US vice president JD Vance has said he is “not certain” about a peace deal with Iran as he warned the American military is “locked and loaded” for a resumption of war.
In a White House briefing on Tuesday, Vance said “a lot of good progress has been made” in negotiations with Tehran in recent days, but added: “You never know until you know, right?”
His comments came after Donald Trump stated that he could order “another big hit” on the country.
“I am not certain, and I’m not going to be certain until we sign a deal that we have a deal,” Mr Vance said.
Trump, he said, has advised his team to "aggressively negotiate" with the Iranians.
Earlier, the US president claimed he was “an hour away” from ordering a fresh volley of strikes on Iran in order to force Tehran to agree a deal, after he had reviewed the latest peace terms.
Only yesterday, the US president said there was a “very good chance” an agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon would be reached.
Key Points
- Trump says he was 'an hour away' from launching strikes - and threatens 'another big hit'
- Iran warns it is ready to 'pull the trigger' should Trump attack again
- Israel orders further evacuations of Lebanese villages despite ceasefire
- Iran girls' school was located on active cruise missile base: US admiral
- US president says Gulf allies asked him to halt attack with peace deal potentially close
- What we know about Iran's latest proposal to end the war
Pakistan deploys jet squadron, thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia during Iran war
03:00 , Alex Croft
Pakistan has deployed 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets and an air defence system to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact, ramping up military cooperation with Riyadh even as Islamabad serves as the main mediator in the Iran war.
The deployment was confirmed by three security officials and two government sources, all of whom described it as a substantial, combat-capable force intended to support Saudi Arabia's military if the kingdom comes under further attack.
The full terms of the defence agreement, signed last year, are confidential, but both sides have said it requires Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to come to each other's defence in the event of an attack.
Defence minister Khawaja Asif has previously implied that it places Saudi Arabia under Pakistan's nuclear umbrella.
Sources told Reuters that Pakistan has deployed a full squadron of around 16 aircraft, mostly JF-17 fighters made jointly with China, which were sent to Saudi Arabia in early April. Two of the security officials said Pakistan had also sent two squadrons of drones.
G7 reiterates need to reopen Strait of Hormuz
02:00 , Alex Croft
The finance ministers of the G7 group of countries reiterated it was imperative to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, and that it was important to tackle global, current account imbalances.
They also reaffirmed in a joint statement their commitment to multilateral cooperation in addressing risks to the global economy.
The ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, also said they remained committed to have stable energy markets and called on all countries to avoid arbitrary export restrictions.
Vance: The president has asked us to aggressively negotiate with Iran
01:01 , Alex Croft
Trump vows Iran won't obtain a nuclear weapon
00:43 , Rachel Dobkin
President Donald Trump has continued to vow that Iran won’t obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump said he told his administration before going to war, “‘We're going to have to make a little journey down to a place called Iran. We have to stop them, they have nuclear on their mind, and we're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon’”.
”We've done a hell of a job, and where I think we're going to be finished with that very quickly, and they won't have a nuclear weapon”, he said while attending a Congressional picnic Tuesday night, Washington time.
Trump says Iran war will end 'very quickly'
00:37 , Rachel Dobkin
President Donald Trump has said that the Iran war will end “very quickly” while attending a Congressional picnic Tuesday night, Washington time.
“We're blowing everything away, and we're going to end that war very quickly. They want to make a deal so badly, they're tired of this,” he said of the Iranians.
He reassured Americans struggling with high gas prices that they will see “oil prices plummet.”
“They're going to come down. There's so much oil out there, they're going to come plummeting down,” he said.
How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months
00:21 , Alex Croft
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.
How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months
US extends sanctions waiver on Russian oil
23:25 , Alex Croft
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has announced another 30-day extension of a sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian seaborne oil to aid “energy-vulnerable” countries hit by the Iran war.
Bessent said that the treasury was issuing the 30-day general license after a previous waiver lapsed on Saturday, reversing plans not to grant an extension.
This will allow temporary access to Russian oil and petroleum products stranded on tankers without violating severe US sanctions on Russian oil majors, he said.
