Main Points
- US president Donald Trump says he will extend the ceasefire with Iran, which was due to expire within hours
- Trump also says the blockade of Iranian ports will continue until Tehran presents a “unified proposal”
- US vice-president JD Vance reportedly puts his trip to Islamabad for peace talks on hold
- An Iranian official says the ceasefire extension is a “ploy to buy time”
- Israeli air strikes hit a town in southern Lebanon despite a 10-day ceasefire on Monday
Best Reads
- Suspected Iranian nuclear site may be beyond Trump’s reach
- ‘Lots of bombs’ will go off if deal not made, says Trump
- Why the Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s strongest card in peace negotiations
- John FitzGerald: Ireland faces a possible winter recession
Pakistan PM welcomes US-Iran ceasefire extension
Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has thanked US president Donald Trump for accepting the country’s request to extend the ceasefire in the US-Israeli war on Iran to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course.
“I sincerely hope that both sides will continue to observe the ceasefire and be able to conclude a comprehensive ‘Peace Deal’ during the second round of talks scheduled at Islamabad for a permanent end to the conflict,” Sharif said in post on X.
Iranian official says ceasefire extension is ‘ploy to buy time’
US president Donald Trump’s ceasefire extension is a “ploy to buy time” for a surprise strike, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Tuesday.
Qalibaf’s advisor said in a post on X that the continuation of the US blockade on Iranian ports was “no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response”. - Reuters
Trump strikes more conciliatory tone
Trump’s announcement extending the ceasefire marks a more conciliatory tone after he spent the weekend telling advisers he did not want to extend the ceasefire unless Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a position he repeated in an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box on Tuesday.
“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with,” Trump said earlier. “We’re ready to go. The military is raring to go.”
Asked if he would extend the ceasefire, he replied: “I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time.” - The Guardian
Trump says he is extending ceasefire
US president Donald Trump has said he is extending the ceasefire which was due to end tonight.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.
“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
Lebanese state not seeking confrontation with Hizbullah but won’t be intimidated, PM says
Lebanon’s prime minister Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his government was not seeking confrontation with Iran-backed Hizbullah, but would not allow itself to be intimidated as it prepares direct talks with Israel to end the conflict.
Salam and French president Emmanuel Macron met in Paris to see how to strengthen Lebanon’s hand in possible direct future negotiations with Israel, as Beirut turns to a trusted European ally. The US will host ambassador-level talks with Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, although it remains unclear whether the objective is to extend a fragile 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hizbullah or pave the way for deeper negotiations.
“We are continuing along this path, convinced that diplomacy is not a sign of weakness, but a responsible act to leave no avenue unexplored in restoring my country’s sovereignty and protecting its people,” Salam said.
When asked about the state’s ability to disarm the group, he said: “We are not seeking confrontation with Hizbullah. On the contrary, I wanted to avoid confrontation with Hizbullah, but believe me, we will not be intimidated by Hizbullah.” - Reuters
Iran rejects talks with US under pressure, senior Iranian official says
Iran could attend talks with the United States in Pakistan if Washington abandons its policy of pressure and threats, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that Tehran rejects negotiations aimed at surrender.
The official said mediator Pakistan was continuing efforts to persuade the United States to lift its naval blockade and release the Iranian-flagged container ship Touska, which was boarded and seized by US forces on Sunday, and its crew.
He accused Washington of “creating new obstacles every day instead of resolving the differences” to end the war. - Reuters
Wall Street dips as Middle East concerns dent earnings optimism
US stocks declined on Tuesday, with early gains dissipating as renewed concerns about the Middle East war outweighed early optimism over a round of solid corporate earnings.
Stocks have rallied in recent weeks on the belief that a peace deal was likely in the near future.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 167.35 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 49,275.21, the S&P 500 lost 28.10 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 7,081.01, and the Nasdaq Composite lost 69.58 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 24,334.82.
The Israeli military said Lebanon’s Iran-aligned Hizbullah had fired several rockets toward its troops operating in southern Lebanon, in what it described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement.
Pakistan is awaiting a formal response from Iran to confirm it will send a delegation to attend a second round of peace talks with the US in Islamabad, the country’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X, with plans for US vice-president JD Vance to travel to the region for talks on hold without Iranian confirmation.
In an interview with CNBC earlier today, US president Donald Trump said he does not want to extend the ceasefire with Iran, which is set to expire soon. - Reuters
US imposes new sanctions against suppliers of weapons to Iran
The United States imposed new sanctions on Tuesday targeting 14 people and companies that help Iran obtain weapons as Tehran works to rebuild its ballistic missile inventories after US-Israeli attacks, the Treasury Department said.
