Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Iran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United States on Friday, in ​some of his toughest criticism yet of Tehran and its Lebanese ‌ally Hezbollah as it wages war with Israel.

In a CNN interview, Aoun said “the people of Lebanon are paying the price … for the sake” of Iran’s interests, and were “fed up” with war between Israel ​and Hezbollah - comments reflecting deep divisions along Lebanon’s confessional and political faultlines.

“They are ​using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiation with the ⁠United States,” Aoun said of Iran, according to excerpts of the interview published on ​the CNN website. “It’s unacceptable.”

Hezbollah, founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, ignited ​the latest hostilities more than three months ago when it opened fire in solidarity with Tehran as the US-Israel attacked Iran.

Aoun, who led the Lebanese military before becoming head of state, ​is a Maronite Christian, as required by Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing arrangements.

He has pressed ​for the peaceful disarmament of Hezbollah since being elected head of state by parliament last year. ‌Early in ⁠the war, he called for face-to-face talks with Israel, further setting him at odds with the group.

Iran has made a Lebanon ceasefire a condition for any peace deal with Washington in the wider regional conflict that began with the US-Israeli attack on ​Tehran on February 28.

On ​Thursday, Hezbollah rejected a ⁠ceasefire plan agreed by Lebanese and Israeli government officials in US-mediated talks in Washington. The deal would be contingent on Hezbollah ​ceasing fire and its fighters withdrawing from southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah leader ​Naim Qassem ⁠said in a written statement on Thursday that the Washington agreement was rejected by “broad segments of the Lebanese people”.

Addressing Qassem, Aoun said: “The Lebanese people are not your people”.

Israeli attacks ⁠have killed ​thousands of people in Lebanon since March and ​displaced some 1.2 million people, Lebanese authorities say. Israeli troops have occupied a swathe of southern Lebanon.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday rejected Iranian claims that its navy fired warning shots at US warships in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran’s navy had earlier said it launched warning missiles and drones toward US vessels, accusing the US Navy of harassing maritime traffic and seizing commercial ships and oil tankers, according to Iranian state media.

CENTCOM responded on X, calling the Iranian claims “FALSE” and saying that Iranian forces did not attack or fire at US warships. “Doing so would be a gross violation of the ceasefire. US forces continue to operate freely in regional waters while fully enforcing the ongoing blockade against Iran,” the tweet said.

Iran’s navy said on Friday it had fired ​warning missiles and drones at ‌US warships in the Gulf of Oman, saying that the US Navy ​was harassing maritime traffic ​and seizing commercial vessels and oil ⁠tankers, Iranian state media ​reported.

Earlier, the US Indo-Pacific Command said ​US forces had intercepted the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T DAVINA in the ​Indian Ocean overnight.

“We will continue ​global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks ‌and ⁠interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” it said in a post ​on ​X.

The exchange ⁠comes amid heightened tensions over maritime security around ​Iran, as Washington enforces ​sanctions ⁠on Iranian oil shipments and Tehran has repeatedly threatened shipping ⁠in ​and around the ​Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has reaffirmed support for its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and demanded Israel withdraw from southern Lebanon, ​underscoring complications facing an interim deal to end the broader conflict between the US and Iran.

Iran has made a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah a condition for ‌any peace deal with Washington to resolve the regional war, now in its fourth month, and restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest round of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel erupted at the start of March, two days after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Hezbollah said its actions were in support of Tehran.

“This war will end only when it ends in Lebanon as well,” Iranian Foreign ​Minister Abbas Araghchi told Lebanese TV station Al Mayadeen late on Thursday.

“The end of the war in Lebanon must be accompanied by the withdrawal of Israeli forces ​from the territories they have occupied,” he said.

The comments came after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected a US-brokered pact between Israel and the ⁠Lebanese government to halt the fighting in Lebanon. The deal did not provide for an Israeli withdrawal, and Hezbollah had not been party to the negotiations.

Israel has kept up strikes ​in southern Lebanon, and has said its forces would not withdraw or halt operations in the country.

Fighting flares across region despite ceasefires

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said ​Hezbollah had “made great sacrifices in the recent war and it is our ally. Therefore, we support Hezbollah and remain firmly committed to our obligations toward it.”

In comments reported by the semi-official Mehr news agency, he cautioned Israel against following through on threats to resume strikes against the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

“Today, we again warn this sinister regime to leave Lebanon. They should know that Lebanon will be an inseparable part of ​any agreement and any ceasefire.”

In Washington, President Donald Trump told reporters he believed progress was being made in Lebanon and the country deserved to have peace, adding, “It’s been going on ​for a long time, you know.”

Along with Lebanon, residents of Gaza, northern Israel and Kuwait have all been under fire this week, despite US-arranged ceasefires that Trump said involved “shooting in a more moderate manner,” rather ‌than a ⁠total halt to fighting.

On Wednesday, Iranian and US forces traded attacks in the Gulf in one of the most intense bouts of fighting since early April, when a ceasefire halted large-scale hostilities.