The second waiver extension was requested by poor and vulnerable countries that cannot get Gulf oil shipments due to the US-Israeli war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the decision told Reuters.
“This extension will provide additional flexibility, and we will work with these nations to provide specific licenses as needed,” Bessent said.
“This general license will help stabilize the physical crude market and ensure oil reaches the most energy-vulnerable countries.”
UAE says six drones have been launched from Iraq in past 48 hours
22:49 , Alex Croft
The UAE earlier said that six drones had been launched against it from Iraq in the past 48 hours, including one that caused a fire at a nuclear power plant on Sunday.
The country’s defence ministry said it had intercepted all but one of the drones. It said three in total had been targeting the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which is the Arab world's first commercial nuclear power station.
The drone that penetrated the UAE's defences hit an electric generator outside the inner perimeter of the plant, the ministry said.
After that drone strike, the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said the plant remained safe and that no radioactive material had been released due to the attack.
Emirati officials have said the UAE has the full right to respond to such "terrorist attacks".
Iraq is home to powerful Iranian-backed militia groups which have claimed attacks against "enemy bases in Iraq and the region" during the war.
While hostilities during the Iran conflict have largely been scaled down since a ceasefire came into effect in April, drones have been launched from Iraq towards Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
With Reuters
Watch: US will restart Iran military campaign unless nuclear demands are met, says Vance
22:16 , Alex Croft
Video and satellite photos show Iran war oil spill on Persian Gulf island
21:44 , Alex Croft
A mysterious attack on an Iranian oil refinery during the Iran war caused an oil spill that affected a nearby Persian Gulf island that's a protected breeding ground for wildlife, videos and satellite photos show.
The oil-soaked waves lapping onto Shidvar Island, an uninhabited island, represent yet another sign of the ecological damage wrought by the war. Oily rain has also fallen on the Iranian capital, Tehran, after airstrikes targeted oil facilities there. Iranian attacks on ships passing through the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman also caused environmental damage.
Mobile phone footage shot April 9 by an Iranian named Ehsan Jalali shows thick black smoke rising after the strike on an oil refinery on Lavan, an island just off mainland Iran near Shidvar. The footage corresponds with known features of both islands and only was posted by Jalali to Instagram in the last few days as Iran's theocratic government has shut off access to the wider internet for weeks.
Read more here:
Video and satellite photos show Iran war oil spill on Persian Gulf island
European shares rise on Trump's Iran comments
21:14 , Alex Croft
European shares ticked higher on Tuesday after investors welcomed news that the US had paused a planned attack against Iran following Tehran's latest peace proposal, with chances of a deal seeming close.
Donald Trump said there was now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear program.
Oil prices fell as much as 2% even as they remained over $100 a barrel, while bonds steadied after a steep selloff in the past few sessions.
The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.2% to 611.22 points, as of 7am, but stayed below prewar levels.
European equities have lagged behind global peers, with the region's dependence on oil imports weighing on markets, while US and global markets have rebounded on artificial intelligence-led optimism.
In pictures: Iranian football team trains in Turkey amid World Cup concerns
20:45 , Alex Croft
The Iranian national football team has been training in Turkey ahead of the World Cup, following concerns that it might not join the tournament being held in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Iran's football federation said on Saturday the country will “definitely” participate in the 2026 Fifa World Cup and insisted that the tournament’s hosts – the United States, Canada and Mexico – consider Tehran's concerns around the team’s travel and how it will be treated.
“All players and technical staff, especially those who served their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, should be granted visas without problems,” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran president Mehdi Taj said, according to Iranian media.
Why Iran wants to charge world’s largest tech companies for using Strait of Hormuz undersea cables
20:21 , Alex Croft
Iran has threatened to impose tariffs on Strait of Hormuz submarine cables, which are crucial for the region's digital economy.
After a sustained blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and leaving the world scrambling for oil and energy supplies, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) demanded “protection fees” from foreign cable operators to provide them with permits to maintain seabed infrastructure.
The narrow waterway, already a chokepoint for global oil shipments, is equally vital for the digital world. Several fibre-optic cables snake across the seabed of the strait, connecting countries from India and Southeast Asia to Europe via the Gulf states and Egypt.
