YOU WONT BELIEVE: Iran us war latest trump says war is close to over as us claims maritime superiority in middle east - You Need To See This

Trump’s Iran war could trigger global recession, IMF warns

Trump tells Fox Business the Iran war is ‘very close to being over’ amid reports peace talks are expected to resume

Oil prices fall and Asian stocks hit six-week high amid fresh hopes for Iran peace talks

Travel spending falls for first time since Covid due to Iran war and cost of living

Key Points

• Trump says he is permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz - and doing it for China
• Iran says it will use alternative ports to bypass US Strait of Hormuz blockade
• Trump says Iran war is ‘very close to being over’
• US to send thousands more troops into the Middle East - report
• US has gained 'maritime superiority' in the Middle East
• Israel-Lebanon hold first direct talks in 30 years

Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors after US attack

Sri Lanka has repatriated a total of 238 Iranian soldiers from two naval vessels that were attacked by US forces, Colombo said this morning.

The sailors were sent back "in a chartered aircraft" late last night, according to the Sri Lankan defence ministry.

Iran's naval ship 'Iris Dena' was attacked by the US on 4 March, killing 84 on board outside Sri Lanka's international waters. As many as 32 others were rescued by Sri Lanka.

Three days later, Iran's second ship, 'Iris Bushehr', was allowed into Sri Lankan waters after it reported an engine failure.

The group of 'Iris Dena' survivors was accommodated at the Sri Lankan Air Force facility near the southern port of Galle.

Trump’s blockade appears to be turning back tankers in the Strait of Hormuz – but Iran has a trick up its sleeve

After high-stakes peace talks in Islamabad collapsed over the weekend, the future of a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran now appears to rest on a 100-mile waterway between the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.

The United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and coastal areas east of the Strait of Hormuz, which came into effect at 3pm BST on Monday.

US Central Command warned that vessels will be subject to “interception, diversion and capture” regardless of their flag. More than 15 US warships are in place to support the operation, a senior official told The Wall Street Journal.

President Donald Trump threatened that ships sailing from Iranian ports would be subject to “the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea”, referring to the administration’s controversial attacks on boats off the coast of Venezuela.

Our foreign affairs reporter Maira Butt reports:

Trump’s blockade is turning round boats in Hormuz – but Iran has trick up its sleeve

Pakistani delegation arrives in Tehran

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi have reached Tehran as a part of Pakistan's ongoing mediation efforts between the US and Iran, Pakistan's military said in a statement on Wednesday.

They are expected to convey a message to Iran from the US ahead of a possible second round of talks between the countries.

Vessels prioritise exiting Strait of Hormuz as US blockade appears to deter voyages

The Independent’s Bryony Gooch reports:

As the United States continues its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a total of 16 vessels crossed through the waterway as of Tuesday.

Almost all voyages appear to be moving out of the Strait, indicating that vessels are prioritising exit rather than re-entry at the moment, according to Kpler.

Several of these vessels appeared to have halted or reduced movement after clearing the Strait, which could reflect the US blockade's deterrent effect.

Nearly every vessel in this group has a documented history of lifting Iranian-origin sanctioned cargo, which means operators may be reluctant to proceed further until there is greater clarity on enforcement risk, analysis suggests.

Watch: Trump threatens strained relations with ‘anybody that turned US down’ in Iran conflict

Pakistani delegation to deliver message from US to Iran

A Pakistani delegation is on its way to bring a message from the US to Iran and plan for a second round of talks between the two countries, Iran's state media said on Wednesday.

We earlier reported remarks from the Iranian foreign ministry that a Pakistani delegation was expected to arrive in Iran on Wednesday to pass on such messages.

Iranian spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said exchanges of messages never stopped after the Tehran delegation returned home from Islamabad following the talks on Saturday.

'This is not self defence': UN experts condemn Israeli bombardment in Lebanon

UN experts have condemned Israel's bombing in Lebanon earlier this month as "illegal aggression and indiscriminate bombing campaign", the UN Human Rights Council said.

"This is not self-defence. It is a blatant violation of the UN Charter, a deliberate destruction of prospects for peace, and an affront to multilateralism and the UN-based international order," experts in the council said in a statement.

Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, killing more than 300 people on April 8, as the Iran-aligned group resumed rocket attacks on northern Israel after a brief pause under a two-week US-Iran ceasefire.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire.

