Pasteur Institute of Iran has been a pillar of the country’s public health… https://t.co/DDSXSV8ULz
“Attacking a century-old scientific and public health institution is not merely an attack on a building; it is an assault on people’s right to health, science, and life,” Baghaei wrote on X.
The Lancet warned that the destruction of the institute would pose a serious threat to regional health security.
According to the journal, the World Health Organisation confirmed the institute was no longer operational and unable to provide health services following the recent bombardment, after years of international sanctions had already weakened Iran’s public health system.
It came under attack in April with the bombardment causing significant damage to the century-old institution and rendering it "unable to continue delivering health services", the WHO had said.
"The American-Israeli deliberate attack on the Pasteur Institute of Iran was a flagrant war crime. The perpetrators must be held accountable," Baghaei wrote.
Trump says he might not attending his son's wedding due to war
06:00 , Shweta Sharma
Donald Trump said on Thursday he was uncertain whether he would attend the upcoming wedding of his son, Donald Trump Jr, citing the ongoing Iran conflict and other commitments.
“He’d like me to go, but it’s going to be just a small, private affair, and I’m going to try and make it,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I said, ‘This is not good timing for me, I have a thing called Iran and other things.’”
The president also joked that he would face criticism either way.
“If I do attend, I get killed, if I don’t attend, I get killed – by the fake news,” he said, before adding that he hoped the couple would have a “great marriage”.
According to Page Six, Donald Trump Jr and his fiancée, Bettina Anderson, are expected to marry this weekend at a private island ceremony in the Bahamas attended by close family and friends.
Donald Trump Jr announced their engagement in December, describing it as a “big win” to end the year.
Trump walks back from threat to introduce rival toll on Strait of Hormuz
05:58 , Shweta Sharma
Trump said on Thursday that the US wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open and free of tolls, backing away from earlier suggestions that Washington could impose charges on vessels using the key waterway.
“We want it open, we want it free. We don’t want tolls,” Trump said, describing the strait as “an international waterway”.
Last month, Trump had floated the idea of the US collecting tolls in the strait, but said after talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping that both sides agreed no country or organisation should charge ships for passage.
Trump also dismissed Iranian claims that Tehran had begun collecting tolls through its newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority.
“They’re not charging tolls right now,” he said, adding that Iran was losing hundreds of millions of dollars a day due to the conflict and blockade.
“There hasn’t been a ship that’s been able to get through without our approval,” Trump said.
According to the US Central Command, 94 commercial vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports have been redirected since the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz began.
US military says forces remain at ‘peak readiness’ in Middle East
05:45 , Shweta Sharma
The US Central Command has shared visuals of fighter jets launching from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
It said the carrier strike group remains at “peak readiness” as Washington enforces its blockade against Iranian ports amid escalating tensions with Tehran.
U.S. Navy fighter jets launch from aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is maintaining peak readiness while enforcing the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports. pic.twitter.com/VdgD1S8jrB
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 22, 2026
Israel's military says it killed two people in Lebanon
05:26 , Shweta Sharma
The Israeli military said it killed two people in southern Lebanon in an air strike after detecting what it described as “suspicious movement” near the border with Israel.
In a post on X, the army said the individuals were identified several hundred metres from the border and claimed they were armed.
The strike comes amid continued Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, where at least 20 people were reported killed on Thursday.
Oil prices rise over Iran deal deadlock
04:55 , Shweta Sharma
Oil prices rose amid growing scepticism over a breakthrough in US-Iran talks, with the two sides remaining deadlocked over Tehran’s uranium stockpile and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude climbed $2.38, or 2.3 per cent, to $104.96 a barrel by 00.34 GMT on Friday, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $1.73, or 1.8 per cent, to $98.08 a barrel.
The gains came after both benchmarks fell about 2 per cent on Thursday, hitting their lowest levels in nearly two weeks.
Top US navy official confirms $14bn arms sale to Taiwan paused due to Iran war
04:45 , Shweta Sharma
Acting US navy secretary Hung Cao has said that the US is pausing the $14bn arms sale to Taiwan due to the war in Iran.
Speaking during a Senate Appropriations Defence Subcommittee hearing, Cao said that the US had “plenty” of missiles and interceptors, but the sales are being paused.
“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury — which we have plenty,” Cao said in response to a question by senator Mitch McConnell.
“We’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”
When asked if he expects the sale to be approved at some point, Cao said the decision would depend on defence secretary Pete Hegseth and the secretary of state Marco Rubio.
“Yeah, that’s what’s really distressing,” McConnell replied.
Cao’s remarks were in contradiction to president Trump’s reason for a possible pause after he said that he may hold off the sales of arms to Taiwan as a “negotiating chip” with China.
“I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens,” Trump told Fox News. “I may do it; I may not do it.”
Republicans scrap vote on Iran war resolution
04:26 , Shweta Sharma
Republicans on Thursday struggled to secure enough votes to block legislation that would force president Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, prompting House leaders to delay a planned vote until June.
The Democratic-led war powers resolution aimed to curb Trump’s military campaign, which began more than two months ago without congressional approval.
But Republican leaders pulled the vote after concerns emerged that they lacked the numbers to defeat the measure.
“We had the votes without question and they knew it, and as a result they're playing a political game,” Democratic representative Gregory Meeks, who sponsored the bill, said.
The delay underscored growing unease within Congress over Trump’s handling of the conflict, with some rank-and-file Republicans increasingly willing to break with the president.
Senate Republicans are also scrambling to shore up support ahead of a separate war powers vote after four GOP senators backed the measure earlier this week.
'It would be unnacceptable': Rubio on Iranian proposals for a toll system in Strait of Hormuz
04:10 , Shweta Sharma
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Iranian attempts to collect tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz were blocking a potential peace deal.
"No one in the world is in favor of the tolling system. It can't happen. It would be unacceptable. It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it's a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it's completely illegal," Rubio told reporters.
He also told reporters there had been some progress in talks with Tehran to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, but that Washington was dealing with "a system that itself is a little fractured."
"There's some good signs," the secretary of state said. "I don't want to be overly optimistic... So, let's see what happens over the next few days."
Briefing: What is the latest on the US-Israel war on Iran
04:03 , Shweta Sharma
• US-Iran talks showed “some good signs,” according to secretary of state Marco Rubio, but major disagreements remain over Tehran’s uranium stockpile and control of the Strait of Hormuz. "There's some good signs," Rubio said. "I don't want to be overly optimistic ... So, let's see what happens over the next few days."
• President Donald Trump said the US would eventually seize and likely destroy Iran’s highly enriched uranium, insisting Washington will not allow Tehran to retain it. "We want it open, we want it free. We don't want tolls," he said. "It's an international waterway."
• Iranian officials said that no deal has been reached yet, though negotiation gaps have narrowed.
• Trump also warned he is prepared to resume strikes on Iran if talks fail, while criticising any attempt by Tehran to impose fees on the strategic global shipping route.