The state-affiliated media warned that damage to the cables could impact trillions of dollars in global data transmission and affect world connectivity, even as some experts say Iran is overestimating its influence in a bid to gain leverage against future attacks.
“We will impose fees on internet cables,” declared Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari on X. The threat has raised concerns about potential attacks on critical infrastructure.
US seizes Iran-linked oil tanker in Indian Ocean
19:50 , Alex Croft
The US seized an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing three US officials.
The tanker, known as the Skywave, was sanctioned by the US in March for its role in transporting Iranian oil.
It was likely loaded with more than a million barrels of crude at Iran's Kharg Island in February, the report stated.
Vance: US and Iran have made a 'lot of progress'
19:26 , Alex Croft
We’ve been hearing from US vice president JD Vance, who says Washington and Tehran have made a “lot of progress” in recent peace talks.
“We think the Iranians want to make a deal," Vance told reporters at a White House briefing.
If Iran is able to produce a nuclear weapon, Vance said, countries around the Gulf would then want their own weapon, then other countries across the world would as well. Tehran denies it is seeking to do so.
"We want to keep the number of countries that have nuclear weapons small, and that's why Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," he said.
The United States wants Iran to work with Washington on a process to ensure that the Iranians would not rebuild their nuclear weapons capacity in the years to come.
"That's what we're trying to accomplish in negotiations," he said.
When asked if Russia could take possession of Iran's enriched uranium, Vance said: "That is not currently the plan of the United States government. The Iranians have not raised it."
Small airlines urge EU to reconsider reforms amid Iran fuel crisis
18:59 , Alex Croft
Smaller European airlines are urging EU officials to reconsider planned reforms to passenger compensation rights.
The spike in jet fuel prices due to the Iran war, the firms argue, has left them with no room to take on additional financial burdens.
EU institutions are negotiating a reform of the bloc's decades-old passenger rights regulation, called EU261.
Existing rules since 2004 allow air passengers to claim compensation for flights delayed by more than three hours from 250 euros (£216.53) and more depending on the flight length. The next round of talks is set for 2 June.
"We urge European policymakers to pause and reassess," executives from 35 airlines including Air Serbia, SkyExpress, Luxair, Atlantic Airways and SprintAir said in a letter sent to EU officials on Tuesday.
KLM Cityhopper and Air Corsica also signed the letter.
The EU parliament wants to keep the threshold unchanged at three hours for short-haul flights while member states in the EU want it raised to four hours.
Trump says he decided to postpone a "major attack" on Iran in coming days - ICYMI
18:35 , Maira Butt
UK inflation rate set to fall as lower household energy bills offset fuel surge
18:09 , Maira Butt
UK inflation is set to have eased last month as a drop in household energy bills offset a jump in fuel prices – but experts warned of turbulence ahead as the Iran energy price shock “catches up” with the cost of living.
Most economists think the rate of Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation slowed to 3 per cent in April, from 3.3 per cent in March.
This would mean that prices were still rising year-on-year, but at a slower rate than they were the month before.
A big driver of the expected slowdown is set to come from Ofgem lowering its energy price cap from the start of April by 7 per cent, or £10 a month, for the average household using both electricity and gas.
UK inflation rate set to fall as lower household energy bills offset fuel surge
Economic Fury: US treasury designates prominent Iranian exchange
17:43 , Maira Butt
The United States’ Treasury has announced on Tuesday that it will designate a prominent Iranian foreign currency exchange house and associated front companies to prevent Iran and its armed forces from evading sanctions.
“Today, as a part of Economic Fury, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated a prominent Iranian foreign currency exchange house and associated front companies that oversee hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions on behalf of sanctioned Iranian banks,” read a statement posted on X on Tuesday.
“Collectively, Iranian exchange houses facilitate billions of dollars in foreign currency transactions each year, enabling the regime and its armed forces to evade sanctions, access the international financial system, and move funds derived from oil and petrochemical sales.”
Europe must take stronger action in enforcing Iran sanctions - Bessent
17:29 , Alex Croft
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has been discussing the enforcement of sanctions on Iran.
