Trump has warned Iran that they better get moving fast. (Image generated using AI)Iran US War Highlights: US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued another warning to Iran and said that for Islamic Republic, the “Clock is ticking” and that Iranians need to “better get moving fast or there won’t be anything left of them.” The US president added that “Time is of essence” for Tehran amid soaring tensions in West Asia.
Meanwhile, Iran is preparing a new system to regulate maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee. Speaking on Saturday, Azizi said the designated shipping route would be revealed soon and would primarily benefit commercial vessels and countries cooperating with Tehran. He also indicated that Iran plans to charge fees for specialised services offered under the proposed mechanism.
‘Ceasefire a favour to Pakistan’: US President Donald Trump said the recently announced ceasefire with Iran was agreed upon partly in response to requests from other countries, particularly Pakistan, which he described as playing a mediating role between Washington and Tehran. Speaking aboard Air Force One after his China visit, Trump said he was not initially inclined toward a truce but agreed to it “as a favour to Pakistan,” while also noting that multiple nations had pushed for de-escalation in West Asia.
Iran’s lack of trust in US: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was in India to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers meet, said mistrust remains the biggest hurdle in negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the conflict. Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Araghchi said Tehran remains uncertain about Washington’s intentions because of what he called contradictory messaging from the US side. He added that Iran would consider diplomatic assistance from countries such as China if efforts move toward what he described as a “fair and balanced deal.”
India’s Foreign Ministry says it is “deeply concerned” at the drone strikes that hit the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE.
“Such actions are unacceptable and represent a dangerous escalation. We urgently call for restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomacy,” the ministry says.
The United Arab Emirates has blamed a fire near its nuclear power plant on a drone launched by Iran or one of its proxies in what the UAE called a “dangerous escalation”.
The fire was just outside the Barakah nuclear plant and caused no injuries or radiation alerts, with the emirate’s nuclear regulator saying there was no radioactive leak or risk to the public.
But it came at an extremely tense moment in the sixth week of a ceasefire in the Iran war, with peace talks stalled and Donald Trump voicing impatience at the deadlock.
Trump has posted an uncaptioned image of a map of the Middle East, with the US flag overlaid across the region and red arrows pointing to Iran, on Truth Social.
[Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump]
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday held high-level talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, focusing on regional security, recent hostilities, and efforts to consolidate a fragile ceasefire, according to media reports.
Naqvi landed in Iran on Saturday on an unscheduled trip apparently to make efforts for a negotiated solution of the conflict with the US.
- PTI
US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued another warning to Iran and said that for Islamic Republic, the "Clock is ticking" and that Iranians need to "better get moving fast or there won't be anything left of them." The US president added that "Time is of essence" for Tehran amid soaring tensions in West Asia.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire caused by a drone strike on an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Sunday.
No injuries were reported, radiological safety levels were unaffected and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed the plant's essential systems were operating normally.
A drone strike caused a fire outside a nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, authorities in the United Arab Emirates said.The Abu Dhabi media office said in a statement that the fire broke out in an external electrical generator outside the perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Al Dhafra.
There were no reports of injuries and there's no impact on radiological safety levels, it said.The UAE’s nuclear regulator said the fire didn’t impact the plant safety. “All units are operating as normal,” the organization wrote on X.There was no claim of responsibility for the drone strike, and the UAE statement didn’t blame any party for the attack.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Sunday’s strike marked the first time the four-reactor Barakah Nuclear Power Plant has been targeted in the Iran war.
The reactor sits in the far western deserts of Abu Dhabi, near the border with Saudi Arabia.The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the Emirates with the help of South Korea and went online in 2020.
AP
Iranian Consultative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has been appointed special envoy to China, the state news agency Tasnim reported. Ghalibaf is one among the key negotiators in talks with the US aimed at ending the conflict.
Al Jazeera input
Iran-US War LIVE: Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's unannounced visit to Tehran has been linked to Pakistan’s ongoing mediation efforts to revive stalled Iran-US peace talks as tensions continue across West Asia, according to Pakistani and Iranian media reports.
