US signals readiness to resume war with Iran amid fragile talks; Oman warns on Hormuz threat

Day 91: Trump wraps Iran talks without announcement

Day 90: US, Iran reach deal pending Trump's final approval

Day 89: Trump says 'not satisfied' yet on Iran deal

Day 88: Iran condemns US attacks as violation of ceasefire

Day 87: 'Proceeding nicely': US-Iran talks intensify, oil drops

Day 86: US-Iran talks: Trump says 'I don’t make bad deals'

Day 85: Trump: Iran deal ‘largely negotiated’, Hormuz to open

Day 84: UAE backs WHO move against Iran's attacks on civilians

Day 83: Trump rejects tolls in Hormuz: 'We want it free'

Day 82: Trump says US-Iran talks are ‘right on the borderline’

Day 81: Iran’s position 'unclear', deal 'uncertain': VP Vance

Day 80: Trump says 'holding off on attack on Iran tomorrow'

Day 79: Trump says 'clock is ticking' for Iran

Day 78: Iran plans new Strait of Hormuz toll system

Day 77: Israel and Lebanon extend ceasefire by 45 days: US

Day 76: World leaders call for security in Strait of Hormuz

Day 75: Trump arrives in Beijing for summit with Xi

Day 74: Iran signals potential 90% Uranium enrichment

Day 73: Trump calls Iranian response 'totally unacceptable'

Day 72: 'As of today, Tehran’s restraint is over': Iran official

Day 71: Iran keeps US waiting on response to peace plan

Day 70: US fires on Iran tankers as talks hang in balance

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held what he described as “productive” talks with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi over the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, Araghchi said the two sides discussed the future of Hormuz and its management in line with “sovereign responsibilities and international law”.

He said the phone conversation with the Omani foreign minister focused on regional maritime developments and was constructive in tone.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that a ceasefire with Israel was crucial, as Israeli and Lebanese military delegations meet at the Pentagon.

A statement from Aoun's office said that during a phone call, the president "emphasised the need to exert all efforts to reach a ceasefire, considering it an essential gateway to moving on to any other step".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Pakistani counterpart at the State Department in Washington on Friday, as negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran drag on.

The meeting with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar - whose country is acting as mediator between the United States and Iran - came days after Rubio's visit to India, Pakistan's historic rival.

The two officials did not address the press.

Vice President JD Vance said late Thursday that progress had been made toward an agreement between the United States and Iran.

On Friday, Iran's Tasnim news agency, citing a source, said the text had not yet been finalized and that the wording of the potential memorandum of understanding had "undergone some changes in recent days."

US President Donald Trump has issued a series of demands and claims regarding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz in a post on social media, saying Tehran must agree never to obtain a nuclear weapon and calling for the immediate reopening of the key shipping route.

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz should be “immediately open” with no tolls and unrestricted shipping in both directions, adding that any naval mines in the area should be removed or destroyed.

He also claimed that US forces had previously cleared mines in the region using underwater capabilities, and said any remaining devices would be dealt with by Iran.

Trump added that vessels affected by what he described as a U.S. naval blockade would be allowed to return home following what he said was a lifting of restrictions.

The US president further stated that nuclear-related material buried underground would be removed and destroyed in coordination with Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), claiming only the United States and China have the capability to carry out such an operation.

He also said no payments would be made until further notice and that other unspecified issues had been agreed upon, adding that he would meet officials in the Situation Room to take final decisions.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was now making a "final" decision on whether or not to strike a peace deal with Iran.

"I will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination," Trump said in a lengthy social media post, stressing that Iran must agree never to have nuclear weapons and to open the Hormuz shipping lanes.

In the post, Trump said that Iran "will complete the immediate removal" of mines in the strait and that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports "will now be lifted," allowing oil and other tankers to start moving.

However, it was not clear if Iran had agreed to this or whether the US blockade had actually been lifted ahead of Trump making his decision.

Trump also specified that enriched uranium stockpiles in Iran "will be unearthed by the United States... in close coordination and conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency, and DESTROYED."

Following reports that Iran has demanded financial compensation for the war and that the White House has floated the idea of investments, Trump said "no money will be exchanged, until further notice."

The US president added that only "items, of far less importance, have been agreed to."

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi told his Omani counterpart that reaching a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war depended on Washington dropping its "excessive demands", Tehran's foreign ministry said Friday.

"The Iranian minister of foreign affairs... indicated that arriving at a final agreement depended on ending the American party's attitude based on excessive demands and shifting and contradictory positions," the ministry said in a summary of a call between the ministers.

A senior Iranian source has told Reuters that Tehran and Washington have reached a “political understanding”, but no final agreement has been finalised yet.

The comments come amid signs of cautious progress in negotiations between the two sides, though key details reportedly remain unresolved.

