Latest War. Hormuz, Trump: our blockade will be lifted. Iran: no deal at the moment

Kazakhstan has signalled its readiness to accept stockpiles of uranium enriched to levels close to those needed for the production of nuclear weapons, should the US reach an agreement with Iran on its nuclear programme. This was reported by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEAA). to the Financial Times The Central Asian state expressed its openness to storing the stockpile during a meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and IEAA Director General Rafael Grossi in Astana this week, as reported by Grossi in an interview published by the newspaper. Kazakhstan hosts an internationally monitored low-enriched uranium storage facility to ensure fuel supply to IAEA member states' power plants and prevent nuclear proliferation. The repository was opened in 2017 in cooperation with the IAEA.

According to the Iranian Fars news agency quoting 'informed sources', the latest statements by US President Donald Trump represent 'a mixture of truth and lies'. In the crosshairs are in particular two points attributed by Trump to the ongoing negotiations: the opening of the Strait of Hormuz without tolls and the destruction of Iranian nuclear material. Both claims would be 'false'. The same sources claim that the memorandum of understanding negotiated between Washington and Tehran is based on the principle of 'commitment for commitment' and accuse the American president of omitting certain aspects considered central by Iran. For Tehran, in fact, "the most important part of the agreement, to which Trump made no reference, is the immediate payment of $12 billion from Iran's frozen assets" and "a complete ceasefire in Lebanon". "Only after the resolution of these points will Iran agree to negotiate on the lifting of sanctions and on the nuclear issue," the sources conclude.

"Informed sources" described the post published on Truth by US President Donald Trump about a possible deal with Iran as "a mixture of truth and lies". This was reported by the Fars news agency. According to the sources, Trump's statements about the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's destruction of nuclear material would be 'false'. Moreover, they added, the memorandum of understanding negotiated by the two sides is based on the principle of 'commitment for commitment'. And for Tehran, "the most important part of the agreement, which Trump made no reference to, is the immediate payment of $12 billion from Iran's frozen assets" and "a complete ceasefire in Lebanon". "Only after the resolution of these points will Iran agree to negotiate on the lifting of sanctions and on the nuclear issue," the sources added.

Ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to "our extraordinary and unprecedented naval blockade - which will now be lifted - can start the procedure to return home. Say hello from me to your wives, husbands, parents and families - your favourite President!" This was stated by Donald Trump on his Trump social.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they will investigate an incident last night over the West Bank in which Israeli troops allegedly fired at a civilian aircraft mistaking it for a drone. The incident - explains the Times of Israel - happened after residents of the Beit El settlement had reported several unidentified drones over the area. IDF troops had been sent to patrol the area and one contingent, believing they had spotted a drone, opened fire. It later emerged that the flight path of the planes arriving at Ben Gurion Airport had been shifted eastwards, causing a relatively low flight over the Beit El area, which may have triggered the drone reports. The IDF is also investigating the possibility that a police drone flew over the area at the time, triggering the reports. There are no reports of damage or injuries in the incident, which the army reiterated will be investigated.

Donald Trump in the Situation Room to 'make a final decision' on Iran. This was stated by the president on his Truth social. "I will meet now, in the Situation Room, to make a final decision," he wrote.

FOTO D'ARCHIVIO: Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump parla accanto al segretario alla Difesa Pete Hegseth durante una riunione di gabinetto nella Sala del Gabinetto alla Casa Bianca, a Washington, D.C., Stati Uniti, il 27 maggio 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci/Foto d'archivio

"There are very impressive results, our troops have crossed the Litani river, they have conquered the dominant heights. We are also operating in Beirut, in the Beqaa, all along the front, and we are inflicting hard blows on Hezbollah." This was said by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while visiting IDF Division 36 on the northern border together with Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff Tamir Yadai. This was reported by the Prime Minister's Office.

Donald Trump's approach to Iran is displacing allies. Between bombs, deals and bravado, the president's positions have fluctuated over the weeks, creating confusion among allies at home and abroad. The New York Times reports this, pointing out that the president's approach seems more dictated by his mood than by a clear strategy, and reflects the political tug-of-war between the hawks who would like the final attack against Tehran and the non-interventionists who call for stopping the war.

Three people were killed in Israeli raids launched on the village of Khrayeb, in the Sidon district in southern Lebanon. This was reported by the Orient-Le Jour. Several attacks were also launched on the villages of Sarafand, near a government hospital, and Baissariyeh, located within the same district.

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Lebanon, Israeli ground operations over the 'yellow line' of the truce: 28 dead

26 May 2026

Mohsen Rezaei, military advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said that Tehran will attack the US if the US blockade continues beyond a certain period of time. Iran International reports. "Washington approaches us in the dark, while we monitor their every move," the former Revolutionary Guards commander concluded.

Tehran "does not trust guarantees or words" and "only actions count". This was stated in a post on X by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, following the news that Iran and the US would reach a preliminary agreement on a 60-day ceasefire extension, which remains pending the green light from the US President, Donald Trump. "We don't get concessions with dialogue, but with missiles. In negotiations, we simply make it clear,' Ghalibaf continued that the Islamic Republic 'will not take any action before the other side acts'. For the Speaker, 'the winner of any agreement is the one who is best prepared for war from the day after'.

"There is another shocking fact, a crime that had not yet been documented in Palestine by Israel, which is enforced disappearances: there are 4,000 desaparecidos, people who have been arrested and it is not known what happened to them". This was stated by UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese, after reading some direct testimonies of torture, when she presented her latest investigation into Israel's use of torture in the occupied Palestinian territories to the Senate.

Ghalibaf, 'we don't get concessions with dialogue, but with missiles'

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 29 - Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a post on X that Tehran "does not get concessions through dialogue, but through missiles", referring to talks with Washington to end the war. The Islamic Republic's chief negotiating delegation also stated that Iran 'does not trust guarantees or words, because only actions count', announcing that 'no action will be taken before the US acts'. Finally, according to Ghalibaf, 'the winner of any negotiation is the one who is best prepared for war from the day after the agreement'. (ANSA).

"The manoeuvre (in Lebanon) towards new areas, continues to repel the enemy, destroying its capabilities and systematically striking it, even now the troops are advancing. Every blow against Hezbollah is also a blow against the Iranian axis and Iranian investment in the region. We are ready for any development and maintain a high level of preparedness against Iran as well'. Idf Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said this on a visit to the troops. "Over 7,500 militiamen have been eliminated since the beginning of the war, including 2,500 since the start of Operation 'Lion's Roar'. We will continue to strike the enemy," he added. "The drone threat poses a challenge, but we will overcome it," he said.

US President Donald Trump has circulated the draft peace agreement for the war with Iran among allies, including Israel, while attempts are underway to prevent new ceasefire violations from escalating and derailing any agreement. Meanwhile, in an effort to accelerate negotiations, Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will be in Washington today to meet with his US counterpart, Marco Rubio.

Yesterday, Tehran targeted a US air base in Kuwait after Washington struck what it called an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the fragility of the situation as both negotiating parties refuse to give in on the final points of disagreement. On Wednesday, Trump's cabinet was scheduled to discuss the deal, but Axios - which reported on the terms of the deal reached - reported that the US president needed a few more days to reflect on the eventual go-ahead.

The first direct meeting between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations opens today at the Pentagon as part of the negotiations promoted by the United States after the truce that came into effect, at least on paper, in mid-April. The talks take place while Israel intensifies raids and bombardments in Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Jewish state has issued several forced displacement orders to Israeli civilians in Nabatiye and Tyre, the two main Lebanese cities in the south of the country. Beirut's armed forces come to the table with a position defined by President Joseph Aoun, who is considered close to the United States: a complete ceasefire, an end to Israeli operations, withdrawal from the occupied areas in the south, and increased army deployment along the border. Beirut also demands the release of Lebanese prisoners, the return of displaced persons, and international support for reconstruction. The meeting follows two previous negotiating sessions held in Washington on 14 and 15 May, which led to the extension of the 'truce' for 45 days. The United States, engaged in large-scale negotiations with Hezbollah supporter Iran, is aiming to strengthen direct military coordination between the two sides. In this sense, a new political round at the State Department is scheduled for 2 and 3 June. However, the most delicate knot remains on the table: Israel claims the right to conduct preventive operations against threats considered imminent, a formula contested by Beirut and at the centre of internal Lebanese tensions. At the same time, Washington continues to exert pressure on the Hezbollah disarmament dossier, while the Shiite movement reiterates its rejection of direct negotiations and continues its operations against the Israeli occupation forces in southern Lebanon. According to data gathered from Lebanese sources, more than 4,500 Israeli violations, more than 5,500 homes destroyed, and direct or indirect Israeli military control over more than 65 locations in South Lebanon have been recorded since the start of the mid-April 'truce'.

Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has asked US President Donald Trump to "prioritise political and diplomatic solutions" in the Middle East, in the context of negotiations between Washington and Tehran for a possible agreement. The request came during a phone call between the two leaders, during which international efforts to reduce tensions in the region were addressed. This was reported by the Qatari state agency Qna. Al Thani emphasised 'the need to prioritise political and diplomatic solutions, as well as dialogue between all parties, to consolidate regional security and stability and avoid further tensions and escalation'. Washington meanwhile confirmed an agreement in principle with Iran to extend the 60-day truce and guarantee shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but the understanding remains pending Trump's approval and has not yet been confirmed by Tehran.

China "could be the guarantor of a possible understanding" between Tehran and Washington. This was stated by Jalal Dehghani Firouzabadi, secretary of the Islamic Republic's Strategic Council for Foreign Relations, in an interview with the Isna news agency, speaking about the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the US on the nuclear dossier. According to the Iranian exponent, US President Donald Trump "prefers an understanding over further escalation", even in the context of talks that he described as "very difficult" and characterised by "broad and complex" issues. Firouzabadi also pointed out that current conditions require Iran to "assert its authority over the Strait of Hormuz", calling the sea passage "a new strategic tool" and "one of the elements of Iran's power". The senior official added that Tehran must "balance national security with the freedom of international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz" and that Iran and Oman will determine its "legal future".

There is ''a narrow time window'' with respect to Iran, but US President Donald Trump will do ''what is right'' because the conditions are right for a deal to be in favour of the United States. This was stated by the US president himself in an interview with Fox News that will be broadcast in full on Saturday at 9pm Washington time. The Iranians are ''very good'' negotiators, Trump added according to previews, saying, however, that Tehran's military is ''decimated'' and this offers the US ''leverage to get the terms they prefer'', first and foremost a ''nuclear disarmed'' Iran. Thus, the Iranians ''are cunning, but in the end we hold all the cards because we have defeated them militarily,'' the president said.

The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions against Iran and its oil sales, used by Tehran to finance the reconstitution of its armed forces and to continue to pose a threat to the US and its partners in the region. "We will continue to increase pressure to deprive the regime and its armed forces of the financial resources needed to threaten US allies and partners in the Middle East," commented Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "We will not allow Tehran to increase oil revenues to replenish its armed forces and military capabilities," he added.

According to the trade magazine Lloyd's List, an oil tanker is the latest of more than 10 Chinese ships that were stranded in the Strait of Hormuz to have left its waters. The Hua Lin Wan, a medium-sized Aframax tanker owned by the Chinese shipping company Cosco, crossed the strait on Wednesday, according to Lloyd's List. Cosco's president Lin Ji told Lloyd's that the safety of the crew and the ship is the top priority in the operations to withdraw the remaining vessels from the Gulf.

Three people were killed and others wounded in an Israeli drone attack on a security checkpoint in the al-Mawasi area, near the town of Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. This was reported by Al Jazeera Arabic, citing a source from the city's Nasser hospital.

The US and Iran have made good progress on the extension of the ceasefire, but President Donald Trump is not yet ready to approve the agreement. This was said by Vice President JD Vance, according to whom 'we are discussing a couple of points on the wording of the text. We've made a lot of progress on that'. Speaking to the media a few hours after US sources reported that the two sides had reached an understanding, Vance expressed the hope that we would continue 'to make progress' to put the tycoon 'in a position to endorse the agreement'. Although, 'obviously, the issue is still to be defined'.

The US Central Military Command (Centcom) disputed and called 'false' reports on Iranian state TV that Tehran forces had shot down a US aircraft near Bushehr. In a post on X, Centcom assured that 'no US aircraft were shot down. All US aircraft are accounted for'.

The US did not destroy the Iranian armed forces to avoid repeating the mistakes made in Iraq. This was claimed by US President Donald Trump in an interview with Fox News.

"We actually left their military alone. People would be surprised to hear that, because mistakes have been made in wars where you eliminate everybody, and then you have a country that, you know, for 40 years can't rebuild," Trump said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Iran's commitment to diplomacy and expanding regional cooperation, following talks with the premiers of Malaysia and Pakistan on the occasion of Eid al-Adha greetings.

"In my talks with the prime ministers of Malaysia and Pakistan to extend Eid al-Adha wishes, I emphasised Iran's commitment to diplomacy," Pezeshkian wrote in X.