Trump says US 'close to a very good deal' with Iran, warns of alternative if talks fail

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The United States Central Command (CentCom) has announced that American forces have redirected 118 commercial vessels and disabled five others as part of Washington's active naval blockade aimed at Iranian ports.

American forces established a naval blockade of Iran on 13 April.

The US military "has redirected 118 commercial vessels and disabled 5 as of May 31," CENTCOM stated in a post on X.

In a swift rebuttal to circulating rumours, sources close to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s office firmly denied reports of his resignation.

The denial, amplified by Iran’s official channels and state-affiliated media like Tasnim News, comes as the country navigates a fragile ceasefire with the United States following months of intense conflict.

President Pezeshkian, 71, a reformist politician and former heart surgeon, appeared in a newly released video from the official presidency website, projecting resolve.

Seated at a formal meeting with advisors, the reformist leader emphasised his commitment to advancing Iran’s “progress and prosperity” despite ongoing challenges.

Amid instense US-Iran talks and renewed tensions, new satellite imagery suggests Iranian crews are already moving bulldozers and dump trucks into damaged underground missile and nuclear-linked sites, rapidly clearing debris and reopening access routes.

The images, as reported by CNN, highlight a stark reality of modern warfare: even after precision strikes and advanced bunker-buster munitions, efforts are ongoing to restore critical infrastructure hit by previous US-Israeli bombings.

Crude oil just woke up with serious attitude this Monday morning (June 1, 2026).

As Asian markets kicked off the new trading week, WTI Crude blasted higher to $89.41, jumping $2.05 (+2.35%), while benchmark Brent Crude powered up to $93.03, gaining $1.91 (+2.10%), as of 8.07 am in Tokyo trading. 

Energy traders keeping an out on the demand side while assessing signs of improving economic activity in Asia and North America, are bullish as both major contracts punched through key levels in early sessions.

Reports indicate that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has formally submitted a resignation letter to the office of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iran International.

The report, which cites a source familiar with the matter, says Pezeshkian argued that Iran’s elected government has been increasingly sidelined as hardline factions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expand their influence over key state decisions.

According to the reported contents of the letter, Pezeshkian stated that the presidency and civilian government have effectively been excluded from major decision-making processes, leaving him unable to carry out his constitutional responsibilities.

The report describes the situation as evidence of a widening power struggle between civilian institutions and military-security centers within the Islamic Republic.

The reported resignation underscores a deeper issue: even the restricted authority traditionally granted to Iran’s civilian government may be shrinking further as military-security factions consolidate influence.

Whether the resignation is accepted — or whether the report is officially confirmed — remains unclear.

On May 7, 2026 President Pezeshkian he had met Mojtaba Khamenei in person and spoken with him for two and a half hours, in the first public confirmation that the Islamic Republic's new ayatollah has been seen by a senior official since his appointment more than two months ago, Iranian and European media sources reported then.

A Palestinian man was shot and killed by Israeli forces on Sunday at a concrete barrier separating the occupied West Bank from Jerusalem, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

The ministry identified him as 26-year-old Imad Haroun Ishtayeh from the village of Salem, east of Nablus. It said Israeli forces shot him in a thigh in al-Ram town, and he was pronounced dead at the Palestinian Medical Complex in Ramallah.

Footage circulating online showed people carrying his body and climbing down a ladder that had been placed against the wire-topped barrier, while traffic continued to roll by and a horn blared.

Israeli police said the man tried to unlawfully enter Israel by crossing the barrier.

Ishtayeh was attempting to cross from the West Bank to Israel. Many people have been shot trying to cross the barrier, including a 44-year-old father who was killed earlier this month.

The Head of the Terrorist Crimes Prosecution stated that the Public Prosecution in the Kingdom of Bahrain launched investigations into the main organisation linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), formed by members of the dissolved Islamic Scholars Council, Bahrain News Agency reported.