Iran's foreign ministry said Friday that there was still "no final agreement" with the United States to end the Middle East war, after US President Donald Trump said he was making his decision on a potential deal.

"Regarding the understanding, as I said while speaking to you, exchanges of messages are continuing, but no final agreement has been reached yet," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state media.

Iran began their World Cup preparations with a 3-1 friendly victory against Gambia in Turkey on Friday.

The team's players are still waiting for their visas to enter the United States, where they will play their three World Cup group stage matches.

Iran have moved their base to Mexico due to the tensions between them and the United States over the war in the Middle East.

They trailed 1-0 at half-time to Gambia in Antalya before launching a second half comeback, with three goals in 20 minutes, including one by Olympiacos forward Mehdi Taremi.

Iran will play another friendly against Mali in Antalya next Thursday and begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on June 16 in Los Angeles.

They will play further group matches against Belgium, also in LA, and Egypt in Seattle.

Iran's foreign ministry said Friday that there were "no negotiations" taking place on its nuclear programme, after US President Donald Trump suggested it would relinquish its enriched uranium under a deal to end the Middle East war.

"At this stage, we are focused on ending the war, and there are no negotiations on the nuclear issue," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state TV.

Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of a "blatant violation" of the October 2025 ceasefire after he ordered the army to seize more territory in the Gaza Strip.

"In a blatant violation of all agreements, as is their usual practice, Netanyahu announced expanding control over 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, while the killing and starvation continue," Hamas spokesman Bassem Naim said.

Iranian authorities are laying the groundwork for a "grand" funeral for slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, official media reported Friday, following a lengthy postponement due to the Islamic republic's war with the United States and Israel.

Though the timing was still uncertain, "a special headquarters has been formed to prepare for the funeral ceremony, and various agencies are currently planning and making arrangements", state TV reported, citing Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of the Tehran Coordination Council for Islamic Propaganda.

Khamenei, who led the Islamic republic for more than three decades, was killed in the first wave of US-Israeli strikes that launched the war on February 28.

His son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei was also wounded in the attacks and has not been seen in public since assuming office.

An event paying tribute to the elder Khamenei was organised in April, but a state funeral that was initially announced could not be held because of the war.

State TV, citing Mahmoudi, said "different organisations are working to provide the necessary conditions so that, once officially announced, a 'grand' ceremony can be held", adding "widespread attendance" was expected.

Though a ceasefire has largely held since coming into effect in April, a deal to definitively end the conflict has proven elusive.

The US secretary of state had a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to praise him for pursuing peace talks with Israel, as Israel and Lebanon held their first security-related meeting in Washington at the Pentagon.

Rubio "commended President Aoun's courage and vision in pursuing direct negotiations with Israel, even as Hezbollah continues its attempts to derail those talks at the expense of the Lebanese people," the State Department said in a statement Friday.

Talks between senior officials from Israel and Lebanon have been going on since last month but are complicated by the fact that Hezbollah, Israel's target, is not participating in the discussions and has refused to accept their results.

Rubio told Aoun that Hezbollah "is entirely responsible for the ongoing fighting and emphasised the need for Hezbollah to immediately cease its attacks and provocations to enable de-escalation."

US President Donald Trump on Friday finished a meeting during which he said would make a "final determination" on an Iran peace deal, a White House official told AFP.

The official would not say if Trump had reached a decision on the deal with Tehran during the gathering in the high security White House Situation Room.

Iranian semi-official media outlets, including Tasnim and Mehr News, reported that a hostile drone was detected by the country’s air defence systems and subsequently destroyed near Qeshm Island.

The island, located in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, is considered a key base for Iran’s naval operations and maritime control in the region.

Iran-backed Hezbollah said Friday it had launched a series of attacks against military targets in northern Israel near the Lebanese border, as delegations from two countries held security talks in Washington.

The armed group said in a series of statements that it targeted gatherings of soldiers near a town in Israel's north using drones, as well as another group in a military camp in Galilee and a barracks.

US President Donald Trump ended a roughly two-hour White House Situation Room meeting on a possible deal with Iran without making a final decision, a senior administration official said.

The meeting came after Trump said on social media that he would use the session to make a “final determination” on whether to move forward with a potential agreement to extend the Iran ceasefire.

The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, would not say whether Trump had made a decision to sign off on the tentative agreement.

Israeli strikes in three areas of Tyre in southern Lebanon on Friday killed 11 people including a rescuer and a Syrian national, the health ministry said.

Eight people were wounded, including another rescuer, the ministry said, slamming the attacks as a "flagrant violation of humanitarian law".

President Donald Trump will only make a peace deal with Iran if it meets all his conditions, a White House official told AFP after the US leader huddled with aides to discuss a possible agreement.