On Friday, an alleged drone attack forced the suspension of oil loading at the Mina al Fahal terminal in Oman after an explosion, two people familiar with the matter said, before normal operations resumed.

Interim deal would leave complex issues for later

After the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, Iran fired missiles and drones against Gulf states hosting ​US bases and largely stopped shipping through ​the Strait of Hormuz.

Trade remains at a ⁠fraction of its former levels through the waterway, which previously carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

The conflict has driven up oil prices and disrupted supply chains for other products. The UN World Food Programme warned on Friday that it was pushing millions ​of people closer to hunger due to rising fuel and transport costs.

The US and Iran have been engaged in largely indirect negotiations to secure an interim ⁠deal to halt the war that would leave issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme, to further negotiations.

As part of any agreement, Tehran wants access to billions of dollars in oil revenue, waivers on sanctions on crude exports, a lifting of a US blockade on its ports and leverage over the strait.

Trump, who has said his top priority is to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, told reporters ⁠Washington did ​not need a deal with Iran to extract enriched uranium from the country.

“I don’t think they could stop ​us if we wanted, but there’s no reason to,” he said in the Oval Office. “It’s entombed.”

Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes. Iranian parliament deputy speaker Hamid-Reza Haji Babaei said on Friday that uranium enrichment ​was Iran’s right, and that Trump had failed to understand that Iran’s “most powerful atomic bomb” was the Strait of Hormuz.

The Foreign Office on Thursday firmly rejected reports alleging that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shared information regarding Iran’s nuclear programme during a recent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, describing the claims as speculative and baseless.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing, spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said the allegations were unfounded and appeared aimed at undermining ongoing diplomatic engagements to ease US-Iran tensions.

Andrabi said Dar’s meeting with Rubio on May 29 included a detailed exchange of views on developments in the Middle East and other regional issues.

He added that Pakistan welcomed the United States’ constructive role in efforts to secure peace between Lebanon and Israel.

Referring to reports of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel brokered through US efforts, the spokesperson described the development as encouraging and expressed hope for lasting peace in the region.

Responding to a question on the water aggression by India, Andrabi said Pakistan had taken note of reports that New Delhi had invited bids for the Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel project, which aims to divert up to 1.9 million acre-feet of water annually from the Chenab River to the Beas River.

He said any diversion of waters from the Chenab constituted a serious violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.

The spokesperson also raised concerns over a proposed sediment-flushing project at the Salal Dam, saying both initiatives violated the Indus Waters Treaty, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and international water laws.

According to Andrabi, India neither provided prior notification nor held consultations with Pakistan regarding the projects.

He warned that attempts to use water as a political tool were dangerous and could threaten Pakistan’s economy and regional stability.

“Pakistan will not accept India’s illegal attempts against its water security and reserves all options to protect its rights,” he said.

On Afghanistan, the spokesperson said Pakistan’s advocacy of dialogue also applied to relations with Kabul and that there were no restrictions on negotiations or diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan.

However, he stressed that Pakistan could not allow the continuation of terrorist attacks originating from Afghan territory.

Andrabi said he was not aware of any planned Pakistan-Afghanistan talks in Istanbul.

Commenting on broader regional diplomacy, he said temporary setbacks in the Middle East should not discourage efforts toward peace and reiterated Pakistan’s optimism regarding ongoing negotiations.

He added that Pakistan remained willing to host a future round of talks between Iran and the United States if requested.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday warned that the country’s adversaries were seeking to weaken public resilience and sow divisions after suffering what he described as defeats at the hands of Iran’s armed forces.

In a message marking the 37th anniversary of the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei said Iran’s enemies had shifted from direct confrontation to what he called “hybrid warfare” tactics.

The message was delivered during commemorative ceremonies attended by millions of Iranians at Khomeini’s mausoleum in southern Tehran, as well as events marking a major religious occasion.

Khamenei said Iran’s opponents had experienced “profound humiliation” both on the battlefield and in the public sphere and were now focused on two objectives: undermining public morale and creating miscalculations among Iranian officials.

“The malicious enemy, having been defeated in its confrontation with your brave sons in the armed forces, has concentrated its efforts on weakening the people’s resilience and creating miscalculations among the country’s officials,” he said.

The Supreme Leader called for national unity and vigilance, urging Iranians to resist efforts aimed at creating pessimism, frustration, or internal discord.

He warned that any action that weakened public confidence or deepened divisions would effectively serve the interests of Iran’s enemies.

Iran does not seek war but remains prepared to defend itself if necessary, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, asserting that the country’s military capabilities have strengthened despite months of conflict.

In an interview with Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television network, Araghchi said Tehran wanted peace, but only on terms it considered honourable.

“We have never sought war. We want peace, but an honourable peace,” he said, while stressing that Iran was prepared to continue fighting if required.

Araghchi said Iran had maintained military production throughout the conflict that began on February 28 and argued that the country’s armed forces were now in a stronger position than before the war.