Trump shares opinion article in The Sun slamming Starmer

Donald Trump has shared an opinion article which lashes out at British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for his refusal to join the US war effort in Iran.

“If hot air was a weapon, Sir Keir Starmer would have re-armed Britain,” the piece, written by The Sun’s defence editor Jerome Starkey, is titled.

The piece says that despite Sir Keir’s “first-rate rhetoric”, he has “dodged and delayed the choices he promised to make” in regard to boosting defence spending and building up the UK’s armed forces.

“The tough choice is guns or butter, a choice between what to take from voters now to make the nation safer tomorrow,” it reads.

“At the moment, Starmer’s answer is nothing: Safety can wait, as welfare buys votes.

It adds: “If only words won wars. If only words deterred them. Unfortunately, they don’t.”

Pakistan 'not giving up' on peace efforts

Pakistan's finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said “our leadership is not giving up” on efforts to help the US and Iran end the conflict after weekend talks in Islamabad failed to secure a deal.

Diplomats worked through back channels yesterday to arrange a new round of talks between the US and Iran after Washington enacted its blockade of Iranian ports.

US president Donald Trump said a second round of talks could happen “over the next two days,” telling the New York Post the negotiations could be held again in Islamabad.

Watch: UN Secretary-General says it is 'probably likely' Iran peace talks will resume

Trump launches new attack against Pope Leo over Iran: ‘Someone tell him they killed 42,000 protesters’

Donald Trump took another swipe at Pope Leo and Nato overnight, amid a growing spat over the Iran war.

The US president launched into an outburst on his Truth Social platform late on Tuesday, after the Pope vowed to continue to “speak out loudly against war”.

Trump launched a furious attack on the pontiff since he condemned his threats that Iran’s “civilisation will die” as “unacceptable” earlier this month.

As the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, Leo has become an influential critic of Trump’s conflict with Iran, while Trump faced criticism from Catholic and political allies for sharing an AI image that appeared to depict him as Jesus.

James Reynolds writes:

Trump launches furious new rant against Pope Leo over Iran

Qatari and Iranian officials hold discuss de-escalation efforts in Middle East

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, vice president of the United Arab Emirates, has discussed de-escalation efforts in the Iran war with Tehran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad ​Baqer Qalibaf.

The rare phone call between the two countries, reported by UAE state news agency WAM, comes against the backdrop of the UAE having condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf states.

It described them as terrorist acts, while also calling for the unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump says he is permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz - and doing it for China

Donald Trump has claimed that he is “permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz” and that Chinese president Xi Jinping will give him a “big, fat hug” when they eventually meet.

The US military earlier claimed it has “maritime superiority in the Middle East” since it began a blockade on Monday, after US-Iran talks in Islamabad failed over the weekend.

Writing on Truth Social, the US president said: “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them, also - And the World. This situation will never happen again.

“They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran. President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks.”

He added: “We are working together smartly, and very well! Doesn’t that beat fighting??? BUT REMEMBER, we are very good at fighting, if we have to - far better than anyone else!!!”

Chinese spy satellite helped Iran targeting US bases - report

Iran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite in late 2024 that it has helped it target US military bases across the Middle East, the Financial Times is reporting.

The TEE-01B satellite was purchased by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force after it was launched into space from China, the report said, citing leaked Iranian military documents.

The satellite was directed by Iranian military commanders to monitor major US military sites, the newspaper said. Images were taken in March before and after drone and missile strikes on those locations, the FT reported.

As part of the deal, the IRGC received access to commercial ground stations operated by Emposat, a Beijing-based provider of satellite control and data services with a network extending across Asia, Latin America and other regions, according to the report.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday denied the report, calling it untrue.

"Recently, some forces have been keen on fabricating rumors and maliciously associating them to China," the ministry said in a statement to Reuters news agency. "China firmly opposes this kind of practice driven by ulterior motives.”

Analysis | This is what the historic Israel-Lebanon talks in the US actually achieved

Our chief international correspondent Bel Trew writes:

That Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in more than three decades sounded like a chink of light the world has been hoping for, ever since Donald Trump threw a grenade into one of the most volatile regions in the world.

A lot was riding on the meeting.

