US-Israel-Iran War Ceasefire News Highlights: US troops forced to retreat from Strait of Hormuz after ship attack, claims Iran media

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under strict Iranian control unless the United States guarantees full freedom of navigation for vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports.

US President Donald Trump has indicated that attacks on Iran could resume if a ceasefire expires next week without a deal, while asserting that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place.

His remarks came after Tehran said it had fully reopened the strait to commercial vessels, even as it warned of the possibility of closing it again in response to the US blockade.

Asked what he would do if no agreement is reached before the ceasefire ends, Trump told reporters, “I don’t know. Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. But maybe I won’t extend it, so you’ll have a blockade and unfortunately we’ll have to start dropping bombs again.”

However, he also struck an optimistic note, telling reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington that he believes a deal is likely. “I think it’s going to happen,” Trump said, referring to a potential agreement with Iran.

A convoy of oil tankers was crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the first major movement of ships in the crucial waterway since the U.S. and Israel ​launched their war on Iran seven weeks ago.


The group of four liquefied petroleum ​gas carriers and several oil product and chemical tankers, was passing through Iranian waters south of Larak Island with more tankers following from the Gulf, ​according to MarineTraffic data.


U.S. President Donald Trump hours earlier had cited "some pretty good news" about Iran, declining to elaborate. He also said a ceasefire in the war may not be extended without a deal by Wednesday.


Iran reopened the strait, which before the war carried a fifth of the world's oil trade, following a separate U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement on Thursday by Israel and Lebanon.


UNCLEAR IF ANY DIRECT TALKS THIS WEEKEND


Trump, speaking on Air Force One late on Friday, declined to elaborate on ‌what the good news was, ⁠although he ⁠could have been referring to the movement of the tankers.


"It seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran," he told reporters while returning to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona. "We're negotiating over the weekend. I expect things to go well. Many of these ​things have been negotiated and agreed to.


"The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, and that supersedes everything else."


But in sharp contrast, he said he ​may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed before it expires on Wednesday, adding that a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would continue.


The war with Iran, which began on February 28 with a U.S.-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic, has killed thousands and sent oil prices surging because of the de facto closure of the strait.


Trump has told Reuters there would probably be ​more direct talks between Iran and the U.S. this weekend. Some diplomats said that was unlikely given the logistics of gathering in Islamabad, ⁠where the ‌talks are expected to take place.


There were no signs of preparations early on Saturday for talks in the Pakistani capital, where the highest-level U.S.-Iran negotiations since the 1979 ​Islamic Revolution ended without agreement last ​weekend.


The key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has concluded three days of talks in Tehran, the Pakistani military said on Saturday.


A Pakistani source ⁠aware of mediation efforts said a meeting between Iran and the U.S. could produce an initial memorandum of understanding, ​followed by a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days.


Among complicating factors, Iran's speaker of parliament and senior negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, posted on ​social media that the Strait of Hormuz "will not remain open" if the U.S. blockade continued.


Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had announced on social media that the strait was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the 10-day truce that was agreed on Thursday by Israel and Lebanon, which was invaded by Israel after the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group joined the fighting.


Iran has said all ships crossing the strait must coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was not the case before the war. The Defense Ministry said in a statement quoted by state television that military vessels and ships linked to "hostile forces" - the U.S. and Israel - were still not permitted to pass.


NO CLARITY ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM


It also was unclear how Iran and the U.S. would address Tehran's nuclear program, which has been a key sticking point in peace talks, ‌with Iran defending its right to what it says is a civilian nuclear energy program.


Trump told Reuters the U.S. would remove Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state TV the material would not be transferred anywhere.


Separately, a senior Iranian official said Tehran hoped a preliminary agreement could be reached in the ​coming days.


Oil prices fell about ​10% and global stocks jumped on Friday on the prospect ⁠of marine traffic resuming through the strait.


After a video conference on Friday, more than a dozen countries said they were willing to join an international mission to protect shipping in the strait when conditions permit, Britain said.


A senior Iranian official told Reuters there had been an agreement on unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets as part of the accord, without giving a timeline. Later on Friday, ​Trump, who has repeatedly referred to a peace agreement as a "deal" or "transaction," told a rally in Arizona that "no money will exchange hands in any way, shape or form."


At last weekend's talks, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.


Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise that could remove part of the stockpile.


Trump told Reuters the U.S. might not act quickly. "We're going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery," he said in a phone interview. "We'll bring it back to the United States."