“Our military position is even stronger than it was before the war,” he said, adding that Iran had the capacity to sustain military operations “for as long as necessary.”

The foreign minister also claimed the conflict had altered Washington’s perception of Iran’s capabilities, saying the US had failed to achieve its objectives, including what he described as an initial demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

On diplomacy, Araghchi said there was currently no formal negotiation process underway between Tehran and Washington, although communication channels remained open.

He noted that recent contacts had produced no significant progress.

He added that any future negotiations would be based on Iran’s national interests, the rights of its people and efforts to secure an end to the conflicts in both Iran and Lebanon.

Araghchi reiterated that Tehran viewed developments in Lebanon and Iran as interconnected, insisting that a lasting agreement would require an end to hostilities on both fronts.

“We do not consider the fate of the war between Iran and the United States and Israel to be separate from the fate of the war in Lebanon,” he said.

The Iranian foreign minister also said Tehran had warned Washington that any Israeli attack on Beirut would effectively end the ceasefire and trigger a response from Iran’s armed forces.

Commenting on Hezbollah, Araghchi described the Lebanese group as an integral part of the country’s society, political system and defence structure, arguing that it could not be ignored or removed despite the killing of several of its senior leaders.

“Resistance is an ideal. Resistance is not dependent on an individual,” he said.

The Republican-led US House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to block President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran, reflecting ​growing concern among members of his party about the three-month-old conflict.

The House voted 215 to 208, as four Republicans voted with Democrats in ‌favour of the war powers resolution, which directs Trump to withdraw US troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorises the use of military force.

It was the latest setback for Trump in Congress despite his party’s slim majorities in both the House and Senate.

For now, the vote is largely symbolic, as legislation must pass both the House and the Senate to take effect, and there is debate over whether war powers resolutions would be constitutional even if approved by Congress.

The vote, nonetheless, reflects unease among some Republicans ​over Trump’s handling of the conflict and marks a rare bipartisan effort to curb presidential war powers as the war has entered ⁠a fourth month.

Three previous war powers resolutions had failed in the House by increasingly slim margins, and the chamber’s Republican leaders abruptly postponed a vote on this one ​last month when it looked likely to pass.

The Senate advanced a separate, but similar resolution last month in a procedural vote, after seven previous attempts had failed.

Further votes on the ​Senate measure have not yet been scheduled.

The four House Republicans who voted for the war powers resolution were Representatives Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

No Democrats voted against it. Seven House members did not vote.

Recent pushback against Trump

Trump has recently faced some opposition from members of his party in Congress, after months in which very ​few Republicans pushed back against his policy initiatives.

Separately on Wednesday, the House approved a procedural motion that clears the way for a vote on the Ukraine Support Act, ​which would provide security aid to Ukraine as it fights a Russian attack.

The act reached the floor only after a petition reached a 218-signature threshold last month to move ahead.

Six Republicans and one independent ‌who normally ⁠votes with Republicans voted in favour of the Ukraine measure.

Republicans recently have revolted against Trump’s plans to create a “weaponisation“ fund to pay his political allies who said they had been the subject of government abuse.

Republican lawmakers on Wednesday also criticised Trump’s pick of loyalist Bill Pulte — a mortgage regulator with no national security experience — to serve as acting director of national intelligence.

Separation of powers

Democrats have called on Trump to come to Congress for authorisation to use military force in the Iran conflict, noting that the US Constitution ​says only the legislature, not the president, ​can declare war.

They warned that Trump ⁠may have pulled the country into a long conflict without setting out a clear strategy and also railed against higher prices for gasoline, food and other products since the joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran began on February 28.

“The passage of this ​WPR today signals a significant turning point: more and more Republicans are listening to their constituents who do not want ​another open-ended war in ⁠the Middle East,” Representative Gregory Meeks, who sponsored the war powers resolution and serves as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement after the vote.

Democrats have made affordability a central theme of their economic message ahead of the midterm elections in November, which will decide whether Republicans keep control of Congress.

US producer prices posted their biggest ⁠increase in four ​years in April, boosted by soaring costs for goods and services since the war began.

The Trump ​administration insists that the war on Iran is necessary for US national security, citing an urgent need to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Republican critics of the war powers resolutions call them ​political grandstanding by Democrats who want to weaken the United States and score points against Trump.

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is directly involved in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, adding that the two sides “seem to be getting along quite well.”

Speaking in an interview with Pod Force One, Trump said Khamenei was playing an active role in the talks and suggested a meeting between them could take place in the future.

“He’s involved, absolutely. I think they have a lot of respect for him,” Trump said.

“We’ll probably meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”

Trump also claimed that Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons, describing the commitment as a key condition in ongoing negotiations, according to Anadolu.

“We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

“They’ve already agreed they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. They can change their mind, but that was one of the things they had to agree to, and that was the big thing.”

The United States and Israel have said concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme and what they described as imminent threats from Tehran were the main reasons behind the military campaign launched on February 28.

While active hostilities have paused, diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent end to the conflict are continuing under Pakistan’s mediation.