Iran has made it clear that if Israel continues bombing Lebanon, including its chief ally the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, it will not reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz or adhere to a truce with the US recently brokered by Pakistan.

Israel, which has vowed to occupy swathes of Lebanese sovereign territory, has said it will not stop pounding Lebanon until it has destroyed and disarmed Hezbollah.

Meanwhile Donald Trump has started to blockade in Iran’s ongoing blockade on Strait - vowing that Iranian ships, ,and those leaving Iranian ports - would be “eliminated”, piling even more pressure on.

This is what the historic Israel-Lebanon talks in the US actually achieved

Hezbollah slams Lebanese government's decision to hold talks with Israel

Hezbollah has lashed out at the Lebanese government's decision to hold talks with Israel as "a national sin" that would widen divisions in Lebanon.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said Tuesday's US-mediated meeting between Lebanon's Washington ambassador and her Israeli counterpart did not reflect Lebanon's national identity or "the choices of its people".

The meeting hosted by US secretary of state Marco Rubio was the first such direct contact in decades between the two countries that have remained in a state of war since Israel was established in 1948.

Both sides said the talks were positive, though ahead of the meeting, Israel had ruled out any discussion of Lebanon's demand for a ceasefire in the war, which erupted on March 2 when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran.

"Does the government not realize the danger of what it has undertaken? And does it understand that it has entered a wrong path that leads only to increasing the rift among the Lebanese?" Fadlallah said.

"It has obtained nothing from the enemy except praise without achieving any demand," he said in a televised statement.

Xi tells Trump he is not supplying Iran with weapons

Donald Trump has said he asked Chinese president Xi Jinping in a letter not to supply Iran with weapons.

In response, Xi said “that, essentially, he’s not doing that”, the US president told Fox Business Network in an interview aired on Wednesday.

Watch: JD Vance explains deal is stalled because Trump won't accept a nuclear-armed Iran

Erdogan says Turkey working to extend US-Iran ceasefire

We’re hearing from Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan, who has said Ankara is working to extend the US-Iran ceasefire and ease tensions in the region.

Both countries must seize the window of opportunity provided by the talks, Erdogan told lawmakers in parliament.

Erdogan also took aim at Israel, whose continuing attacks on Lebanon he said were harming hopes for peace.

Iran says supertanker has crossed Strait of Hormuz despite US blockade

An Iranian sanctioned supertanker has crossed the Strait of Hormuz towards Iran's Imam Khomeini Port despite a US blockade, Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Fars said the Crude Carrier was capable of carrying two million barrels of crude

But it is unclear if the tanker was returning with its cargo onboard or was empty.

We’re working to bring you confirmation of this.

Japan to provide £7.3 billion support for Asian countries to purchase crude oil

Japan has said it will issue about $10 billion (£7.3 billion) worth of support to help Asian countries purchase energy resources such as crude oil, as Middle East tensions drive prices higher and disrupt supply chains.

The support, aimed at preventing knock-on effects on Japan's own supply chains, would be channelled mainly through state-backed financial institutions such as Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), Reuters is reporting.

Announcing the plan, prime minister Sanae Takaichi said the support would be equivalent to as much as 1.2 billion barrels of oil, or about one year's worth of crude oil imports by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Leaders of the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam attended the meeting, among others.

US to send thousands more troops into the Middle East - report

The US is set to send thousands of more troops into the Middle East in coming days, according to a report in the Washington Post which cited US officials.

The move comes as the Trump administration continues its attempts to ramp up pressure on Iran to make a deal.

It is unclear exactly how many troops would be sent, and the move is yet to be confirmed publicly by any US officials. We’re keeping an eye on this and will bring you any updates.

Can Pakistan bring US and Iran back to the negotiating table before ceasefire ends?

Pakistan is reportedly keen to host the second round of peace negotiations between the US and Iran to end the war in the Middle East, just days after the first such attempt failed to result in a breakthrough.

Both the US and Iran could return to Islamabad as early as the end of this week, a source aware of the talks says, adding that the date was yet to be decided as the conflict continued to simmer. The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.

Iran and the US came “very close” to an agreement and were “80 per cent there” during last weekend's meeting in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, held four days after the announcement of a ceasefire, sources say. It was the first direct encounter between US and Iranian officials in more than a decade, and the most senior engagement ​since Iran's 1979 Islamic ​Revolution.