He noted that the organisation aimed at facilitating Iranian interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The investigations further revealed that the organisation practised systematic intimidation against religious figures opposed to the Wilayat al-Faqih ideology through the issuance of fatwas against them, marginalisation, intellectual intimidation and threats of violence.

The organisation also collected funds to support its activities and finance the promotion of its ideology and allegiance to the Supreme Leader in Iran on religious and political grounds, in addition to fuelling unrest and committing acts of terrorism, rioting and sabotage.

The Head of the Terrorist Crimes Prosecution stated that the Public Prosecution had interrogated the 41 suspects arrested in connection with the case in the presence of lawyers representing some of them, while ensuring all legally mandated guarantees were provided. The Public Prosecution ordered their detention pending investigation.

He added that orders had been issued to lift the confidentiality of the suspects' bank accounts and freeze their accounts and assets.

Investigations also revealed the suspects' involvement in crimes affecting national security and public safety, including financial crimes.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar issued a statement on May 31, saying: "The State of Qatar condemns the persistent Israeli assaults on Lebanon and the expansion of the scope of ground incursion of the occupation army into the country and the targeting of civilians. It deems these actions a dangerous escalation and an egregious violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly Republic of Lebanon and an open breach of international humanitarian rules-based order.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the international community to uphold its responsibilities in obliging the Israeli occupation authorities to halt its repeated attacks on Lebanon, respect the international charters and laws, as well as enforce Security Council Resolution 1701 with its full provisions. It underscores the State of Qatar's enduring position toward the Republic of Lebanon, its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasising that Qatar fully backs all efforts that strengthen Lebanon's stability and prosperity."

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf said on Sunday that Tehran would not agree to any deal with the United States until the rights of the Iranian people were secured.

Addressing an online parliamentary session, Ghalibaf stressed that Iranian negotiators had no trust in the "enemy's" words and promises, according to the official news agency IRNA.

"Our criterion is tangible achievements that we must attain in order to fulfil our commitments in return," he said. "We will not approve any agreement until we are sure that we have secured the Iranian nation's rights," Xinhua news agency reported.

The Speaker referred to Iran's "achievements" on the battlefield and said the task of diplomacy was to transform "these victories into political and legal achievements".

A suspected vehicle ramming attack in the south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank wounded two teenage girls on Sunday, Israeli medics and the military said.

Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom said its medics evacuated the two girls to a hospital in Jerusalem.

"Paramedics are treating a 17-year-old girl in serious condition with injuries to her limbs and a 15-year-old girl in moderate condition with a facial injury, and evacuating them to Shaare Zedek Hospital," MDA said.

The Israeli military reported a "ramming attack in the area of Gush Junction" in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to push deeper into Lebanon after his military took over the medieval castle of Beaufort on Sunday, calling it a "dramatic shift" in the campaign against Hezbollah.

The Iran-backed militant group, meanwhile, said it targeted Israeli army positions and infrastructure in Shlomi and Nahariya in northern Israel, while air raid sirens blared in the Acre area.

As fighting escalated in Lebanon, diplomatic sources told AFP that the United Nations Security Council would hold an emergency meeting on Monday over Israel's expansion of its offensive in the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said that "nothing justifies the major escalation under way in south Lebanon", calling for an end to fighting "for good".

In a message on X after speaking with regional leaders, he said it was "essential" for an agreement to be reached quickly between the United States and Iran.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday over Israel's expansion of its offensive in Lebanon, following the capture of the medieval castle of Beaufort, diplomatic sources told AFP.

The meeting was requested by France and will take place immediately after an emergency meeting over the crash of a Russian drone into a Romanian apartment building, which is scheduled for 3pm (1900 GMT), the sources said.

The Trump administration is pushing to unleash the power of artificial intelligence for the US military while facing calls to put up guardrails around the rapidly developing technology from some companies — and even notes of caution from top leaders in uniform.

Adm. Frank Bradley, head of US Special Operations Command, told attendees of a recent annual special forces conference in Tampa, Florida, that troops “have to be very careful about how we come to (AI’s) employment and its inspiration into the delivery of lethality.”