Trump expressed optimism about the negotiations, saying discussions were progressing positively.

“Talks are rapidly evolving, and it’s evolving good. It’s going to be very good,” he said, adding that “lots of really good things are going to happen.”

US President Donald Trump said Iran has agreed not to have a nuclear weapon and that he would ​probably meet with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei at some point ‌if things “work out”.

“They’ve already agreed they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told “Pod Force One” in an interview broadcast on Wednesday, ​while speaking about Iran.

Asked about Khamenei’s involvement in talks ​with the US on ending hostilities, Trump said, “He’s involved, ⁠absolutely. … I think they have a lot of respect ​for him.”

Trump said he was hearing Iran’s leader was not doing ​too well, but was giving his approval during the negotiations. Trump added that he had not had “the privilege of meeting” Khamenei.

“I’d like to ​meet him. We probably will meet at some point, depending ​on how it all works out,” Trump said.

The US president said he ‌viewed ⁠the Iran war as a success because the country’s military had been defeated. The conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has upended the global energy market and ​has proven unpopular ​with Americans months ⁠before the November congressional elections.

“Iran’s a big success,” Trump said in the interview. “We’ll see what happens. ​We’re going to, we’re working on a deal, ​and ⁠that happens fine. If it doesn’t happen, that’s OK too. We’ll do it the other way.”

He did not specify what that ⁠might ​mean, but he has said in the ​past that the US would resume strikes.

An exchange of messages between Iran and the US aimed at reaching a memorandum of understanding to end the ongoing conflict has stopped in recent days, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency has reported, citing a source familiar with the negotiations.

According to the report, the latest communication from Tehran to Washington included what it described as “a clear message about Lebanon,” though no further details were provided.

The claim comes amid conflicting accounts over the status of indirect talks between the two sides.

Iranian media outlets, including Fars and Tasnim, said communication with mediators over a possible ceasefire extension had been halted as tensions escalated in the wider regional conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

However, US President Donald Trump rejected the assertion, insisting that discussions were continuing regularly.

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump said in a social media post, calling reports of a breakdown in talks “false and erroneous.”

He added that while negotiations were ongoing, “where they lead, one never knows,” urging Tehran to “make a deal one way or another.”

Separately, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held telephone discussions with counterparts from France, Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

The diplomatic outreach came shortly after a series of drone and missile strikes attributed to Iran targeting Kuwait and Bahrain, which Tehran said were carried out in response to “US aggression.”

Funeral and farewell ceremonies for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be held in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad before his burial at the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Iranian officials have announced.

Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh, Tehran’s deputy mayor for social and cultural affairs, said preparations were underway for what authorities expect to be one of the largest public gatherings in Iran’s history.

Officials estimate that between 15 and 20 million mourners could attend ceremonies in Tehran alone.

A three-day programme has been planned to allow the public to pay their final respects, with the main events expected to take place at the end of Zul Hijjah and the beginning of Muharram.

According to Tavakolizadeh, funeral prayers and a mass procession will be held in the capital, with the Tehran procession expected to last at least 24 hours.

The body will then be taken to Qom before being transferred to Mashhad for burial.

He said the decision to bury Khamenei near the shrine of Imam Reza was made in accordance with the wishes of those close to the late leader.

Authorities expect large numbers of mourners from across the region to travel to Mashhad, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Kashmir and other parts of South Asia.

Tavakolizadeh said preparations were also being coordinated with municipalities across the country to accommodate the expected influx of pilgrims.

Cities surrounding Tehran have been tasked with providing accommodation and logistical support, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will oversee overall management of the funeral arrangements.

He added that symbolic mourning ceremonies had already been held in several countries, particularly Iraq, and that large-scale commemorative events were anticipated across parts of the Muslim world, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Kashmir and Yemen.

Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in an air strike targeting his office and residence in Tehran on February 28.

Iran launched a series of missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and civilian shipping routes in the Gulf during the early hours of Wednesday, according to US military officials.

The attacks included ballistic missiles aimed at regional neighbours, with one of the targets being the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.

However, the US military said all incoming threats were successfully neutralised before reaching their intended targets.

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward neighbouring countries, but none struck their objectives.

“Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbours; however, all failed to hit their intended targets,” CENTCOM said.

According to CENTCOM, two missiles fired toward Kuwait City, Kuwait, either fell short or broke apart during flight, while three missiles launched toward Bahrain were intercepted by combined US and Bahraini air defence systems.

Earlier in the night, US forces also shot down three one-way attack drones allegedly launched by Iran toward civilian vessels navigating the Gulf waters.

Military officials said the drones posed a threat to commercial shipping operating legally in the region.

Before the strikes, US forces carried out what CENTCOM described as “self-defence strikes” against an Iranian military ground control station located on Qeshm Island, a strategically important island near Iran’s southern coast and a key hub for the country’s oil industry.

Later, at approximately 5.30am, CENTCOM reported that another wave of Iranian drones targeting US forces stationed in Kuwait failed to reach their intended targets.