Arpan Rai reports:

Can Pakistan bring US and Iran back to the negotiating table before ceasefire ends?

Trump targets Pope Leo again in a new rant

US president Donald Trump has escalated his war of words with Pope Leo XIV through his latest post on Truth Social.

In a midnight post, Trump wrote: "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable.

"Thank you for your attention to this matter. AMERICA IS BACK!!!"

Trump has been routinely targeting the Pope after he criticised the US president's war on Iran. Pope Leo had earlier said that Trump’s warning that an “entire civilization will die tonight,” in reference to Iran, was “unacceptable".

The pope has also suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the war between the United States and Iran.

Since then, Trump has branded Pope Leo as "weak" on crime and "terrible" on foreign policy, before uploading an AI-generated image of himself dressed as Jesus. The US president later deleted the image and claimed it depicted him as a "doctor" and not as Jesus.

Iran says it will use alternative ports to bypass US Strait of Hormuz blockade

Iran’s semi-official news agency Mehr News is reporting that Tehran will begin to use alternative ports for its exports in order to bypass the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

It’s unclear exactly which ports this refers to - we’re working to bring you that information.

The US military has claimed it has “maritime superiority in the Middle East” since the blockade began on Monday, in response to a collapse in US-Iran ceasefire talks over the weekend.

The Strait of Hormuz is currently used for the overwhelming majority of Iran’s export trade, in particular oil, it’s most profitable export.

The Caspian Sea, to Iran’s north, accounts for under 5 per cent of Iran’s exports, according to some estimates. It’s possible that this could rise while the blockade is in place, but as it is a closed sea, trade opportunities are far more limited.

Watch: AOC says Trump is threatening to genocide Iran

Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics, has accused the US president of threatening to carry out genocide on Iran.

Here’s what AOC said:

Urgent task ahead is to avoid resumption of war, says China

We’ve heard from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which has warned that the international community must urgently ensure the war in Iran is not resumed.

The momentum of the hard-won ceasefire between Washington and Tehran must be maintained, it adds.

Beijing said the war should never have happened particularly in light of the cost it has had for the international community - especially, it added, given the least developed countries have paid a high price.

You're going to watch an amazing two days ahead, says Trump

Donald Trump has predicted that there will be an “amazing two days ahead” as he suggests the war in Iran is nearing its end.

Speaking to ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, the US president said he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that ends on April 21, according to a post by Karl on X.

"It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild," Trump said.

"They really do have a different regime now. No matter what, we took out the radicals."

Watch: Trump says Iran was is 'very close to over'

Hopes rise for renewed talks as US military says Iran blockade is in force

Hopes rose for renewed talks between the United States and Iran on Wednesday, as the US military said its blockade of Iranian ports was in full effect and Tehran threatened to retaliate by strike targets across the war-weary region.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a second round of talks could happen "over the next two days," telling the New York Post the negotiations could be held again in Islamabad as diplomats worked through back channels to arrange them.

UN secretary-general António Guterres concurred, saying it’s “highly probable” that talks will restart. He cited a meeting he had with Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar.

Hopes rise for renewed talks as US military says Iran blockade is in force

China rebuffs reports of providing military support to Iran

China has refuted reports accusing Beijing of providing military support to Iran, calling it "purely fabricated".

"If the US goes ahead with tariff hikes on China on the basis of these accusations, China will respond with countermeasures," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said this morning.

The Financial Times reported that Iran secretly ​acquired a Chinese spy satellite, which gave the Islamic Republic a new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war.

The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by Chinese company Earth Eye Co, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force in late 2024 after it was launched ⁠into space from China, the report ​said ⁠citing leaked Iranian military documents.

Trump turns on another European ally and says he is ‘shocked’ by her

President Donald Trump has hit out at Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, saying he expected her to be more courageous in a blunt public rebuke to one of his closest European allies.

Meloni had been a vociferous supporter of Trump but criticised his decision to go to war with Iran.

She had denounced his weekend criticism of Pope Leo as "unacceptable".

Trump responded in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, saying Meloni was "very different from what I thought" and denouncing her for refusing to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked by Iran.

More here.

Trump turns on another European ally and says he is ‘shocked’ by her

Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases - report

Iran secretly ​acquired a Chinese spy satellite, giving the Islamic Republic a new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, according to the Financial ⁠Times.

