By Lyndal Rowlands and Danai Nesta Kupemba
Senior Iranian officials have blamed Washington for stalled peace negotiations due to the United States naval blockade of the country’s ports, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it captured two foreign vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on a third ship for violating maritime regulations.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran wants “dialogue and agreement” but “breach of commitments, blockade and threats are the main obstacles to genuine negotiations”.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said no deadline has been set by US President Donald Trump for the extension of his ceasefire on Iran, adding that it will be the president’s decision when the truce ends.
Lebanon has condemned Israel for the targeted killing of Lebanese newspaper correspondent Amal Khalil and the wounding of journalist colleague Zeinab Faraj, despite a negotiated ceasefire between both countries, which Israel has violated daily with deadly attacks and demolitions of Lebanese homes.
Iran FM meets S Korean envoy, blames US-Israel ‘aggression’ for regional instability
Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, has told South Korea’s special envoy, Chang Byung-ha, during a meeting in Tehran that US and Israeli “aggression is the root of insecurity” in the Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz.
Araghchi told Chang about US and Israeli “crimes” during its war on Iran, and urged countries to take a clear and firm stance in condemning the attacks, the Iranian government said in a post on social media.
“Iran, as a coastal state, has taken measures under international law to defend its security and interests; responsibility for consequences lies with the aggressors,” Araghchi was quoted as saying.
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US officials told 6 months needed to clear sea mines in Strait of Hormuz
The Pentagon says it will take six months to clear sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the situation has told The Associated Press (AP) news agency.
The report said that officials from the US Defense Department delivered the information on the situation in the strait during a classified briefing at the House Armed Services Committee meeting on Tuesday.
The AP said the session left lawmakers with “more questions than answers” as they asked about the cost of the war on Iran, its strategy and objectives, which went unanswered, along with questions about the attack on a school in Iran at the start of the war that left about 165 people dead, the majority young school girls.
US envoy suggests replacing Iran with Italy at 2026 World Cup
US special envoy Paolo Zampolli has floated the idea of asking football’s world governing body, FIFA, to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup, according to The Financial Times.
“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and (FIFA president Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. I’m an Italian native, and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion,” Zampolli told the newspaper.
Earlier, we reported that Iran confirmed it is fully prepared for its national football team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
Infantino said last week that Iran is expected to participate in the World Cup, set to run from June 11 to July 19.
US President Donald Trump said in March that while Iran’s team would be welcome at the tournament, he questioned whether it would be appropriate for them to attend because of their “life and safety”, without elaborating.
Iran’s three group matches against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt are scheduled in Seattle and Los Angeles.
FIFA rejected Iran’s request to move the matches to Mexico.
IRGC’s seizure of vessels sends message that navy is ready to ‘retaliate’ in Strait of Hormuz
By Almigdad Alruhaid
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
This morning, the IRGC navy said in a statement that they seized two vessels … saying that they were violating maritime rules and also jeopardising navigation systems and moving without permission from the IRGC.
So what we are seeing here, as analysts say, is Iran wanting to show its tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz.
And it is also seen as a kind of retaliation from the IRGC navy, which promised in the past few days, when the United States seized two Iranian vessels, to retaliate.
So here is a message that they are ready for any kind of escalation, and their navy is ready to retaliate for any kind of escalation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Panama condemns Iran’s ‘illegal seizure’ of vessel sailing under national flag
Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has shared a statement condemning Iran’s seizure of the MSC Francesca, an Italian owned ship sailing under Panama’s flag.
“The ship was transiting the Strait of Hormuz when it was seized and forcibly taken to Iranian territorial waters,” the ministry said in a post on X.
Iran’s actions posed “a serious threat to maritime security” and were “an unnecessary escalation at a time when the international community is advocating for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open to international navigation without threats or blackmail of any kind,” the ministry added.
Iran’s leaders deliver ‘same message’: US blockade must end to allow talks
By Almigdad Alruhaid
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
We are hearing the same message, the same stance, the same position – very firm and from different Iranian officials.
For example, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian is sending a clear and direct message to the United States that they are open to dialogue and agreement and, also, that the door to diplomacy is not closed.
But at the same time, he stated clearly that this naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States is not acceptable, and is highlighting many obstacles beyond that, including the threatening rhetoric and, also, the threatening language from the United States and, also, broken promises from the US, which is unacceptable.
So the issue is the same: the trust between the United States and Iran. There’s a deep mistrust.
We are also seeing the same tone from Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, chief negotiator and speaker of Iran’s parliament, sending the same clear message that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is one of the main sticking points between Iran and the US.
CPJ ‘outraged’ over apparent Israeli targeting of Lebanese journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has shared a detailed update, expressing outrage that Israeli forces “apparently targeted Lebanese journalists Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj in Al Tayri, southern Lebanon, on Wednesday.”
“The repeated strikes on the same location, the targeting of an area where journalists were sheltering, and the obstruction of medical and humanitarian access constitute a grave breach of international humanitarian law,” CPJ regional director Sara Qudah said.
“CPJ holds Israeli forces responsible for the endangerment of Amal Khalil’s life and the injuries Zeinab Faraj sustained after the targeted strike on their location,” Qudah added.
Oil prices up 4% amid uncertainty around Iran-US ceasefire
Oil prices jumped 4 percent on Thursday amid vows by Iran not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so long as the US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place.
At about 00:25 GMT, the benchmark US oil contract West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed 4.06 percent to $96.73 per barrel.
International oil benchmark Brent North Sea crude rose 3.62 percent to $105.63.
Both eased back in the following minutes.
Oil prices continue to rise and fall slightly on the uncertainty over whether war will resume.
Mr.BadGuy
Publisher
Mr.BadGuy
Publisher
These soldiers are from a country whose president is a Jew Zelensky. Orthodox churches are also being destroyed in this country. Synagogues are not touched. Surprisingly, it turns out that Jews get along well with the Bandera Nazis.