Reuters: The United States and Iran are edging toward a limited, temporary agreement to halt their war, sources and officials said on Thursday, with a draft framework that would stop the fighting but leave the most contentious issues unresolved.
The emerging plan centres on a short-term memorandum rather than a comprehensive peace deal, underscoring deep divisions between the two sides and signalling that any agreement at this stage would be an interim step…
Iran expected to respond today to US proposal for ending war, source says
Iran is expected to respond today to the US proposal to end the war, moving closer to an agreement on a short memorandum, sources told CNN. Yesterday, President Donald Trump said the US had “very good talks” with Iran over the previous 24 hours…
Trump is trapped by his own strategy as he grapples for an exit in Iran
Trump is ensnared by two traps of his own making — one geopolitical and the other domestic. Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz and refusal to fold mean he can’t definitively end the war at an acceptable military price.
And as the conflict drags on, its political impact at home further narrows his options. With an approval rating in the 30s, gas prices averaging over $4.50 a gallon and public opposition to the war rising, he’s got no political space to continue waging it…
France moves aircraft carrier to Red Sea with eye on Hormuz mission
“The reason why we must make a renewed effort today is simply that the blockade of Hormuz continues, the damage to the world’s economy is therefore becoming more and more pronounced, and the risk of a prolongation of hostilities is too serious for us to accept it,” a French presidency official told reporters in a briefing after the army announced the strike group’s deployment…
War and Energy Shortages Boost China’s Influence in Asia
The war in Iran has left China’s neighbors appealing for help, handing Beijing the kind of sway it has long sought…
German Leaders Clash With Spy Chiefs Over Domestic Threat From Iran
Intelligence agents have privately warned of the potential of hybrid attacks from Iran-linked groups. But political leaders, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have publicly played down the risk…
Jet-Fuel Prices Are Spiking and Trump’s Advisers Are Worried
Administration officials have spoken to the airline industry, which has voiced concerns about the rising costs…
US fuel exports hit record in boon for oil companies and threat to Trump
The surge in overseas purchases is contributing to a windfall for US energy companies, who may earn an additional $60bn of cash flow this year if prices remain elevated.
But it also risks a political backlash for President Donald Trump as domestic pump prices rise, with the average price of petrol reaching a four-year high of $4.53 a gallon…
The Deal With the Iranian Regime
Mr. Trump has been unique in his willingness to confront Iran. The task in any deal is to secure full nuclear dismantlement while Mr. Trump is still in office. If Iran won’t do it, the President will have to make good on his threats…
China Asks Banks to Pause New Loans to US-Sanctioned Refiner
The moves highlight the balancing act Beijing faces as it tries to project defiance toward the Trump administration while shielding its largest state-owned banks from US secondary sanctions. Tensions are escalating between the superpowers just weeks before a long-awaited meeting between President Donald Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14–15…
‘Plastic shock’ hits Asia as Iran oil crisis strangles supplies
Shortage of petrochemical inputs drives up prices of packaging for food and medical products..
U.S. Troops in Middle East Wait for the Next Big Moment
The U.S. military is essentially on standby as officials give contradictory signals about the status of the Iran war effort…