He said European countries needed to take stronger action to close Iranian bank branches.
Asian countries, Mr Bessent added, needed to better police Iran's tanker shadow fleet to prevent the transfer of oil to non-sanctioned vessels.
Israel orders further evacuations of Lebanese villages despite ceasefire
17:00 , Maira Butt
Israel has once again ordered the evacuation of several villages in the south of Lebanon, despite a ceasefire extension agreed last week.
“We reiterate our urgent warning to residents of Lebanon present in the following towns and villages: Toura, The Lower Nabatieh, Habboush, Al-Bazouriyeh, Tayr Debba, Kafr Huna, Ain Qana, Lubaya, Jibshit, Al-Shahabiyeh (Tayr Zibna), Burj Al-Shamali (Tyre), Houmin Al-Fawqa In light of the terrorist Hezbollah party's violation of the ceasefire agreement, the Defense Army is compelled to act against it forcefully,” Avichay Adraee wrote in a post on X on Tuesday, adding that the military “does not wish to harm” anyone.
“For the sake of your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and stay away from the villages and towns by a distance of no less than 1000 meters to open areas. Anyone present near Hezbollah elements, their facilities, and their combat means exposes their life to danger.”
Iran girls’ school was located on active cruise missile base, says CENTCOM chief
16:40 , Maira Butt
US Central Command has said that the attack on a girls school in Minab was “complex” as it was located on an active cruise missile base.
An internal military investigation found that the US was responsible for the attack, which killed at least 175 people, mostly children.
Trump says he was 'an hour away' from launching strikes - and threatens 'another big hit'
16:21 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump has expressed his hopes that the Iran conflict will not continue but said that the US may have to order “another big hit” on the Islamic Republic.
The US president said he was “an hour away” from launching fresh attacks before allies in the Middle East asked him to postpone them, due to the possibility of a peace deal being agreed.
He said that America’s decision would be known “very soon”.
“I hope we don't have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit... I'm not sure yet. You'll know very soon,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
.@POTUS on Iran: "I hope we don't have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit... I'm not sure yet. You'll know very soon." pic.twitter.com/flrdqFP2ly
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 19, 2026
Iran girls' school was located on active cruise missile base: US admiral
16:03 , James Reynolds
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, testified on Tuesday before Congress that the long investigation into a blast at a girls’s school in Iran is “complex” as it was allegedly located on an Iranian cruise missile site.
An initial internal US military investigation showed US forces were likely responsible for the destruction of the girls' school in Minab. The Pentagon has since elevated the probe.
The incident took place on February 28 on the first day of the conflict and killed 168 children, mostly girls, Iranian officials say.
What we know about Iran's latest proposal to end the war
16:00 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump said on Monday there was now a "very good chance" of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear programme, after receiving a new peace offer from Iran.
The terms as described in the Iranian reports appeared little changed from Iran's previous offer, which US President Donald Trump rejected last week as "garbage".
Here’s what’s been reported so far:
- The latest peace proposal ends with ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, per state media.
- It would also reportedly require US forces to leave areas close to Iran.
- Iran is also said to be seeking reparations for destructions caused by the war.
- Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran also seeks the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen funds.
- Iran still demands the end of the US blockade on its ports and vessels as part of a deal.
'We may have to give them another big hit,' says Trump
15:45 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Washington, says that the United States may need to hit Iran again.
“They're begging to make a deal - but we may have to give them another big hit,” he said.
“I'm not sure yet - we'll know very soon.”
Trump goes on to blame the democrats for the state of stalled negotiations.
“i was an hour away - it would have been happening right now,” he says.
US has 'derailed' Iran's strategy, says head of Centcom
15:42 , James Reynolds
The head of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, says that Iran has three main prongs to its threat to the West.
He says these are:
- Iran’s nuclear programme;
- Its ballistic missiles;
- Its proxies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
These run parallel to Trump’s stated targets in the war and his conditions for Iran to give up to end the war.
Cooper, speaking before Congress, says: "American military action derailed Iran's strategy that was 47 years in the making."