Iran-US War LIVE: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that an apparent Hezbollah drone triggered sirens in the Lebanon border communities of Manara and Margaliot, according to The Times of Israel. The military said that the "incident has concluded,” without causing injuries.
Iran-US War LIVE: Sirens sounded across northern Israel after a suspected Hezbollah drone attack from Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it was looking into the incident.
Lebanese Economy Minister Amer Bisat told Al Jazeera that Israel’s escalation of its war on Lebanon since March 2 has cost the country an estimated $2 billion, or roughly 7% of GDP, describing the impact as “fairly major” and citing multiple challenges including job losses, halted farm production, shuttered manufacturing firms, and a collapse in tourism.
Hezbollah has announced that its fighters detonated a booby trap of explosive devices against a third bulldozer belonging to the Israeli army, which was trying to advance from the town of Rashaf to the town of Hadatha, southern Lebanon.
The group added that another booby trap of explosive devices was also detonated by a fourth Israeli bulldozer attempting to make the same advance.
Former US hostage in Iran Barry Rosen said Tehran is increasing executions as a way to suppress dissent amid the ongoing ceasefire between Iran and the United States.
In a post on X, Rosen cited reports by Amnesty International, The New York Times and Center for Human Rights in Iran, saying Iranian authorities are using executions and court rulings to intimidate potential protesters.
As the U.S.-Iran ceasefire unfolds, Iran’s alarming rapid increase in executions signals a calculated strategy to crush any dissent.
— Barry Rosen (@brosen1501) May 17, 2026
Amnesty International reports that the regime is weaponizing the death penalty at an unprecedented rate.
The New York Times writes that "the…
US Senator Rick Scott said Iran still seeks to kill Americans and destroy Israel despite recent conflict involving Tehran, Washington and Tel Aviv.
“Iran wants to rebuild its weapons, they still hate this country, they still want to kill us, they still want to destroy Israel,” Scott said in an interview with Fox News on Saturday.
Scott also said Tehran of continuing to support Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, while praising US President Donald Trump’s approach toward Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian regime wants to kill us. We can’t let them. It’s that simple. pic.twitter.com/C949yDjHUb
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 17, 2026
The Israeli army has carried out an air strike on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.
Iran’s national football team will travel to Turkey on Monday for a training camp and friendlies ahead of the 2026 World Cup, while also completing visa procedures before heading to the United States, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said.
Mehdi Taj, head of the Iranian Football Federation, told Iranian media that no visas have been issued so far for the team. Taj is expected to hold talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino as Iranian officials seek assurances regarding the squad’s participation amid heightened regional tensions linked to the ongoing war.
After completing their preparations, Iran are expected to base themselves in Tucson, Arizona, for the tournament.
Videos show a group of Iranians living in New York holding a rally and march in Manhattan on Saturday in support of people in Iran and Prince Reza Pahlavi. They chanted “internet for Iran” and staged a performance protesting executions by the Islamic Republic, drawing attention to the situation in Iran.
ویدیوهای دریافتی نشان میدهد جمعی از ایرانیان ساکن نیویورک، شنبه ۲۶ اردیبهشت، در حمایت از مردم ایران و شاهزاده رضا پهلوی در منهتن تجمع و راهپیمایی برگزار کردند. آنها با فریاد «اینترنت برای ایران» و اجرای پرفورمنسی علیه اعدامهای جمهوری اسلامی، توجه جامعه جهانی را به وضعیت ایران… pic.twitter.com/AIEQOHJdXZ
— ايران اينترنشنال (@IranIntl) May 16, 2026
The United Kingdom says it has deployed a new “low-cost anti-drone system” on Royal Air Force jets in the Middle East.
“The new Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) will be fitted to RAF Typhoon fighter jets so that they can destroy targets precisely and at a fraction of the price of missiles currently used,” it said in a statement.
The deployment follows months of regional strikes in which Iran launched drones and missiles at multiple Gulf countries, including energy and military sites, as part of its broader response in the ongoing war.
