Iran-US war latest: Trump says naval blockade in Hormuz will be lifted and pledges ‘final decision’ on peace deal – UK Times

The conflict in the Middle East is entering its fourth month with negotiators yet to make a breakthrough, which would pave the way for an enduring peace.

Both sides have been back and forth with revisions of draft agreements to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and lift the dual blockades, allowing for more comprehensive talks on the central nuclear issue.

But the effects of three months of conflict have been seismic, with an estimated 7,000 people killed in the region, major disruption to the global economy and more than a million people displaced from their homes – without delivering on any of Donald Trump’s stated objectives.

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US president Donald Trump has yet to decide whether to approve a proposed agreement with Iran, despite holding a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday to discuss the deal.

Asked whether the president had made a decision, a White House official told CBS News: “President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his redlines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.”

Trump had earlier said he would make a “final determination” during the meeting. The proposed agreement would extend the current ceasefire by 60 days, reopen shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, ease restrictions on Iranian ports and begin negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

US officials have said the draft memorandum of understanding remains pending Trump’s approval.

President Donald Trump on Friday met with with top aides in the White House Situation Room “to make a final determination” on whether to accept a proposed agreement to end the war he started with Iran three months ago and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global maritime traffic.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would end and Iran would “complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines” in the key waterway so that the strait would be “immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic” to allow hundreds of ships that have been trapped on the wrong end of the strait to “start the process of ‘heading home!’”

“Say HELLO to your wives, husbands, parents, and families from me, your favorite President,” he said.

“I will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination.”

Andrew Feinberg had this report on the meeting.

The tentative ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran has revealed a belligerent president reduced to bargaining in order to end the war he started – and it is a measure of how far he is from claiming the victory he desperately needs, says Anne McElvoy

Iran has denied reports that a ceasefire agreement with the US has already been finalised, as negotiations continue over a proposed extension to the current truce.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Saturday that no agreement had yet been completed between Tehran and Washington, according to Al Jazeera.

“Other points have been mentioned, like the nuclear issue,” Baghaei said. “I emphasise, we are focused on the end of war at this point and are not discussing the details of the nuclear plan.”

On Wednesday, US officials said that negotiators had reached a memorandum of understanding that would extend the ceasefire by 60 days and open talks on Iran’s nuclear programme. The proposed agreement still requires Donald Trump’s approval.

A clip of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth giving a “cringe” speech to US sailors about the Iran war is going viral.

Hegseth was in Singapore on Friday, where he did drills with the crew of the USS Boxer and then spoke to a group of assembled sailors about the ongoing conflict.

Online commentators quickly mocked the speech and the audience of service members, who appeared to be mostly unmoved by Hegseth’s call to arms.

Kazakhstan has offered to take custody of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium if Washington and Tehran reach a nuclear agreement.

Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the Financial Times that Kazakhstan has “a place where this could be stored safely,” since it has a “bank” for low-enriched uranium.

Iran’s 440kg stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity has become one of the biggest sticking points in negotiations over a proposed deal to extend the ceasefire and restart talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Experts have said the material could be refined further to produce about 10 nuclear weapons.

Donald Trump has demanded the stockpile either be removed from Iran or destroyed under international supervision. 

A fierce heatwave gripping large parts of Asia is straining coal and gas markets as surging demand for air conditioning collides with the energy crunch caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran, increasing the risk of a severe crisis with the hottest months of the year still to come.

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that Washington is prepared to resume military strikes on Iran if negotiations over a ceasefire and nuclear agreement collapse.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said: “Our ability to recommence if necessary. We are more than capable. Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, so we’re in a very good place.”

Hegseth said Donald Trump remained committed to securing “a great deal” that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but the US was ready for further military action if talks failed.

“We can do two things at one time. We’re super-charging our defence industrial base so that we’re building 2X, 3X, 4X the munitions very soon to ensure that all of our (operations) plans are properly funded throughout the world,” he said.

Trump said on Friday he would make a “final determination” on a proposal that would extend the current ceasefire by another 60 days while negotiators attempt to reach a permanent agreement.