Day 89 | Iran accuses US of breaking truce after new strikes
Iran accused the United States of breaching their ceasefire Tuesday and warned it was ready to retaliate after overnight US strikes targeting Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats threatened a deal to end the war.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Monday the new wave of bombings, and China urged both sides to respect the truce and to resolve their dispute peacefully.
Iranian state media reported overnight blasts in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz, and the country's Revolutionary Guards said its forces had downed a US drone entering its airspace and had fired at an F-35 fighter jet.
"The US terrorist army, continuing its illegal and unjustified actions since the ceasefire ... has, in the past 48 hours, committed a gross violation of the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region," the Iranian foreign ministry said.
It added that Tehran "will not leave any evil unanswered and will not hesitate to defend the Iranian nation," without elaborating.
In a statement marking the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday, Tehran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei declared that Washington was losing its influence in the Middle East and warned countries in the region to stop hosting bases from which the US could launch attacks.
The United States, he said in a written statement, "in addition to no longer having any safe haven in the region for aggression and the establishment of military bases, is moving further and further away from its former position with each passing day".
Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said: "US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces."
Despite the strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that a deal remained within reach.
But he remained firm on the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil and gas shipping route which Iran is seeking to control.
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we'll see if we can make progress. I think it's a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it'll take a few days," Rubio told reporters, during a visit to India.
He said the strait was "going to be open one way or the other," adding: "What's happening there is unlawful, it's illegal, it's unsustainable for the world, it's unacceptable."
Day 90 of the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran
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Read more: Day 90 | Trump says he won’t rush Iran deal because ‘I don’t care about the midterms’
US, Iran divided over Hormuz; Washington rejects Tehran report
- US, Iran remain split on peace deal terms
- White House denies reported draft agreement
- Hormuz access, Iran’s nuclear program remain key disputes
- Trump says deal must be “perfect” or US will act
- Oil prices swing after conflicting reports
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States and Iran have yet to resolve deep divisions in ongoing peace talks.
The statement came shortly after Washington aggressively dismissed an Iranian state television report alleging that a framework agreement had been established to restore shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump noted that while Tehran remains eager to conclude the war as the current terms on the table fail to satisfy American demands.
"Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there ... We're not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that or we'll have to just finish the job." Trump stated.
He later insisted that any final resolution "has got to be perfect," asserting that the Strait of Hormuz must be opened immediately upon signing and that no single nation would be permitted sole control over the waterway.
Dueling narratives about leaked draft
The diplomatic friction peaked after Iranian state television reported it had obtained an unofficial draft of a memorandum of understanding.
According to the Iranian report, the framework outlined a plan to restore shipping within a month, lift the US naval blockade on Iranian vessels, and withdraw American forces from Iran's immediate vicinity.
The broadcast noted that the presence of US troops in the broader region required further discussion, but it made no mention of Iran's nuclear program.
The White House swiftly issued a social media statement branding the Tehran broadcast a "complete fabrication." While Tehran's government did not officially comment on the denial, the public positions of both nations remain starkly at odds.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the President's cautious tone during the cabinet meeting, noting that while there has been "some progress and some interest," the coming hours and days would determine if a breakthrough is possible.
Rubio firmly reiterated a core US red line, stating, "The bottom line is Iran's never going to have a nuclear weapon."
Hormuz battle
The management and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remain the primary operational sticking points in the negotiations.
Prior to the outbreak of the conflict, the strategic chokepoint carried a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Under international law, foreign vessels are guaranteed the right to transit the strait.
Trump specified that under any successful treaty, the United States would monitor regional shipping alongside international partners, explicitly noting that Oman, positioned on the southern shores of the strait, would have to play an active role in the process.
"We'll watch over it, but nobody's going to control it - that's part of the negotiation that we have..." Trump added.
Military footprint
The ongoing diplomatic standoff directly impacts a massive military apparatus.
The US military currently deploys approximately 15,000 troops to strictly enforce the naval blockade against Iran.
Additionally, the Pentagon maintains thousands of supplementary forces distributed across regional bases in Gulf states such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
Heavy US naval vessels, carrying thousands of sailors and Marines, routinely transit the area and utilize port facilities in Oman.
Market reaction
The high stakes of the closed-door negotiations triggered immediate turbulence in global financial markets.
Crude oil prices plummeted by more than 5% instantly following the initial Iranian state TV report of a breakthrough.
However, prices rapidly retraced about a fifth of that drop once the White House issued its formal denial, reflecting deep market anxiety over the frozen energy corridor.