UAE says drone that hit near its nuclear plant was launched from Iraq
15:24 , James Reynolds
The UAE’s defence ministry says that a drone that caused a fire at its nuclear power plant on Sunday had been launched from Iraq.
Emirati officials have said the UAE has the full right to respond to such "terrorist attacks".
Recap: Rubio warns Trump won’t be pressured into ‘bad deal’ as Israel and Lebanon trade blows
15:15 , James Reynolds
Bessent urges more disruption to Iran's financing
14:44 , James Reynolds
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday called on allies to more forcefully disrupt Iran's financing networks and said the Treasury would scrub its sanctions list of outdated designations to make it easier for financial institutions to root out the most sophisticated terrorist financing schemes.
In remarks prepared for delivery at an anti-terrorism financing conference after G7 finance leaders met in Paris, Bessent said that participants needed to "stand with us in full measure" against Iran.
"That will require, for example, our European partners to join the United States in taking action against Iran by designating its financiers, unmasking its shell and front companies, shuttering its bank branches, and dismantling its proxies," Bessent said. "It will require those of you in the Middle East and Asia to root out Iran's shadow banking networks."
As the Trump administration tries to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to unlock vital oil flows disrupted by the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, the U.S. Treasury has stepped up its sanctions efforts through a program dubbed "Economic Fury." It aims to disrupt Iran's shadow banking networks, and has frozen nearly half a billion dollars worth of cryptocurrency linked to Iran's regime.
To make this more effective, the Treasury will modernize its sanctions architecture because "our adversaries adapt and innovate" by creating new shell companies.
How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months
14:00 , James Reynolds
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.
How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months
G7 reiterates need to reopen Strait of Hormuz
13:42 , James Reynolds
The finance ministers of the G7 group of countries reiterated it was imperative to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, and that it was important to tackle global, current account imbalances.
They also reaffirmed in a joint statement their commitment to multilateral cooperation in addressing risks to the global economy.
The ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, also said they remained committed to have stable energy markets and called on all countries to avoid arbitrary export restrictions.
Trump addresses decision to suspend attacks on Iran
13:31 , James Reynolds
Speaking on Monday, Trump said he decided not to attack Iran following pleas from other countries.
He told reporters: “We were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow.
“I've put it off for a little while, hopefully, maybe forever, but possibly for a little while, because we've had, very big discussions with Iran and we'll see what they amount to.”
He said Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and others had asked “if we could put it off for two or three days” in the hopes of making a deal.
He said he would be satisfied if he can guarantee Iran will not get a nuclear weapon.
What we know about Iran's latest proposal to end the war
13:00 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump said on Monday there was now a "very good chance" of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear programme, after receiving a new peace offer from Iran.
The terms as described in the Iranian reports appeared little changed from Iran's previous offer, which US President Donald Trump rejected last week as "garbage".
Here’s what’s been reported so far:
- The latest peace proposal ends with ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, per state media.
- It would also reportedly require US forces to leave areas close to Iran.
- Iran is also said to be seeking reparations for destructions caused by the war.
- Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran also seeks the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen funds.
- Iran still demands the end of the US blockade on its ports and vessels as part of a deal.
Analysis: Iran shrugs as Trump continuously flip-flops between threats and extending peace talk deadlines
12:28 , James Reynolds
Trump’s latest eleventh-hour reversal comes a day after he told Axios that he believes Iranian leaders still want to come to some manner of agreement and warned that Tehran is “going to get hit much harder” if they don’t capitulate to his demands.
Iran has figured out that Trump’s bluster and swirl of social media threats doesn’t matter much so long as they control the Strait of Hormuz, Andrew Feinberg writes:
Iran shrugs as Trump flip-flops between threats and extending peace talk deadlines
Explosions heard in Iran's Qeshm island
12:03 , James Reynolds
Explosions were heard in Iran's Qeshm island on Tuesday, the semi-official Iranian Mehr news agency said, adding the cause was unknown and no official entity has commented yet.