From just a few kilometers off Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran maintains that the geo-strategically vital chokepoint remains open to all but closed to its adversaries, with passage requiring coordination with the Iranian military. Local sources note that while ship traffic through the Strait has slightly increased, it remains well below wartime levels.
Iran insists the US must lift its blockade on Iranian ships and vessels, while other major sticking points include the country’s nuclear dossier, especially its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, plus demands for sanctions relief, unfreezing of assets, war reparations, and security guarantees to avoid a cycle of war, temporary peace, and renewed confrontation.
Overall, the situation is defined by uncertainty, ambiguity, and complexity as observers wait to see whether diplomacy will be given a real chance to resolve these issues or if another round of conflict lies ahead.
The final of the Eurovision Song Contest is under way with tight security as critics voice concerns over Israel’s participation.
The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia – boycotting in protest.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s assassination of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad in Gaza calling it a “terrorist act”.
The statement came after Israel killed al-Haddad in a strike on Gaza City’s Remal neighbourhood on Friday that also left multiple civilians dead, including his wife and daughter.
Such attacks reflect Israel’s “desperation” and ongoing violations in Gaza, the ministry said, adding such attacks will not weaken Palestinian resistance.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi criticized the United States after a US federal court temporarily suspended sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. Responding to the ruling, Gharibabadi said “human rights in America’s lexicon are respected only until they reach the Israeli regime,” and accused Washington of reacting with “sanctions, threats and intimidation” when accountability over Gaza is raised.
He argued that sanctioning a UN special rapporteur “lays bare the true face of America’s human rights policy” and shows “double standards” that shield allies while punishing critics. Albanese welcomed the court’s decision earlier this week, saying it protected freedom of speech and thanking her family and supporters.
A fire at an engine oil plant in northwestern Iran has been completely extinguished, with no casualties reported, according to Iranian state media.
The USS Gerald R Ford, the world largest aircraft carrier, returned home to Virginia on Saturday after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, that saw it support the US war with Iran and the capture of Nicolas Maduro when he was Venezuela's president.
The most advanced US warship and two accompanying destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June.
Besides combat operations and traversing continents, the sailors aboard the carrier faced a noncombat-related fire that left hundreds without places to sleep and forced lengthy repairs on the Greek island of Crete.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand for the arrival of the warships, which included the destroyer USS Bainbridge.
Hegseth commended the crew of the Bainbridge for a "job well done". — AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Iran conflict with his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Kremlin said in the statement on Saturday.
"Both sides emphasised the importance of continuing the political and diplomatic process aimed at reaching compromise-based peace agreements," it said.
Putin also thanked the UAE for support in humanitarian issues related to the conflict in Ukraine. — Reuters
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday held talks with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on bilateral ties and regional developments amidst Islamabad's mediation efforts to end the US-Iran conflict, according to a media report.
Pakistan hosted the talks between the US and Iran last month but they failed to bridge the differences and a second round is still pending even as the two sides have been exchanging peace proposals through Islamabad.
Naqvi, who reached Tehran earlier in the day for a two-day official visit, was received at the airport by his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Mo'meni, Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim said.
The two interior ministers held a bilateral meeting during which they engaged in detailed discussions on Iran-Pakistan relations and the prospects for the resumption of peace negotiations, the news agency said. — PTI
Iran’s Interior Minister held “detailed” discussions with his visiting Pakistani counterpart on bilateral Iran-Pakistan relations and prospects for the resumption of peace talks, according to Iran’s Nournews.
Iran's head of parliament's national security committee Ebrahim Azizi said the designated Hormuz route will remain closed to operators associated with the “Freedom Project.”
Iran has prepared a mechanism to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route that will be unveiled soon, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee Ebrahim Azizi said on Saturday.
Azizi added that only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran would benefit from the arrangement. He said fees would be collected for specialised services provided under the mechanism. — Reuters
Iran’s mission to the United Nations has warned that any country co-sponsoring a US-backed draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz will share “international responsibility” for the consequences if Washington triggers a new military escalation.