Bradley said he can see a future where AI determines what targets to hit but that “we, as humans, have to have the confidence that ... it's going to deliver violence only where we intend it to be delivered.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has carried out strikes targeting bases used by armed separatist groups in northern Iraq, according to Iranian state media.

The reports said the operation was conducted by the IRGC’s ground forces, though no specific groups were identified.

The United States and Australia have agreed to streamline their AUKUS defence pact, confirming changes to a major nuclear-powered submarine acquisition plan during a meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Under the revised approach, Australia will acquire three in-service Virginia-class submarines from the US, replacing earlier plans that included a mix of new and used vessels.

The adjustment is aimed at simplifying supply chains, reducing maintenance complexity and improving cost efficiency, according to a joint statement from defence officials from Australia, the US and the UK.

The original 2021 AUKUS agreement envisaged Australia receiving at least three Virginia-class submarines within 15 years as part of a long-term strategic partnership. The programme remains central to Australia’s defence strategy but has faced scrutiny over production constraints in US shipyards, which are struggling to meet output targets.

The deal has also drawn domestic criticism in the US, with some questioning the sale of nuclear-powered submarines amid ongoing capacity pressures within the American Navy.

The broader AUKUS submarine programme is projected to cost Australia up to $235 billion over the next three decades, according to government estimates.

Iran has restored access to most of the underground missile facilities targeted during the recent conflict with the United States and Israel, raising fresh questions about the long-term effectiveness of efforts to cripple Tehran’s missile arsenal, according to a CNN investigation based on satellite imagery.

The report found that Iran has reopened 50 of the 69 tunnel entrances struck by US and Israeli forces at 18 underground missile facilities since the conflict ended more than seven weeks ago. Satellite images reviewed by CNN show Iran using bulldozers, front-end loaders and dump trucks to clear debris, reopen tunnels and repair damaged roads.

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Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf has dismissed US efforts to pressure Tehran as a “false dream,” accusing Washington of trying to divide the country through economic sanctions and media influence.

Speaking on Sunday, Ghalibaf said the United States was attempting to “create discord” in Iran and weaken national cohesion in what he described as a new phase of conflict, which he linked to broader geopolitical tensions involving the US and Israel.

He said Iran would continue resisting what he called an “enemy bent on destroying Iran,” and claimed external pressure was aimed at compensating for military setbacks.

Ghalibaf also outlined what he described as four key arenas of struggle — military, public, diplomatic and domestic services — saying Iran’s response must operate across all fronts.

He credited Iran’s military capabilities, particularly missile development, to public backing, while stressing that diplomacy should convert battlefield gains into political and legal achievements.

The speaker also reiterated that Iran would not approve any agreement with foreign powers unless it guarantees the country’s rights and interests.

An Israeli strike near a hospital in Tyre, south Lebanon, wounded 13 staffers, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, as Israel pushes forward its offensive deeper into the country.

“The Israeli enemy launched an airstrike in the vicinity of Hiram Hospital in Tyre, injuring 13 hospital staff members and causing significant damage,” the Ministry said in a statement, urging “the international community to put an end to the escalating and expanding Israeli attacks”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has instructed the military to expand operations in Lebanon, amid escalating tensions along Israel’s northern border.

According to Reuters, Netanyahu said he ordered forces “to deepen and expand our grip” on areas previously under Hezbollah control, signalling further escalation against the Iran-backed group.

He also described the reported capture of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon as a “dramatic step” and a shift in Israel’s military policy, according to Israel’s Kan broadcaster.

“We are operating on all fronts – Syria, Gaza, Lebanon,” he said, adding that Israel has established “security belts” beyond its borders to protect its communities.

Iran's chief negotiator said Sunday that Tehran would not agree to any deal with the United States unless it fully secures Iranian rights, as reports emerged that Washington had sent a tougher peace proposal back to Iran.

