The report by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency appeared to refer to the multiple ballistic missile launches South Korea, Japan and the U.S. detected Sunday off North Korea's east coast.

KCNA photos showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter, both wearing black leather jackets, watching from a coastal observation point as a projectile soared over the water, trailing gray smoke.

South Korea’s spy service recently assessed that the daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, could be considered Kim’s heir.

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Kim oversaw the launches of five upgraded surface-to-surface Hwasong-11 Ra ballistic missiles with cluster bomb warheads and fragmentation mine warheads, KCNA said.

The missiles struck an island target and Kim expressed satisfaction over the launches, saying “It is of weighty significance in military actions to boost the high-density striking capability,” according to KCNA.

In the earlier launch this month, North Korea tested Hwasong-11 Ka surface—to-surface ballistic missiles with cluster bomb warheads that it said “can reduce to ashes any target covering an area of 6.5-7 hectares (16 to 17.2 acres).”

Cluster bomb warheads

North Korea has tested cluster bomb warheads before. But observers say the Iran war may have prompted North Korea to display it has cluster munitions and accelerate efforts to develop better ones.

The destructiveness of cluster munitions has been highlighted in the ongoing war, with Israel accusing Iran of using such weapons to challenge the country’s stretched air defenses.

The warheads burst open at high altitudes, scattering dozens of smaller bomblets across a wide area that are difficult to intercept.

More than 120 countries have signed an international treaty banning the use of cluster munitions, but North Korea, Iran, Israel and the United States are not among them.

Nuclear arsenal

North Korea has been pushing to expand its nuclear arsenal and acquire an array of high-tech weapons since Kim’s nuclear diplomacy with US President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019.

Among them are multi-warhead nuclear missiles, hypersonic weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, whose possessions would sharply increase prospects for North Korea defeating US and South Korean missile defenses.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to restore diplomacy with Kim, and the North Korean leader has recently left open the door for dialogue with Trump but urged Washington to drop demands for the North’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for talks.

Trump is to travels to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Xi Jinping in May.

Some observers North Korea’s recent testing activities were likely meant to increase its leverage in future dealings with the US, as the Trump-Xi meeting could provide a diplomatic opening with Pyongyang.

Iran has rejected the second round of talks with the US in Islamad, citing the US naval blockade as a key "obstacle". Iran has earlier declared Hormuz Strait "completely open". US President Donald Trump, meanwhile announced that American representatives, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will travel to Pakistan to pursue ceasefire negotiations with Iran, even as he warned of "severe consequences", including the bombing of powerplants and more bridges, if Tehran fails to agree to a "deal".

'Not safe' for ships to transit Hormuz right now, US Energy Secretary

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said it’s still "not safe" for ships to transit Strait of Hormuz "right now".

Wright, however, said talks with Iranians over Strait of Hormuz are "going well", adding the US “is not too far away from a deal” with the Iranians. .

He also warned that petrol prices in the US "had probably peaked" but may stay above $3 per gallon until 2027.

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US Navy fired on, seized Iranian-flagged vessel: Trump says

The US Navy fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that attempted to breach a US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, President Donald Trump said Sunday, marking a sharp escalation in already high tensions over control of strategic Middle East waterways.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump said the vessel, identified as the Touska, ignored repeated warnings from the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance to stop as it tried to bypass the blockade. US forces disabled the ship’s engine room before boarding and taking the vessel into custody, he said. Marines were inspecting the ship’s cargo.

Pakistan, Iran leaders speak ahead of talks with US

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Sunday he had spoken by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ahead of anticipated US-Iran talks in Islamabad, and reaffirmed his government's readiness to mediate the conflict.

"I had a warm and constructive conversation with President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian this evening on the evolving regional situation," Sharif said in a post on X.

"Pakistan remains fully committed to its role as an honest and sincere facilitator of lasting peace and regional stability."

US President Donald Trump is sending negotiators to Pakistan on Monday for talks with Iran just days before a ceasefire in the Middle East expires, though Tehran has reportedly yet to decide whether it will participate.

US has forcibly seized Iranian-flagged cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz: Trump

President Donald Trump said the US forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship Sunday that tried to get around a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump, in a post on social media, said the ship was warned by a US Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman to stop but it did not.

"Our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room," Trump wrote.

He said US Marines had custody of the cargo ship, named Touska, and were "seeing what's on board!"

The seizure escalates a back-and-forth with Iran over traffic in the strait and comes as the US was preparing for a second round of in-person talks with Iran as a fragile ceasefire runs out in days.

Conflicting reports about Iran's stance on second round of US talks

While the US President expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported that Tehran has refused to take part in a second round of talks with Washington.

The agency said there was “no clear prospect for productive negotiations under the current circumstances.”

Local media, however, suggested that Iran has not yet made a final decision on participating in further discussions with the US. Tasnim News Agency reported earlier that Tehran had not decided whether to send a negotiating delegation to Pakistan “amid the ongoing naval blockade.”

