The United States said it forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to pass its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, the first such interception since the blockade of Iranian ports began last week.
Updated 5:44 PM GMT-4, April 20, 2026
Major developments we’re following:
- Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks between the U.S. and Iran to resume on Tuesday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to throw cold water on hopes for reaching an agreement to end the war. Trump told Bloomberg News on Monday that he’s “highly unlikely” to renew the ceasefire, which expires at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday (0000 GMT Wednesday).
- On Sunday, the U.S. attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz. It was the first interception since the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began last week. Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond, throwing the fragile ceasefire further into question.
- Iran on Monday offered a new death toll for the war, with its forensic chief saying at least 3,375 people had been killed. His comments did not break down casualties among civilians and security forces.
- Israel said it would join another round of talks with Lebanon in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The ambassadors of the two countries met in Washington last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. The Israeli official says the same representatives will join Thursday’s talks.
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27 min ago
Iran’s chief negotiator seems to cast more doubt on a second round of talks with the US
“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” Parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf wrote early Tuesday morning in Tehran in a social media post on X.
He accused the United States of wanting Iran to surrender and said that on the contrary, Iran has been preparing “to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”
4:41 p. m. GMT-4
Oil prices rise and US stocks give back a bit of their record-breaking rally
By STAN CHOE
Oil prices climbed Monday following the latest rise of tensions between the United States and Iran, but the moves were more modest than they were earlier in the war.
U.S. stocks, meanwhile, gave back a bit of their record-breaking rally.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed 5.6% to settle at $95.48 on worries that Iran could keep petroleum pent up in the Persian Gulf if it continues to block tankers from exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from its all-time high for just its second drop in 14 days after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel that it said had tried to evade its blockade of Iranian ports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 4 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3%.
It’s a turnaround from the prior trading day on Wall Street, when stocks soared and oil prices tumbled after Iran said Friday it was reopening the strait to commercial traffic. That enthusiasm vanished quickly after Iran closed the strait again Saturday following the U.S. decision to press ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports.
4:32 p. m. GMT-4
Iraq and Syria tout their reopened border crossing as an alternative oil route
By FARID ABDULWAHED
Iraq and Syria have reopened a key border crossing between the two nations for the first time in more than a decade, with officials highlighting its potential for trade and oil exports.
They say it offers an alternative to the embattled Strait of Hormuz at the focus of the Iran war — though overland oil transports are far inferior to pipelines and oil tankers at sea.
At the opening ceremony on Monday, Nadia al-Jubouri, a member of Iraq’s provincial council of Nineveh, said the crossing will allow for “trade exchange and oil transportation towards this great gate.”
3:44 p. m. GMT-4
Iran’s foreign minister says US actions are ‘incompatible with the claim of diplomacy’
Abbas Araghchi says he relayed his message in a phone call with Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.
In a social media post, Araghchi gave no indication as to what Iran will do after the ceasefire expires Wednesday or whether Iran will return to a second round of negotiations with the U.S.
He says his country “will monitor the behavior of the other side and take the appropriate decision to protect its interests and national security.”
3:40 p. m. GMT-4
Trump offers mixed messages about path ahead
By AAMER MADHANI, MUNIR AHMED, RUSS BYNUM
The U.S. president has made a series of statements about next steps in the U.S. war against Iran, declaring that he’s in no rush to end the conflict while also expressing confidence that more negotiations with Tehran will soon happen in Pakistan.
Trump whipsawed in telephone interviews and social media posts on Monday between measured optimism that a deal could soon be reached and warning that “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if there’s no agreement before the ceasefire expires at 0000 GMT Wednesday (8 p.m. ET Tuesday.)
“I am under no pressure whatsoever,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, “although, it will all happen, relatively quickly!”
3:37 p. m. GMT-4
Experts vary on whether US broke ceasefire with Iran
By BEN FINLEY
The U.S. did not violate the ceasefire because it was limited to bombing Iran, not enforcing the American blockade against Iranian-linked vessels, according to Michael O’Hanlon, a defense and foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution.
“We agreed to stop dropping bombs on them, and that’s the basic thing they wanted,” O’Hanlon said. They U.S. still had to enforce the blockade “if you’re going to make it mean anything,” he said.
But Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and a senior defense adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said a violation is up for interpretation because there were no defined terms.
