War breaking news. Iran, Ghalibaf: 'Rebuild military capabilities during ceasefire'

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, left Tehran after his second meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. This was reported by the Iranian media. Munir had arrived in the Iranian capital yesterday with the aim of injecting significant momentum into negotiations to reach an agreement between Iran and the US. In Tehran, the Pakistani army chief held a series of meetings aimed at preventing the resumption of fighting between the US and Iran.

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War in Iran, Gulf diplomacy? Dictated by frustration

20 May 2026

Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump to 'discuss efforts to consolidate the ongoing truce in the Middle East and reduce escalation'. This was reported by the Qatari premier's office, adding that Al Thani reiterated Doha's support for Pakistan's diplomatic efforts in the context of the US-Iran negotiations. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran yesterday to meet with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, after Trump said last week that he had desisted from attacking Iran again at the request of several Gulf leaders, including Al Thani.

FOTO D'ARCHIVIO: Le bandiere degli Stati Uniti e del Qatar sventolano su un lampione in vista dell'arrivo del presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump a Doha, in Qatar, il 13 maggio 2025. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Foto d'archivio

The Israeli army announced the imminent launch of attacks against several villages in southern Lebanon, located north of the Litani river, and urged residents to evacuate immediately. In an 'urgent warning' posted on social media, Colonel Avichay Adraee, an Arabic-language spokesman for the Israeli army, called on the residents of a dozen villages near the towns of Nabatieh and Marjayoun to evacuate 'for their safety' in anticipation of attacks on Hezbollah. Hezbollah and the Israeli army accuse each other of daily violations of the ceasefire that came into effect on 17 April. Israel demands that the area south of the Litani river be cleared of Hezbollah fighters.

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The Litani River between Lebanon and Israel: strategic focus of the conflict with Hezbollah

24 March 2026

Among the military options Donald Trump is considering is a direct attack to destroy Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium located underground at a nuclear site in Isfahan. The New York Times reports that a massive bombing campaign along the Strait of Hormuz to loosen Iran's grip could also be under consideration. Trump could also opt to strike Iran's energy sector, an idea that has been severely criticised in the past as it could represent a war crime.

Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, told the Pakistani army chief, Asim Munir, that Tehran's armed forces had 'rebuilt' their capabilities during the ceasefire and warned that, 'if the US foolishly restarts the war', the 'consequences will be more devastating and bitter'. This was reported in the Iranian media. Ghalibaf also stated that the Islamic Republic 'will not compromise' on what he called 'the rights of the nation and the Iranian state'.

Iran scaled back hopes of an imminent deal after Iran's chief negotiator and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Pakistani army chief Asim Munir met today in Tehran, acting as mediator in diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement between Tehran and Washington. "This is a continuation of the diplomatic process. We cannot necessarily say that this means we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation," Baghaei warned. According to the spokesman, differences remain "deep" and "important issues" remain unresolved: the end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade of Iranian ports, he listed, quoted by the Isna news agency. At this stage, he stressed, the nuclear issue, where the gap between the two sides is equally significant, is not being addressed.

Iran's chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met with Pakistani army chief Asim Munir in Tehran as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions, according to Iranian state media reports. During his visit to Iran, Munir also met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in the presence of Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

"A senior Iranian source told Al Arabiya that what Iran has proposed so far is unacceptable to the United States." This was reported in a post on X by the Saudi-owned broadcaster based in Dubai, in the Emirates.