"The Situation Room meeting has concluded and lasted approximately two hours. President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines," the White House official said on condition of anonymity.

"Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon."

The Pentagon said the security-related talks were "productive" but stopped short of noting any accomplishments or achievements.

The statement released late Friday said the "military-to-military talks focused on building practical frameworks for regional security and stability" and "tangible outcomes" from the discussions will directly inform negotiations with political leaders conducted by the State Department next week.

Talks between senior Israeli and Lebanese officials have been going on since last month but are complicated by the fact that Hezbollah, Israel's target, is not participating and has refused to accept their results.

Military officials from Israel and Lebanon held "productive" talks in Washington on Friday, a US official said, adding that the meeting will complement upcoming diplomatic discussions.

"Today at the Pentagon, I hosted military delegations from Israel and Lebanon for the security track supporting the ongoing peace talks between their two countries," Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's second-in-command, said on X.

"We held productive military-to-military discussions which will inform the Department of State-led political track next week," he said.

The United States announced Friday that it is "dismantling a sophisticated Iranian network" used to obtain sensitive military technology.

The network "impersonated and defrauded" dozens of American technology companies out of millions of dollars to "acquire advanced equipment - including spectrum analyzers and security detection devices - for Iran's defense sector," State Department Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

The statement did not name the technology companies who were lured into doing business through fake websites that "mimicked real American companies, using intermediaries in Dubai to receive shipments, and then smuggling the technology into Iran in violation of US sanctions."

The network was led by Iran-based Ali Majd Sepehr, the State Department spokesman said.

On Thursday, the State Department announced a $15 million reward for any information "leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its various branches."

On Friday the White House said US President Donald Trump will only sign an agreement to end the war with Iran if it meets all his demands, amid uncertainty over the outcome of talks between Tehran and Washington.

There is "rightful alarm" across the Pacific region over China's military build-up, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, adding that Washington did not seek "needless confrontation in the region".

"When we look across the region today, there is rightful alarm regarding China's historic military build-up and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond," Hegseth told Asia's premier defence summit in Singapore.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the United States sought a "stable equilibrium" in Asia, adding that no country - "including China" - should be able to establish unquestioned dominance over the region.

"What we seek... is a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as our allies - a favourable but durable balance of power in which no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question," Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had intercepted several projectiles launched from Lebanon, where it is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah, but that one had hit near a town in northern Israel.

"Several projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory were identified," the military said in a statement, adding no injuries had been reported.

"The majority of the projectiles were intercepted, and a hit was identified in the area of Kiryat Shmona," it said.

The United States has more than sufficient stockpiles of weapons and is "more than capable" of resuming the war with Iran, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday.

"Our ability to recommence if necessary is (that) we are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions," Hegseth told Asia's premier defence summit.

President Donald Trump's doctor said he was in "excellent health," according to a memo released Friday night, after the 79-year-old US leader underwent a routine medical check-up earlier this week.

"President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function," said Trump's doctor, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, adding that "he is fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State."

Several international organisations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the World Bank, have warned of the risk of fuel shortages this summer if maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz does not return to normal swiftly.

In a joint statement, the heads of the three institutions said global oil inventories were being depleted at a record pace due to the significant loss of supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. They warned that the continued rapid decline in global stockpiles would pose growing risks to fuel security, market stability and broader economic resilience if shipping flows are not restored before peak summer demand in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings on Saturday for residents of seven villages in southern Lebanon, saying it was about to strike Hezbollah targets there.

"In light of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is compelled to take decisive action against it," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X in two separate statements, naming seven villages in Lebanon's south, including some near Nabatieh.

Hezbollah said on Saturday it fired rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, as exchanges of fire between the two sides have intensified despite Lebanon-Israel negotiations.

In at least two statements, the Iran-backed group said it launched a "rocket barrage" at the town "in defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the Israeli enemy's violation of the ceasefire".

The UAE has accused Iran of threatening maritime security and disrupting the global economy through actions in the Strait of Hormuz, while urging the UN Security Council to uphold international law and take decisive action to safeguard international peace and security.

Speaking during a Security Council open debate on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, said freedom of navigation is a fundamental pillar of international law and warned that recent developments had underscored the importance of protecting vital global trade routes.

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, accused President Donald Trump of “betraying diplomacy” by continuing the US naval blockade and making what he called excessive demands in negotiations.

“The US president is betraying diplomacy for the third time,” Rezaei wrote on X.

He said Trump’s continuation of the naval blockade and his demands at the negotiating table showed he was not serious about diplomacy and was pursuing other objectives.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said talks with Iran aimed at ending the conflict are making progress, describing discussions as "productive" and noting that Washington is in a "good place" to reach an agreement.

