US forces shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones heading towards the strait of Hormuz, Reuters is quoting a source as saying, in the latest military flare-up even as Washington. Tehran cite progress in peace talks.
The source, who was familiar with the matter. spoke on condition of anonymity, said the drones had posed a threat to commercial traffic.
Donald Trump had warned Iran earlier on Friday against firing more drones at ships attempting to transit the strait, saying Tehran “better get their act together,. FAST!”
We’re about to close this live page now but here’s our latest full report,. a recap of the day’s key developments, as the US and Iran signal that a peace agreement is close but reports of conflicting claims cast uncertainly over whether it will eventuate. Thanks for joining us.
The US military’s Central Command said its forces downed multiple Iranian drones it said were trying to hit commercial vessels in the strait of Hormuz. The post on X early on Saturday, Middle East time, came even as Washington. Tehran cited progress in peace talks. “The international trade corridor remains open for transit,” Centcom said.
US president Donald Trump earlier reposted a social media post by Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi. said a memorandum of understanding to end the Iran war had “never been closer”. Araqchi echoed that sentiment on Iranian state TV a few hours later,. also repeated some points about the agreement that Trump had previously declared “fake news”.
One of those points was about the strait of Hormuz – the US. Iran agree that it will reopen once the memorandum is signed, but Araqchi said transit through the strait would be under Iranian management. “Our sword will always hang over the strait of Hormuz.”
Araqchi also said the agreement did not include anything about Iran’s nuclear programme. that nuclear talks with the US would only take place at a later stage. Trump has insisted the interim deal includes Iran giving up its nuclear programme. while Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was fully agreed with Trump on keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Araqchi also said ending the war in Lebanon was part of interim deal. which would mean Israel’s withdrawal from occupied areas. Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said Israel would not withdraw from security zones in Lebanon, Syria or Gaza.
Switzerland offered to host the peace deal signing ceremony after a number of US media outlets cited sources who said it may happen in Geneva ahead of or during the G7 summit. starts in France on Monday. Araqchi said the signing would take place “digitally”, with each side signing remotely.
Hezbollah said on Friday that its fighters had confronted Israeli forces advancing towards a southern Lebanese town. as Israel pressed on with its strikes in Lebanon. The Iran-backed militia said its fighters first targeted Israeli troops advancing towards Majdal Zoun. about 5km from the western side of the border, on Thursday evening “with repeated rocket barrages, forcing them to retreat”.
The Israeli military said it struck 310 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon over the past week. claiming to have killed “80 terrorists”.
Global oil prices dropped on Friday to lows not seen since the first week of the Iran crisis on hopes of a US-Iran deal. with Brent crude falling to $87.33 a barrel.
Here’s a look at the complex relationship between Donald Trump. Benjamin Netanyahu – and how it continues to undermine the Middle East ceasefire – from senior international correspondent Julian Borger, in case you missed it earlier this week.
Trump has insisted he calls “all the shots” in the Middle East,. in a dangerously fragile region Netanyahu has again shown he is ready to take shots of his own.
An exchange of missiles between Iran. Israel on Sunday and Monday shone a bright light on the complex and conflicted relationship between the US president and the Israeli prime minister, frenemies who could determine the fate of the current truce.
Trump. Netanyahu went to war together against Iran on 28 February but fell out of step within days, as soon as it was clear that the quick victory and regime change promised by the Israelis was unlikely to materialise. From then on, their interests have increasingly diverged.
The full piece is here:
Donald Trump has reportedly spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the latest efforts to reach an agreement with Iran. as mentioned earlier.
The US administration was stressing to Israeli officials that any deal would require Iran to begin delivering on concessions in the deal before Tehran receives any potential benefits from the settlement. according to a senior US official.
Israel, which alongside the US launched the war on Iran in late February, has not been part of the current negotiations. Netanyahu said his country would not be party to the agreement.
The Israeli leader has clashed with Trump in recent weeks over US demands. Israel curb its military action in Lebanon to allow Washington to reach a deal with Tehran.
Iran’s foreign minister. Abbas Araqchi, said the agreement would end the war in Lebanon, implying an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas, as Reuters reports.
But Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said it would not withdraw.
A senior Israeli official said Israel expected to retain its freedom to act against threats in areas under its control.
The US military’s Central Command has confirmed. its forces have downed Iranian drones it said were trying to hit commercial vessels in the strait of Hormuz.
Centcom’s post on X says:
double quotation mark Iran launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded. The international trade corridor remains open for transit.”
US forces shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones heading towards the strait of Hormuz, Reuters is quoting a source as saying, in the latest military flare-up even as Washington. Tehran cite progress in peace talks.
The source, who was familiar with the matter. spoke on condition of anonymity, said the drones had posed a threat to commercial traffic.
Donald Trump had warned Iran earlier on Friday against firing more drones at ships attempting to transit the strait, saying Tehran “better get their act together,. FAST!”
Israeli. Palestinian civil society groups have delivered an appeal in France to urge the international community not to abandon a two-state solution, as Paris seeks to keep the issue alive amid the Middle East war.