Argentina's Milei says US-Israel war against Iran 'right thing to do'

Argentine President Javier Milei declared Sunday that the joint US-Israel war against Iran was the "right thing to do", as he signed on to the so-called Isaac Accords aimed at deepening bilateral ties between Israel and Latin American countries.

Making his third visit to Israel as president, Milei reaffirmed Argentina's support for the campaign against Iran, citing his government's earlier decision to designate the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards a "terrorist organisation".

"We expressed our firm support for the United States and Israel in their war against terrorism and against the Iranian regime, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because our countries are brothers in suffering," Milei said in a joint statement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tehran has not decided whether to join new talks with US: Iran media

Iran has yet to decide whether it will take part in a new round of talks with the United States, local media reported Sunday, with the IRNA state news agency saying "there is no clear prospect of fruitful negotiations".

The Fars and Tasnim news agencies, quoting anonymous sources, said Tehran had yet to decide whether it would participate and that "the overall atmosphere cannot be assessed as very positive", with Fars citing one source as saying the lifting of a US blockade on Iranian ports was a precondition for talks.

IRNA, meanwhile, pointed to Washington's "maximalism and unreasonable and unrealistic demands, frequent changes of positions, constant contradictions and the continuation of the so-called naval blockade", adding that "in these circumstances, there is no clear prospect of fruitful negotiations".

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Israel vows to level homes in Lebanon, counter threats with 'full force'

Israel said its military had been instructed to use "full force" against imminent threats in Lebanon despite a truce there and vowed to level homes allegedly used by Hezbollah, with state media reporting demolitions were underway on Sunday.

While some displaced south Lebanon residents have rushed back to their homes, many are hesitant to return, uncertain about the durability of the 10-day truce, which came into effect on Friday and halted weeks of fighting between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

In the village of Dibbine, an AFP correspondent saw a man inspecting damage to his home and people walking near the rubble of destroyed buildings.

Saudi Arabia’s Port of Neom is fully operational

Saudi Arabia’s Port of Neom is fully operational and actively receiving and moving complex cargo through its multi‑purpose terminal, Neom announced on Sunday.

The Port’s infrastructure and operating standards support dependable cargo handling and multimodal routing spanning trade flows from different parts of the globe, including the Americas, Europe, GCC, as well as Egypt and Iraq.

Vance will lead US delegation to Iran talks in Pakistan: White House

US Vice President JD Vance will lead the US delegation for talks with Iran in Pakistan, a White House official said Sunday, after President Donald Trump indicated Vance would not make the trip.

Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will attend the talks, a White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity when asked about the makeup of the delegation after Trump's comments.

Trump again threatens Iran infrastructure as he orders negotiators to Pakistan

US President Donald Trump said he was sending a delegation to Pakistan on Monday for negotiations with Iran, while renewing his threats to destroy the country's vital infrastructure if it didn't agree a deal.

"NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!" the American leader declared on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social account, saying that without a deal, Washington was "going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran".

Vance not going to Pakistan for Iran-US talks: Trump to ABC News

Vice President JD Vance will not lead the US delegation for new talks with Iran in Pakistan, President Donald Trump told ABC News on Sunday, citing security concerns - despite top officials suggesting Vance would make the trip.

Earlier in the day, both the US envoy to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright had indicated that Vance would lead the round of negotiations in Islamabad from Monday.

"It's only because of security," Trump told ABC News of the reason Vance is not making the trip. "JD's great."

Pakistan tightens security in Islamabad ahead of US-Iran talks

Security in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, was stepped up visibly on Sunday ahead of peace talks between the United States and Iran in the coming days.

President Donald Trump said US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday to resume talks on ending the war with Iran, little more than a week after face-to-face talks in Islamabad on April 11 ended without agreement.

Authorities earlier announced road closures and traffic restrictions across the city, as well as in neighbouring Rawalpindi.

Iran foreign ministry says US naval blockade 'violation' of ceasefire

Iran's foreign ministry said Sunday that the US naval blockade on Iranian ports is a violation of the ceasefire as well as an "unlawful and criminal" act.

"The United States' so-called 'blockade' of Iran's ports or coastline is not only a violation of Pakistani-mediated ceasefire but also both unlawful and criminal," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a post on X, just as US President Donald Trump also accused Iran of ceasefire violations by firing on ships.

"Moreover, by deliberately inflicting collective punishment on the Iranian population, it amounts to war crime and crime against humanity," Baqaei added.

France's Macron to meet with Lebanon's PM in Paris on Tuesday: Elysee

French President Emmanuel Macron will on Tuesday meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Paris, the Elysee said, as a fragile 10-day truce holds between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

The visit highlights Macron's commitment to seeing "full and complete respect for the ceasefire in Lebanon" as well as France's support for Lebanon's "territorial integrity", the president's office said on Sunday.

The announcement of the visit came a day after France blamed Iran-backed Hezbollah for the death of a French peacekeeper in Lebanon.

