CNN: US President Donald Trump met with advisers Friday in the White House Situation Room as he considers a tentative agreement that would open the Strait of Hormuz and start nuclear talks with Iran. Trump said before the meeting he was preparing to make a “final determination,” but there has been no indication whether a decision has been made.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry says a memorandum of understanding between the two nations has not yet been finalized. There has been no definitive word that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has approved the document…
Pentagon chief says U.S. ready to restart strikes on Iran if no deal
“Our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” Hegseth said in Singapore.
“Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, so we’re in a very good place,” he added…
Trump will remain ‘patient’ in pursuit of a deal with Iran, says Hegseth
Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday that he had spoken to the US president “this morning”. “He wanted me to reiterate how patient he is in ensuring that with America undertaking this kind of historic endeavour [the Iran war], any deal will be a good one. A great one,” Hegseth said…
Iran’s Hard-Liners Try to Derail Potential Deal With the U.S.
A political fight is playing out in Iran, where the small but loud faction of hard-liners has used rallies, state media and private and public statements to try to undermine negotiations…
Americans Hurt in Kuwait as Trump Sends Mixed Signals on War
Several Americans were hurt in a missile attack on a Kuwaiti air base over the past day as a White House meeting to discuss extending the ceasefire with Iran ended without conclusion.
The lack of public comment after the Situation Room talks on Friday, despite Trump suggesting earlier an agreement was near, was the latest conflicting signal from Washington over the prospects for a deal with Tehran as the conflict drags into its fourth month…
Israeli Troops Push Deeper Into Lebanon as Cease-Fire Talks Continue
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Friday that the military had advanced deeper into Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have continued to trade attacks, further undermining a monthlong cease-fire that has done little to stem the fighting…
The U.A.E.’s Secret Role in the War Involved Dozens of Strikes on Iran
The extent of the strikes is further evidence of the country’s growing willingness to protect what it sees as its strategic interests, setting it apart from some of its neighbors in the Gulf region, which have taken a far more cautious approach to the threat from Iran…
Ships Are Sailing ‘Dark’ to Sneak Out of Strait of Hormuz
To navigate the strait, some ships stay in contact with U.S. military officials, who use radar, drones and other tools to monitor traffic and help them transit safely. The U.S. advises them when to go dark and how to respond to Iranian threats, according to shipowners and U.S. officials.
The flow of ships through the strait unscathed is a test of Iran’s stranglehold on global energy markets—and a test of the leverage Tehran has at the negotiating table with the U.S., where freedom of navigation remains a key sticking point…
A new US-Iran deal could be as useless as the last
Even if a deal emerges, it may not restore the pre-war status quo of energy shipments. UBS Evidence Lab estimated as of Wednesday that tanker crossings were running at roughly four per day, compared with nearly 50 before the conflict. To get anywhere close to pre-war levels, mines must be cleared and vessels repositioned. Insurers, crucially, need to be assured that the risk of renewed attacks has receded…