IRGC official demands absolute unity behind Supreme Leader
- IRGC stresses obedience to Supreme Leader
- Tehran rejects internal divisions over talks
- Iran says negotiations won’t mean concessions
- Negotiators bound by Khamenei’s directives
Amid swirling domestic debates over international diplomacy, the Representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a firm call for total political alignment, asserting that all state factions must submit to the final authority of Mojtaba Khamenei.
The senior official addressed the internal friction surrounding Iran's diplomatic engagements, acknowledging that while public and political debates are a permanent fixture of governance, they must stop at the executive command of the state.
"Differences of opinion always exist, but when there is one Supreme Leader, everyone obeys him." — Said the Representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader in the IRGC
Warning against internal distraction
The representative directly targeted internal critics on both sides of the diplomatic spectrum.
Addressing those who flatly reject the concept of negotiations, as well as those who frame the ongoing talks purely as a struggle, the official warned that public infighting plays directly into foreign hands.
"Let those who reject negotiations, and those who see them as a struggle, know that the enemy wants to occupy us with internal issues," the representative stated, urging domestic factions to remain focused on broader strategic threats.
No retreats or concessions
Defending the state's decision to participate in diplomatic talks, the IRGC official clarified that diplomacy does not equate to weakness or capitulation.
The representative emphasized that the fundamental goal of entering into negotiations is absolutely not to hand over concessions to adversaries or to retreat in the face of foreign pressure.
To ensure these strategic boundaries are maintained, the official confirmed that Iran's diplomatic representatives do not operate independently.
The representative concluded by noting that the state has continuously demanded its negotiating delegation move and act strictly within the specific guidelines and directives laid out by the Leader of the Revolution.
Trump says Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar “owe him”
US President Donald Trump has issued a direct demand to major Gulf nations to join the Abraham Accords normalization agreements, bluntly stating that these countries "owe" the United States.
Trump made the remarks during a high-profile cabinet meeting at the White House, where he explicitly singled out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
Push for normalization
During the White House meeting, the US President expanded on his foreign policy objectives for the Middle East, emphasizing his desire to broaden the scope of the regional compromise framework.
"We'd like to have the countries we were talking about, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and the others, we'd like to have them join the Abraham Accords." Trump said.
The Abraham Accords, which serve as a foundational normalization and compromise agreement between Israel and various Arab nations, have been a central focus of the administration's regional strategy.
While the United Arab Emirates is already a signatory to the accords, Trump grouped the three Gulf powers together during his remarks while pushing for a unified regional alignment.
'They owe us'
Trump did not mince words regarding the responsibilities of the Gulf states to support Washington's diplomatic initiatives.
Asserting the significant role and influence of American backing in the region, the President capped his demand by telling officials, "They owe us."
The forceful rhetoric underscores the administration's intent to aggressively leverage its alliances to secure expansive diplomatic commitments across the Middle East.
'Israeli' military orders sweeping evacuation for all south Lebanon
The 'Israeli' military spokesperson has issued a comprehensive evacuation order demanding all residents of whole southern Lebanon leave their homes immediately and move north of the Zahrani River.
The 'Israeli' Occupation forces (IOF), warned the population to stay away from Hezbollah positions, personnel, and combat equipment, noticing that all of the following are now targets for the IOF.
The evacuation order for whole south Lebanon comes following an earlier order for whole Tyre city residents to evacuate the city.
Read more: 'Israel' orders mass evacuation for whole Tyre city
Trump warns US will “finish the mission” if talks fail
US President Donald Trump has issued a definitive nuclear ultimatum to Tehran, asserting that Iran will never be permitted to acquire a weapon of mass destruction and warning that the United States is fully prepared to "finish the mission" if ongoing diplomatic efforts collapse.
The aggressive declarations, come at a highly sensitive juncture as the conflict nears its three-month mark and a fragile regional ceasefire faces severe operational strain.
No deal yet, Trump dissatisfied
Addressing the fluid state of backchannel negotiations, Trump made it clear that Washington is not content with the current diplomatic standstill.
"We have not reached an agreement regarding Iran yet, and we are not satisfied with that." Trump stated.
The statement follows a chaotic 48 hours of conflicting signals.
Over the weekend, the administration hinted that a resolution to end hostilities was close at hand.
However, the diplomatic atmosphere soured after the U.S. military launched "self-defense" airstrikes against Iranian fast-attack boats and missile positions on Monday, prompting heavy condemnation from Tehran.
Earlier today, the White House also flatly dismissed a report by Iranian state media detailing a leaked draft agreement, branding the document a "complete fabrication."
Nuclear red line
Elevating the stakes of the standoff, Trump explicitly drew a hard line regarding Tehran's atomic ambitions, framing the American military posture as a global security necessity.
"Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon, and I am preventing them from doing so for the sake of the world," Trump declared, reinforcing his long-standing position on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
Trump asserted that the intense economic and military pressure exerted by the United States has left the Iranian government with virtually no strategic alternatives.
