US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
Day 96 | Trump says Iran talks happening “continuously”, Rubio still hopeful
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States and Iran were speaking “continuously,” denying reports that Tehran had broken off contact over ‘Israel’s’ attacks on Lebanon.
Trump added that “one never knows” where the negotiations would lead, as weeks of direct and indirect talks have failed to end the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran that began on February 28.
“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today.”
Trump added: “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday expressed hope that a deal to end the war in Iran was in the cards, stressing that Tehran must severely curtail its nuclear program before any sanctions are lifted.
"There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week," Rubio told a Congressional panel.
Rubio was testifying in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as the three-month US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran appears to have reached an impasse, with the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz continuing to disrupt global energy markets.
Rubio insisted that Tehran must reopen the shipping channel for any peace agreement to take hold, while also agreeing to curb its nuclear activities in order to see sanctions lifted.
"Iran is being sanctioned because they've highly enriched uranium, Iran is being sanctioned because of their nuclear activities," Rubio said. "If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief."
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Read more: Day 97 | Trump projects weekend breakthrough; as Iran denies 'tangible progress'
US denies Iran’s claims of patriot missile hitting Kuwait airport
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday directly rejected Iran's claims, stating that Iranian drones deliberately struck Kuwait International Airport's passenger terminal in a "calculated and unjustified attack."
The assault killed one person — an Indian national — and injured more than 60 others, causing significant damage to Terminal 1 and forcing the suspension of flights.
Kuwaiti officials described it as "criminal Iranian aggression."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its strikes targeted nearby US military sites in retaliation for American actions and blamed any airport damage on a malfunctioning US Patriot missile interceptor.
CENTCOM called this "totally false."
Trump says he wants to separate Lebanon, Iran talks
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants to separate talks on the conflict in Lebanon and those on the war between the United States and Iran, although Tehran insists the conflicts are linked.
"I'd like to separate it, I'd like to have a separate thing, because it is, it is separate," Trump told reporters.
“Going very well”: Trump says Iran talks could yield result this weekend
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that talks with Iran could yield results over the coming weekend and are going "very well."
"I hear the negotiation itself is going very well actually," Trump told reporters, adding of a potential deal: "It could happen... over the weekend."
Trump says he’d “like to meet” Iran’s leader Mojtaba Khamenei
In a recent interview, US President Donald Trump indicated that he would welcome a direct meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Speaking on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, Trump stated that he and the Iranian leader “seem to be getting along quite well,” despite ongoing tensions in the region.
Trump claimed that Khamenei is actively involved in indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran.
“He’s involved. Absolutely,” Trump affirmed, adding that Iranian officials respect the Supreme Leader and that he provides approval for key decisions.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, assumed the role of Supreme Leader in March In a recent interview, US President Donald Trump indicated that he would welcome a direct meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Speaking on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, Trump stated that he and the Iranian leader “seem to be getting along quite well,” despite ongoing tensions in the region.
Trump claimed that Khamenei is actively involved in indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran.
“He’s involved. Absolutely,” Trump affirmed, adding that Iranian officials respect the Supreme Leader and that he provides approval for key decisions.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, assumed the role of Supreme Leader in March 2026 following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during earlier US-‘Israeli’ strikes on Iran.
He has maintained a low public profile and has reportedly been recovering from injuries sustained in the conflict.
When asked about a potential in-person meeting, Trump responded: “I’d like to meet him. I’d like to meet everybody. I would like to meet him, and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”
The comments come amid a fragile ceasefire and continued indirect talks aimed at addressing Iran’s nuclear program. Trump reiterated that Iran has agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons, though broader peace efforts remain complex.
Observers note that Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the onset of the conflict earlier this year.
Reports suggest he communicates through intermediaries, with questions persisting about his health and decision-making capacity.
2026 following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during earlier US-‘Israeli’ strikes on Iran.
He has maintained a low public profile and has reportedly been recovering from injuries sustained in the conflict.
When asked about a potential in-person meeting, Trump responded: “I’d like to meet him. I’d like to meet everybody. I would like to meet him, and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”
The comments come amid a fragile ceasefire and continued indirect talks aimed at addressing Iran’s nuclear program. Trump reiterated that Iran has agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons, though broader peace efforts remain complex.
Observers note that Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the onset of the conflict earlier this year.
Reports suggest he communicates through intermediaries, with questions persisting about his health and decision-making capacity.
Malfunction: Iran Guards says Kuwait airport strike caused by US Patriot missile
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday that the strike on Kuwait’s airport passenger terminal was caused by US Patriot air defense malfunction.
“The damage was caused by a malfunctioning US Patriot missile, which struck the terminal after failing to intercept Iranian missiles,” an IRGC spokesman said.
"Our investigation into the strike on Kuwait International Airport's passenger terminal shows that the IRGC Aerospace Force did not target the facility.,” he added.
Iran FM says “no tangible progress” in talks with US to end war
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that lines of communication with the United States were still open, but "no tangible progress" has been made in negotiations to end the Middle East war.
"Communications with the Americans have not been cut off, and messages have been exchanged regarding the need to stop aggression against Beirut, but no tangible progress has been made in the negotiation process," the Tasnim news agency quoted him as telling Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV.
"Returning to the negotiating table is conditional on ensuring the rights of the Iranian people, ending the war in Lebanon, and stopping tensions in the region."