The heightened military activity also disrupted regional air traffic.

Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft holding over Gulf airspace, while several flights arriving from Kuwait, Bahrain and Amman were cancelled at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest international airport.

Most other flight operations continued normally.

The latest escalation adds further pressure to already fragile diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran.

Negotiations between the two countries have been ongoing for weeks amid tensions over regional security and other disputes.

On Tuesday, Iranian officials suggested that the talks had collapsed.

However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks between Washington and Tehran remained active, indicating diplomatic channels have not yet been closed despite the recent hostilities.

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has asserted that Iran’s armed forces are better prepared than ever and fully ready to respond to any future military threats, warning that any aggression would be met with new operational strategies.

Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, the IRGC spokesman, credited both existing capabilities and experience gained from recent confrontations with adversaries for the enhanced preparedness, Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday.

“If the enemy returns to the battlefield, the nature of the operations, the geography of engagements, and even the weapons employed will be different,” Mohebbi said.

“The IRGC is fully prepared for all possible scenarios.”

Military strength bolstered during ceasefire

The official highlighted that Iran has used the ceasefire period to further strengthen its military readiness and repair any damage.

“During the ceasefire, our operational capabilities have increased,” he said, referring to the period after President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on April 7 following retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli actions.

Enhanced understanding of adversary

Mohebbi noted that the recent confrontations provided Iranian forces with a more detailed understanding of their adversaries, moving beyond intelligence assessments and media reports to include direct battlefield experience.

“Today, our knowledge of the enemy’s equipment, air defences, operational bases, and tactics is much clearer,” he said.

He rejected claims that Iran’s military power had weakened, insisting that the country’s combat and naval capabilities remain intact.

Control over Hormuz a symbol of strength

The IRGC spokesman also highlighted Iran’s sustained control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz during the recent hostilities, despite extensive US military operations.

“Our sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz remains fully intact,” Mohebbi said, describing the waterway as a symbol of the IRGC’s strength.

Iran is pushing for a limited interim agreement with the United States in a bid to ease mounting economic pressure and stabilise the situation ​at home, while avoiding major concessions on its nuclear programme, according to sources and analysts.

The approach reflects a familiar playbook for Tehran: ‌absorb pressure, avoid irreversible compromises and keep negotiations alive without shifting core positions, three Iranian sources close to decision-makers said.

But the latest push is also driven by more immediate concerns.

Officials see a narrow deal as a way to buy time, unlock financial relief and contain rising domestic risks over a deteriorating economy without addressing the most contentious issues.

The diplomatic manoeuvring follows weeks of escalation after US-Israeli strikes in late ​February spiralled into a broader regional conflict.

Iranian attacks across the Gulf heightened fears over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly a fifth ​of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

Three months on, and despite a fragile ceasefire in early April, the conflict has hardened ⁠into a stalemate.

A US blockade on Iranian ports and Tehran’s grip on the Strait have sustained mutual pressure, driving up economic costs while leaving the risk of renewed ​fighting unresolved.

Against that backdrop, both sides have lowered expectations of a comprehensive settlement. Instead, they are exploring what officials describe as a temporary memorandum — effectively an interim deal — aimed at preventing a ​return to open conflict while deferring core disputes over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Tehran seeks breathing space

For Tehran, such an arrangement is primarily a means of converting military and economic pressure into liquidity, breathing space and de-escalation, without curbing sensitive nuclear work.

Iran is seeking an end to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, access to billions of dollars in oil revenues, waivers on crude exports, a lifting of the US port ​blockade and continued leverage over the strait — while postponing decisions on the most contentious issues.

The framework would centre on temporary easing and phased access through the waterway, leaving unresolved ​questions over enrichment capacity and Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, including material enriched to 60%.

Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said Tehran’s calculation is shaped less by ‌battlefield risks than ⁠by economic pressure and uncertainty.

“Iranian leaders understand that time is not necessarily on their side… their calculation appears to be that dialogue, even limited dialogue, is preferable to entering an open-ended period of economic attrition and uncertainty that could gradually weaken its ability to govern at home and project influence abroad.”

Tehran fears protest revival

Much rests on the success of negotiations.

President Donald Trump is under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and curb US fuel prices, while fending off criticism from Iran hawks in his own Republican party over any concessions ​to Tehran.

Iran’s leadership also faces domestic pressures. Years ​of sanctions, economic mismanagement and conflict ⁠have fuelled inflation, currency depreciation and a sharp decline in living standards.

Short-term financial inflows are therefore crucial to Tehran’s interest in a preliminary deal, the sources said, as they could keep the economy running, ease immediate pressures and stave off a resurgence of unrest.

In January, Iran’s ​clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guards killed thousands while suppressing nationwide protests sparked by economic grievances.

Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the ​German Institute for International ⁠and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, said a memorandum could also address mounting concerns about the long-term resilience of the system.

“By ending the conflict, reducing economic strain, removing US military pressure around Iran, and creating space for reconstruction, an MoU could help prevent a gradual erosion of state capacity and governance,” Azizi said.

