Al Jazeera

By Zaid Sabah

    US President Donald Trump’s national security team is reviewing an Iranian peace plan to halt the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, while postponing talks on its nuclear programme.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg and says Tehran is considering a US request to restart negotiations.

    Dozens of nations have called for the “urgent and unimpeded reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz, with UN chief Antonio Guterres warning that the US-Iran standoff in the waterway risks triggering a global food emergency.

    Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade fire as the death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since an April 17 “ceasefire” rises to at least 40 people.

    Visit our live tracker for the latest casualty figures from across the region.

US Democrats to force sixth Senate vote on War Powers Resolution

    Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has announced that the Democrats will force a sixth vote in the US Senate on a war powers resolution this week, aimed at curbing Trump’s “war of choice” in Iran.

    Posting on X, Schumer wrote: “As we reach 60 days of a reckless and unpopular war, will Republicans continue to back Trump and dig themselves deeper into this hole ”

    The US Constitution says that Congress, not the president, can declare war.

    Democrats have tried, and failed repeatedly in both the Senate and House of Representatives, to force Trump to stop the war on Iran and to obtain lawmakers’ authorisation before launching ⁠military operations.

Displaced Lebanese recount fleeing renewed Israeli air attacks

    At one school-turned-shelter in Lebanon’s Sidon, dozens of families who had returned to their villages after the US-brokered ceasefire on April 17 have been displaced again.

    Kadija Hasem recounted how she had to flee Israeli air attacks on Sunday, just days after returning to her home.

    “There were many aircraft overhead, and then they struck a village, one they’d previously said was safe. About half an hour later, they struck again. People didn’t have enough time to evacuate,” she told Al Jazeera. “There was panic. Cars were lining up on the roads. Then the road itself was hit. Many civilians were killed. It seemed like indiscriminate fire.”

    Other displaced people said they no longer trust Israel to honour the ceasefire.

    “We lost trust in Israel. They don’t respect ceasefire. They don’t respect human beings,” said Mohammed Nassar. “They shoot, whatever the result is. Who is being targeted  Nobody knows. What I can see in my own eyes is they’re targeting people. Civilians are getting killed.”

    The Israeli military claims it targets only Hezbollah fighters. Yet in the territory it now occupies, entire towns have been demolished.

    Huda Hawrani returned to her village last week, only to flee again when the strikes resumed. Her parents’ home has been destroyed.

    “Hezbollah did not break the truce,” she told Al Jazeera. “The Israeli army violated it first by striking civilians and destroying homes. They talk about a ‘Yellow Line’, but this is all our land. We will take it back.”

Araghchi hails ‘strategic partnership’ after high-level talks with Russia

    The Iranian foreign minister says he was pleased to engage with Russia at the “highest level as the region is in major flux”.

    “Recent events have evidenced the depth and strength of our strategic partnership,” Araghchi wrote on X. “As our relationship continues to grow, we are grateful for solidarity and welcome Russia’s support for diplomacy.”

Oil prices edge higher amid stalled US-Iran talks

    Crude prices continue their upward trend as diplomatic attempts to halt the conflict between the US and Iran remain at a standstill.

    Brent crude futures for June delivery rose by 45 cents (0.4 percent), reaching $108.68 per barrel by 00:51 GMT. This follows a 2.8 percent surge in the prior session, marking the seventh consecutive day of gains for the contract.

    Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for June delivery increased by 58 cents (0.6 percent) to $96.96, building on a 2.1 percent rise recorded during the previous trading day.

No resolution at UN Security Council despite mounting global shipping crisis

By Kristen Saloomey

Reporting from the United Nations, New York

    During the Security Council meeting, we heard many appeals for de-escalation and for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, where thousands of cargo ships remained stranded and 20,000 or so maritime workers remained stranded as well.

    We heard from many briefers, including the secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, himself, who focused on the impact these shipping disruptions are having on the world’s most vulnerable countries and people, with 20 percent of oil and natural gas coming through the strait.

    Bahrain called this meeting, backed by dozens of countries suffering from higher fuel prices as a result of the blockade, describing the closure of the strait as a violation of international law. They called for an end to attacks on ships, and an end to blocking Iranian ports.

    No action was taken by the Security Council, however. A past resolution that called for reopening the strait was blocked by China and Russia, with Moscow blaming the US and Israel for their “unprovoked attack” on Iran as the source of the problem.

Where is Araghchi heading to next

By Almigdad Alruhaid

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

    The Iranian foreign minister is supposed to come back to Tehran to convey what he gathered from the meetings with those regional actors and neighbours.

    He had travelled to Pakistan, Oman and Russia. We know that there’s a strategic partnership between Iran and these countries. We know that Oman is Iran’s traditional mediator in these obstacles.

    Araghchi might go back to Islamabad. But no one knows, because there is uncertainty hanging over everything here.

    But the Iranians are trying to say that they are open to diplomacy. They are sending messages; they are not closing any channels and not closing any doors for diplomacy.

    The main obstacle is to build trust. They are saying that once the war ends, they can move forward in other files, like the nuclear files, the regional axis and the influence in the region. Meaning that the big issues can come later after a settlement in the war, especially in the Strait of Hormuz.

What we know about Iran’s proposal to end war

    Iran has sent a new proposal detailing its conditions to end the war with the US, via mediator Pakistan.

    According to US media, the proposal would set aside discussion of Iran’s nuclear programme until the conflict with the US and Israel has ended, and the deadlock over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is resolved.

    The White House has confirmed that Trump met with his national security team to discuss the proposal on Monday morning.

    Exact details of what is included in the plan have not been revealed, with the White House saying that the “US will not negotiate through the press”.