The statement, published on X, accused the US of exploiting its list of co-sponsors to engineer a “false image” of broad international backing for unlawful actions and military adventurism.
It is now crystal clear that the U.S. is seeking to exploit the number of the so-called co-sponsors of its politically motivated and one-sided draft resolution to manufacture a false image of “broad international support” for its ongoing unlawful actions and to pave the way for…
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) May 15, 2026
Israeli warplanes have launched air attacks on the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif in southern Lebanon this morning, the country’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.
The towns of Kfar Tebnit, Arnoun, and Yohmor al-Shaqif, as well as the Arnoun-Kfar Tebnit road, have also come under heavy artillery bombardment, NNA said.
Turkiye has not commented on the arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, whom the US charged as a senior figure in the Iran-aligned Kataib Hezbollah and with roles in multiple attacks.
His defense lawyer, Andrew Dalack, said al-Saadi was taken into custody in Turkiye and later transferred to the US, where he was charged Friday. FBI Director Kash Patel said FBI personnel arrested al-Saadi and credited US envoy to Ankara Tom Barrack for leading the joint sequenced operation that brought him to the United States.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health is reporting that a young man has been killed by Israeli forces in the Jenin refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank, as reported by Aljazeera.
The Ali Soueidan family has not left their house since Israel renewed its air attacks and ground invasion of Lebanon on March 2.
The Israeli strikes have already levelled another of the family’s homes in southern Lebanon, and despite their Beirut home being half destroyed, they are not moving.
Israeli forces and settlers carried out raids and attacks across several West Bank villages. On Friday, incidents were reported in Salfit, Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jenin governorates, according to the Wafa news agency News Agency.
In Az-Zawiya west of Salfit, troops raided homes, searched residents and closed the town’s main see Notes.
In Adh Dhahiriya near Hebron, a Palestinian was shot and injured in the thigh by an Israeli settler, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said.
China’s UN ambassador to the United Nations has criticised a proposed US-Bahraini resolution at the UN Security Council on the Strait of Hormuz, saying the content and timing were not right and that passing such a resolution would not be helpful.
The draft resolution demands Iran halt attacks and mining in the strait, but diplomats have said it is likely to meet with Russian and Chinese vetoes if it comes to a vote.
The UAE’s Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed has met Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
According to a readout posted on the Emirati Foreign Ministry’s X account, bin Zayed discussed with Farage the “latest regional developments and the repercussions of the unprovoked Iranian terrorist attacks targeting the UAE”.
The statement also said the two discussed UK-UAE “strategic relations”.
The meeting took place during a wider visit by the Emirati foreign minister to the UK, where he also met David Lammy, the UK’s deputy prime minister.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, has cited a passage from the Martinican poet and political thinker Aime Cesaire’s seminal anti-colonial text Discourse on Colonialism in what appears to be a rebuke of the US as “a decadent civilisation”.
Cesaire, who was one of the foundational voices of the “Negritude” movement, wrote Discourse on Colonialism in 1950 as a deep critique of European imperialism and the moral contradictions embedded in colonial “civilisation”.
Baghaei has previously drawn on literary figures to frame contemporary geopolitical events.
A civilization that proves incapable of solving the problems it creates is a decadent civilization;
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) May 15, 2026
A civilization that chooses to close its eyes to its most crucial problems is a sick civilization;
A civilization that plays fast and loose with its principles is a dying…
The Israeli army said alerts were activated following a “false” alarm regarding infiltration by a “hostile aircraft” in the Majdal Shams area of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
New York Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has posted a video marking the Nakba, Arabic for “catastrophe,” the displacement of an estimated 750,000 Palestinians during the establishment of the state of Israel.
The video features Inea, a New Yorker, who says she lived through the events from 1948 onwards in Palestine.
Today marks Nakba Day, an annual day of remembrance to commemorate the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians between 1947 and 1949 during the creation of the State of Israel and the year that followed.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 15, 2026
Inea is a New Yorker and a Nakba survivor. She shared her story with us… pic.twitter.com/z2PBOaJq5Z
The United Arab Emirates has released a statement emphasising its “firm approach based on supporting the security and stability of the region”.