Inside Qeshm: How Iran’s fortress island holds the key to the Strait of Hormuz
Recap: Trump says he decided to postpone a "major attack" on Iran in coming days
12:00 , James Reynolds
European shares rise on Trump's Iran comments
11:14 , James Reynolds
European shares ticked higher on Tuesday after investors welcomed news that the US had paused a planned attack against Iran following Tehran's latest peace proposal, with chances of a deal seeming close.
Donald Trump said there was now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear program.
Oil prices fell as much as 2% even as they remained over $100 a barrel, while bonds steadied after a steep selloff in the past few sessions.
The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.2% to 611.22 points, as of 7am, but stayed below prewar levels.
European equities have lagged behind global peers, with the region's dependence on oil imports weighing on markets, while US and global markets have rebounded on artificial intelligence-led optimism.
Energy price cap to rise 13% in July as Iran war bites
10:46 , James Reynolds
Britain's domestic energy price cap is forecast to rise by around 13% in July from current levels, analysts at Cornwall Insight said on Tuesday.
Energy bills are forecast to rise by £209 pounds to £1,850 a year for a typical dual-fuel household from July.
The new cap would represent an increase of 13% on the current £1,641 annual bill.
The main driver for the increase is higher wholesale prices, which climbed in February and March amid the Iran war, which damaged Gulf energy infrastructure and triggered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes.
Although a temporary ceasefire has brought some calm to markets, wholesale prices have remained elevated.
In pictures: Smoke rises over Lebanese village following Israeli airstrikes
10:15 , James Reynolds
Trump addresses decision to suspend attacks on Iran
10:00 , James Reynolds
Speaking on Monday, Trump said he decided not to attack Iran following pleas from other countries.
He told reporters: “We were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow.
“I've put it off for a little while, hopefully, maybe forever, but possibly for a little while, because we've had, very big discussions with Iran and we'll see what they amount to.”
He said Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and others had asked “if we could put it off for two or three days” in the hopes of making a deal.
He said he would be satisfied if he can guarantee Iran will not get a nuclear weapon.
Foreign secretary meets with UAE counterpart in London
09:45 , James Reynolds
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed her UAE counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to London on Monday.
She said the UK and the UAE were forging stronger partnerships, including on “growth and defence” in a post on social media.
“Speaking yesterday we underlined our support of our Gulf partners as we work towards regional stability and a diplomatic resolution which reopens the Strait of Hormuz,” she said.
Recap: Trump 'calls off strikes on Iran at request of Gulf allies'
09:15 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump has said he will hold off on a planned attack against Iran at the request of Gulf allies, who believe a deal to end the war will be reached with “serious negotiations” being held.
The US president claimed renewed military strikes had been due to take place on Tuesday.
He said he had been told the agreement would be “very acceptable” to the US and would mean “no nuclear weapons for Iran”.
But he warned that he had instructed US forces to prepare for “a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice” in case a deal was not struck.
Trump calls off strikes on Iran at request of Gulf allies, amid ‘serious’ talks
Watch: Trump says he decided to postpone a 'major attack' on Iran in coming days
08:44 , James C Reynolds
Iran says latest peace proposal includes demand to continue nuclear programme
08:34 , Daniel Keane
Iran has rejected Donald Trump’s demand that it end its nuclear programme in its latest peace proposal, in a signal that both sides remain far apart.
Tehran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that Iran’s revised proposal emphasised the country’s “right to enrich and enjoy peaceful nuclear rights” and called for an end to the US blockade.
Both Iran and the US have exchanged various peace proposals since a ceasefire agreed last month, but are yet to reach an agreement on key issues.
Iran shrugs as Trump continuously flip-flops between threats and extending peace talk deadlines
07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran has figured out that Trump’s bluster and swirl of social media threats doesn’t matter much so long as they control the Strait of Hormuz, Andrew Feinberg writes,
Iran shrugs as Trump flip-flops between threats and extending peace talk deadlines
A mass wedding and colorful missile at Tehran's 'Sacrifice for Iran' ceremony
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US extends sanctions waiver on Russian oil
06:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has announced another 30-day extension of a sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian seaborne oil to aid “energy-vulnerable” countries hit by the Iran war.