The targets, which also include aircraft, are based in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates and were cited for their involvement in procuring or transporting weapons or components on Iran’s behalf, the Treasury said in a statement.
“As the United States continues to deplete Iran’s ballistic missile inventories, the regime is seeking to reconstitute its production capacity,” the Treasury said.
“Iran is increasingly relying on Shahed-series one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to target the United States and its allies, including energy infrastructure in the region.” - Reuters
Iran’s foreign minister accuses US of violating ceasefire
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, has accused the US of blockading Iranian ports, describing this as “an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire”.
In a post on X in the last few minutes, he wrote: “Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation. Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying.”
JD Vance’s trip to Islamabad ‘on hold after Iran failed to meet terms’
The New York Times is reporting that US vice-president JD Vance’s trip to Islamabad has been halted after Tehran failed to respond to American negotiating positions.
A US official told the news outlet that Vance’s trip, which was expected to start on Tuesday, was placed on hold after Iran failed to meet US terms. The visit could resume if Iran meets these terms, but the White House is waiting for a signal that Iran’s negotiators are willing to sign a deal. - The New York Times & The Guardian
Iran’s judiciary deny women are at risk of execution
AFP is reporting that Iran’s judiciary denied that eight women were at risk of execution after US president Donald Trump had requested clemency on their behalf.
The remarks come after Trump earlier today said on Truth Social that the women’s release “would be a great start to our negotiations!!!”, attaching a post by pro-Israel activist Eyal Yakoby, who claimed Iran was preparing to execute the women.
“Trump was misled once again by fake news,” the judiciary’s official Mizan Online website said. “The women who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment.” - The Guardian
Israeli military says Hizbullah fired rockets at troops in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military said on Tuesday that Lebanon’s Iran-aligned Hizbullah had fired several rockets toward its troops operating in southern Lebanon, in what it described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement.
It added that sirens in northern Israeli communities were likely triggered by the interception of a drone launched from Lebanon before it crossed into Israeli territory, correcting an earlier report of a possible misidentification.
There was no immediate comment from Hizbullah. - Reuters
Iran accuses US of targeting vessels
An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson says the US targeted two Iranian vessels, amounting to “piracy at sea and state terrorism", according to Iranian state television.
The spokesperson also questioned if the US is serious about negotiating, saying Iran has not yet decided if it will attend further talks. - Reuters
Vance has not yet left for Iran talks, White House official says
US vice-president JD Vance has not yet departed Washington for talks on Iran and is participating in additional policy meetings, a White House official said on Tuesday. - Reuters
EU’s Kallas calls for talks as she warns against impact of resumed fighting in Middle East
The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called for the next round of negotiations to end the Middle East conflict to happen at all costs.
“If the fighting resumes tonight, it will come at the very large cost for all,” she says.
In particular, Kallas says Lebanon “is paying a heavy price for a war it did not choose”.
Speaking to the media after today’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, she says it’s “non-negotiable” that the freedom of navigation should be restored, and “Europe will play its part in restoring the free flow of energy and trade once the conditions allow”.
Kallas also talked about Israel, saying some countries requested “a full or partial” suspension of the EU association agreement or restrictions on trade. She says there was no unanimity needed to progress on this issue. “The measures that we have already on the table that require qualified majority will require states shifting their position.” - The Guardian
Lebanon’s death toll rises to 2,454
Lebanon raised the toll from six weeks of war between Israel and Hizbullah to 2,454 dead as a fragile 10-day ceasefire holds.
The government’s disaster risk management unit in a statement also said 7,658 people had been wounded in the conflict, which began on March 2nd, days after the broader Middle East war erupted.
Authorities and rescuers in Lebanon have been continuing to recover and identify bodies in areas that were subjected to heavy Israeli strikes. - Guardian
Pakistan waiting for Iran’s formal response on US talks
Pakistan has yet to receive a formal response from Iran on whether it would send a delegation for a second round of talks with the United States, Islamabad’s information minister has said.
“Formal response from Iranian side about confirmation of delegation to attend Islamabad Peace Talks is still awaited,” minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X, saying that a decision was “critical” as just hours remained until the two-week ceasefire struck between the warring sides expires.
Israel will face resistance if troops stay in Lebanon, Speaker Berri says
Lebanon’s parliament speaker warned on Tuesday that Israeli forces occupying parts of the country’s south would face resistance if they fail to withdraw, signalling a risk of renewed confrontation ahead of US-mediated talks this week.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hizbullah mediated by Washington came into effect on Thursday, but Israeli forces remain deployed in a belt of Lebanese land five to 10 kilometres deep along the entire border.