The Foreign Ministry “condemned in the strongest terms the Iranian attacks and threats that targeted the state and the countries of the region”.
This included “the launching of approximately 3,000 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones toward the United Arab Emirates”. The statement said the strikes “resulted in deaths and injuries among civilians in addition to damage caused to civil infrastructure”.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the American people will bear rising economic costs from what he described as a “war of choice” on Iran, pointing to higher US Treasury yields and warning of pressure on debt, mortgages and consumer loans.
Araghchi highlighted rising 2-, 10- and 30-year yields as evidence of tightening financial conditions.
He also argued energy prices and household credit stress would worsen, calling the situation entirely “avoidable” after the US and Israel launched the war on his country.
Americans are told that they must absorb rocketing costs of war of choice on Iran.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 15, 2026
Put aside gas price hike and stock market bubble. Real pain begins when U.S. debt and mortgage rates start to jump. Auto loan delinquencies are already at 30+-year high.
This was all avoidable. pic.twitter.com/dhjcdzTOHc
Iran’s mission to the United Nations says the United States is trying to “manufacture a false image” of broad international backing by highlighting the number of co-sponsors of a Bahrain-backed UN draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz.
It warned any states backing the text could share “international responsibility” if escalation follows, adding there is “no political excuse or diplomatic cover” for what it described as enabling US “aggression”.
The resolution – supported by the US and Bahrain with backing from Gulf states – calls for freedom of navigation and an end to Iranian attacks in the Gulf.
It is now crystal clear that the U.S. is seeking to exploit the number of the so-called co-sponsors of its politically motivated and one-sided draft resolution to manufacture a false image of “broad international support” for its ongoing unlawful actions and to pave the way for…
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) May 15, 2026
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah says its fighters launched 33 attacks on Israeli soldiers inside southern Lebanon on Friday.
The group outlined its use of rockets, drones, roadside bombs, and artillery in a statement.
The attacks focused on Israeli troop clusters and armoured vehicles located throughout various frontier villages and ravines in southern Lebanon, said Hezbollah.
The President in an interview that aired Friday evening on Fox News Channel appeared to downplay the threat that China may use force to reunite Taiwan, a self-governing island, with the mainland.
“It’s not a takeover. They just don’t want to see this place — we’ll call it a place because nobody knows how to define it — but they don’t want to see it go independent,” Trump said.
He said that he didn’t think China would do anything if things remained status quo. But he said if the country did, “they probably would do something pretty harsh, and then they would be met harshly and bad things will happen.”
Trump also suggested Xi would hold off on making any aggressive moves on Taiwan while he remains in the White House. That echoes comments he has made about the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and Russia’s war with Ukraine, declaring neither would have happened if he was in office at the time.
“I don’t think they’ll do anything when I’m here. When I’m not here. I think they might, to be honest with you,” Trump said.
AP
Israeli forces set up a post in the desert in Iraq at the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Iraqi and U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
The existence of the secret Israeli military facility was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which described it as a base housing special forces and serving as a logistical hub for the Israeli air force.
The reports of a secret base stirred up a furor in Iraq. Officials there have said that Iraqi army forces investigated reports of an unauthorized military force in the Nukhaib desert — a barren area to the southwest of the cities of Karbala and Najaf — in early March and came under fire while en route to the location.
Iraqi officials have confirmed the presence of a small, short-term unauthorized force in the desert, but have not said that it was Israeli. However, two Iraqi security and intelligence officials and a senior U.S. military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said that it was.
AP
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire that has tamped down the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, as two days of talks facilitated by Washington concluded on Friday with an agreement to hold further meetings in the coming weeks.
"The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on X, adding that the talks aimed at settling decades of conflict between the two countries were "highly productive." The ceasefire was set to expire on Sunday.
The Lebanese and Israeli delegations issued positive statements about the talks, their third meeting since Israel intensified air attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on March 2, three days into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Israel's bombing campaign and ground invasion into Lebanon's south displaced some 1.2 million people, before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire last month following initial talks between the two countries' ambassadors in Washington.