Strait remains Iran’s leverage

The Strait of Hormuz remains central to Iran’s leverage.

Within ⁠the clerical ​establishment, it is increasingly seen less as a bargaining chip than as a durable strategic asset.

Any arrangement that ​restores shipping while preserving that leverage would leave Tehran’s influence over the chokepoint intact, the sources said, allowing flows to resume while stability remains tied to political negotiation.

One source said a limited deal would effectively restore prewar ​conditions without forcing Iran to yield to Washington’s demands, adding: “With the start of the war, Trump gave Iran the gift of control over the Strait.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that its naval forces struck an Israeli-affiliated commercial cargo ship in what it described as a retaliatory operation following a US attack on an Iranian vessel in the Sea of Oman.

In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC Navy said it targeted the Panama-flagged cargo ship MSC Sariska, affiliated with the American‑Zionist enemy,** with a cruise missile after a US strike on the Iranian bulk carrier Lian Star last week.

According to the statement, the vessel was hit near Iraqi waters, causing a major explosion.

The IRGC described the action as a “reciprocal operation” in response to what it called an “aggressive and treacherous attack” by US forces.

The Guard Corps claimed that on Friday, a US aircraft fired an AGM-114 Hellfire missile at the engine room of the Lian Star, disabling the ship while it was operating in international waters.

Iranian officials accused Washington of carrying out an act of “state-sponsored maritime terrorism” and warned that any further military action against Iranian interests in the region would be met with a decisive response.

The latest exchange comes amid heightened tensions in the strategically important waters of the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has repeatedly said it will respond to any violations of its sovereignty and has maintained that foreign military activity in the region risks further escalation.

The United States had not immediately commented on the Iranian claims, which could not be independently verified.

The incident follows months of tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel despite a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire that took effect in early April.

Iranian authorities have accused Washington of continuing pressure on Tehran through naval operations in the region, while the IRGC has reiterated warnings against foreign military interference near Iranian waters.

Iran has issued a stark warning to Israel and the United States over ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, signalling the potential for direct regional escalation.

Ebrahim Azizi, chair of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that if Israeli strikes in Lebanon do not stop, “the consequences will be severe for the Zionist regime and US forces in the region.”

He emphasised that Tehran is prepared for a military response, describing the threat as credible and “not empty.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Bagher Ghalibaf also warned that continued Israeli attacks could derail ongoing negotiations and provoke direct Iranian action.

In a phone call with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, Ghalibaf expressed solidarity with Hezbollah and Lebanese allies, posting on X: “If the Zionist regime’s crimes in Lebanon persist, we will not only stop the talks but will stand against them.”

He concluded with chants of “Long live the resistance! Long live the defence of the motherland! Long live the brotherhood of the Iranian and Lebanese nations!”

The statements come amid Israel’s ongoing military strikes in southern Lebanon, which have intensified fears of broader regional conflict.

Ghalibaf, a prominent hardliner and former commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, plays a key role in shaping Tehran’s strategic messaging.

His remarks underscore Iran’s willingness to escalate support for allied groups despite ongoing efforts to stop hostilities and achieve a ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he spoke with Iran-aligned Lebanese group Hezbollah through intermediaries ​and secured a pledge that it would not attack Israel.

Trump ‌said he also spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israel has agreed to pull back any troops that were preparing to attack southern Lebanon.

No US ​president has ever spoken with Hezbollah, with or without intermediaries.

The anti-Israel ​group is designated as a terrorist organisation by the United ⁠States.

“I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, ​of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and ​any Troops that are on their way have already been turned back,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very ​good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop.”

A ​Lebanese official told Reuters that Hezbollah had informed the US, through Lebanon’s parliament Speaker ‌Nabih ⁠Berri, that it was willing to halt attacks on northern Israel in exchange for Israel sparing Beirut and its suburbs from any strikes.

The fighting in Lebanon has been the broadest spillover of the Iran war, displacing more ​than 1.2 million ​Lebanese through Israeli ⁠strikes and evacuation orders since March 2, when Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones into Israel to back ​its ally Iran.

In the latest advance, Israeli troops on ​Saturday seized ⁠the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon, the military said.

That occurred a day after one of the heaviest days of Hezbollah ⁠fire ​toward northern Israel since the April ceasefire, ​prompting school closures and restrictions.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that talks with Iran ​were ongoing, despite a report that Tehran had ‌suspended indirect negotiations with the United States to end hostilities.

“Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump ​said in a Truth Social post.

Iranian state news agency ​Tasnim reported earlier that Tehran was halting indirect negotiations with ⁠the US after Israel ordered troops to push deeper into ​Lebanon.

In telephone interviews with news outlets after that report, Trump ​said he had not been told that Iran was suspending talks with Washington.

“They haven’t informed us of that,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News.

Trump said that ​silence between the two sides would be fine, and he ​was willing to wait.

“I think we’ve been talking too much if you ‌want ⁠to know the truth. I think going silent would be very good, and that could be for a long time,” he told NBC.