Speaking to reporters in Singapore, Hegseth stressed that President Donald Trump would not be rushed into a deal, saying any agreement would only be accepted if it serves US interests and contributes to global security.

He added that Iran "knows what it needs to do" to secure an agreement with the United States.

Twenty ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours under coordination by Iranian forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said, according to Fars News Agency.

Oman’s Maritime Security Centre has urged all seafarers, fishermen and vessels to exercise the utmost caution after a floating object suspected to be a naval mine was detected west of the coastal traffic zone in the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.

The centre advised mariners to keep a safe distance from any suspicious objects encountered at sea and to report them immediately to the relevant authorities.

Israeli troops have significantly changed the rules of engagement on the ground. They have pushed deep into Hezbollah’s second and third lines of defence north of the Litani River.

The operation has been under way for several days, but over the past 48 hours, we have seen a significant expansion.

They have pushed past Zawtar al Sharqiyeh and Mayfadoun, and they are now at the edges of the town of Choukine, which was issued a forced displacement order today.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, as exchanges of fire between the two sides have intensified despite Lebanon-Israel negotiations.

In at least two statements, the Iran-backed group said it launched a "rocket barrage" at the town "in defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the Israeli enemy's violation of the ceasefire".

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has praised what he described as a growing "true friendship" between Washington and Islamabad, crediting Pakistan's leadership for supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict involving Iran.

Speaking during a question-and-answer session after his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Hegseth commended Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their role in peace-related discussions connected to the Iran situation.

Hegseth said an "unexpected development and a true friendship" had emerged between the United States and Pakistan, highlighting deepening ties between the two countries. He added that the strengthening relationship was also reflected in President Donald Trump's efforts to help broker peace between India and Pakistan during their military standoff last year.

The US military has disabled another commercial vessel attempting to breach a blockade of Iranian ports, according to a US official cited by The Associated Press.

The Gambia-flagged bulk carrier Lian Star reportedly ignored repeated warnings while trying to enter an Iranian port and was later disabled by US aircraft in the Gulf of Oman. The ship remains adrift, with no boarding reported.

Officials say this is the sixth vessel stopped since the US launched its blockade on 17 April, following rising tensions over Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. One ship was previously allowed to proceed.

Qatar said it opposes the imposition of permanent transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but remains open to discussing temporary charges if they help restore normal navigation through the strategically important waterway, a senior Qatari official said on Saturday.

Speaking at the IISS Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said permanent fees would ultimately be passed on to consumers and that Doha objects to any move to institutionalise such charges.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced what he called a "dangerous and unprecedented" Israeli escalation in the south, urging an immediate ceasefire and insisting that a "scorched-earth policy" would not ensure Israel's security.

In a televised address, Salam also defended his government's direct negotiations with Israel, saying that the talks were the "least costly path" for Lebanon.

Israeli air force and artillery strikes were reported on Saturday near the strategic mountain site of a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon as fighting raged in villages close to the city of Nabatiyeh.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling near the Crusader-built Beaufort castle that is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Israeli border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon. The strategic castle was held by Israeli troops for 18 years until they withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000.

Separately, an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip killed a nurse, the latest death since last year's shaky ceasefire.

Iranian state media reported on Saturday that a proposed memorandum of understanding with the United States included an agreement to release $12 billion in frozen assets.

The report cited an "unofficial" draft of the memorandum, and a similar item carried by state TV earlier this week was dismissed by the White House as a "fabrication".

It comes a day after Trump issued his own detailed characterisation of a potential agreement aimed at halting the war between the two foes, key elements of which were likewise disputed by Iranian sources.

Saturday's state TV report said, "the United States has pledged to provide Iran with full access to $12 billion of its assets within 60 days, so that these resources can be transferred and spent in banks of Iran's desired destination without restrictions."

In his own description of the deal on Friday, Trump had insisted that "no money will be exchanged, until further notice", which Iranian media reports citing informed sources swiftly refuted.

Earlier this week, a source told AFP that Iran's central bank chief was part of a delegation that visited Qatar "to discuss the issue of frozen funds, which is addressed in the MoU as part of an eventual final deal".

Saturday's state TV report also said that Tehran would continue to manage the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blockaded since the start of the war, roiling global markets.

The UAE Fuel Price Committee has announced the retail prices for petrol and diesel for June 2026.

Under the new rates:

• Super 98 petrol: Dh3.95 per litre (up from Dh3.66 in May)

• Special 95 petrol: Dh3.83 per litre (up from Dh3.55 in May)

• E-Plus petrol: Dh3.76 per litre (up from Dh3.48 in May)

• Diesel: Dh4.33 per litre (down from Dh4.69 in May)

The revised prices will come into effect from June1, 2026.

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