Iran FM warns any attack on Beirut will trigger “full-scale resumption of war”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any attack on Lebanese capital Beirut would trigger a "full-scale resumption" of the Middle East war, as ‘Israel’ pressed its campaign against Lebanese group Hezbollah.
"Any attack on Beirut will have grave consequences and will lead to a full-scale resumption of the war," the Tasnim news agency quoted Araghchi as telling Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV.
"Our armed forces are ready to strike Israel if it attacks Beirut."
Iran Guards deny striking passengers terminal at Kuwait Airport
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) denied Wednesday responsibility for striking the passengers’ terminal at Kuwait International Airport.
In a statement, the IRGC said that “investigations showed that our forces did not fire any missile at the passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport.”
VIDEO - People mourn family killed in ‘Israeli’ strike on southern Lebanon
People in the southern Lebanese village of Wardaniyeh mourn six members of a family killed in an ‘Israeli’ strike on the village of Marwaniyeh on June 1.
“She was just a little child with nothing to do with the war. Was she carrying rockets and fighting Israel?,” one relative said during the funeral.
Ghalibaf vows “decisive” response to any US-‘Israeli’ attack
Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that Tehran would meet any attack with a strong response, local media reported Wednesday, after its Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted Kuwait in retaliation for US attacks.
"Today, the Iranian nation, in its battle with America and the Zionist regime, showed that the era of free-of-charge Iran threats is over and that any aggression will be met with a decisive, regrettable, and proportionate response," Ghalibaf said, according to local news agency ISNA.
VIDEO - Kuwait reveals massive destruction at airport after Iran strike
Images released by the Kuwaiti ministry of interior show Kuwait’s Minister of Interior Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah during an inspection tour at Kuwait International Airport, where damage is visible following missile and drone attack.
VIDEO - Iranian media releases footage of “response to US military attack”
Iranian media releases footage of what it says is the “the response to US military aggression” that took place overnight.
The attack targeted the “Fifth Fleet and the air and helicopter base of the…US army,” according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.
Netanyahu says Iran “playing with fire” after Kuwait attack
‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Iran was "playing with fire" after the Islamic republic carried out an attack on Kuwait.
"Iran surely knows what the (US) president has said, that if necessary, there'll be a full-scale return to military action," Netanyahu said in an interview with US channel CNBC when asked if there was still a ceasefire following recent attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain.
"You know, it's the president's decision. Israel is ready and the US forces are ready. I think Iran should take that into account. I think they are taking it into account but they're playing with fire, that's clear."
Netanyahu says he and Trump share goal of demilitarizing Lebanon
‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that he and US President Donald Trump are aligned on the goal of disarming Hezbollah in order to achieve peace between ‘Israel’ and Lebanon.
Hezbollah "is an Iranian proxy that puts all the citizens of Lebanon at gunpoint and uses Lebanon as a platform to launch terror missiles into our cities, to launch killer drones against our civilians", Netanyahu said in an interview with US television channel CNBC.
"And so if we want to save Lebanon, if we want to get a Lebanese-Israeli peace, as I do, we have to disarm Hezbollah and we have to demilitarise Lebanon. And I know that this is a goal that the president and I share, and that's what we have to do."
VIDEO - Trump confirms calling Netanyahu “fu**king crazy”
Trump confirms lashing out on Netanyahu during a phone call over the situation with Hezbollah Lebanon.
"I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon, you know. At some point I said, 'Bibi, we've got to stop this. We gotta stop it,” Trump said in an interview with Miranda Devine on the show “Pod Force One”.
A report by Axios said earlier that Trump told Netanyahu: “You're fu**ing crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
India condemns Kuwait airport attack, says one citizen dead
India's foreign ministry condemned an Iranian attack on Kuwait's airport on Wednesday, confirming that an Indian national had been killed and others wounded.
"We condemn the attack on the Kuwait International Airport today in which an Indian national has died and several of our nationals are injured," India's foreign ministry said in a statement.
"We again call upon parties to cease such attacks," it added.
Kuwait blamed Iran for the attack, and demanded that two Iranian embassy staff leave the country within 24 hours.
Kuwait denies territory was used for attacks after Iran claims
Kuwait said on Wednesday that its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country", denying Iranian claims that the United States launched strikes from there.
The denial came as Kuwait summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan issuing "Kuwait's categorical rejection of the use of its territory or airspace in any hostile acts against any country, emphasizing that the false Iranian claims are baseless and do not rely on evidence", a ministry statement said.
Kuwait demands two Iran embassy staff leave after deadly attack
Kuwait demanded that two Iranian embassy staff leave the country within 24 hours on Wednesday after an Iranian attack on the country's airport that killed one person and injured dozens more.
Kuwait's deputy foreign affairs minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Kuwait, Hamed Hamid Yaqoubi Far, and "handed him an official protest note regarding the continued Iranian attacks and the decision to reduce the number of members of the Iranian Embassy in the country and to consider two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata, and request their departure from the territory of the State of Kuwait within a maximum period of 24 hours" the ministry said in a statement.
Kuwait says Iran launched 30 ballistic missiles and drones at country
Kuwait said it detected 30 ballistic missiles and drones launched as part of a "heinous Iranian aggression" on Wednesday.
"Since dawn today, the armed forces have detected and engaged 13 hostile ballistic missiles within Kuwaiti airspace. These missiles were intercepted over several residential areas, resulting in some debris falling. The armed forces also detected and engaged 17 hostile drones. This heinous Iranian aggression targeted civilian and vital facilities," defence ministry spokesman Saud Abdulaziz al-Atwan said.