Hezbollah and Israel have continued to trade blows, with hostilities focused in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are occupying a self-declared security zone.
The US-led mediation between Lebanon and Israel has emerged in parallel to diplomacy aimed at ending the US-Iran conflict. Iran has said ending Israel's war in Lebanon is one of its demands for a deal over the wider conflict.
Reuters
The State Department says the second and final of two days of talks between Israel and Lebanon are underway in Washington ahead of the weekend expiration of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
AP
The Pentagon is drawing down thousands of troops in Europe by stopping units from deploying to Poland and Germany as opposed to yanking those already stationed there.
Several US officials confirmed that 4,000 troops from an Army brigade are no longer en route to Poland this week. The Trump administration had previously said it was cutting U.S. forces only in Germany.
The canceled deployment came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo directing a brigade combat team to be moved out of Europe, according to two US officials who like the others spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.
One of them said the choice of which unit was left to military leaders. The memo also led to the cancellation of an upcoming deployment to Germany of a battalion trained in firing long-range rockets and missiles, the two officials said.
AP
Iran ’s foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the U.S., saying Friday that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages have “made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans.”“We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters in New Delhi, adding that negotiations would move forward if Washington was ready for a “fair and balanced deal.”U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran's latest formal proposal as “garbage.” — AP
India can play a "greater role" in bringing peace to West Asia because of its friendly ties with almost all countries in the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday, amid mounting global concern over the economic fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran.
His remarks at a press conference in New Delhi came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Abu Dhabi that India is ready to extend all possible support to bring peace in the region.
Araghchi was in the national capital on a three-day visit to attend a conclave of the BRICS foreign ministers hosted by India. — PTI
Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranian nationals, who were aboard vessels seized by the U.S. in the high seas, have been repatriated. — Reuters
On freezing Iranian uranium enrichment, US President Donald Trump says, "Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them has to be a real 20 years."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | On freezing Iranian uranium enrichment, US President Donald Trump says, "Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them has to be a real 20 years."
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 15, 2026
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/4EKsa69Hi0
The United Arab Emirates will accelerate construction of a new oil pipeline to double its export capacity via the port of Fujairah by 2027, the government's Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Friday, vastly expanding its ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed directed the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to fast-track the West-East Pipeline project during an executive committee meeting, ADMO said, adding the pipeline is under construction and expected to start operating next year.
Since the outbreak of the Iran war, Tehran has significantly expanded its definition of the strait and, consequently, the maritime area it claims control over.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy published a map on May 4 showing a new zone of control encompassing much of the UAE's Gulf of Oman coastline. That move coincided with a drone attack on an ADNOC tanker and a barrage on Fujairah's oil zone, which the UAE's foreign ministry called an "unacceptable transgression" and "economic blackmail."
On Tuesday, the IRGC announced a further expansion, redefining the strait as a "vast operational area" stretching up to 300 miles (482.8 km) wide. — Reuters
When asked if he has rejected the latest proposal from Iran, US President Donald Trump said, "Well, I looked at it and if I don't like the first sentence, I just throw it away."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsReporter: Have you rejected the latest proposal from Iran or where does that stand?
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 15, 2026
Trump: Well, I looked at it and if I don't like the first sentence, I just throw it away.
Reporter: What was the first sentence?