"Iran wants to reach an agreement, and I do not think they have any other choice," Trump said.
He issued a final ultimatum regarding the outcome of the ongoing high-stakes standoff, declaring: "Iran wants to make a deal, and we will either conclude an agreement with them, or we will finish the mission."
This is a developing story.
Sirens blast in Kiryat Shmona, Manara
The 'Israeli' Home Front Command has activated emergency sirens across the northern border towns of Kiryat Shmona and Manara in the eastern sector, warning residents of a hostile drone infiltration launched from southern Lebanon.
Fire breaks out at Tehran airport, causes unknown
Iran's Mehr News Agency reported on Wednesday that a fire has broken out inside a customs administrative building at Imam Khomeini International Airport near the capital city of Tehran, with the exact cause of the incident remaining unknown.
This is a developing story.
'Israel' orders mass evacuation for whole Tyre city
The 'Israeli' military has issued an urgent and immediate evacuation directive ordering all residents of the city of Tyre, multiple regional refugee camps, and specified surrounding neighborhoods to flee their homes and move north of the Zahrani River.
The military warning explicitly dictates that any movement remaining or occurring south of the Zahrani River may put residents' lives at risk.
Whole Tyre to be evacuated
According to the official command, those present in the designated areas on the military map must leave their properties immediately and cross north beyond the Zahrani River line.
The directive explicitly targets residents inside the city of Tyre, as well as those located in the following camps and neighborhoods:
- Tyre City and Immediate Outskirts: Jal al-Bahr, Zaqqouk al-Mufdi, Al-Bas, Al-Maashouq, Al-Housh, and Ain Baal.
- Camps and Surrounding Localities: Shabariha, Hammadiya (Tyre), Burj al-Shamali, Nabaa, and the Rashidiya camp.
Iranian TV reports draft agreement on US withdrawal, maritime traffic control
Iranian state television reported details of a draft memorandum of understanding that would reportedly include the withdrawal of US military forces from areas surrounding Iran and the lifting of the blockade, as indirect talks between Tehran and Washington continue.
According to the report, Iran would in return restore commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month, while military vessels would not be covered under the proposed agreement.
The draft also states that Tehran would oversee maritime traffic through the strategic waterway in coordination with Oman.
Iranian TV said the framework could be adopted through a UN Security Council resolution if a final agreement is reached within 60 days. However, it added that the general framework of the memorandum, being mediated by Islamabad, has not yet been finalized.
Iran says US, 'Israel' goal still to overthrow Islamic republic
Iran's intelligence ministry said on Wednesday that the goal of the United States and 'Israel' remained to overthrow the Islamic republic and break up the country.
"The enemy is now pursuing through other means the objective of overthrowing and partitioning the country, which it openly declared at the beginning of the recent war but failed to achieve through military attack," the ministry said in a statement carried by Iranian media.
Iran Guards official says 'low' possibility of renewed war with US
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards official said on Wednesday that renewed war with the United States was unlikely but warned that Iran stood ready against any attack.
"The possibility of war is low because of the enemy's weakness, the armed forces are lying in wait with full magazines," said Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying.
"Do not doubt that we will turn the area from Chabahar to Mahshahr into a graveyard for aggressors," he said, naming places at each end of Iran's lengthy southern coast.
Iran's Tabriz International Airport set to reopen today
Tabriz International Airport is expected to resume operations today, joining other Iranian airports reopened after disruptions during the US-'Israeli' war.
Iran mocks Rubio’s visit to Taj Mahal in viral X post
The Iranian Consulate General in Hyderabad took a swipe at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, using his sightseeing trip to India’s iconic Taj Mahal to highlight what it called American hypocrisy toward Iranian civilization.
In a widely shared post on X , the official account of the consulate posted a photo of Rubio and his wife, Jeanette Rubio, posing in front of the 17th-century marble mausoleum.
The caption read: “If Rubio knew the history or architecture, he wouldn’t have posed for a picture here. This monument was built out of love for the emperor’s Iranian wife, crafted by the genius of Iranian architects — meanwhile his government today threatens to wipe out Iranian civilization, insulting other civilizations.”
If Rubio knew the history or architecture, he wouldn't have posed for a picture here. This monument was built out for the love of emperor's Iranian wife, crafted by the genius of Iranian architects — meanwhile his government today threatens to wipe out Iranian civilization,… pic.twitter.com/zi4CNU3u7U
— Iran In Hyderabad (@IraninHyderabad) May 25, 2026
Rubio visited the Taj Mahal in Agra that same day as part of a four-day official trip to India focused on trade, energy, defense, and Quad cooperation.
