Day 83 | Iran accuses US of secret moves toward new assault
Section not available
Iran’s chief negotiator says the United States is seeking to restart the war, accusing Washington of carrying out “overt and clandestine movements” that indicate preparations for a new attack.
US President Donald Trump said the American military may strike Iran “even harder” if tensions escalate, but added that Washington will wait to see whether a peace agreement can be finalized after previously stating that negotiations were in their “final stages.”
Meanwhile, US Marines boarded an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after suspecting it had violated a US blockade while heading toward an Iranian port. The vessel was later released.
At the same time, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Iran in what officials described as an effort to facilitate the exchange of messages and provide further clarification regarding communications sent between the parties.
Thread ended
This live thread has ended. Follow our online coverage of day 84 of the war.
Read more: Day 84 | Trump claims US has “total control” over Strait of Hormuz
Trump claims US has “total control” over Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that Washington has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, as the vital waterway remains blocked to shipping by Iran since the start of the US-‘Israeli’ strikes on the Islamic Republic.
“We have total control of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“Iran cannot keep its highly enriched uranium. Once we get it, we will probably destroy it. We don’t want it,” Trump added in his statements, after reports surfaced earlier that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered Uranium to not be removed as part of a peace deal with the US.
Rubio blasts NATO over lack of support in Iran war
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday renewed criticism of NATO for not supporting the US war on Iran, as he headed to alliance talks in Sweden.
President Donald Trump is "not asking them to send their fighter jets in. But they refuse to do anything," Rubio told reporters. "We were very upset about that."
Rubio hopes Pakistani talks with Iran will advance peace deal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced hope Thursday that a visit by Pakistan's army chief to Iran will advance diplomacy on ending the war, saying there has been progress.
"I believe the Pakistanis will be traveling to Tehran today. So hopefully that'll advance this further," Rubio told reporters.
Oil market risks “red zone” by summer, IEA chief warns
The world oil market risks entering a "red zone" by the upcoming summer season should there be no progress on ending the Middle East war, the head of the International Energy Agency warned Thursday.
"We may be entering the red zone (on supplies) in July or August if we don't see that there are some improvements in the (war) situation," Fatih Birol said at the Chatham House think tank in London.
Iran says advanced weapons ready as US threats grow
An Iranian military source told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency that Tehran has developed advanced domestically produced weapons that have not yet been deployed on the battlefield.
“We have produced modern weapons domestically, which have not yet been used on the battlefield and have not actually been tested,” the source said, according to the report.
The official added that Iran is fully prepared for any escalation with the United States and insisted the country faces no shortages in military equipment or defense capabilities.
“In terms of equipment and defence capabilities, we do not face any shortages that would prevent us from defending our country,” the source said, warning that Tehran would not show restraint in the event of another confrontation.
“This time, we do not intend to act with restraint.”
Tehran reviewing US response to its latest proposal, FM spokesperson says
Iran’s Nour News Agency reported that Tehran and Washington have been exchanging messages through Pakistan regarding the wording of a proposed ceasefire agreement.
According to the agency, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions were based on “Iran’s 14 points” and that messages had been exchanged several times between the two sides.
“We have received the views of the American side and are reviewing them,” Baghaei said, according to Nour.
The remarks came during a visit to Iran by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsen Naqvi.
The report said Pakistan is playing a mediating role in efforts to facilitate negotiations between Washington and Tehran as diplomatic contacts continue alongside regional tensions.
US puts pressure on Palestinian leaders to withdraw bid for UN vice-presidency role
The United States has instructed its diplomatic mission in Jerusalem to pressure the Palestinian leadership into withdrawing its bid for a vice-presidency position at the United Nations General Assembly, according to a State Department cable cited by The Guardian.
The move reflects Washington’s concern that the role could give the Palestinian delegation greater influence over procedural control during high-level UN sessions.
A 19 May cable reportedly directed US diplomats to issue a formal protest to the Palestinian Authority, urging it to abandon the candidacy by 22 May.
It warned that “consequences will follow” if the request was ignored, escalating diplomatic pressure ahead of the upcoming election of UN General Assembly vice-presidents on 2 June.
The Palestinians are competing for one of 16 vice-presidency seats, which rotate among regional groups and can include limited procedural authority in assembly proceedings.
The United States has instructed its diplomatic mission in Jerusalem to pressure the Palestinian leadership into withdrawing its bid for a vice-presidency position at the United Nations General Assembly, according to a State Department cable cited by The Guardian.
The move reflects Washington’s concern that the role could give the Palestinian delegation greater influence over procedural control during high-level UN sessions.
A 19 May cable reportedly directed US diplomats to issue a formal protest to the Palestinian Authority, urging it to abandon the candidacy by 22 May.
Read full article:
Read more: US pressures Palestinian Authority to drop UN vice-presidency bid
Senate parliamentarian rejects Trump's ballroom fund in budget bill
The United States Senate is moving away from a proposed one billion dollar expenditure to construct a new ceremonial hall at the White House linked to US President Donald Trump, amid growing resistance to what lawmakers described as non-essential federal spending.
The development was confirmed by Republican Senator John Kennedy following internal party discussions on a wider immigration and border security package.
According to Kennedy, there is insufficient support in the Senate to include the ballroom project within a 72 billion dollar legislative package focused on immigration enforcement and border security.
The proposed allocation would have covered both construction costs and related security upgrades for the planned facility.
He said lawmakers were formally informed that the funding would be stripped from the bill before it advances further in Congress.
The decision reflects a broader shift among senators toward prioritizing core government functions over discretionary or symbolic infrastructure spending.
Officials involved in the negotiations emphasized that the immigration package should remain focused on enforcement measures and border management rather than additional construction projects.
Key objections raised during discussions included concerns over financial prioritization and the scale of spending during ongoing budget pressures.
Iran urges UN action over US-'Israel' war, condemns Security Council paralysis
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has criticized the Security Council for what he described as its failure to respond to what he called an unprovoked US-'Israeli' attack on Iran.
Speaking before the council, Iranian envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said the body had not fulfilled its responsibilities due to obstruction by a permanent member that he accused of being “an aggressor”.
“Regrettably, the Security Council has failed to discharge its responsibilities in the face of this grave violation due to the obstruction of a permanent member that is itself an aggressor,” Iravani said.
He added that the United States, the ‘Israeli’ authorities, and their partners should bear “full legal and international responsibility” for what he described as “heinous crimes” and violations of international law, warning that impunity would undermine global security.
Iravani also urged the council not to remain silent over repeated threats made by US President Donald Trump, saying such rhetoric “sets a dangerous precedent” and risks further destabilization.
‘Hopefully those people will make a deal,’ Trump says of Iran
US President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran are “right on the borderline” between securing a new agreement and returning to war.
Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed optimism that diplomatic efforts were progressing but warned that failure to reach what he called the “right answer” could trigger renewed conflict.
“If we don’t get the right answer, it could happen very quickly. We have to get the right answer. It will have to be 100 percent good answers,” Trump said.
The US president added that he would allow negotiations to continue for another “few days” in hopes of avoiding further bloodshed.
“Hopefully, those people will make a deal that will be great for everybody, but I don’t know,” he said. “If I can save people from getting killed by waiting a couple of days, I think it is a great thing to do.”