Syria says foiled cross-border attack by Assad remnants, Hezbollah

Syria's interior ministry said Sunday that security forces thwarted an alleged cross-border attack from the country's territory planned by remnants of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad and cells linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah.

From March 2 until a 10-day ceasefire went into force on April 17, Hezbollah was battling Israel after drawing Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire aimed at Israel in support of Tehran.

In a statement, the interior ministry said security forces "arrested members of a sabotage cell" linked to Hezbollah and Assad remnants.

The ministry said the cell "was working to carry out an attack from inside Syrian territory on targets outside the borders" from Quneitra province, which borders Israel.

Syria's official SANA news agency, quoting an interior ministry source, said Hezbollah "intended to launch missiles across the border with the aim of destabilising the country".

Trump says US delegation going to Pakistan Monday for Iran negotiations

US President Donald Trump said US negotiators will be in Pakistan Monday to resume talks on ending the war with Iran, as he again threatened to destroy its power plants and bridges if no deal is reached.

In a social media post Sunday, Trump also accused Iran of violating the countries' two-week ceasefire with attacks Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said he was offering Iran "a reasonable deal" and if Tehran says no "the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"

Spain urges EU to end association agreement with Israel

Spain will ask the European Union to end its association agreement with Israel over alleged violations of international law, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Sunday.

"On Tuesday, Spain's government will present a proposal to the EU that the European Union break off its association agreement with Israel", which has been in place since June 2000, Sanchez told a political rally in Andalusia.

He alleged that Israel "violates international law" and therefore "cannot be a partner of the European Union ... it's as simple as that".

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Israel says to use 'full force' in Lebanon despite truce if soldiers face threat

Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that the military had been instructed to use "full force" in Lebanon - even during the ongoing ceasefire - should Israeli troops face any threat.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to act with full force, both on the ground and from the air, including during the ceasefire, in order to protect our soldiers in Lebanon from any threat," Katz said at a function in the occupied West Bank.

He said that the military had also been ordered "to remove the houses in the (frontline) villages near the border that served in every respect as Hezbollah terror outposts and threatened Israeli communities," Katz added.

Trump accuses Iran of violating ceasefire in Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire in the Strait of Hormuz. He wrote on his platform, Truth Social: "Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations. Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it.

"They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be “the tough guy!” We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Iran arrests two foreigners over Starlink device imports

Iranian authorities have arrested two foreign nationals in the country's northwest on charges related to the importation of Starlink devices, a local prosecutor said Sunday, according to Iranian media.

The suspects, arrested in the city of Jolfa in East Azerbaijan province, were involved in "importing satellite internet equipment" and were arrested by security forces, Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted the city's public prosecutor as saying.

It said the two were part of "a network accused of intelligence cooperation with groups linked to the United States and Israel".

Two Iranian nationals were also arrested in connection with the case, including one who "attempted to send information to hostile satellite networks" and another allegedly involved in intelligence activities, it added.

Iran has been largely cut off from the global internet since the start of the war with Israel and the United States on February 28.

Iran doubles down on closing the Strait of Hormuz as the ceasefire nears expiration

Iran doubled down on its pledge to restrict ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, as mediators scrambled to extend the ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday.

The dueling blockades have complicated Pakistani-led mediation attempts and raised questions about whether the two-week truce can be extended.

"It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot," Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said in an interview aired on state television late Saturday.

Qalibaf, who is Iran's chief negotiator in talks with the United States, slammed the US blockade as a "naive decision made out of ignorance." He said Iran still was seeking peace despite deep-seated distrust of the United States.

"There will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy," he said, acknowledging that the gap between the two sides remained wide.

Iran to resume international flights from Mashhad airport on Monday: media

Iran will resume international flights on Monday from Mashhad airport in the country's northeast, its civil aviation authority said.

"Permission to operate international passenger flights at Mashhad Airport has been issued, starting tomorrow," state TV said, quoting the Civil Aviation Organisation.

Iranian airports have been closed since the outbreak of war with Israel and the United States on February 28.

Turkey FM accuses Israel of trying to create 'fait accompli' in Lebanon

Turkey on Sunday accused Israel of seeking to create a "fait accompli" in Lebanon despite an agreed ceasefire, with the foreign minister denouncing "Israeli expansionism".

"The ongoing Iran-United States negotiations seem to be overshadowing this situation (in Lebanon). Israel appears to be trying to take advantage of this distraction to create a fait accompli," Hakan Fidan said.

On Saturday, Fidan said Israel was attempting to occupy new territories.

Syria foils Hezbollah missile-launching operation

Syrian state media said Sunday that security forces thwarted a missile-launching operation by Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah from its territory.

From March 2 until a 10-day ceasefire went into force on April 17, Hezbollah was battling Israel after drawing Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire aimed at Israel in support of Tehran.

Syria's official SANA news agency, quoting an interior ministry source, said security forces "thwarted a sabotage plot orchestrated by a cell linked to the Hezbollah terrorist militia".