Any tweaks to the proposal could further delay an agreement to formally end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of fraught negotiations marked by sharp rhetoric and occasional flare-ups of violence.

The New York Times and Axios reported on Saturday that Trump had sent back a new framework to be considered by Iran with "tougher" terms, though details remain unclear.

"We will not approve any agreement until we are certain that the rights of the Iranian people have been upheld," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, in a video broadcast on state television.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said that 28 vessels, including oil tankers, container ships and other commercial carriers, transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours under what it described as coordination and security provided by its naval forces.

In a statement carried by Iran’s Fars news agency, the IRGC said “intelligent control of the Strait of Hormuz is being carried out continuously and with firmness and authority,” signalling ongoing oversight of one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes.

The Israeli army announced Sunday that one of its soldiers had been killed the previous day by a Hezbollah explosive drone in southern Lebanon, bringing to 25 the number of Israeli military deaths since early March.

Staff Sergeant Michael Tyukin, 21, "fell in combat in southern Lebanon," the army said in a brief statement. An army spokesman told AFP he was killed by a Hezbollah drone strike.

In total, 25 Israelis have been killed - 24 soldiers and one civilian contractor - since hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah resumed on March 2, when the Shiite militant group reopened thr front in support of Tehran, following Israeli-US strikes.

Israeli troops have captured a strategic mountain topped with a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon in their deepest incursion into the country in more than a quarter century, the military said Sunday.

The capture of Beaufort castle near the city of Nabatiyeh came after days of intense fighting and airstrikes in nearby villages where Israeli troops fought Hezbollah members in the rugged area.

It marks a major gain for Israel in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, which began in early March. Israel and Lebanon have been at war since Israel was created in 1948 hold direct talks in Washington.

Sri Lanka raised fuel prices by up to six percent on Sunday, in line with IMF plans to recover energy costs and phase out subsidies to stabilise the economy.

Petrol was raised to 434 rupees ($1.33), up from 410, while diesel increased to 407 rupees a litre from 392, the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation said.

The price hike came days after the International Monetary Fund released a $695 million instalment of a $2.9 billion bailout loan, agreed in early 2023 to stabilise the cash-strapped South Asian nation.

The IMF wants Sri Lanka to ensure cost recovery for both fuel and electricity tariffs, which have been subsidised by the government since the start of the conflict in the Middle East in February.

Read more here.

US President Donald Trump said he had secured guarantees from Iran that it would not develop nuclear weapons, as reports emerged he had sent a tougher peace proposal back to Tehran.

Any tweaks to the proposal could prolong even further an agreement to formally end the Middle East war and open the Strait of Hormuz maritime route after weeks of efforts to secure a deal despite fractious rhetoric and the occasional flare up of armed conflict.

Read more here.

Israel's military said on Sunday its forces were advancing in Lebanon as part of expanded ground operations to strengthen its military position in the south of the country where it is fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

"A significant number of IDF ground soldiers commenced offensive operations aimed at expanding the Forward Defense Line...the operation is currently expanding to additional areas," the Israeli military statement said, adding its forces had crossed the Litani river.

President Donald Trump has sought to change several terms of a proposal to end the Middle East war, US media reported Saturday, as a finalized deal remains elusive among the parties.

The New York Times reported Trump's changes involved toughening the terms of the deal, and has sent the new framework back to be considered by Iran, according to officials familiar with the proceedings.

The report said it was not immediately clear what the changes entailed, but news site Axios reported Trump wanted to reinforce multiple points of the deal that he personally felt were important, such as what is done to Iran's nuclear material.

The new tweaks could prolong negotiations between the parties for days before a decision is reached on whether the deal would end the war which began after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28.

Donald Trump’s Fox News interview shows the US president saying Iran’s “biggest asset” is the “fake news media,” which he claims repeatedly downplays American successes.

“You have a big win in a battle, and they say you lost… it’s just a terrible thing for our country,” Trump said, arguing that negative media coverage undermines US achievements.