Accompanied by his wife and US Ambassador Sergio Gor, he described the monument as “one of the true treasures of the world” and thanked India in the visitors’ book for allowing the visit.
Persian Roots of the Taj Mahal
The consulate’s claim draws on well-documented historical facts about the Taj Mahal’s origins, though historians describe its creation as a collaborative Indo-Persian effort rather than exclusively Iranian.
Commissioned in 1632 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan after the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal (born Arjumand Banu Begum in 1593), the monument was completed around 1648.
Mumtaz Mahal came from a prominent Persian noble family; her grandfather, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, had migrated from Persia (modern-day Iran) and risen to high office in the Mughal court.
Her father, Asaf Khan, was a powerful vizier.The chief architect was Ustad Ahmad Lahori, a Persian-origin figure in Mughal service.
The project employed a multinational team of more than 20,000 workers and artisans, including Persian architects and calligraphers, Ottoman dome specialists, Indian stonecutters, and others.
The design blends Mughal, Persian, and Indian elements — notably the charbagh (four-part) garden layout and onion domes rooted in Persian paradise-garden traditions — making it a prime example of Indo-Islamic architecture.
While Indian and Iranian scholars have long debated the exact balance of influences, the Persian connection is undisputed: the Taj Mahal exemplifies the deep cultural exchanges between the Mughal Empire and Safavid Persia.
The consulate’s jab comes against the backdrop of sharp US-Iran hostilities.
A fragile ceasefire has been held since early April, but negotiations remain stalled and tensions high.
Pakistan rejects Trump’s call for peace with ‘Israel’
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has firmly rejected any possibility of the country joining the Abraham Accords, emphasizing that such a move would conflict with Pakistan’s core principles.
In an interview with Samaa TV, Minister Asif stated, “Personally, I don’t think we should join any accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies.”
He added that Pakistan maintains a “very clear stance that this is not acceptable to us.”
The remarks respond directly to recent statements by US President Donald Trump, who urged several Muslim-majority nations, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and others involved in Iran-related diplomacy, to normalize relations with ‘Israel’ through the Abraham Accords framework.
Pakistan has long maintained a policy of not recognizing ‘Israel’ absent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Minister Asif reinforced this position, noting that Pakistani passports explicitly exclude ‘Israel’ as a valid destination.
The Abraham Accords, originally brokered during Trump’s first term, facilitated normalization agreements between ‘Israel’ and several Arab nations including the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
Efforts to expand the accords have gained renewed attention amid ongoing regional diplomatic initiatives.
Asif clarified that Pakistan has neither initiated nor received any formal proposal regarding the Accords.
He questioned the reliability of potential partners, stating, “How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted even for a single day?”
VIDEO - Four ‘Israeli’ soldiers struck by one Hezbollah drone
Footage released by Hezbollah showing ‘Israeli’ soldiers scrambling for cover near a military vehicle while being chased by a drone in the area of Bint Jbeil in Southern Lebanon.
Lebanon says ‘Israeli’ strikes kill 31 on Tuesday
Lebanon said ‘Israeli’ strikes on the country's south killed 31 people on Tuesday, as ‘Israel’ said it was intensifying attacks despite a truce in its war with Hezbollah.
In a statement, the health ministry said 31 people, including at least four children and three women, were killed in attacks and 40 wounded.
Fourteen were killed in Burj al-Shamali near Tyre.
Trump postpones Camp David cabinet meeting
US President Donald Trump postponed a rare cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat due to “possible bad weather conditions” forecasted for Wednesday.
“Based on the possible bad weather conditions tomorrow, we will be having our Cabinet Meeting in the White House, and will be postponing the Cabinet trip to Camp David,” Trump said on Truth Social.
The meeting comes as the US-Iran talks near a critical point.
The choice of the secluded retreat in the Maryland mountains -- which Trump hardly ever visits, in a break with previous presidents -- reflects the sensitive nature of discussions.
The New York Post reported that Iran was set to dominate the meeting, which was expected to be attended by all cabinet members.
The economy was also on the agenda, it said.
Trump said Saturday that a deal with Tehran to end the Middle East war was close but negotiations are still tense, with the US leader warning that strikes on Iran could resume.
Camp David has been the scene of major US-led diplomatic developments in the past, including the 1978 accords between ‘Israel’ and Egypt under President Jimmy Carter and a failed 2000 ‘Israeli’-Palestinian summit under Bill Clinton.
Trump has however been an infrequent visitor.
It will be only the second time that Trump has gone to Camp David in his second term. The first was just days before the United States launched strikes on Iran's nuclear program in June 2025.
During his first term Trump said he had canceled a planned summit with Taliban leaders at the retreat following an attack on US forces.
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Read more: Day 88 | US hits Iran with new strikes, despite ceasefire