Despite Trump's optimism, Iranian sources told Reuters that "gaps remained to be resolved" before a preliminary agreement, while senior clerics struck a defiant tone during Friday prayers.


"Our people do not negotiate while being humiliated," cleric Ahmad Khatami said.

Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile has become the centerpiece of an increasingly complex global power contest, with the United States, China and Russia all seeking a role in determining its future, while Tehran insists the material will not be handed over to anyone.

What was once a technical issue inside nuclear diplomacy has now become one of the most politically charged questions in international relations. For Washington, control over Iran’s uranium could mean preventing any future nuclear weapons pathway. For Moscow and Beijing, it offers influence over the shape of a future Middle East settlement. For Iran, it represents sovereignty, strategic leverage and national prestige.

The issue burst back into the spotlight after US President Donald Trump claimed Washington and Tehran were moving toward an agreement under which Iran’s uranium would be recovered and eventually brought to the United States.

Speaking to Reuters in a phone interview, Trump said the United States would work jointly with Iran to retrieve the stockpile.

"We're going to get it together. We're going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery," Trump said. "We'll bring it back to the United States."

Trump added that the material, which he described as "nuclear dust," would be recovered "very soon."

Iran immediately rejected the suggestion.

Pakistan’s top leadership wrapped up parallel diplomatic efforts aimed at defusing the Iran conflict, with army chief Asim Munir concluding a three-day visit to Iran and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returning from Turkey.

Munir met Iran’s senior leadership and stressed dialogue and de-escalation, while Pakistan reiterated its push for a negotiated settlement ahead of expected United States–Iran talks in Islamabad.

Sharif, along with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, concluded a regional tour that included Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey to support the peace process.

A fresh round of US-Iran talks is expected in Islamabad this week after earlier discussions ended without agreement.

Meanwhile, Tehran warned it could again shut the Strait of Hormuz if tensions escalate, hours after announcing its reopening following a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Iran’s defence ministry spokesperson said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz remains open only under the current ceasefire and on a conditional basis, with restrictions on certain vessels,

“The Strait of Hormuz is open only in a ceasefire situation and on a limited basis, on the condition that military vessels and those linked to hostile forces are not allowed to transit,” spokesperson Reza Talaei-Nik said.

He added that the arrangement is temporary and could be reversed if pressure increases on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to all commercial vessels during the ongoing Israel–Lebanon ceasefire, his spokesperson said.

“The Secretary-General considers this a step in the right direction,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Friday (local time).

He added that Guterres “remains fully supportive of diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful path forward out of the current conflict in the Middle East” and hopes the move, alongside the ceasefire, will help build confidence between parties and strengthen ongoing dialogue facilitated by Pakistan.

Earlier on Friday, Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced that, in line with the Lebanon truce, passage through the Strait of Hormuz for all commercial vessels has been declared “completely open” for the duration of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.

US President Donald Trump has reshared a post on his social media platform Truth Social referring to him as “The Peace President.”

The post, shared by the “Trump War Room” account, featured a digital poster praising Trump’s role in global diplomacy and carried the message: “Trust Trump. Not Panicans.”

The message comes amid Trump’s repeated claims that his administration has helped reduce or manage multiple international conflicts, and amid escalating tensions with Iran.

US President Donald Trump has said he plans to maintain a blockade of Iranian ports if a peace deal with Tehran is not reached, adding that he may not extend the ceasefire once it expires.

Trump’s remarks came late Friday as tensions remain high over maritime access and ongoing negotiations. The ceasefire is currently set to expire on Wednesday, with its continuation dependent on progress in talks.

Separately, reports said the Strait of Hormuz was reopened on Friday following a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, though Iran has warned it could close the strategic waterway again if the US blockade continues.

The United Kingdom will make a “wide-ranging military contribution” to a multinational mission aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz, according to the UK’s envoy to Washington, Christian Turner.

Speaking at an event in Washington, Turner said Britain would play a significant role in the France–UK-led initiative designed to reassure commercial shipping through the strategic waterway once current Iran-related tensions ease, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Press Association.

The proposed mission is intended to strengthen maritime security and ensure safe passage for vessels through one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security at 11.30 am today in New Delhi to review measures taken by various ministries and departments, ANI reported citing official sources.

The Prime Minister is also expected to address the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and attend a separate cabinet meeting at Parliament later in the day.

Cabinet is likely to take up relief pacakage for exports in the light of the Middle East crisis during the meeting.


The CCS meeting comes amid continued review of national preparedness and supply-chain stability, including energy security and availability of essential commodities.