US President Donald Trump said Washington is getting closer to reaching an agreement with Iran, while warning that military options remain on the table if negotiations fail.

"We're close to a very good deal," Trump said in an interview with Fox News.

"If you're going to be in a hurry, you're not going to make a good deal, and slowly but surely, we're getting, I think, what we want — and if we don't get what we want, we're going to end it a different way," he added.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) shared new images and details highlighting sustained flight operations aboard US aircraft carriers and warships, emphasizing the role of maintenance crews in keeping aircraft mission-ready.

'Sustained flight operations aboard US aircraft carriers and warships is no easy task,' CENTCOM said in a post on X, adding that skilled maintainers work around the clock to ensure aircraft remain at peak readiness to support any mission.

The post comes as the US military maintains a heightened presence across the region, with CENTCOM previously stating that American forces remain 'present and vigilant' amid ongoing tensions with Iran.

UAE motorists will see fuel prices rise for a fourth consecutive month in June, although the increase was smaller than the sharp jump recorded a month into the Iran war.

The reason is simple: oil prices remain elevated despite recent declines from peak levels. Brent crude averaged around $103 per barrel through much of May, higher than April’s average of roughly $99.

That increase alone keeps upward pressure on UAE fuel prices, which are revised monthly based on global oil averages. At the same time, crude has started cooling from recent highs. Brent fell below the $100 mark last week to around $91 per barrel as of Friday on signs of progress in US-Iran talks.

That leaves June fuel pricing in an in-between phase. Oil is no longer surging the way it did in March and April, but prices are still high enough to prevent a meaningful drop at the pump.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Sunday that it had shot down a US MQ-1 drone, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The drone entered Iranian territorial waters with the intention of conducting hostile operations, but was promptly detected and brought down by air defence missiles, the report said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the IRGC said that it reserved the "legitimate and definite" right to retaliate against any ceasefire violations by the United States, adding that its air defence units had shot down a US MQ-9 drone.

According to local media reports, the IRGC also claimed to have fired at a fighter jet that had entered Iranian airspace. This comes after the US said it conducted fresh “self-defence strikes” on Iran.

Despite US President Donald Trump's claim that he had lifted a naval blockade on Iran, Iranian ships are still being barred from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Citing Iranian sailors, the report said the restrictions remain in place and vessels continue to receive warnings from US Central Command not to enter the area.

The US military has disabled a Gambian-flagged vessel that was heading to Iran by firing a missile into its engine room, US Central Command said.

CENTCOM said the M/V Lian Star was en route to an Iranian port when the US military issued “more than 20 warnings” that it was violating the US blockade of Iranian ports.

“A U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room after Lian Star’s crew failed to comply,” CENTCOM said on X. “The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.”

US President Donald Trump called Saturday for the cancellation of upcoming concerts celebrating America's 250th anniversary after several musical acts backed out, saying they should be replaced by a political rally headlined by himself.

"We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding: "Cancel it."

Shortly after they were announced as performers in a Washington concert series around the July 4 holiday, multiple musical acts backed out, with some citing the event's politicization.

The concerts were scheduled to kick off on June 25 as part of a major event on the National Mall organized by Freedom 250, a Trump-backed public-private entity.

he United States warned on Saturday it was "more than capable" of resuming its war with Iran after President Donald Trump said any peace deal must adhere to his red lines, including Tehran never being able to develop nuclear weapons.

The White House had signaled Trump was close to a decision on a potential deal, though Tehran denied there was a final agreement on ending the conflict.

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

Under the new rates, Super 98 petrol will be priced at Dh3.95 per litre, compared to Dh3.66 in May, while Special 95 petrol will be set at Dh3.83 per litre, against Dh3.55 last month.

E-Plus petrol will be available at Dh 3.76 per litre, up from Dh3.48 in May.

Diesel prices have dropped to Dh4.33 per litre, down from Dh4.69 the previous month.

Day 92: Hormuz disruption raises summer fuel shortage fears

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