The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by Chinese company Earth Eye Co, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force in late 2024 after it was launched ⁠into space from China, the report ​said ⁠citing leaked Iranian military documents.

The Iranian military commanders directed the satellite to monitor major US military sites, the ⁠newspaper said, citing time-stamped coordinate lists, satellite imagery and orbital analysis. ​

The ⁠images were taken in ‌March before and after drone and missile strikes on those locations, FT said.

Pakistan 'not giving up' on peace efforts

Pakistan's finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said “our leadership is not giving up” on efforts to help the US and Iran end the conflict after weekend talks in Islamabad failed to secure a deal.

Diplomats worked through back channels yesterday to arrange a new round of talks between the US and Iran after Washington enacted its blockade of Iranian ports.

US president Donald Trump said a second round of talks could happen “over the next two days,” telling the New York Post the negotiations could be held again in Islamabad.

Damages left behind by Israeli strikes on Iran this month

Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors after US attack

Sri Lanka has repatriated a total of 238 Iranian soldiers from two naval vessels that were attacked by US forces, Colombo said this morning.

The sailors were sent back "in a chartered aircraft" late last night, according to the Sri Lankan defence ministry.

Iran's naval ship 'Iris Dena' was attacked by the US on 4 March, killing 84 on board outside Sri Lanka's international waters. As many as 32 others were rescued by Sri Lanka.

Three days later, Iran's second ship, 'Iris Bushehr', was allowed into Sri Lankan waters after it reported an engine failure.

The group of 'Iris Dena' survivors was accommodated at the Sri Lankan Air Force facility near the southern port of Galle.

IMF warns Trump’s Iran war could trigger global recession

Donald Trump’s war on Iran risks triggering a global recession, the International Monetary Fund has warned in the latest damning assessment of the conflict’s impact on the world economy.

The influential financial body said the international outlook had “abruptly darkened” as a result of the war, which threatens to throw the global economy “off course” and could cause an energy crisis on an unprecedented scale.

As oil and gas prices continue to rise, a worldwide recession could be a “close call” in a severe scenario in which there is further turmoil, the body warned.

Of the major economies, the UK faces the biggest hit to growth, with forecasts slashed for the next two years. In a further blow to Sir Keir Starmer, the IMF warns that inflation and unemployment will also rise.

More here.

Trump’s Iran war could trigger global recession, IMF warns

Trump criticises Nato

Donald Trump has repeated his criticism of Nato for not joining in his war on Iran, writing in a post on Truth Social that "NATO wasn’t there for us", adding: "And they won’t be there for us in the future".

The US president has stepped up his criticism of the 32-member bloc in recent months and accused members of failing to meet their obligations.

Nato's founding treaty states that countries are required to come to the defence of any member if it is attacked – such an obligation does not apply to offensive operations.

Trump says Iran war is ‘very close to being over’

The Iran war is “very close” to ending, according to President Donald Trump, with peace negotiations expected to continue later this week.

"I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over," Trump told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo in an interview the network plans to release in full Wednesday morning.

"If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we’re not finished," he added. "We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly."

More here.

Trump says Iran war is ‘very close’ to end amid reports peace talks will resume

Oil prices fall and Asian stocks hit six-week high

Asian stocks climbed to their highest level in six weeks on Wednesday and oil prices extended their decline below $100 a barrel after Donald Trump said US-Iran peace talks could resume in Pakistan within days, calming markets rattled by weeks of conflict-driven volatility.

Mr Trump said negotiations could restart in the next two days after weekend talks collapsed, prompting Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports.

Pakistani and Iranian officials also said that negotiations could restart.

The signs of renewed diplomatic engagement pushed Brent crude futures down 0.7 per cent to $94.13 a barrel, having already slumped almost 5 per cent overnight.

More here.

Oil prices fall and Asian stocks hit six-week high amid hopes for Iran peace talks

Length of ban on Iran's nuclear activity a political decision, says Grossi

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog says the length of a moratorium on Iran's uranium enrichment was a "political decision".

IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi was speaking after talks between American and Iranian officials ended without an agreement, with key differences including how long Tehran would be prohibited from enriching uranium.

The US and ​the West ‌are concerned that Iran could use enriched uranium to ⁠build nuclear weapons, while Tehran says it is needed for its nuclear energy programme.