“Trump announced it. The Iranians agreed. But there’s no formal agreement,” Cancian said. “So whether it broke the ceasefire or not depends on your perspective … Nothing was written down.”
3:16 p. m. GMT-4
New report says Gaza recovery and reconstruction will cost $71.4 billion over 10 years
The report by the United Nations and the European Union with input from the World Bank says the total includes $26.3 billion in the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure and support economic recovery.
The damage to physical infrastructure is estimated at $35.2 billion, and economic and social losses at some $22.7 billion since the war began following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel, the report says.
Gaza’s economy has contracted by 84%, more than 371,000 housing units in Gaza have been destroyed, over half of Gaza’s hospitals are “non-functional” and nearly all schools are destroyed or damaged, it says.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Monday that the next steps are to get the funding and “the conditions on the ground, both humanitarian and security conditions for this reconstruction to happen — and I don’t think we’re there yet.”
2:29 p. m. GMT-4
Israeli airstrike wounds six people in southern Lebanon
By BASSEM MROUE
The Lebanese Health Ministry said Monday’s strike hit the southern village of Qaaqaait al-Jisr.
Since a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday, there have been several Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group said it detonated explosives Sunday in an Israeli convoy inside Lebanon.
The U.S. State Department said Thursday that according to the ceasefire agreement, Israel reserves the right to defend itself “at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”
2:11 p. m. GMT-4
Trump gets defensive on Iran strategy
In a pair of social-media posts, the U.S. president lashed out at Democrats — calling them “TRAITORS, ALL” — and the media for their criticism and skepticism about his handling of the war in Iran.
Trump accused Democrats of doing “everything possible” to hurt the administration on Iran and he stressed that he wouldn’t be rushed into a deal “that is not as good as it could have been.”
“This is being perfectly executed, on the scale of Venezuela, just a bigger, more complex operation. The result will be the same,” Trump wrote, insisting that “time is not my adversary.”
He also rebutted notions that a deal he’s negotiating with Iran is similar to what former President Barack Obama reached in 2015, ranting about a Washington Post column on the topic.
2:06 p. m. GMT-4
Lebanese official confirms next meeting with Israel set for Thursday
By ABBY SEWELL
A Lebanese official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed Monday that the next second scheduled session for direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials will take place in Washington Thursday.
The ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel to the U.S. met last week, the first such direct, face-to-face talks to take place in decades. The Lebanese official said the second session will focus on solidifying the 10-day truce currently in place between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and on the logistics and timing of wider negotiations that will take place at a later date over the two countries’ relations.
The two countries have had a rocky and often hostile relationship since Israel’s inception in 1948. Like the majority of Arab countries, Lebanon has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
1:53 p. m. GMT-4
Despite ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill several people the army says were militants
The Israeli military said the two separate strikes in southern Lebanon on Monday killed an unspecified number of people who the army said had approached its soldiers in a threatening manner.
Israel has launched multiple airstrikes since a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon took effect Friday. Israel says the people it targeted were violating the truce by operating in what it calls a “Forward Defense Area” in territory that Israeli forces still occupy. The ceasefire text published by the U.S. State Department does not mention such an area.
The military said Monday’s strikes took place in Bint Jbeil, a village that saw fierce fighting before the ceasefire, and in the Litani area.
There was no immediate comment from Lebanese authorities or from the Hezbollah militant group.
1:40 p. m. GMT-4
Argentine President Javier Milei receives Israel’s highest honor
The Argentine leader, one of Israel’s biggest boosters on the international stage, received the country’s Presidential Medal of Honor at a ceremony in Jerusalem.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said the award was in recognition for Milei’s support of Israel, his solidarity with families of hostages who were held by Hamas in Gaza and his connection to the Jewish people.
“The state of Israel is not alone,” Herzog said. “We have allies, and we have great friends,” he said, adding that Milei had demonstrated his friendship with his visits. He has made two previous trips to Israel since taking office in late 2023.
Milei and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also signed the “Isaac Accords,” an initiative launched by the Argentine president to expand cooperation between Israel and Latin American countries.
Additionally, Milei received an honorary doctorate from Israel’s Bar Ilan University. Among those in attendance at the university were former Israeli hostages of Argentine ancestry.