A suspension in negotiations would not mean the US ​would start bombing ​Iran, Trump ⁠told the network, adding that the US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place.

In ​a separate interview with CNBC, Trump had said ​he did ⁠not mind if the talks were over.

“I don’t care if they’re over, honestly … I couldn’t care less,” CNBC quoted him as ⁠saying.

Shortly ​after those media interviews were reported, ​Trump issued his social media post saying talks with Iran were continuing.

The medieval Beaufort Castle’s stone ramparts tower so far above south Lebanon that Israel could hail their capture as a strategic victory, even as it evoked the miseries of a previous occupation.

When Israeli forces entered the 900-year-old castle on Saturday, they were returning to a fortress they held ​throughout their 1982-2000 presence in southern Lebanon, a campaign that years of Hezbollah attacks ultimately drove them to end.

Now at war once more ‌with the Iran-backed group, Israel returns to the Crusader-built stronghold - a UNESCO-registered cultural site - in a campaign that has devastated the surrounding country, driving hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Crusaders, Saladin, PLO, Israel and Hezbollah were here

The return was hailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has faced internal criticism for his handling of the wars in Lebanon and Iran.

“I remind you that, 44 ​years ago, this place was a symbol of a heroic battle by our fighters, but it was also a symbol of deep division among us,” he ​said.

“Today, we returned to Beaufort differently. We returned united, determined, and stronger than ever.”

Hezbollah said it had not had a military ⁠presence in the castle when Israeli troops entered, but that fighting in the surrounding area continued.

Perched high above the Litani River, commanding views across to the Israeli-occupied Golan ​Heights 10 km (6 miles) to the east and the Mediterranean 25 km to the west, Beaufort has long been the region’s strategic keystone.

Built by a Crusader ruler in the ​12th century atop earlier fortifications, the castle was captured by the great Muslim warrior Saladin and later held by the crusading Knights Templar and Egypt’s powerful Mamluk dynasty.

Despite the tactical changes drone warfare has wrought on the 21st-century battlefield, Beaufort’s military value remains, said independent Middle East security analyst Riad Kahwaji.

“The site for the castle was chosen because of its significant strategic location. The significance has ​not declined with time. It’s still important, especially in ground operations,” he said.

By modern times, Beaufort was a picturesque ruin, but as Lebanon sank into civil war after ​1975, Palestine Liberation Organisation fighters appropriated it as a base in their guerrilla campaign against Israel.

When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, marching as far north as Beirut, it seized the castle ‌as a centre ⁠of its own operations in the south, where the population is majority Muslim.

The castle walls still bear the scars of fighting from Israeli strikes on the PLO base there in the 1970s and Hezbollah attacks on the Israeli garrison in the 1980s and 1990s.

For many Lebanese, Beaufort came to symbolise that occupation, Israel’s flag constantly visible atop one of the region’s most prominent hills with its soldiers looking down.

“The fact that they’re back now in Beaufort I think is reminiscent of that era and that level ​of control over people’s lives,” said Mohanad ​Hage Ali, deputy director for research ⁠at the Carnegie Middle East Center.

“It’s an occupation that you can see.”

Castle a symbol for Hezbollah, too

When Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, worn down by years of fighting, the yellow flag fluttering from the battlements became a focus of Hezbollah’s message of ​triumph.

As a result, Beaufort evokes mixed feelings among Israelis.

“It was a symbol for heroism,” said Danny Orbach, a military historian ​at Israel’s Hebrew University of ⁠Jerusalem.

“But it was also a symbol in the eyes of many of the futility of war; the narrative that Israel has nothing to do with Lebanon.”

But since Israel’s military hammered Hezbollah in 2024 and seized swathes of Lebanon this year, that perception may be changing.

“Israel occupying Beaufort is actually telling Hezbollah and the world: we overcame the trauma. We’re not ⁠afraid anymore,” Orbach ​said.

Israel and Hezbollah fought another brief war in 2006 but in the years afterwards, Beaufort was ​largely abandoned as a military site, and carefully restored as a tourist attraction.

The UN cultural agency UNESCO, of which Israel is not a member, calls it one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Middle East ​and this year added it to a special list for enhanced protection in the conflict.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency said on Monday that Tehran’s negotiating team is stopping exchanges of messages with the ​United States through mediators due to attacks on Lebanon, as diplomatic ‌efforts to end the three-month-old Iran war continue.

The agency said Iran and the Resistance Front, which includes its allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, have set ​an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and ​activate other fronts, including the Bab El Mandeb Strait, in ⁠order to “punish” Israel and its supporters.

If the Houthis, Iran’s allies in ​Yemen, open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would ​be the Bab El Mandeb Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint and narrow passageway that controls sea traffic towards the Suez Canal.

“Violation on ​one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. ​The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” Iranian Foreign ‌Minister ⁠Abbas Araqchi said on X on Monday, referring to Israeli operations in Lebanon.

The war launched by the US and Israel on February 28 has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon. It ​has also caused ​global economic pain ⁠by pushing up energy prices since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global supply ​route for oil and liquefied natural gas.

“The immediate cessation ​of the ⁠Zionist regime’s aggressive and brutal army operations in Gaza and Lebanon and the necessity of the regime’s complete withdrawal from the occupied areas in ⁠Lebanon ​have been emphasised by Iranian officials and ​negotiators, and there will be no talks until Iran and the resistance’s views on this ​matter are met,” Tasnim added.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that any final agreement to end the ongoing war with the US must include a ceasefire in Lebanon, pointing out Israel’s violation of existing truce arrangements through continued military operations in Lebanon.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the ongoing Israeli military assault in Lebanon constituted a “clear and flagrant violation” of a ceasefire reached in April.

“We have emphasised and continue to emphasise that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any ceasefire and any final agreement to end the war,” Baghaei said.

The spokesman accused Israel of pursuing a policy of regional aggression with US support, alleging that Washington had violated ceasefire arrangements and continued what he described as hostile actions against Iran.

Baghaei also claimed that restrictions on Iranian commercial shipping amounted to a breach of ceasefire commitments and an act of aggression against the country.

His remarks come amid ongoing tensions across the region and renewed exchanges of accusations between Tehran, Washington and Tel Aviv over the implementation of ceasefire agreements and broader efforts to prevent further escalation.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any future military action against the country would prompt a strong response.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has dismissed reports suggesting he intended to resign, saying he will continue in office “with strength” and remain committed to governing the country, in remarks made during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

“I will continue as long as I breathe,” Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian state media.

“Either we proceed with strength, or we are martyred — in either case, it is victory for us.”

He added that his life holds no greater value than that of former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stressing the need for leadership presence and effective governance.

“We must be present on the scene and manage the problems,” he said.

“We must be honest in the field, and God will help us.”

The comments came in response to what Iranian officials described as “baseless” resignation claims circulated by the London-based Iran International, which Tehran says is aligned with Israeli interests.

The outlet had alleged that Pezeshkian sent a resignation letter to the office of the Supreme Leader, a claim quickly rejected by Iranian authorities.

Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said the report was part of an effort to create instability, accusing foreign-backed media of “publishing wishes as reality.”

“Whenever national cohesion strengthens, efforts to create doubt, despair, and instability increase,” she said in remarks carried by IRNA.

She added that the president reaffirmed his commitment to “serving the people, maintaining national unity, and tirelessly pursuing the country’s affairs,” and would not step away from the mandate given by the public.

Pezeshkian later appeared at the closing ceremony of a national sports event, further signalling his continued public schedule and countering the resignation rumours.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran “really wants to make a deal” and insisted that any agreement would be beneficial for the United States and its allies, even as tensions with Tehran remain high and talks appear to be stalled.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump also attacked critics in Washington, blaming political opposition for complicating negotiations.

“But don’t the Democrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively ‘chirping’… that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war,” he wrote.

“Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us,” Trump said in the Truth Social post.

“Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end — It always does!”

His remarks came as US-Iran tensions escalated over the weekend, with both sides reporting renewed air strikes near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route handling roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out “self-defence strikes” targeting Iranian radar and drone command-and-control facilities in Goruk and on Qeshm Island.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck an air base used in the US operation.

Meanwhile, a report by Axios said Trump had sought changes to terms recently discussed by his negotiators with Iranian officials, citing unnamed US sources.

The report could not be independently verified.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Washington and Tehran have been close to a deal since a ceasefire took effect in early April, though diplomatic progress has remained limited in recent weeks amid rising military tensions.

Kuwait’s military said on Monday that its air defence systems were actively intercepting what it described as hostile missile and drone attacks targeting the country.

The attack on Kuwat came after the US military announced that it carried out what it described as “self-defence strikes” against Iranian radar and drone facilities over the weekend, targeting sites in the city of Goruk and on Qeshm Island, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

In a statement published on X, the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army said that explosion sounds reported by residents were caused by air defence units engaging incoming aerial threats.

“Kuwaiti air defences are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks,” the statement said.

The military urged citizens and residents to follow safety and security instructions issued by the relevant authorities while operations were ongoing.

Officials did not immediately provide details about the origin of the missiles and drones, nor was there any information on casualties or damage.

Earlier, in a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the military operation was launched in response to what it called “aggressive Iranian actions,” including the reported shutdown of a US MQ-1 drone operating in international waters.

The command said US forces struck and destroyed Iranian air defence systems, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that it said posed a direct threat to vessels transiting regional waterways.

CENTCOM described the action as a defensive measure aimed at protecting freedom of navigation and ensuring the safety of maritime traffic in the region.

Kuwait has faced repeated security threats since the outbreak of the regional conflict, including attacks it has attributed to Iran and Iran-backed Iraqi groups.

Authorities have previously reported intercepting projectiles launched toward Kuwaiti territory.

In a separate development, Kuwaiti authorities earlier announced the capture of four suspected members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on an island off the country’s mainland coast.

Further details on the latest attacks were not immediately available.