It alleged the group "intended to launch missiles across the border with the aim of destabilising the country".

Turkey 'optimistic' Middle East ceasefire will be extended: foreign minister

Turkey said it remained "optimistic" that a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States set to expire on Wednesday would be extended.

"No one wants to see a new war break out when the ceasefire expires next week. We hope ... the parties will extend the ceasefire," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

"I hope there'll be an extension. I am optimistic," he said.

Iran says it is acting in self-defence, not seeking war

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the country has no intention of seeking war and is responding only in self-defence following strikes by the United States and Israel.

Pezeshkian said Tehran remains committed to peace and stability in the region, stressing that its actions are a response to what it described as external aggression.

He also accused the US and Israel of targeting civilian infrastructure, calling such actions violations of international law and pointing to what he described as inconsistencies in global human rights standards.

'We have not attacked any country, and in the current situation we do not intend to attack any party, and we are simply defending ourselves legitimately,' he was quoted as saying by Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Bahrain demands full compensation from Iran over 'unlawful aggression'

The Kingdom of Bahrain has renewed its demand that Iran provide full compensation for damages resulting from unlawful aggression, in its eleventh formal communication to the United Nations. In identical letters to the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council, Bahrain said it was continuing to brief members on repeated attacks on its territory.

The letter said Iran had continued to violate UN Security Council Resolution 2817, noting that Bahrain intercepted 194 ballistic missiles and 523 drones since late February. It added that a Moroccan contractor working with the UAE Armed Forces was killed in a March 24 strike, with several Bahraini and Emirati personnel injured, as Manama called for accountability and enforcement of international law.

Security lockdown in Islamabad, Rawalpindi as US-Iran talks expected

Pakistan has placed its twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on high security alert, deploying tens of thousands of personnel and suspending transport services ahead of a possible second round of high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran, according to reports.

More than 10,000 police personnel have been deployed in Rawalpindi alone, with over 600 special pickets set up to monitor all entry and exit points of the city, Dawn reported. The sweeping security operation includes 400 elite commandos, around 100 snipers positioned on rooftops, 4,000 Punjab Highway Patrol personnel and 200 Dolphin Force officers.

Authorities said the multi-layered security plan began taking shape late on April 18, with foreign delegations expected to arrive via the Nur Khan Airbase in Chaklala before moving to Islamabad. Snipers stationed on buildings are maintaining real-time coordination with ground units through wireless communication, while Quick Response Units are on constant patrol.

How gunboats turned Hormuz into a bargaining table

The Strait of Hormuz is no longer a shipping lane — it is now a gunboat-enforced negotiating table.

What unfolded over the past 36 hours has stripped away any lingering illusion that the waterway is returning to normal. A brief window of optimism — sparked by Iran’s signal that the strait was “fully open” — has collapsed into renewed confrontation, with ships fired upon, warnings issued and global trade once again held hostage to geopolitics.

Hopes of reopening faded almost as soon as they appeared.

Lebanese army restores road, bridge damaged by Israeli strikes

Lebanon's military said Sunday it had reopened a road and bridge damaged by Israeli strikes in the country's south, as a 10-day truce holds between Hezbollah and Israel.

In a statement, the military said it "fully reopened" a road linking the city of Nabatieh with the Khardali area, and had "partially reopened the Burj Rahal-Tyre bridge".

"Work is also underway to rehabilitate the Tayr Falsay-Tyre bridge... following damage caused by the Israeli aggression," the army added.

Israeli strikes on bridges that cross Lebanon's Litani river, which flows around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Israel, have largely cut off the area south of the waterway from the rest of Lebanon, according to the army.

Hezbollah warns truce with Israel cannot be one-sided

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem asserted that the current 10-day truce with Israel cannot be a unilateral arrangement.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, Qassem vowed that his fighters are prepared to retaliate against any Israeli strikes targeting Lebanese territory.

In his initial response on Saturday to the ceasefire brokered by the United States, Qassem characterised the diplomatic process as "an insult to our country and our homeland, Lebanon, that America dictates its text and speaks on behalf of the Lebanese government."

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Iran 'victorious' in war with US, speaker says

Iran had been "victorious in the field" during weeks of war and had only agreed to a temporary truce with the United States because its demands had been met, the Iranian parliamentary speaker said on Saturday.

The two-week ceasefire is set to end Wednesday unless it is renewed, with a permanent deal that mediators including Pakistan are pushing to get over the line still not finalised and progress on key sticking points uncertain.

"We were victorious in the field," Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a national televised address, adding the United States had not achieved its goals and Iran controlled the strategic Strait of Hormuz maritime transit route.

US warships step up Hormuz blockade

The US Central Command has said that the dock landing ship USS Rushmore is conducting blockade operations in the Arabian Sea.

Earlier Saturday (local time), it was said on social media that a guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney is patrolling regional waters in support of the blockade operations. Meanwhile, the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock ship, is monitoring shipping, reports Xinhua news agency.