12:39 p. m. GMT-4
EU hosts Palestinian peace conference as it seeks greater sway in the Middle East
By SAM McNEIL
Europe turned its attention to the Palestinians on Monday as the election defeat of Israel ally Victor Orban in Hungary gives new momentum to efforts addressing Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
More than 60 nations sent representatives to Brussels for talks with Palestinian representatives on stability, security and long-term peace.
The European Union has largely been on the sidelines in the Middle East despite being the biggest provider of aid to the Palestinians and backing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The 27-nation bloc is also Israel’s top trading partner and a major buyer of Israeli weapons.
In the West Bank, Palestinians say Israel has used the cover of the Iran war to tighten its grip over the territory, as settler attacks surge and the military imposes additional wartime restrictions on movement, citing security.
12:26 p. m. GMT-4
Vance is at the White House, not Pakistan
By JOSH BOAK
Reports based on Trump saying to The New York Post that Vice President JD Vance was en route to Pakistan were off by several thousand miles.
The vice president’s motorcade pulled up to the White House at roughly 11 a.m. EST on Monday, meaning that he has not left for Islamabad for talks regarding the Iran war.
11:54 a. m. GMT-4
US official confirms it will host another round of Israel-Lebanon talks this week
By MATTHEW LEE
A second round of direct talks would come as uncertainty mounts over the prospects for an end to the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and the Iran war.
The U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States would take place on Thursday at the State Department.
The official did not say who the U.S. would be represented by, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the first round last week. The main U.S. interlocuter between Israel and Lebanon has been U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
“We will continue to facilitate direct, good-faith discussions between the two governments,” the official said.
11:30 a. m. GMT-4
Trump says he’s ‘highly unlikely’ to prolong ceasefire with Iran that’s set to expire this week
By JOSH BOAK
Trump told Bloomberg News that he’s “highly unlikely” to renew the two-week ceasefire announced on April 7.
The president also said that the Strait of Hormuz would continue to be blockaded until the U.S. and Iran reach an agreement on the war.
11:17 a. m. GMT-4
US military says it has directed 27 ships back to Iranian ports during the blockade
By BEN FINLEY
The U.S. military’s blockade of Iranian-linked ships has focused on vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports. It’s an attempt to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows.
The U.S. attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel over the weekend that it said had tried to evade its blockade. Iran’s joint military command has vowed to respond.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks between the United States and Iran two days before a tenuous ceasefire is set to expire
11:05 a. m. GMT-4
Israeli official says talks with Lebanon to resume in Washington
The official says the countries are resuming their historic diplomatic dialogue on Thursday.
The ambassadors of the two countries met in Washington last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. The Israeli official says the same representatives will join Thursday’s talks.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes talks. There was no immediate confirmation from the U.S. or Lebanon.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah opposes the talks, but is observing a 10-day ceasefire announced last week.
Israel says the talks are aimed at disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace agreement with Lebanon.
10:58 a. m. GMT-4
US and allied forces kick off combat drills with Philippines as China objects
By JIM GOMEZ
The United States and the Philippines kicked off their annual display of allied military might on Monday, aimed at deterring aggression in Asia, despite Washington’s preoccupation with the war in the Middle East.
More than 17,000 American and Filipino military personnel will participate in the weeks-long Balikatan exercise, which includes mock battles and live-fire maneuvers facing the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
Nearly 10,000 U.S. military personnel will participate. “Regardless of the challenges elsewhere in the world, the United States focus on the Indo-Pacific and our ironclad commitment to the Philippines remains unwavering,” Marine Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman said in the opening ceremony.
China has objected. “Unilateralism and military bullying have already brought profound disasters to the world,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun warned, without mentioning the United States.
10:39 a. m. GMT-4
Trump snaps at critique that Israel dragged him into Iran war
In the leadup and throughout the seven-week war, Trump has faced criticism from the left and from some of his own supporters that he followed Israel’s lead into launching the conflict.
But Trump on social media is blaming the media for pushing what he claims is a false narrative.
“Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump posted.
10:33 a. m. GMT-4
Still no commitment by Iran for Round 2 talks with US
By MUNIR AHMED
The office of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he spoke Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, urging sustained diplomacy to address pending issues.
The Pakistan Foreign Office statement did not mention whether they discussed Iran resuming talks with the US in Islamabad, but said officials agreed to remain closely engaged going forward.
10:31 a. m. GMT-4
Trump says Vance is en route to Pakistan, but it’s not clear where the VP actually is
By JOSH BOAK
The New York Post quoted Trump in an interview claiming that Vice President JD Vance is headed to Pakistan for negotiations on the Iran War, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law.