Israel has said it aims to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from attacks by Hizbullah.
On Thursday the US will host ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon, which was dragged into war on March 2nd when Hizbullah opened fire in support of Tehran in the regional conflict. - Reuters
Iran arrests more than 3,600 people on charges related to the US-Israeli war
Iranian authorities have arrested more than 3,600 people on charges related to the US-Israeli war ranging from sharing videos with media outlets based overseas to possessing Starlink internet terminals, an NGO said on Tuesday.
Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) said the figure, based on state media reports and its own research, represented a minimum given the current internet restrictions in the Islamic republic, and that the actual number of arrests was “likely much higher”.
It said at least 3,646 people had been arrested since the war broke out on February 28th, with at least 767 of the cases reported after the start of a ceasefire on April 8th. - Guardian
Two Israeli soldiers sentenced to 30 days in jail for smashing Jesus Christ statue
Israel’s military said on Tuesday it has sentenced two soldiers to 30 days in jail and removed them from combat duty for smashing a statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon.
Images of an Israeli soldier with a sledgehammer smashing the statue’s head emerged over the weekend, bringing widespread condemnation, AP reported.
Israel said one of the soldiers being punished hammered the statue to the ground. The other filmed the destruction. - Guardian
Shipping traffic through Hormuz still largely halted
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained broadly halted on Tuesday with only three ships passing the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.
A US blockade of Iranian ports has infuriated Tehran, prompting it to maintain its own restrictions on the strait, which had been typically handling roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
The Ean Spir products tanker, which had no known flag or known ownership, sailed through Hormuz on Tuesday after previously calling at an Iraqi port, ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed.
The Lian Star cargo ship, which had no known flag or known ownership, also sailed through the strait from an Iranian port, the data showed.
Separately, the Meda liquefied petroleum gas tanker, which had called at a United Arab Emirates port in the Gulf and also had no known flag or ownership, crossed the strait on Monday in its second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back previously, according to satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax.
Those are a fraction of the 140 ships that sailed through daily before the US and Israel’s war on Iran began on February 28th. - Reuters
Trump says Iranian leaders will ‘soon be in negotiations’ with US
In a Truth Social post, president Donald Trump said Iranian “leaders” will soon be in negotiations with his “representatives” – presumably the vice president, JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Attaching his post with unverified news alleging that Iran is planning to hang eight women, Trump said: “I would greatly appreciate the release of these women. I am sure that they will respect the fact that you did so. Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!!”
Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed that a delegation will attend a new round of peace talks, although the Associated Press reports that JD Vance and Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, will arrive in Islamabad tomorrow morning to lead their teams in negotiations.
Earlier, Ghalibaf said Tehran is preparing “new cards on the battlefield” if the war with the US resumes after the ceasefire expires tomorrow.
Trump has expressed his reluctance to extend the Wednesday deadline. - Guardian
Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the US was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.
“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.
Trump also said that the US was in a strong negotiating position with Iran and would end up with a “great deal”.
He said there is not “much time” to reach a deal, adding that Tehran can get themselves on “a very good footing” if they settle on one with Washington.
“I expect to be bombing ‘cause that would be a better attitude,” the president later told CNBC. - Guardian
Oil prices drop by 0.5 per cent
Oil prices pulled back and stocks inched higher on Tuesday as investors looked to the possibility of a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran.
With the two-week ceasefire set to expire this week, the two countries appeared to be preparing to take part in another round of peace negotiations in Pakistan, even as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz escalated in the past few days.
The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, was about $95 (€81) a barrel, down about 0.5 per cent on Tuesday. - New York Times
Officials signal movement on second round of US-Iran ceasefire talks
The United States and Iran have signalled they will hold a new round of ceasefire talks in Islamabad, two regional officials said, as leaders on both sides warned they were prepared for more fighting if a fragile two-week truce expires without a deal.
Neither the US nor Iran has publicly confirmed the timing of the talks, with Iranian state television denying any official was already in Pakistan’s capital.
Pakistan-led mediators received confirmation that the top negotiators, US vice president JD Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, will arrive in Islamabad early on Wednesday to lead their teams in the talks, the officials told The Associated Press.
A ceasefire that began on April 8th is set to expire on Wednesday. - AP
Trump says currency swap with UAE is under consideration
President Trump said on Tuesday that the United States was considering helping the United Arab Emirates financially and a currency swap with the Middle East nation was under consideration.
“It is,” Trump told CNBC when asked if a currency swap with the UAE was under consideration, calling them a good ally.
“They’re really led by incredible people... I mean, I’m surprised, because they are really rich,” Trump said.