The meeting on Friday brought together foreign ministers and senior officials from dozens of countries alongside civil society groups. It marks one year since the UN-backed New York declaration that set out a roadmap towards Palestinian statehood. prompted about a dozen countries – including France, the UK, Australia and Canada – to recognise a Palestinian state.
“We could find every reason in the world to give up. But you are here! Your testimonies alone are grounds for hope. action,” France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, told 250 civil society representatives from both sides.
double quotation mark France refuses to let the side of war prevail over the side of peace.”
The gathering ended with an eight-point “call for action” urging a permanent ceasefire, a halt to settlements, Gaza reconstruction, governance reforms. stronger international backing for civil society, Reuters reports.
It will be delivered to the G7 leaders who meet in the French Alps from Monday.
What exactly’s in the potential deal between the US and Iran as it stands?
Draft terms described to Reuters by multiple sources indicate the US would begin releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets. waive sanctions on its oil exports, in return for Iran opening the strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s nuclear program would be addressed during a 60-day period of talks. A senior Trump administration official said the agreement would ultimately lead to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, with its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to be destroyed. removed.
The terms also include an inspection regime to ensure compliance over the long term.
But Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi told state television that Iran. which sources said had not accepted the dismantling of its nuclear program, wanted to retain the uranium in diluted form. He said:
double quotation mark For Tehran, the only preferred solution for its highly enriched uranium stockpile is down-blending the material.”
The proposals include discussion of possible war reparations for Tehran. dropping longstanding US demands for limits on Iran’s missile program, Reuters quoted the sources as saying. The US official disputed that account.
“None of their money released until they perform. Strait of Hormuz will be open. No Iran funding of terrorist groups,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
double quotation mark This is what they have agreed to. This is a performance-based deal.”
The negotiation process to date has been characterised by claim and counter-claim from both sides.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. the foreign minister of India, said on Friday that he has spoken to US secretary of state Marco Rubio about the three Indian seafarers who were killed in US military strikes against oil tankers travelling through the strait of Hormuz.
“I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf. killed three Indian mariners,” Jaishankar posted on X. “Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.”
Read more about the strikes here:
US president Donald Trump had earlier reposted a social media post by the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi. said a memorandum of understanding to end the Iran war had “never been closer”. Araqchi echoed that sentiment on Iranian state TV a few hours later,. also repeated some points about the agreement that Trump had previously declared “fake news”.
One of those points was about the strait of Hormuz – while both the US. Iran agree that it will reopen once the memorandum is signed, Araqchi said transit through the strait would be under Iranian management. “Our sword will always hang over the strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Araqchi also said the agreement did not include anything about Iran’s nuclear programme. that nuclear talks with the US will only take place at a later stage. Trump has been adament that the interim deal includes Iran giving up its nuclear programme entirely. the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he is “in full agreement” with Trump to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Araqchi also said that ending the war in Lebanon was part of interim deal. which would mean Israel’s withdrawal from occupied areas. Israel Katz. the Israeli defence minister, had said earlier today that Israel would not withdraw from security zones in Lebanon, Syria or Gaza.
Switzerland has offered to host the peace deal signing ceremony after a number of US media outlets cited sources who said it may happen in Geneva ahead of (or during) the G7 summit. begins in France on Monday. Araqchi said that the signing would take place “digitally”, with each side signing remotely.
Hezbollah said on Friday that its fighters had confronted Israeli forces advancing towards a southern Lebanese town. as Israel pressed on with its strikes in Lebanon. In a statement. Hezbollah said its fighters first targeted Israeli troops advancing towards Majdal Zoun, around five kilometres (three miles) from the western side of the border, on Thursday evening “with repeated rocket barrages, forcing them to retreat”.
The Israeli military said it struck 310 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past week. as it claimed to have killed “80 terrorists”. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also revealed it conducted a raid in the southern Lebanese village Dibbine several weeks ago.
Global oil prices fell on Friday to lows not seen since the first week of the Iran crisis after Donald Trump claimed he was close to reaching a peace deal with Tehran. The price of Brent crude began to tumble from about $93 a barrel in overnight trade after the US president called off further military strikes against Iran. were scheduled for the evening.
Donald Trump has said the US and Iran are on the verge of a peace agreement. Oil prices are down, and the stock market is up. This comes only hours after Trump warned Iran was about to be struck “VERY HARD”, a threat that had sent oil prices up. stocks down.
It has been another ride on the Trump rollercoaster, keeping traders on edge, most of the world poorer,. people of the Middle East constantly whiplashing between fear and hope. But whether the ride veers up or down, the management always makes money.
This is the 39th time. the president has declared US-Iranian talks to be on the point of fruition (other counts have the figure higher – it depends on what you term a prediction or just a hint). On five of those occasions. the promise of peace has involved walking back the threat of mass devastation, including the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure, a near-certain war crime if carried out.
While Abbas Araqchi told Iranian state media that the agreement with the US includes ending the war in Lebanon – which means the withdrawal of Israel from occupied areas – Israel Katz. the Israeli defence minister, posted on X earlier today that Israel would not withdraw from security zones in Lebanon, Syria or Gaza.
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