“They’re heading over now,” Trump said. “They’ll be there tonight.”
But it’s not quite clear if Trump was speaking more broadly or if the claims about Vance are accurate. Administration officials have in response to questions declined to confirm if Vance is, in fact, mid-air on the way to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
10:14 a. m. GMT-4
Top Catholic leader in Israel condemns defacing of statue of Jesus in Lebanon
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on Monday expressed “profound indignation and unreserved condemnation” of the defacing of a statue of Jesus Christ by an Israeli soldier in Lebanon, saying the act “constitutes a grave affront to the Christian faith.”
The Israeli military confirmed on Sunday that images showing an Israeli soldier smashing the head of a toppled Christ statue with a sledgehammer were genuine, setting off a wave of condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had launched a criminal investigation into the soldier’s actions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described it as “shameful” and apologized “to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”
In a statement from Jerusalem, The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, headed by Pizzaballa, called for “immediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated.”
10:07 a. m. GMT-4
Germany warns wars are destabilizing ‘far beyond Middle East’
The country’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, called on both Iran and the United States to cease hostilities and reach a negotiated solution in the Middle East.
He told reporters Monday in Hannover that the uncertainties created by the continuation of the conflict “have massive repercussions not only on the Middle East, not only on the Asian region, but also on the European region.”
“And the repercussions will not stop at America’s doorstep,” Merz added.
“All of this is currently jeopardizing economic development around the world and could lead to further political destabilization,” the chancellor warned. “The most important prerequisite for stability in the energy markets is an end to hostilities.”
9:54 a. m. GMT-4
UAE arrests people over alleged ties to Iran
By FATMA KHALED
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates arrested members of a unit with alleged ties to Iran, the state’s media reported.
The UAE-run WAM news agency reported Monday that those arrested had extremist views and were part of a “terrorist” unit, holding secret meetings, threatening internal security, planning to share sensitive location information and trying to recruit people to join suspicious foreign groups.
Dubai has previously shut down the city-state’s Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club, institutions that date back to the time of the shah.
9:53 a. m. GMT-4
Oil prices climb as US stocks give back only a bit of their record-breaking rally
By ELAINE KURTENBACH, MATT OTT
Monday’s opening trades in the U.S. are a sharp turnaround from Friday, when oil prices tumbled after Iran said it was reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Now oil prices are climbing and U.S. stock prices are slipping again as the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel on Sunday cast doubt on a second round of peace negotiations before the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. expires on Wednesday. Airline stocks also tumbled again, as they tend to when oil prices jump.
“The problem for markets is not the absence of hope; it is the overpricing of it,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.
9:20 a. m. GMT-4
What captaining an oil tanker in the Mideast is like right now
Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri helms the Palau-flagged Sea Moon in one of the world’s most volatile maritime corridors, where the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has disrupted global trade and left some crews stranded and exposed to attacks.
The hostilities are not new for al-Jubouri, an Iraqi who has worked these seas during decades of upheaval, including the Iran-Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War. Once again, he finds himself operating in high-risk waters, as military strikes threaten vessels seeking to navigate through chokepoints like Bab el-Mandeb and the Persian Gulf.
“We’re sailing over a ball of fire,” he said, speaking to The Associated Press by phone as he guides the ship from the Gulf of Aden toward the Gulf of Oman to unload oil at Ras Isa port in Yemen.
8:35 a. m. GMT-4
Pakistan interior minister briefs Iranian envoy on Islamabad peace talks arrangements
By MUNIR AHMED
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghaddam Monday on arrangements for the upcoming Islamabad peace talks during a meeting in the capital.
A ministry statement said both stressed the need for a sustainable resolution through diplomatic channels to reduce regional tensions.
The meeting came hours after Naqvi briefed U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker at the U.S. Embassy on preparations for the talks.
Naqvi was part of a delegation led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir that visited Tehran last week to advance the peace process. It said the Iranian Ambassador appreciated Pakistan’s positive and constructive role in de-escalating tensions.
8:01 a. m. GMT-4
Israel condemns a soldier defacing a statue of Jesus in Lebanon
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned an Israeli soldier filmed defacing a statue of Jesus Christ during operations in Lebanon, saying he was “stunned and saddened” by the soldier’s actions.