Israeli army says soldier killed in southern Lebanon

Israel's military said on Sunday that a soldier died during combat in southern Lebanon, where a temporary ceasefire had come into effect this week.

"Lidor Porat, aged 31, from Ashdod, a soldier in the 7106th Battalion, 769th Regional Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military said in a statement, without providing further details.

The total Israeli army death toll in the six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah was now 15, according to an AFP tally based on military figures.

It was the second death announced by Israel of a soldier in southern Lebanon since the start of a ten-day truce announced by the United States began on Friday - part of wider efforts to bring a permanent end to the Middle East war.

Trump praises Israel as a 'great ally' of US

US President Donald Trump has posted a statement on Truth Social strongly backing Israel, describing it as a key ally of the United States. He praised Israel as “courageous, bold, loyal and smart,” and said it has demonstrated strength and resilience in conflict. Trump added that Israel “fights hard” and “knows how to win,” contrasting it with others he said have “shown their true colours” during times of crisis.

Strait of Hormuz to stay closed until port blockade lifts, Iran says

The crucial Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports, Tehran said Saturday, as a top official warned that a final peace deal remained "far" off.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, said in a televised address that there has been "progress" in talks with Washington "but there are many gaps and some fundamental points remain."

"We are still far from the final discussion," said Ghalibaf, one of Tehran's negotiators in the talks aimed at ending the war launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic.

A two-week ceasefire is set to end on Wednesday unless it is renewed.

Iran's speaker says US negotiations have progressed but far from final deal

Progress had been made in negotiations with the United States to end the war, Iran's parliamentary speaker said on Saturday night, but added the sides were still far from an agreement.

"We are still far from the final discussion," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also one of Iran's negotiators, said in a national televised address, adding "we made progress in the negotiations, but there are many gaps and some fundamental points remain".

Iran 'victorious' in war with US, speaker says

Iran had been "victorious in the field" during weeks of war and had only agreed to a temporary truce with the United States because its demands had been met, the Iranian parliamentary speaker said on Saturday.

The two-week ceasefire is set to end Wednesday unless it is renewed, with a permanent deal that mediators including Pakistan are pushing to get over the line still not finalised and progress on key sticking points uncertain.

"We were victorious in the field," Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a national televised address, adding the United States had not achieved its goals and Iran controlled the strategic Strait of Hormuz maritime transit route.

"If we accepted the ceasefire, it was because they accepted our demands," he said, referring to the United States.

"The enemy's every effort was to impose its demands on us and it is important that we register our rights, so this is where negotiation is a method of struggle."

Ghalibaf and his delegation held closed door talks in Islamabad with US Vice President JD Vance on April 11, in the highest level Iran-US contacts since before the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The talks did not result in a final deal and officials have signalled mediations are continuing, though Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Saturday no date had been set for a new round of talks.

Amid US tensions, Mexico, Spain, Brazil urge respectful dialogue with Cuba

Mexico, Spain and Brazil voiced concern Saturday over the "dramatic situation" in Cuba, which has faced months of pressure from US President Donald Trump, with the trio urging "sincere and respectful dialogue."

Without explicitly mentioning the United States, the three leftist-led countries expressed "deep concern regarding the grave humanitarian crisis that the people of Cuba are enduring, and call for the adoption of necessary measures to alleviate this situation."

The countries, in a joint statement issued by Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called for a "sincere and respectful dialogue" in line with international law.

The purpose of such a dialogue should be to "find a lasting solution to the current situation and to ensure that it is the Cuban people themselves who decide their own future in full freedom," the statement said.

The appeal came as a summit of leftist leaders is taking place in Barcelona, led by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of the biggest critics of the United States and Israel's bombing campaigns in the Middle East.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were among the attendees, who called for efforts to "protect democracy."

Cuba has been bracing for a possible attack following repeated warnings from Trump that Cuba is "next" after he toppled Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro and went to war against Iran.

Trump has imposed an oil blockade of Cuba, aggravating the impoverished island's worst economic and energy crisis in decades.

France blames Hezbollah for French peacekeeper's death

A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an ambush Saturday on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that French President Emmanuel Macron blamed on Hezbollah, an accusation the group has denied.

The attack follows an agreement between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday for a 10-day ceasefire to negotiate an end to six weeks of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group.

"Everything points to Hezbollah being responsible for this attack," Macron said on X, urging Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack in a statement and said an initial assessment by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) found it was carried out by the Iranian-backed group.

But Hezbollah - which is strongly opposed to the planned talks with Israel - denied involvement in the attack that killed the French peacekeeper, identified as staff sergeant Florian Montorio.

"Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area," it said in a statement.

The group urged "caution in making judgements and assigning responsibilities" pending the results of the Lebanese army's investigation into the incident.

The fighting in Lebanon - one of the fronts in the Middle East war - has seen UNIFIL deployed there repeatedly targeted, by both Israeli and Hezbollah forces.