Trump says he is not thinking about extending ceasefire

US president Donald Trump ⁠told ABC News ⁠he was ⁠not thinking about ​extending ⁠the ‌ceasefire with Iran.

"It could ‌end either ‌way, but ⁠I think a deal is preferable because then they can ‌rebuild," Trump said.

Oil prices fall for a second day

Oil prices fell for a second day this morning on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran may resume and eventually release supply from the key Middle East producing region trapped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures fell 52 cents, or 0.55 per cent, ​to $94.27 a barrel after falling 4.6 per cent in the previous session.

US West Texas ​Intermediate crude was down $1.04, or 1.1 per cent, to $90.24 after dropping 7.9 per cent the session before.

Just In | Trump targets Pope Leo again in a new rant

US president Donald Trump has escalated his war of words with Pope Leo XIV through his latest post on Truth Social.

In a midnight post, Trump wrote: "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable.

"Thank you for your attention to this matter. AMERICA IS BACK!!!"

Trump has been routinely targeting the Pope after he criticised the US president's war on Iran. Pope Leo had earlier said that Trump’s warning that an “entire civilization will die tonight,” in reference to Iran, was “unacceptable".

The pope has also suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the war between the United States and Iran.

Since then, Trump has branded Pope Leo as "weak" on crime and "terrible" on foreign policy, before uploading an AI-generated image of himself dressed as Jesus. The US president later deleted the image and claimed it depicted him as a "doctor" and not as Jesus.

US military will operate blockade in Gulf of Oman - report

A US official said the strategy is to observe vessels subject to the blockade leave Iranian facilities and clear the Strait of Hormuz before intercepting them and forcing them to turn around.

The official told the Associated Press that the military relies on more than just automated tracking beacons that all merchant ships are required to carry, called AIS, to determine that merchant ships were coming from a port in Iran but wouldn’t go into more detail, citing the need for operational security.

Israel-Lebanon hold first direct talks in 30 years

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who was a part of the talks, called it a "historic opportunity" but made clear that no breakthrough agreement would happen right away.

Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter hailed what he called a convergence of opinion about removing Hezbollah's influence from Lebanon, saying he was encouraged by a "wonderful exchange".

Nada Hamadeh Moawad, the Lebanese ambassador to the US, "reaffirmed the urgent need" for an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, "underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty".

At least 2,124 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the country's health ministry said. More than 1 million people are displaced.

The deadliest day of the war took place last week, when Israel launched 100 airstrikes across Lebanon in 10 minutes, including in the heart of the capital, killing over 350 people.

US has gained 'maritime superiority' in the Middle East

Admiral Brad Cooper of the US central command has issued a statement, claiming that a blockade of Iranian ports "has been fully implemented as US forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East".

"An estimated 90 per cent of Iran's economy is fueled by international trade by sea. In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea".

Canada, UK, Australia and Japan call on Israel to end hostilities in Lebanon

Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan and six other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon while calling "for an urgent end to hostilities" in the country where Israeli ⁠attacks have killed over 2,000 people since March.

"Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland and the United Kingdom remain deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation and displacement crisis in Lebanon," the countries said in a joint statement without directly mentioning US ally Israel ⁠or Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

The statement comes after the ​deaths ⁠of three Indonesian peacekeepers last month. The UN has said preliminary findings from its probe showed one was killed by an Israeli tank projectile and ⁠two by an improvised explosive device most likely placed by Hezbollah.

Israel intensified air ​attacks ⁠on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles at ‌Israel on 2 March, three days into the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Israel has since widened a ground invasion into Lebanon's south, ordering hundreds of thousands of Lebanese ‌to flee villages. The Israeli offensive has killed more ‌than 2,000 people and forced 1.2 million from their homes, according to Lebanese authorities.

Israel continues bombardment of Lebanon

Several countries including UK and Canada call for end to hostilities in Lebanon

Several countries, including the UK and Canada, have called for an end to hostilities in Lebanon.

Israel has been attacking Lebanon amid the Iran war as part of its ongoing conflict with the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Despite a ceasefire between the US and Iran, Israel launched a heavy bombardment on Lebanon last week, reportedly killing hundreds. Israel has said it does not believe the ceasefire applies to Lebanon.

“Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland and the United Kingdom remain deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation and displacement crisis in Lebanon.

“We welcome the ceasefire agreed between the United States, Israel and Iran. We call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon”, a joint statement released Tuesday read.

The countries said civilians, including humanitarian personnel, “must be respected and protected”.

“We condemn in the strongest terms actions that have killed UN peacekeepers and significantly increased the risks faced by humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon”, the statement continued.

The United Nations said last month that three of its Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in south Lebanon in two days.

Experts see uptick in 'shadow' activity from ships in Strait of Hormuz: report

Maritime intelligence experts have seen an uptick in “shadow” activity from ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to The New York Times.

The new activity comes after the US imposed a naval blockade on ships coming in and out of Iranian ports Monday.

“Now, we are starting to see vessels going dark or using ‘zombie’ or random identification,” Ami Daniel, the CEO of Windward, a maritime intelligence data provider, told the NYT Tuesday.

Trump insists Iran wants to make a deal 'very badly'

US President Donald Trump has insisted Iran wants to make a deal to end the war “very badly.”

“If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild their country”, Trump said of Iran in a pre-taped interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo.

“And we’re not finished. We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly”, the president added.

The full interview will air Wednesday morning local time.

TV host says Trump claims Iran war is 'very close to over' in new interview

Maria Bartiromo from Fox Business has said President Donald Trump claims the Iran war is “very close to over” in a new interview.

Bartiromo said in an X post Tuesday night local time that she asked Trump if the war was over, given that he kept referring to it in the past tense.

“I think it’s close to over. Yeah. I mean I view it as very close to over”, Trump told her.

The interview will air Wednesday morning local time.

WATCH: What the Strait of Hormuz looked like before Iran war and after US blockade

Most Americans think the surge in gas prices amid Iran war is just the beginning: poll

Most Americans think the surge in gas prices amid the Iran war is just the beginning, according to a new poll.

An Ipsos poll conducted over the weekend found that 63 per cent of Americans think gas prices will get worse over the next year as a result of the US war against Iran.

The US and Iran are currently in a two-week ceasefire, but peace talks fell through over the weekend as the two countries couldn’t agree on what to do about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Gas prices in the US have risen to more than $4 a gallon on average during the war, which started on February 28.

Canada cutting fuel taxes as oil prices rise

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday that his government was temporarily cutting fuel taxes as oil prices rise amid the Iran war.

“Starting next Monday, you’ll save up to 10¢/L on gas at the pump,” Carney wrote on X.

Can Pakistan bring US and Iran back to the negotiating table before ceasefire ends?

Pakistan is reportedly keen to host the second round of peace negotiations between the US and Iran to end the war in the Middle East, just days after the first such attempt failed to result in a breakthrough.

Both the US and Iran could return to Islamabad as early as the end of this week, a source aware of the talks says, adding that the date was yet to be decided as the conflict continued to simmer. The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.

Iran and the US came “very close” to an agreement and were “80 per cent there” during last weekend's meeting in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, held four days after the announcement of a ceasefire, sources say. It was the first direct encounter between US and Iranian officials in more than a decade, and the most senior engagement ​since Iran's 1979 Islamic ​Revolution.

If the talks enter the second round with more signs of willingness from all parties to end the conflict, Pakistan would’ve successfully managed to break the deadlock and push US and Iran closer to peace.

“We have reached out to Iran and got a positive response that they will be open to a second round of talks,” a senior official in the Pakistani government says. Officials say they have sent a proposal to both US and Iran to re-send their delegates to resume the talks.

Read on...

Can Pakistan bring US and Iran back to the negotiating table before ceasefire ends?

WATCH: JD Vance explains deal is stalled because Trump won't accept a nuclear-armed Iran

Trump to speak on Iran war in TV interview Wednesday

US President Donald Trump will speak about the Iran war in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday at 6 a.m. Eastern Time.

Vance says Trump wants to make 'grand bargain' with Iran

US Vice President JD Vance has said US President Donald Trump wants to make a “grand bargain” with Iran.

Speaking at an event for the conservative youth group Turning Point USA in Georgia Tuesday, Vance said Trump “doesn’t want to make, like, a small deal. He wants to make the grand bargain”.