Bessent said that the treasury was issuing the 30-day general license after a previous waiver lapsed on Saturday, reversing plans not to grant an extension.
This will allow temporary access to Russian oil and petroleum products stranded on tankers without violating severe US sanctions on Russian oil majors, he said.
The second waiver extension was requested by poor and vulnerable countries that cannot get Gulf oil shipments due to the US-Israeli war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the decision told Reuters.
“This extension will provide additional flexibility, and we will work with these nations to provide specific licenses as needed,” Bessent said.
“This general license will help stabilize the physical crude market and ensure oil reaches the most energy-vulnerable countries.”
‘Are you people crazy?’: Trump blasts Iran for sending peace proposal
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has accused Iran of derailing efforts to end the war by sending a peace proposal with “no relationship” to the deal being discussed between the two countries.
The US president said Tehran was “dying to sign a deal” even as both sides appeared to have reached an impasse on key issues, including the abandonment of Iran’s nuclear programme.
“They scream all the time,” he told Fortune ahead of his trip to China last week. “I can tell you one thing – they’re dying to sign [a deal]. But they make a deal, and then they send you a paper that has no relationship to the deal you made. I say, ‘Are you people crazy?’”
More here.
Trump blasts Iran for sending peace offer with ‘no relationship to the deal we made’
World ‘sleepwalking into food crisis’, warns Cooper
06:27 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper will warn that Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could result in tens of millions going hungry as she hosts a major aid summit today.
In a speech in London, she is expected to say the world is “sleepwalking into a global food crisis” as the Hormuz blockade disrupts global supplies of fertiliser.
The disruption comes at a crucial time for world agriculture, with Ms Cooper set to warn that fertiliser needs to begin moving through the strait within weeks to avert a crisis.
Markets are already pricing in weaker harvests and the World Food Programme estimating 45 million people could fall into acute food insecurity if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year.
Cooper is expected to say: “We cannot risk tens of millions of people going hungry because one country has hijacked an international shipping lane.
“Iran’s continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz while the agriculture clock is ticking shows why we need urgent global pressure to get the strait reopened, fertiliser and fuel moving and ease the cost of living pressures.”
Iran launches new body to manage Hormuz
06:11 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's top security body has announced the formation of a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council on X claimed that it would provide "real-time updates on the #Hormuz_Strait operations and latest developments".
Iran has largely blocked shipping through the vital strait since the US and Israel attacked Tehran on 28 February. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 8 April.
Israel built two covert military bases in Iraqi desert to support Iran strikes - report
05:59 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israel built and operated two covert military bases in Iraq to support its strikes on Iran, according to a new report.
Previous reports by the Wall Street Journal said that Israel had spent over a year building a makeshift base in Iraq’s western desert to aid its attacks on Iran in the 12-day war in June 2025.
But senior Iraqi officials have now confirmed the existence of a second base, whose precise location is undisclosed but is also reported to be in the Iraqi desert.
More here.
Israel built two covert military bases in Iraq to support Iran strikes, report claims
Iran MP warns of 'severe' response to new attacks
05:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has claimed that Iran would respond “more severely” to any new attack on the country.
Ebrahim Rezaei added that Tehran was prepared for “all scenarios" after US president Donald Trump claimed he called off an attack on Iran following requests from his Gulf allies.
“Any new aggression will bring greater humiliation for Trump, and the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its previous state. No power will be able to reopen it without our consent,” Rezaei said.
Is it safe to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
05:35 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
After a reported drone strike near a nuclear power station in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), many holidaymakers still have concerns over travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The temporary closure of Middle Eastern airspace in March grounded flights and severely disrupted travel to the UAE after a series of strikes across the country.
Flights from the UAE to the UK are gradually resuming, meaning that Britons now have more commercial options to leave the country.
More here.
Is it safe to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Latest advice after nuclear plant struck
Pakistan deploys jet squadron, thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia during Iran war
05:25 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Pakistan has deployed 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets and an air defence system to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact, ramping up military cooperation with Riyadh even as Islamabad serves as the main mediator in the Iran war.