Trump: An unacceptable sentence. If they have any nuclear in any… pic.twitter.com/K2Ptswdr1a
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had clarified to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that Iran would continue to fulfil what he described as its historic responsibility as a protector of security in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sharing a clip from his speech during BRICS FMs summit, Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, "Iran's resistance against U.S. bullying is not an unfamiliar battle. So many of us encounter slight variations of same repugnant coercion. High time for us to jointly step up and work towards making clear that those practices belong in dustbin of history."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsTold BRICS FMs summit: Iran's resistance against U.S. bullying is not an unfamiliar battle. So many of us encounter slight variations of same repugnant coercion. High time for us to jointly step up and work towards making clear that those practices belong in dustbin of history. https://t.co/9iyyxMfR55
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 15, 2026
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Iran must return to the negotiating table immediately and stressed that Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, Merz also said Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is prepared both to resume fighting if necessary and to pursue diplomatic solutions to resolve the ongoing crisis.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would welcome any steps taken by China to help ease the situation and support efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the mediation efforts led by Pakistan have not collapsed but are facing difficulties. He also said contradictory messages from the United States have made Tehran doubtful about Washington’s true intentions regarding negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is fully aware of the consequences of sanctions imposed by the United States, adding that there can be no solution to the West Asia crisis other than a negotiated settlement.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has become “very complicated,” adding that all vessels would be allowed to pass through the strategic waterway except those belonging to countries that are at war with Iran. — Reuters
Tehran has "no trust" in the U.S. and is interested in negotiating with Washington only if it is serious, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday.
Iran is trying to keep the ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance, he told reporters in New Delhi during a visit to attend the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting. — Reuters
Oil prices gained more than 3% on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran is running out, adding to concerns over the lack of progress on a peace deal to end ship attacks and seizures around the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures gained $3.47, or 3.3%, to $109.19 a barrel by 0925 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up $3.72, or 3.7%, at $104.89.
Over the week, Brent has climbed 7.8% and WTI 9.9% on uncertainty over the shaky ceasefire in the Iran conflict. After talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said they agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, adding that he is losing patience with Tehran.
"Market focus is back on the deadlock and a blockaded Strait of Hormuz, with a tail risk of renewed military escalation," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights. — Reuters
European gas prices rose on Friday morning, following oil markets higher after U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out, sparking concerns of renewed conflict.
The benchmark Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub was up 1.435 euro at 49.09 euros per megawatt hour (MWh), or around $16.74 /mmBtu, at 0818 GMT, ICE data showed.
The British June contract was up 4.25 pence at 121.03 pence per therm, ICE data showed.
Trump said on Friday his patience with Iran is running out and he had agreed in talks with China's Xi Jinping that Tehran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
“For now, the Beijing summit between President Trump and China's President Xi Jinping is not delivering any breakthrough on Iran. So, the market focus is back on the deadlock of the negotiations between the United States and Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,” analysts at Engie Energy Scan said. (Reuters)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condemned the attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid the ongoing war in West Asia. "We condemn attacks on UAE. The way UAE has been targeted is not acceptable," PM Modi said during the talks with UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Prime Minister's comments came as India and the UAE signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on his visit to Dubai. The two BRICs partners signed pacts on strategic defence cooperation, petroleum reserves and supply of liquefied petroleum gas, officials told news agency Reuters on Friday.
"The impact of West Asia conflict is being felt globally," PM Modi said, adding that "India is ready to extend all possible support to bring peace."
Since the US-Israeli war against Iran began on February 28, the UAE has borne the brunt of Iranian retaliatory drone and missile strikes. The country faced nearly 2,500 attacks, including around 500 ballistic missiles, 2,000 drones and more than two dozen cruise missiles before Washington and Tehran announced a ceasefire in early April.
VIDEO | PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) and United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witness exchange of MoUs between India and UAE, in Abu Dhabi.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 15, 2026
PM Modi landed in the UAE earlier today, marking the beginning of a five-nation visit that will also… pic.twitter.com/ESgsS7KmDa
As India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit, EAM S Jaishankar held talks with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He said they held a detailed conversation, discussing the situation in West Asia and the implications of the war.
The war has virtually halted all trade through the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime chokepoint through which about a half of India's oil imports, 60 per cent of its LNG imports and a staggering 90 per cent of its LPG imports passed through. Since the beginning of the conflict on February 28, India has taken host of measures to offset the impact of the war on energy consumers, including invoking the Essential Commodities Act to regulate the production and supply of natural gas and prioritize Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked citizens to take steps to offset the impact of the energy supply disruptions due to the war in West Asia. Among these measures were avoiding non-essential foreign travel and gold purchases for a year.