Vance led the US delegation in peace talks with Iran over the weekend, but he left Pakistan with no agreement as the two countries couldn’t agree on what to do about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The vice president said Trump is telling Iran, “If you guys commit to not having a nuclear weapon, we are going to make Iran thrive”.

Vance says US-Iran mistrust cannot be solved overnight

JD Vance said on Tuesday there was a lot of mistrust between Washington and Tehran that ⁠cannot be resolved overnight but he added that Iranian negotiators wanted to make a deal and that he felt "very good about where we are."

Talks ⁠to end the Iran ​war ⁠could resume in Pakistan over the next two days, President Donald Trump said, after the collapse of weekend negotiations ​prompted ⁠Washington to impose a blockade ‌on Iranian ports.

A fragile two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran still has a week ‌to run. Vance was ‌involved in the talks last weekend in Pakistan.

"There is a lot of, of course, mistrust between Iran and ⁠the United States of America. You are not going to solve that problem overnight," the vice president said during a Turning Point USA event.

Iranian negotiators wanted to make a deal, he said. "I feel very good about where we are," Vance ‌added.

Watch: Trump’s Iran war could trigger global recession, IMF warns

US Democrats will try again to rein in Trump's Iran war powers

The US Senate will vote as soon as Wednesday on the latest Democratic-led effort to rein in Donald Trump's war powers.

Party leaders promised on Tuesday to keep bringing up ⁠such resolutions as long as the Iran war continues.

"Forty-five days into this war, Congress has been sidelined because our Republican colleagues refuse to take a strong stand against this war and duck it completely because they're afraid of Trump," Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a Senate speech on Tuesday.

Trump said on Tuesday talks to end the Iran war could resume in Pakistan over the ⁠next two days, after the collapse of weekend negotiations prompted Washington ​to ⁠impose a blockade on Iranian ports.

Failure to reach an agreement in those talks raised doubts over the survival of a two-week ceasefire that still has a week to run.

Congressional Democrats have tried and repeatedly failed ⁠in recent months to pass war powers resolutions to force Trump to stop military action and obtain lawmakers' authorisation ​before launching military ⁠operations, in both Venezuela and Iran.

Democrats are ‌attempting to link their efforts to rein in Trump on Iran to affordability, as disruptions in shipments of oil and natural gas have caused a run-up in U.S. gasoline prices and agricultural products such as fertilisers - on top of ‌the long list of other high consumer prices.

Pakistani official says government will 'keep at it' with US and Iran talks

Pakistan finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press that "our leadership is not giving up" on its efforts to help the US and Iran negotiate.

"We would very much like to see if we can continue to pursue the dialogue," he added, speaking on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

"We'll keep at it, and our leadership is at it."

Aurangzeb said he also this week met with US officials including trade representative Jamieson Greer and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick to discuss trade and finance concerns.

He plans to meet treasury secretary Scott Bessent on Friday.

Full story: Israel and Lebanon have ‘wonderful exchange’ but remain in deadlock after first talks in decades

Lebanon and Israel have held their first direct diplomatic discussions in decades.

The two countries met in Washington on Tuesday after more than a month of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the meeting as a "historic opportunity" but tempered expectations, making it clear that no immediate breakthrough agreement was anticipated.

Yechiel Leiter, Israel's Ambassador to the US, expressed optimism, noting what he called a "convergence of opinion" regarding the removal of Hezbollah's influence from Lebanon. He described the two-hour exchange as "wonderful".

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Israel and Lebanon remain in deadlock after first talks in decades

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As recession looms, Donald Trump desperately needs a deal

UN secretary-general says it is 'probably likely' Iran peace talks will resume

What Israel and Lebanon said after Washington talks

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter hailed what he called a convergence of opinion about removing Hezbollah's influence from Lebanon, saying he was encouraged by a "wonderful exchange."

"The Lebanese government made it very clear that they will no longer be occupied by Hezbollah," he said. "Iran has been weakened. Hezbollah is dramatically weakened. This is an opportunity."

Lebanese ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad "reaffirmed the urgent need" for an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, "underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty." She also called for a ceasefire, the return of displaced people to their homes, and "concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis" resulting from the conflict.

Despite Hezbollah's outright rejection, the talks are a major step for two countries with no diplomatic relations that have been officially at war since Israel's inception in 1948. The latest round of fighting was sparked by Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel on 2 March, days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Hezbollah's key ally and patron.