The deployment was confirmed by three security officials and two government sources, all of whom described it as a substantial, combat-capable force intended to support Saudi Arabia's military if the kingdom comes under further attack.
The full terms of the defence agreement, signed last year, are confidential, but both sides have said it requires Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to come to each other's defence in the event of an attack.
Defence minister Khawaja Asif has previously implied that it places Saudi Arabia under Pakistan's nuclear umbrella.
Sources told Reuters that Pakistan has deployed a full squadron of around 16 aircraft, mostly JF-17 fighters made jointly with China, which were sent to Saudi Arabia in early April. Two of the security officials said Pakistan had also sent two squadrons of drones.
Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement brandish weapons in Yemen
05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran warns it is ready to 'pull the trigger' should Trump attack again
04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, has warned that its armed forces were "ready to pull the trigger" in the event of any renewed US attack, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency.
"Any renewed aggression and invasion ... will be responded to quickly, decisively, powerfully, and extensively," the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya, Ali Abdollahi, was quoted as saying.
The statement comes after president Donald Trump said yesterday that he had paused a planned attack against Iran after Tehran sent a peace proposal to Washington, and that there was now a "very good chance" of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear program.
India raises fuel prices for a second time
04:22 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
India raised prices of petrol and diesel by roughly Rs0.9 ($0.0093) a litre, fuel retailers in Delhi said, for its second such hike in a week as the government seeks to recoup losses caused by higher global prices of crude oil.
The price of petrol rose to Rs 98.64 ($1.02) a litre from Rs97.77 ($1,01) while that of diesel went to Rs91.58 ($0.95) a litre from Rs90.67 ($0.94), dealers said.
Today's increase followed India's first rise in four years last Friday, when it raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs3 a litre.
The world's third-biggest importer and consumer of oil is one of the last major economies to raise retail fuel prices after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz waterway by the war started by US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Power restored to UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant
04:12 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Power has been restored to the Barakah nuclear power plant in UAE after it was hit by a drone, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said.
The UAE's defence ministry said three drones entered the country from its western border.
While two were intercepted, the third drone struck an electrical generator "outside the inner perimeter," causing a fire.
Authorities conformed that safety levels were unaffected and no radioactive material was released.
Oil prices fall as Trump holds off Iran attack
04:06 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices fell more than 2 per cent in early Asian trade after US president Donald Trump said he had paused a planned attack on Iran to allow for negotiations to end the war in the Middle East.
Brent futures for July delivery fell $3.01, or 2.7 per cent, to $109.09 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery fell $1.38, or 1.3 per cent, to $107.28.The two benchmarks had hit their highest levels since 5 May and 30 April, respectively, in the previous session.
Trump says he has put off an attack for a 'little while' as Gulf allies say peace deal is close
04:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has said he has “put off” an attack on Iran for “a little while” in a post on Truth Social, as Gulf allies say peace deal is close.
It comes after he said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” are underway.
He said in a post on Truth Social: "Well, other countries have come to me, and they've said we were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow. I've put it off for a little while, hopefully maybe forever, but possibly for a little while, because we've had very big discussions with Iran, and we'll see what they amount to. I was asked by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and some others.
“If we could put it off for two or three days, a short period of time, because they think that they are getting very close to making a deal, and if we can do that, where there's no nuclear weapon going into the hands of Iran, I think, and if they're satisfied, we will be probably satisfied also."
"We've had periods of time where we had, we thought, pretty much getting close to making a deal, and didn't work out. But this is a little bit different now. We're already going tomorrow, very big, and not something I wanted to do, but we have no choice, because we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon."
Iran war briefing:
04:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
- US president Donald Trump said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” are underway
- Trump said there was a very good chance the US could reach an agreement with Iran to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, hours after saying he had postponed a planned military attack to allow negotiations to continue
- Khatam al-Anbiya, the top joint military command in Iran, warned that its armed forces are "ready to pull the trigger" in the event of any renewed US attack
- Brent crude oil prices fell more than 2 per cent to $109.41 a barrel on the back of Trump's comments, while US crude was down 1.3 per cent to $107.25 per barrel