While global oil prices increased by about 50 percent, Indian oil companies have cushioned the blow on domestic consumers. However, prices have gradually kept increasing, and in the lasted, oil companies on Friday announced a hike of Rs 3 per litre for petrol and diesel.
Had a detailed conversation with FM Abbas Araghchi of Iran this morning in Delhi. @araghchi
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 15, 2026
Discussed the situation in West Asia and its implications. Also exchanged views on bilateral issues of mutual interest.
Appreciate his participation in #bricsindia2026 pic.twitter.com/cLaM0l15hI
Oil prices gained more than 1% after President Donald Trump said he would not be much more patient with Iran and as concerns persisted over ship attacks and seizures despite Tehran saying about 30 vessels had passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude oil futures rose $1.32, or 1.25%, to $107.04 a barrel by 0425 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up $1.33, or 1.31%, to $102.50.
For the week, Brent has climbed nearly 6%, while WTI has jumped more than 7%, on uncertainty over the shaky ceasefire in the Iran conflict.
"I am not going to be much more patient," Trump said in an interview aired on Thursday night on Fox News. "They should make a deal."
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday morning that China was being very pragmatic about involvement with Iran, and it was important to China to have the Strait of Hormuz open, in an interview with Bloomberg.
Trump and China's President Xi Jinping are set to meet on Friday to wrap up a two-day state visit that has featured pomp and business deals.
"With the Beijing summit not delivering any breakthrough on Iran, market focus is back on the deadlock and a blockaded Strait, with a tail risk of renewed military escalation," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.
Among deals the market was looking out for from the summit, Trump said China wants to buy oil from the United States. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping do not want Iran to have nuclear weapons and "want the straits open".
He said “we feel very similar about (how) we want it to end” referring to the war in West Asia.
The two leaders met at the walled-off Zhongnanhai complex in Beijing as Trump wraps up his state visit to China, which marked the first visit by a US President since 2017.
"We've settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn't have been able to solve," Trump said.
Earlier, agencies reported that Trump also said that the Chinese President Xi Jinping offered his help to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement Friday, said that a solution should “take into account the concerns of all parties on the Iran nuclear issue.” “Shipping routes should be reopened as soon as possible,” the ministry said.
US President Donald Trump has reiterated the US' key demands as peace talks remain stalled, “We feel very similarly about how we want this to end. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon, and we want the Straits open.”
Iran has been refusing to end its nuclear program or relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium.
Meanwhile, trade along the Strait of Hormuz has remained halted, as global The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has been targeting vessels bypassing Tehran’s restrictions, forcing them to take an alternate route through its territorial waters and pay hefty tolls.
Iran established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a government agency to formalise the toll collection. Tehran has also repeatedly demanded that the US recognise Iran's sovereignty over the Strait. As part of its initial peace proposal, Iran proposed a tolling mechanism under which revenues would be shared between Iran and Oman, arguing that the Strait lies within the territorial waters of the two countries.
While the Strait of Hormuz may lie in the territorial waters of the two countries, both westbound and eastbound shipping lanes — under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) — lie entirely within the territorial waters of Oman.
Meanwhile, the US Navy has maintained its blockade on Iranian ports. Trump said Washington will focus on restoring maritime traffic and returning the status quo to pre-war levels.
When asked in the interview about the necessity to retrieve enriched uranium from Iran, US President Donald Trump suggested the quest was not necessary except for public relations purposes.
"I don't think it's necessary except from a public relations standpoint," Trump said in the interview.
"I just feel better if I got it, actually. But it's, I think, it's more for public relations than it is for anything else."
The U.S., one of nine countries in the world recognized as having nuclear weapons, insists that Iran should move its highly enriched uranium stockpile abroad and renounce domestic enrichment. Tehran, which does not have nuclear weapons, denies seeking them but says it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iranian parliamentary spokesman Ebrahim Rezaei said on Tuesday that the country could enrich uranium up to 90% purity, a level considered weapons-grade, if Iran was attacked again. (Reuters)
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