Photos surfaced on Sunday of a soldier smashing the head of a toppled statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer. The Israeli military overnight confirmed the images were genuine, setting off a wave of condemnation. Netanyahu said Israel had launched a criminal investigation into the soldier’s actions. The Israeli military also said it was assisting the community to restore the statue.
The military did not immediately confirm where or when the incident took place. The Israeli military controls a large swath of southern Lebanon, reaching some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Israeli border, and has not allowed residents to return.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a staunch Christian, said Israel must take action against the “outrageous act.”
7:39 a. m. GMT-4
China’s Xi calls for Strait of Hormuz to stay open
It is the first time that Chinese President Xi Jinping has publicly called for the reopening of the waterway. He made the comments in a call Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Xi said that China supported an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire” and backed any efforts at restoring peace in the Middle East, according to a readout of the call published by the official Xinhua news agency.
Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia was committed to resolving the conflict through dialogue and hoped to avoid further escalation.
7:32 a. m. GMT-4
Iran willing to attend second round of talks with US, Pakistan officials say
By MUNIR AHMED
Iranian authorities have expressed willingness to send a delegation for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, two Pakistani officials said Monday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said there is cautious optimism that delegations from both Iran and the United States could travel to Islamabad.
They added that Pakistan will not share details about either side’s travel plans due to security considerations.
They also urged media outlets to avoid speculation about the timing of the talks, saying the process remains fluid.
7:15 a. m. GMT-4
Lebanon’s president says his country will negotiate on its own
By BASSEM MROUE
President Joseph Aoun’s comments hinted Beirut will not accept that Iran negotiates on its behalf as part of U.S.-Iran talks.
Aoun said a Lebanese delegation led by diplomat Simon Karam will lead the next round of talks with Israel, as a 10-day fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah remains in place. The date for the talks has not been confirmed yet.
“No one will participate with Lebanon in this mission or replace it,” Aoun said in a statement. He said the aim of the negotiations is to halt “hostile actions, end the Israeli occupation of southern areas, and deploy the army up to the internationally recognized southern borders.”
He said Lebanon faces two options: the continuation of the war, or negotiations to end it. Hezbollah has expressed opposition to direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Last week, the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington held the first direct talks in decades.
7:09 a. m. GMT-4
An Indian-flagged oil tanker crossed Strait of Hormuz over the weekend
India’s Shipping Ministry said on Monday that the vessel carrying crude oil and 31 seafarers safely crossed of Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the same day two other Indian vessels had to turn back after reports of Iranian gunfire.
The vessel is expected to arrive at Mumbai on Wednesday, the ministry said. It added that 10 Indian-flagged ships have so far safely crossed the strait.
5:52 a. m. GMT-4
Oil prices jump and stocks are mixed
Oil prices climbed more than 5% while world shares were mixed Monday as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. prevented tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. benchmark crude gained 5.3% to $87.88 a barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, was up 5.3% at $95.62 a barrel.
4:41 a. m. GMT-4
Brazil’s Lula condemns massive spending on wars
By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER, MARTIN MEISSNER
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said during a visit to Germany it is unacceptable that hunger, illiteracy and a lack of access to electricity remain unresolved for billions of people while trillions are spent on wars.
“We are experiencing a critical moment in global geopolitics, marked by great paradoxes: While astronauts fly to the moon, women and children are being killed indiscriminately in the bombings in the Middle East,” he said
Sunday night at the Hannover trade fair, German news agency dpa reported.
Lula called for modern technologies to be used not for wars, but “for a more sustainable and secure world.”
4:37 a. m. GMT-4
China expresses concern over US seizure of Iranian ship
By HUIZHONG WU
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern Monday over the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Sunday.
“We hope all relevant parties will adopt a responsible attitude, abide by the ceasefire agreement, avoid escalating tensions or intensifying contradictions,” spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, and ensure its unimpeded passage serves the common interests of countries in the region and the international community,” Guo said.
China has called for the resumption of the normal operation of the waterway.
4:18 a. m. GMT-4
Iran’s military explains why Tehran didn’t resist ship raid
By JON GAMBRELL
Iran’s military offered an explanation Monday for why it didn’t fight back against U.S. Marines who raided an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees operations of Iran’s regular military and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said it held back attacking the Marines because the ship’s crew had family members aboard the Touska.
“Due to the presence of some family members of the ship’s crew, they faced constraints in order to protect their lives and ensure their safety, as they were in danger at every moment,” it said.
However, Iran also has seen much of its navy and airborne assets destroyed in the war.
Khatam al-Anbiya vowed it will take “necessary action against the terrorist U.S. military” in the future, without elaborating.
3:58 a. m. GMT-4
Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman says no plans yet to attend talks
By JON GAMBRELL
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday said Tehran did not have plans yet to attend any talks with the United States.
He did not rule out Iran attending talks.
Authorities in Islamabad had been making preparations for another round potentially happened there this week.
“So far, while I am here, we have no plans for the next round of negotiations and no decision has been made in this regard,” Baghaei said during a news conference.
3:14 a. m. GMT-4
Pakistan interior minister meets US chargé d’affaires
By MUNIR AHMED
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Monday.
The meeting focused on strengthening Pakistan-U.S. relations and preparations for a second round of talks scheduled to take place in Islamabad this week, Naqvi’s office said.
The statement did not specify when the talks are expected to begin.
Naqvi briefed Baker on security arrangements, saying special measures had been taken to ensure the safety of visiting delegations.
“We have made comprehensive security arrangements for our distinguished guests,” Naqvi said in the statement.
Baker offered an appreciated for Pakistan’s role in easing regional tensions and efforts to facilitate dialogue.
3:08 a. m. GMT-4
Pakistan prepares to host second round of talks
By MUNIR AHMED
Pakistani authorities on Monday prepared to host a second round of talks between Iran and the United States, despite questions about whether the negotiations will take place.
Pakistan has intensified diplomatic contacts since Sunday with Washington and Tehran to ensure the talks proceed as soon as Tuesday, officials said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone late Sunday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif’s office said in a statement that did not mention the planned talks.
Authorities began closing key roads and stepping up security in the capital Islamabad over the weekend, particularly around a luxury hotel where the delegations are expected to meet.
Authorities deployed troops at checkpoints, closed tourist sites and instructed major hotels to limit bookings to ensure availability.
3:02 a. m. GMT-4
Iran’s forensic medicine head says death toll now over 3,300
Iran on Monday offered a new death toll for the war with Israel and the United States, with its forensic chief saying at least 3,375 people had been killed in the conflict.
The figure came from Abbas Masjedi, the head of Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization.
Masjedi, quoted by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency and other outlets Monday, said only four of the dead remain unidentified.
His comments did not break down casualties among civilians and security forces, instead just saying 2,875 were male and 496 were female.
Masjedi said 383 of the dead were children 18 years old and under.
Masjedi’s figures raised questions about whether or not they included security force members, particularly given the levels of intense bombings targeting military bases and arsenals in the country.
2:58 a. m. GMT-4breaking news updates
JUST IN: Head of Iran’s forensic medicine organization says war’s death toll now at least 3,375 people
2:55 a. m. GMT-4
Iran says it hangs 2 convicts claimed by opposition group
By JON GAMBRELL
Iran said Monday it hanged two men it accused of setting fire to buildings on behalf of the Israeli intelligence service Mossad.
An Iranian exiled opposition group earlier claimed the men as members and alleged their charges stemmed from events that happened after they already had been detained.
The Mizan news agency of Iran’s judiciary identified the men hanged as Mohammad Masoum Shahi and Hamed Validi.
The Mujahedeen-e-Khalq opposition group identified Shahi as Nima Shahi.
The MEK said the men had been “subjected to interrogation and torture” and convicted over an incident that happened before their detention.
This brings to eight the total number of MEK members executed since the start of the war.
Activists and rights groups say Iran routinely holds closed-door trials in which defendants are unable to challenge the accusations they face.
2:54 a. m. GMT-4
Hezbollah claims attack destroyed Israeli tanks
By BASSEM MROUE, MELANIE LIDMAN
Hezbollah said it detonated explosives Sunday afternoon in an attack against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
The group said in a statement Monday that bombs planted by Hezbollah fighters exploded and destroyed four tanks in a convoy of eight tanks that was passing the village of Deir Siryan.
It was the first claim of an attack by Hezbollah since a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Tehran says restrictions on Iranian oil come with a price
Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, says global fuel prices could stabilize only if economic and military pressures on Iranian oil exports end.
“One cannot restrict Iran’s oil exports while expecting free security for others,” Aref wrote on X. “The choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone.”
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