This comes weeks after on April 1, PM Modi had chaired a special CCS meeting to assess developments related to the West Asia situation, focusing on energy supplies, fertiliser availability, and broader economic stability. Officials had reviewed steps to ensure uninterrupted access to petroleum products, power supply, and critical inputs for agriculture.

The government has been closely monitoring global disruptions and their potential impact on India’s economy, including food and fuel security, with contingency measures discussed at multiple levels in recent weeks.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has said that 21 vessels have been turned back toward Iran since the start of a US naval blockade targeting maritime access to Iranian ports.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the operation is being enforced by US naval forces deployed in the Arabian Sea, with the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) actively conducting patrols as part of ongoing enforcement efforts.

US President Donald Trump has said the ceasefire with Iran may not be extended unless a long-term agreement is reached by Wednesday, warning that pressure measures, including a continued blockade on Iranian ports and the possibility of renewed bombing would remain on the table.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, “Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again.”

US President Donald Trump has said there has been “pretty good news” regarding Iran, while declining to provide further details about the development.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said: “We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran. You’ll hear about it. I just think it’s something that should happen. It’s something that only makes sense to happen. And I think it will. We’ll see what happens, but I think it will.”

He did not elaborate on the nature of the development, only suggesting that progress was underway and further updates would follow.

US President Donald Trump has reiterated his position on Iran’s nuclear programme, stressing that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains the central objective of US policy.

Speaking on recent developments in ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump said the primary concern is ensuring Iran does not obtain nuclear capability, describing it as a non-negotiable priority in discussions with Iranian counterparts and international mediators.

US ​President ​Donald Trump said that Chinese President Xi Jinping was "very ‌happy" ⁠about the ⁠status of ​the Strait of Hormuz, and ​that he looked forward to their ​meeting ⁠in China. "President ‌Xi ​is ​very happy ⁠that the Strait of Hormuz ​is open and/or rapidly ​opening," Trump said on Truth Social. "Our meeting in China ‌will be a special one ​and, ​potentially, Historic. ⁠I look forward to being with President Xi - ​Much will be accomplished!," he added.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need for stability in the key maritime route and warning that continued conflict could seriously impact the global economy and energy markets.

In a post on X, Albanese said he joined a virtual leaders’ summit co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where discussions focused on efforts to stabilise the strategic shipping corridor.

He added that Australia has consistently called for an end to the conflict, noting that the longer the war continues, the greater the potential disruption to global trade and energy security.

A new round of talks between Iranian and US negotiators is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday, according to Iranian officials familiar with the discussions, CNN reported. Delegations are likely to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Sunday.

The development comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions in West Asia.

Separately, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed international efforts toward de-escalation and diplomatic solutions. Qatar’s Amiri Diwan said both leaders praised Pakistan’s role in supporting such efforts, Al Jazeera reported.

Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir also met Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran as back-channel diplomacy gathers pace. The visit is seen as part of efforts to revive stalled US–Iran negotiations, particularly over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Munir had earlier been received by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with discussions aimed at preparing the ground for a possible follow-up round after earlier talks ended without agreement.

The latest developments follow earlier inconclusive negotiations mediated by Pakistan and ongoing regional tensions, even as limited ceasefire arrangements have been reported in parts of the wider conflict zone.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ghalibaf has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump, accusing him of making false statements and warning that ongoing pressure could affect regional maritime security.

In a post on X, the speaker rejected Trump’s remarks point by point, calling them inaccurate and ineffective in both conflict and diplomacy. He also warned that if the blockade continues, the Strait of Hormuz would not remain fully open, adding that navigation through the key waterway would follow “designated routes” under Iranian oversight.

He further said decisions on the Strait’s status would be determined on the ground rather than through social media, and described information campaigns as part of modern warfare, urging the public to rely on official statements from Iran’s foreign ministry for accurate updates on negotiations.

The ongoing Iran conflict has removed around 500 million barrels of crude oil from the global market, marking what analysts describe as the largest energy supply disruption in modern history, according to data from analytics firm Kpler.

Iran has called on the United Nations to take stronger action over what it described as acts of “aggression” against the country, according to state news agency IRNA. Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh raised the issue during a meeting with Rosemary DiCarlo, saying the attacks on Iran amounted to a “continued blatant violation of international laws and rights.” Tehran also criticised the response of the United Nations Security Council, observing that it had condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf neighbours but had not taken similar action against the initial strikes launched by the US and Israel on February 28.

Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said. "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran.