Iran, Trump threatens new bombings Lebanon, 45-day truce extended

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and escort ships have arrived off the Arabian Peninsula. This was announced by Alice Roupaud, spokesperson for the French Ministry of Defence, explaining that the aircraft carrier was deployed there with the aim of 'preparing in advance in case a neutral mission is launched to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz'.

The ceasefire that was agreed on 16 April for Lebanon has been extended by 45 days to allow for further progress.
This was announced by US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott on 'X', at the end of two days of ''very fruitful talks'' between Lebanon and Israel, yesterday and today, hosted by the US.
A new round of political negotiations has been set for 2 and 3 June, the State Department added. In addition, a security dialogue with military delegations from both countries will be initiated at the Pentagon on 29 May.
'We hope these talks will promote lasting peace between the two countries, full mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the establishment of real security along the shared border,' Pigott wrote.

A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 that Tel Aviv is preparing for the imminent resumption of the war against Iran. "The Americans understand that negotiations with Iran will lead nowhere," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We are preparing for days or weeks of confrontation and we await Trump's final decision. We will know more in 24 hours," he added.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he expects the capacity of pipelines passing through Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries to grow, predicting that the importance of the Strait of Hormuz for global oil and gas shipments will decrease.

"There will be other routes to get energy" out of the Gulf region, Wright told Cnbc.

The US may intervene again in Iran to do 'some cleaning up'. US President Donald Trump, speaking on Air Force One on his way back from his state visit to China, said that the US had 'wiped out its de facto armed forces. Now, the tycoon added, 'we may have to do a little bit of cleaning up because we had a little one-month ceasefire'. The US president then said that he agreed to a truce 'as a favour to Pakistan' even though he personally was not in favour of the idea.

The UAE has rejected "attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks" after Tehran accused the wealthy Gulf state of playing an active role in the Middle East war. Minister of State Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar 'reiterated the UAE's categorical rejection of Iranian claims and attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks against the UAE' and other nations, according to a statement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that the United Arab Emirates had 'blocked' a Brics joint statement. Araghchi reportedly did not give specific details on the parts contested by the Emirates, merely stating that 'the final declaration of the Brics ministerial meeting was blocked, or at least in part, by a member state that has special relations with Israel'. The Brics include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. The Iranian minister added: "We have no problems with that particular country. They have not been our target in the current war. We only hit American bases and military installations, which unfortunately are on their territory'. He also claimed that 'the only reason they broke off the final declaration was their support for Israel and the US in their aggression against Iran'. Finally, Araghchi expressed the hope that greater convergence would be achieved at the upcoming summits. "Iran is a neighbouring country. We have to coexist. We have coexisted for centuries and will have to continue to do so for centuries to come,' he concluded.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed that during US President Donald Trump's trip to China, the American leader discussed the ongoing geopolitical tensions with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, claiming that with regard to the Middle East, China reiterated that 'force cannot solve problems and that dialogue is the only right way'.

"Negotiations will not be concluded overnight, but once the door to dialogue is open, it should not be closed again," Wang said of Washington's negotiations with Tehran. "China encourages the US and Iran to continue to resolve their differences and disputes, including the nuclear issue, through negotiations, and strives for the speedy reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on the basis of maintaining the ceasefire," the Chinese diplomat added.

Iran will continue to perform its 'historic duty' to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a major global sea route. This was stated by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post on X. "In a fruitful meeting with my host Dr Jaishankar, we discussed regional developments and made it clear that Iran will always fulfil its historic duty as a guarantor of security in Hormuz," Araghchi wrote referring to his conversation with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Araghchi added that 'Iran is a reliable partner of all friendly nations, which can count on the security of trade'.

The US may at some point enter Iran to remove the 'nuclear dust'. US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after his visit to China. 'I think we will probably get it,' he added, 'but if not, we will go in. Iran is completely defeated. We are not taking any risks. We have all the equipment to get it out, nobody else has it. Maybe China has them."

The UAE tried to persuade neighbouring countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to join retaliatory attacks against Iran, but they refused. This was written by Haaretz, reporting a Bloomberg report that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a series of telephone talks with regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shortly after the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on 28 February. Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the United Arab Emirates had secretly conducted attacks on Iran during the war, while Reuters - writes Haaretz again - reported, citing sources, that Saudi Arabia had also carried out several similar attacks. The Saudi air force attacks would probably have taken place at the end of March. A source who spoke to Reuters described them as retaliatory attacks in response to the attacks on Saudi Arabia. The UAE airstrike reportedly took place in April, around the same time that US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire.

"At the beginning of the year, GDP growth for the Emirates was around 5.6 per cent. We were doing very well with 5-6% growth over the last four years. The revised growth for the Emirates is now 3.1 per cent, which is still strong and shows that the Emirates is built for agility and continued progress. Compared to others, we show one of the strongest growths'. This was emphasised by Abdulla bin Touq al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, from the stage of Investopia 2026 in Milan, speaking about the fallout from the crisis in the Gulf over the war in Iran.

Iran 'appreciates any country that has the ability to help, particularly China', to end the conflict in the Middle East. This was stated by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New Delhi for the Brics meeting. "We have very good relations with China," Araghchi told reporters on the day Donald Trump's visit to the Asian giant ended. "We are strategic partners. And," he added, "we know the Chinese mean well, so anything they can do to help diplomacy would be welcome."

The continuing war in the Persian Gulf is exacerbating the shortage of certain strategic minerals used in the defence industry. And it is tungsten that has turned on a red light, at least judging by the prices, which after the attack on Iran have accelerated their ascent to all-time highs, almost ten times higher than a little over a year ago. No other raw material has risen so much over the same period.

Tungsten has very special characteristics that make it valuable in the war industry: it is very hard (especially when alloyed with carbon), dense and resistant, but above all, it is the metal with the highest melting point ever, an impressive 3,422 degrees centigrade. It is therefore used in the production of missiles and ammunition, in particular kinetic energy armour-piercing projectiles, which are able to 'pierce' armoured surfaces such as those of tanks without the need for explosives and without deforming on impact.

The Israeli army has announced that it is conducting attacks against Hezbollah in the Tiro region in south Lebanon, despite the ceasefire that has allegedly been in place for almost a month. Earlier, the IDF had stated in another statement that "explosive drones" launched by Hezbollah had fallen in northern Israel without causing casualties and had denounced a "new violation" of the terms of the ceasefire. These further attacks during the truce come on the heels of a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, described as "positive" by the US State Department.

Does the war on Iran stand to Trump as the attack on Yugoslavia stands to Hitler? The comparison is perhaps far-fetched, but the objective weakening with which the US president presents himself in Beijing is yet another example of the strategic error of dissipating energy in secondary efforts. In the German case, saving Italy's ally in dire straits in Greece delayed the invasion of the USSR by a month, jeopardising the Wehrmacht's chances of reaching Moscow before being stopped by mud and snow. In the US, the allies' embarrassment over the closure of Hormuz showed how the US could not fight alone on too many fronts.

With the final inflation figures for April Istat confirms the alarm raised by Codacons: the war in the Middle East, in terms of price and tariff increases, is generating a maxi-stangata of a total 23 billion euro on the pockets of Italian families.

According to Codacons calculations, in fact, a inflation rate of +2.7% translates, consumption being equal and considering the total expenditure of families, into an average fine of +€893 per year for the 'typical' family, which rises to +€1,233 per year for a household with two children: if we consider all Italian families, the total bill for the fine reaches €23 billion on an annual basis. For food expenditure alone, with prices in the sector rising by +2.9% over the year with peaks of +5.9% for unprocessed products, the increase in expenditure is equal to +185 euro for the typical family, +269 euro for a family with two children.

Taiwan, seen on a map, almost looks like a detail. An island just over 390 kilometres long, squeezed between the South China Sea and the western Pacific. It is little bigger than Maryland, to look at it through American eyes. In some places it takes only a few hours' drive to cross it from coast to coast. Yet it is there, squeezed between mountains, subtropical forests and hyper-technological cities, that a huge part of the world economy passes.

Donald Trump knows this, but so does Xi Jinping, who made it clear with some urgency during his meeting with his US counterpart that Taiwan is the most fragile (and dangerous) point in relations between the two countries. Because while the United States continues to rearm Taipei, on the Chinese side these moves are seen as interference.

The Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reports that theUnited States is expected to issue a statement today summarising the two rounds of negotiations held so far between Israel and Lebanon and announcing a pextension of the ceasefire, along with a 'statement of intent' on the continuation of the talks. The Times of Israel writes this. According to the newspaper, the declaration will focus on a gradual end to the Israeli presence in Lebanon, along with a full commitment by Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah. The newspaper also states that the US has discussed with Israel what it calls "general guidelines of a concrete plan" to be implemented with Lebanon, in the context of efforts to separate the Lebanese issue from a possible agreement with Iran.

The chief of staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, reportedly visited theUnited Arab Emirates during the war with Iran. According to public broadcaster Kan, Zamir was accompanied by other military officers. During the visit, Zamir met with Emirati officials, including President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Kan reports. The news comes after Israeli PM Netanyahu claimed on Wednesday that he had visited the UAE even during the war with Iran, a claimdenied by the UAE. It was also reported that the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad visited the Gulf nation during the war.

'China's doors to the world will open wider and wider'. Xi Jinping's promise passed through the Great Hall of the People with solemnity, coming straight to the leaders of Corporate America that Donald Trump brought with him on his mission to Beijing.