Montorio, was caught in an "ambush" as his unit headed to a UNIFIL outpost cut off by fighting and he died from a "direct gunshot", France's armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin said on X.

He is the second French soldier to die since the start of the war in the Middle East, after an Iranian-designed drone killed Arnaud Frion last month in Iraq's Kurdistan region.

Iran closes Hormuz Strait again, as Trump warns against 'blackmail'

Iran's military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, prompting ships to abandon attempts to transit and President Donald Trump to warn Tehran against trying to "blackmail" the United States.

On Friday, Tehran had declared the strait, which usually carries a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, open after a ceasefire was agreed in Israel's war with Iran's ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

This prompted elation in global markets and sent oil prices plunging, but with Trump insisting that a US naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a deal to end the wider war was concluded, Tehran said it was shuttering the strait once more late Saturday morning.

Iran's central military command said that, in response to the US blockade, Hormuz was again "under strict management and control of the armed forces". The powerful Revolutionary Guards warned that any effort to cross "will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the offending vessel will be targeted".

Trump had previously said the two sides were "very close" to striking a deal, but following Iran's announcement on Saturday, he insisted Tehran "can't blackmail us", even as he maintained communications were ongoing.

"We'll be talking about Iran later. We have very good conversations going on," he added, accusing Tehran of getting "a little cute" with its recent moves.

Iran's top national security body said during a visit by the military chief of mediator Pakistan that "new proposals have been put forward by the Americans, which the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently reviewing and has not yet responded to".

It went on to say, however, that Iran's negotiating delegation would not offer "even the slightest compromise, retreat or leniency" in talks with Washington.

Iran reports 3,468 dead in war with US, Israel: official

Iran's state-run Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs said on Saturday that the war with the United States and Israel had killed more than 3,400 people in the Islamic republic.

The announcement comes in the midst of a two-week ceasefire in the conflict, which erupted in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

Foundation head Ahmad Mousavi was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying that 3,468 "martyrs... fell during the recent conflict".

A previous toll from the head of the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization issued on April 12 said 3,375 people in Iran had been killed in the war.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on April 7 that at least 3,636 people had been killed, including 1,701 civilians - among them at least 254 children - as well as 1,221 military personnel and 714 people whose status had not been classified.

Due to reporting restrictions, AFP is not able to access the sites of strikes nor to independently verify tolls in Iran.

Israeli army carries out demolitions in south Lebanon town: state media

Israeli forces on Saturday carried out demolitions in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, the scene of intense fighting with Hezbollah prior to the recently agreed 10-day truce, Lebanese state media reported.

"The Israeli enemy is repeating its house detonating operations in the town of Bint Jbeil," Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said, also reporting demolitions in other border towns where Israeli troops are present.

Bint Jbeil, located around five kilometres north of the Israeli border, had been the scene of heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah for days before the truce went into force at midnight on Thursday.

The town has long been both a symbolic and strategic flashpoint in confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah.

It was the site of some of the fiercest fighting during the 2006 war, when Hezbollah's resistance there became central to the group's narrative of defiance.

And it was from the stadium in Bint Jbeil in 2000 that the group's former chief Hassan Nasrallah delivered his "Liberation" speech following Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has previously said house demolitions would be carried out "in order to remove once and for all the border-adjacent threats" as part of efforts to establish a security zone in south Lebanon.

His Lebanese counterpart Michel Menassa decried the plans as evidence of an intention to "forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages".

After a November 2024 ceasefire sought to end the last conflict between Israel and Hezbollah - during which Nasrallah and other top leaders were killed - Israeli troops also carried out a series of demolitions in certain towns.

US‑Israel war on Iran: Recent developments

Day 50: Indian ships reverse course in Strait of Hormuz

Day 49: Trump says Iran agrees to 'never' close Hormuz strait again

Day 48: Trump: Iran agreed to hand over its enriched uranium

Day 47: US optimistic about reaching peace deal with Iran

Day 46: 2 days to US-Iran talks in Pakistan? Trump thinks so

Day 45: US, Iran discuss 'another round' of direct talks

Day 44: US to begin 'blockade' of Iranian ports on Monday

Day 43: 3-way talks with the US and Iran begin in Pakistan

Day 42: Trump says Iran has 'no cards' as Vance heads for talks

Day 41: Kuwait condemns drone attacks, US warns vs Hormuz toll

Day 40: Trump agrees to suspend attack on Iran by two weeks

The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) stopped the motor vessel Touska as it travelled at about 17 knots through the northern Arabian Sea en route to Bandar Abbas, a key Iranian port.

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According to the US Central Command account, American forces issued multiple radio warnings over roughly six hours, informing the crew that the ship was violating the US naval blockade imposed on Iranian maritime traffic.

Populsion destoryed

When the vessel did not comply, the destroyer ordered the crew to evacuate the engine room before firing several rounds from its 5-inch deck gun into the compartment, disabling the ship’s propulsion.