Negotiations between Washington and Tehran "will be able to move forward" in the event that "Iran succeeds in achieving a true ceasefire in Lebanon and an end to the war on all fronts": this is the view expressed by Iranian observer Foad Izadi, an associate professor at the University of Tehran, in an interview with Al Jazeera. "Lebanon is the key," Izadi added, pointing out that at the moment there is a truce between Israel and Hezbollah in the country "only on paper" and that reaching an end to this conflict would be "the test to see" whether US President Donald Trump "can finally have an independent foreign policy". Indeed, the Iranian academic points out that "the general consensus in Tehran is that this is the war" of Israeli PM Netanyahu and that the latter "has managed to drag the US president along with him". According to Izadi himself, the Iranian leadership would be willing to "accept concessions" on its nuclear programme, but with one condition: that these concessions be "accompanied by an easing of the sanctions in force and the release of frozen Iranian assets

Israel was not involved in any way in the discussions leading up to the ceasefire and learned of developments in the US-Iran talks through regional diplomatic contacts and surveillance activities, writes the New York Times citing Israeli officials on condition of anonymity.

The article notes that in the run-up to the start of the war against the Iranian regime earlier this year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in close coordination with Trump and led a discussion in the Situation Room in Washington.

"For the time being, companies have been bearing the costs" arising from the increase in energy and some commodity prices caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but "if the situation does not settle down quickly, this will lead to more inflation, falling margins for businesses, falling investment and falling consumption. The reality is that if everything is not resolved soon the real impact will be seen in the coming months'. This was emphasised at the Trento Festival of Economics by Emma Marcegaglia, president and CEO of Marcegaglia Holding.

'Businesses,' he added, 'have held up for now, but we have to realise that there is a limit, also because the economy is not particularly strong.

The broadcaster Cbs cites well-informed sources that the Trump administration is preparing a new round of military strikes against Iran but points out that, as of Friday afternoon local time, no final decision had yet been made. Cbs recalls that the US president, Donald Trump, made it known in a post on Truth that he would not be attending his son's wedding over the weekend and justified the decision by referring to 'government-related circumstances'. Trump had planned to spend the Memorial Day weekend at his golf estate in New Jersey, but will return to the White House. According to CBS, some members of the US military and intelligence community have cancelled their Memorial Day weekend plans in anticipation of possible attacks.

Iran accuses the United States of making 'excessive demands' in the negotiations. The Iranian news agency Tasnim, linked to the Pasdaran, reports that in a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran is committed to the current diplomatic process "with seriousness and a sense of responsibility" but that "the history of the United States characterised by its failure to honour commitments, repeated betrayals of diplomacy, military aggression against Iran, contradictory positions and excessive demands undermines the Pakistan-mediated talks". "Iran, despite its strong suspicions of Washington, is committed to the diplomatic path with the utmost seriousness and responsibility in pursuit of a reasonable and just outcome," Araghchi told Guterres. In the phone call, Tasnim reports, the latest developments in the region and those related to diplomacy between Iran and the US, mediated by Pakistan, were discussed and there was an exchange of views.

According to Axios, which quotes a source close to Donald Trump, the US president has spoken of launching a final, major and 'decisive' military operation, after which he could declare victory and end the war.

A hypothesis also reported by CBS in the previous hours. Although 'no final decision has been made', the Trump administration is reportedly preparing for a new series of attacks against Iran, the American broadcaster reported, according to which several armed forces and intelligence chiefs had cancelled their plans for the weekend on the chance that a new military offensive would be decided.

"We cannot necessarily say that we have reached a point where an agreement" with the US "is imminent". This was stated by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, quoted by Iran International, explaining that although exchanges with Pakistan's chief negotiator Asim Munir have become more frequent "they represent the continuation of the same diplomatic process".

Donald Trump had a meeting this morning with his national security advisers on Iran. Axios reports this, citing sources who say the president is seriously considering attacking Iran unless there is a last-minute breakthrough in negotiations. On Thursday evening, the president appeared more inclined to attack, although he has not yet made a final decision on whether to resume the war.

The Trump administration is preparing for a new series of attacks against Iran. Preparations are underway even though Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision. Cbs reports this, citing sources who say that several military and intelligence officials have cancelled their plans for the weekend on the chance that attacks will be decided.

Donald Trump has been presented with options for resuming the war in Iran. Cnn reports this, citing sources.