"US companies are deeply involved in China's reforms and opening-up, a process from which both sides have benefited," Xi said, according to Chinese state media reports. "China welcomes closer and mutually beneficial cooperation with the US and believes that US companies will have even broader prospects in China," Xi reiterated, to be even clearer, and to reassure everyone about the state of the Chinese economy.

India could become a mediator in the process of normalising relations between Iran and the Arab countries. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"India presides over the Brics. It is directly dependent on oil supplies, also from this region. Why not offer its good offices as the presiding country of the Brics, first of all invite Iran and the UAE to dialogue and prevent hostilities?" Lavrov told reporters after his visit to India and participation in the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Brics.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed the situation in the Middle East with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the Brics foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi.

"I had a detailed conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Delhi this morning," Jaishankar wrote on X. "We discussed the situation in West Asia and its implications."

US President Donald Trump, in a late-night interview on Fox News' "Hannity" programme, said that his patience with Iran is running out, after he had discussions yesterday with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war between the US and Tehran. "They should come to an agreement," the tycoon added, referring to the disagreements within the various Iranian powers. On the crucial issue of Iran's hidden stockpiles of enriched uranium, Trump downplayed. "I would actually feel better if I got them. But I think it's more of a public relations issue than anything else, though,' he said.

The last visit of Donald Trump to China, as the guest of Xi Jinping, was in 2017, during his first term. By contrast, the last meeting between the two leaders was in South Korea on 30 October 2025: in that case, the aim was to try to reduce the tension triggered by the trade war with US tariffs on Chinese products, and to avoid Beijing's counter-move, which threatened to strangle the global supply of rare earths. Much has changed since nine years ago, but much has also changed since last autumn. Trump is weakened by the war against Iran that has ended in limbo, by polls that see him always less popular at home, and also by US judges who have blocked his global strategy based on tariffs. The American president arrives in Beijing at a disadvantage and it is not surprising that under these conditions he aims first and foremost to reaffirm himself and his beliefs.

Indeed, in recent days the package of demands that the US shipping brings to its Chinese counterpart has been circulating, what analysts have called the 'Five Bs': Boeing, Beef, Board of Investment and Board of Trade. The "5 Bs" thus sum up Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft, US beef and soybeans, as well as the creation of a Board of Investment and a Board of Trade, these two bodies would define areas of economic exchange between the US and China that would not raise national security concerns. In particular, the Board of Trade would become a forum for discussion aimed at moving beyond blanket tariffs and using a different approach for non-strategic goods, with tariff reductions on trade worth tens of billions of dollars. More broadly, the '5 Bs' represent a US negotiating strategy that aims to rebalance trade with China outside the WTO dispute settlement system: it would allow Washington and Beijing to take advantage of WTO sluggishness to directly negotiate imports and exports and sector-by-sector terms.

Morning rises for oil prices. The European benchmark Brent rose 1.86% to $107.58 a barrel. Wti, the US oil, rose 2.27% to $103.44.

US President Donald Trump reported that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping talked about Iran.

China has reiterated that on the Iran crisis, dialogue and negotiation are "the right way", while military solutions "lead nowhere". This was stated by Beijing's Foreign Ministry in a note on the second day of talks in Beijing between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. "Now that the door to dialogue has opened, it should not be closed again," the statement read.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran's civilian nuclear facilities again if Tehran attempts to recover the uranium. "I told them that if they send their military to try to do something, recover the uranium, or if we see that somebody tries to do it, we'll just drop a couple of bombs and that'll be the end of it," Trump told Fox News.

In June 2025, the United States bombed Iranian civil nuclear facilities under the protection of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA.

China does not want Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and could exert influence on Tehran to facilitate a deal with the US. US President Donald Trump said this in an interview with Fox News during his state visit to China.

"I don't think China wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that the US will be able to obtain Iranian enriched uranium after the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities.

"We dropped bombs, every one of those bombs came down, the whole mountain collapsed on top of that site," Trump told Fox News. "At first they looked at it and said there's no way anybody could ever get to the nuclear powder, but I'd still rather have it. I'd rather get it. I would feel better about getting it, and we will get it." Trump added that the US might repeat bombings against Iranian nuclear facilities to make access to uranium impossible.

Further reading

Oil, so the IEA raises stockpile alarm: falling at record pace

13 May 2026

US President Donald Trump said during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Zhongnanhai that his military campaign against Iran 'will continue', hinting that he is seriously considering resuming attacks. CNN reports. Trump also added that Xi has pledged not to supply military equipment to Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the Iranian nuclear dossier with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Brics foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi.

"The parties exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue," the ministry indicated in a note.

China and the US want an end to the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz open and an Iran without nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump said this while addressing Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Zhongnanhai, Beijing.

"I think we discussed Iran. We think very similarly, right? We want it to end. We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the open strait," Trump said.