US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the vessel.

The ship remains in US custody, officials said.

Deliberate, professional, proportional

US authorities described the action as “deliberate, professional and proportional,” saying it was intended to enforce compliance with blockade measures without causing unnecessary harm.

NAVAL BLOCKADE: It is a strategic military operation that uses warships, aircraft, and submarines to seal off an adversary’s coastline or specific ports, preventing the movement of ships and goods in or out.

25 vessels turned back

Since the blockade began, US forces have ordered at least 25 commercial vessels to turn back or return to Iranian ports rather than proceed through restricted waters, according to the statement.

Iranian officials did not immediately respond to the U.S. account of the incident.

As a tool of war, it aims to sever an enemy’s economy, supply lines, and military resources to force surrender without a full invasion. It's key purpose: cut off vital supplies (fuel, food, war materials) to break an enemy's will or ability to fight, often focusing on starving the economy rather than direct combat.

Modern blockades involve constant patrol, boarding, and inspection of vessels, often utilising advanced intel like satellite imagery to identify and intercept ships.

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Radhakrishnan and Dissanayake also had productive discussions on further deepening the multifaceted bilateral ties, housing projects and fishermen issues between the two South Asian neighbours, Press Trust of India reported.

“Some initiatives that are underway from the Indian side and some proposals that have already been discussed between the two countries, notable amongst them, the project related to the energy hub in Trincomalee and the proposal to link India and Sri Lanka through an oil pipeline,'' he added.

The gains came as markets tracked renewed geopolitical risk, while Murban crude fell 9.80% to $91.70 and natural gas rose 1.42% to 2.712.

Oil prices jumped due to a stacking of risks: military escalation, uncertain shipping through the Hormuz oil artery, potential stalling of diplomacy, and fears of prolonged supply shortages.

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Brent and WTI crude benchmarks are trading higher early Monday mainly due to renewed geopolitical risk in the Middle East — especially around the Strait of Hormuz.

Here are the key drivers behind the spike:

Renewed US–Iran military escalation

Oil surged after fresh clashes between the United States and Iran over the weekend, including reports of attacks on vessels and the seizure of an Iranian-flagged ship.

These incidents signalled that tensions were not de-escalating as markets had hoped.

Continued disruption (and uncertainty) in the Hormuz

The strait — a 33-km chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil supply — remains unstable.

Iran had earlier suggested reopening it, but later reversed course amid ongoing conflict and a US naval blockade.

Even when partially open, analysts say shipping confidence is "low", meaning oil flows are still constrained.

Uncertainty of peace talks

Planned negotiations in Pakistan have not been confirmed by Iran, and earlier talks stalled over major disagreements.

This removed a key factor that had briefly pushed prices down the previous week.

Markets are highly sensitive to diplomacy — and the lack of progress raised fears the conflict could drag on.

Rising “war risk premium” in oil markets

Traders quickly priced in the risk of:

• Wider regional conflict

• Attacks on energy infrastructure

• Prolonged supply disruptions

Broader global energy shock

Countries and markets are reacting to what officials describe as a major energy disruption, with ripple effects on crude oil rates, inflation, and economic outlooks worldwide.

Energy industry analysts say that as long as the Hormuz situation and US–Iran tensions remain unresolved, continued volatility and upward pressure on oil prices is expected.

Making his third visit to Israel as president, Milei reaffirmed Argentina's support for the campaign against Iran, citing his government's earlier decision to designate the Islamic republic's Revolutionary Guards a "terrorist organisation".

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"We expressed our firm support for the United States and Israel in their war against terrorism and against the Iranian regime, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because our countries are brothers in suffering," Milei said in a joint statement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Victim of cowardly terrorist attacks

"Argentina was the victim of cowardly terrorist attacks on the AMIA and on the Embassy of Israel, both instigated by the Islamic Republic of Iran," he added.

Argentina has accused Iran of not cooperating with a probe into a 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and injured more than 300 at a Jewish community centre.

Prior to that, in 1992, an explosion at the Israeli embassy killed 29 and wounded 200.

Argentine courts have blamed both attacks on Iran, which has always denied involvement and refused to hand over suspects.

Moving embassy to Jerusalem

"To this day, we still demand justice," said the libertarian leader, an outspoken supporter of both Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.

"We reiterate our willingness to move the Argentine embassy to Jerusalem as soon as conditions allow. We consider it necessary, but above all, just," he added.

The leaders added in their joint statement that the US-backed Isaac accords mirror the Abraham Accords under which several Arab countries normalised relations with Israel during Trump's first term.

The accords were part of "a new strategic framework... in the fight against terrorism, antisemitism and drug trafficking", they said.

Netanyahu said at the ceremony that he had "great hope" that other Latin American countries would also sign on to the accords.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also attended the ceremony and described Milei and Netanyahu as "two of President Trump's greatest friends".

"I don't know of any two world leaders on our planet that our president has more respect for and more personal relationship with," he added.

Israel and Argentina also inked a deal to launch direct flights between Buenos Aires and Tel Aviv from November -- a move Milei said would cement "an unbreakable bond" between the two countries.

Netanyahu hailed Milei for showing "moral clarity" in standing with Israel.

"President Milei... has shown that by standing up with the Jewish people, standing up against anti-Semitic vilifications, standing up in our hour of need, standing up when we fight the battle of civilisation against barbarism," Netanyahu said.

Bold leader

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, meanwhile, described Milei on X as "one of the boldest leaders of our age".

Argentina is home to the largest Jewish community in Latin America, numbering nearly 300,000 people living mostly in Buenos Aires.

Earlier on Sunday, Milei visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, considered the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray.

He had also visited the site in February 2024 and June 2025.

The emirate saw a substantial influx of visitors attracted by its distinct mountainous terrain and leisure attractions.

According to the Fujairah Department of Tourism and Antiquities, these figures highlight the sustainable expansion of the local industry.

Officials stated that the surge underscores the effectiveness of government initiatives to diversify tourism products and bolster the emirate's international appeal.

These strong performance indicators are expected to drive further investment in infrastructure and the enhancement of recreational facilities across the region.

Iran has recently declared the waterway "completely open".

Late on Sunday (April 19), however, Iran rejected the second round of talks with the US in Pakistan, state media reported, citing a US naval blockade as the main "obstacle".

After repeated warnings from the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance to stop, the US Navy fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska that attempted to breach a US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday.

This marks a sharp escalation in already high tensions over control of strategic Middle East waterways.

US forces reportedly "disabled" the ship’s engine room before taking the vessel into custody, Trump said. Marines are reportedly inspecting the ship’s cargo.

No prospect for negotiations

The official IRNA news agency said Tehran saw “no clear prospect for productive negotiations under the current circumstances.”

Iran’s stance hardened amid the ongoing blockade of its ports and the Strait of Hormuz, even as US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal.

Tasnim News Agency earlier reported that Tehran had not finalised whether to send a delegation to Islamabad.

The boycott follows a fragile ceasefire after weeks of US-Iran hostilities.

Pakistan mediated the first round and has offered to host the second.

Iranian state media, including Tasnim, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismaeil Baqaei, reported the boycott, calling the US blockade a "breach of the Pakistan-mediated ceasefire" and "piracy" that violates UN resolutions.

Baqaei warned of "reciprocal measures" if violations persist. Iranian Navy chief Shahram Irani dismissed Trump's actions as "empty words" targeting allies, not Iran.

No-show threat

The standoff follows a fragile 10-day ceasefire after six weeks of hostilities.

President Trump announced a US delegation would proceed to Pakistan on Tuesday (April 21) despite Iran's threat of a no-show, hinting at threats to Iran's power grid if no deal emerges.

Tehran demands the blockade lift first, citing "lack of trust" and "excessive US demands" on nuclear issues and Hormuz access, per reports from Mizan Online and IRNA.

Iranian officials insist the strait remains under their "supervision" and "open" to commercial traffic, but US enforcement has seized vessels.

Diplomatic sources indicate Pakistan's army chief visited Tehran on April 15 to salvage talks, but deep divisions linger.

With the ceasefire deadline ending April 22, analysts warn of escalation risks, including proxy attacks or renewed blockades, as oil prices fluctuate post-Hormuz reopening.

Blockade remains

No breakthrough was reported as of April 20.

The US maintains the blockade as leverage for a broader deal on Iran's nuclear programme and regional proxies.

US Central Command said 21 vessels have turned back to Iran since the US began a blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman on 13 April.

Fragile ceasefire

A fragile ceasefire has technically held in the Iran conflict, but the war's toll exceeds 5,300 dead — at least 3,000 in Iran, over 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states and 13 U.S. service members — with the Strait of Hormuz re-emerging as a critical flashpoint for the world's oil flows.

Hopes for reopening the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil passes, faded rapidly.

Iran announced commercial shipping could resume after a 10-day truce tied to the Israel-Hezbollah front in Lebanon, but President Donald Trump insisted the US blockade of Iranian ports would remain “in full force” until a broader deal is reached.

Tehran responded swiftly.

“It is impossible for others to pass… while we cannot,” parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by local media, marking Iran's hardline strategy to mirror constraints on its exports with global shipping disruptions.

An NBC News Decision Desk poll released April 19 found 63% of adults disapprove of Trump’s performance — his lowest mark from the outlet since his January 2025 inauguration — with 37% approving.

Conducted March 30-April 13 among 32,433 adults nationwide, the survey has a margin of error of ±1.8 percentage points.

The decline stems primarily from negative views on the economy and the Iran conflict.

Competitors contested swimming, running, and cycling events across various categories, including Olympic, Super Sprint, Sprint, and Junior levels for both individuals and teams.

The event marks the second edition held this year as part of Sharjah's ongoing community sports initiatives.

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