“If I could help them, I would, I mean, we’re helping them much more with what we’re doing with the war,” Trump said referring to US and Israel’s war with Iran.
The Wall Street Journal reported that UAE’s central bank governor raised the idea of a currency swap line with US treasury secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve officials in meetings in Washington last week, in case the war plunges the oil-rich country into a deeper crisis.
“If the UAE had a problem - I find it hard to believe - but if they had a problem, we would be there for them,” said Trump. - Reuters
Pakistan urges US and Iran to extend ceasefire
Pakistan has urged both the United States and Iran to extend their two-week ceasefire, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
In a meeting with the US Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan, Natalie A. Baker, foreign minister Ishaq Dar stressed the need for engagement between the US and Iran and said Pakistan urged both sides to consider extending the ceasefire. - Reuters
Lebanon prime minister and French president in talks
Lebanon’s prime minister and French president Emmanuel Macron will discuss on Tuesday how to strengthen the country’s hand in possible direct negotiations with Israel in the United States later this week.
The US will host ambassador-level talks with Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, although it remains unclear whether the objective is to extend a fragile 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hizbullah or pave the way for deeper negotiations.
Israeli troops occupy territory deep in the south, aiming to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from Hizbullah attack, while the group says it maintains the “right to resist” Israeli occupation.
“France’s role is not to insert itself between the parties in discussions that are, by nature, bilateral and direct,” a French presidency official said ahead of prime minister Nawaf Salam’s meeting with Macron.
“France is one of the countries capable of playing a very concrete role in strengthening the Lebanese government’s hand and supporting its action in practical terms.“ - Guardian
Trump threatens to bomb Iranian bridges and electrical grid
When asked about his threats to bomb Iranian bridges and the country’s electrical grid, president Trump, without providing any evidence to support his comments, said: “It’s not my choice but it would also hurt them, it would hurt them militarily.
“They use the bridges for their weapons, for their missile movements.” They are trying to move the missiles because we have obliterated most of their missiles and they are trying to move their missiles around even during the ceasefire.”
“We are totally loaded up. We have so much ammo, we have so much of everything… Much more powerful than it was four or five weeks ago. So we have used this to restock and they probably have done a little bit of restocking.”
The US president previously threatened to bomb Iran’s water treatment facilities as well as its power plants and bridges if Tehran did not agree to abandon its nuclear weapons programme – a key sticking point between the two sides.
Many legal experts agree that mass bombing of civilian infrastructure in Iran would constitute a war crime.
Trump goes on to suggest that he suspects China may of helped Iran during the US- Israeli war against the country. “We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which wasn’t very nice, a gift from China perhaps,” he said.
“I don’t know, but I’m sort of surprised, but because I have a very good relationship, and I thought I had an understanding with president Xi, but that’s all right. That’s the way war goes, right?” - Guardian
Government must stop acting as spectators and introduce measures to end Ireland’s energy rip-off, says Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin spokesperson on climate, the environment and energy Pa Daly has called on the Government to reinstate electricity credits urgently and to introduce its proposals to “end Ireland’s energy rip-off for good”.
The Kerry TD said it was a “damning indictment” of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that they have the “political choice” to allow workers and families to be hit with even higher bills over the next few months.
“Ireland’s energy rip-off is set to become further entrenched as the Government warns households to brace for even higher energy bills from next month,” he said.
“At the same time, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have offered no solutions for ordinary people who are already being fleeced by the highest electricity prices in Europe.
“A slew of Government ministers, including Minister O’Brien, have recently announced that gas and electricity prices were set to sky-rocket.
“Instead of acting like the people who have the responsibility to shield households from this deepening crisis, they are merely acting as spectators.”
Daly said the Government should urgently re-introduce energy credits, overhaul their retrofitting and solar PV programmes so they are “accessible, affordable and targeted” and introduce Sinn Féin’s proposals to tackle price gouging and to hold energy companies to account.
US military ‘raring to go’, says Trump
Washington has expressed confidence that talks with Iran will go ahead in Pakistan, and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining.
With the prospect of last-ditch further peace talks still up in the air, US president Donald Trump told CNBC the US would resume its attacks on Iran if a deal is not struck with Tehran soon.
“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go,” he said.
Trump rejects ceasefire extension
US president Donald Trump told US TV station CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the US was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.
“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.
Inflation ‘could reach 6.7 per cent in under a year’
Inflation could reach as high as 6.7 per cent in less than a year, according to a “severe” scenario forecast by the Department of Finance.
The scenario is modelled on the event of “pronounced and prolonged disruption to energy supply” with oil at $130 a barrel in 2026, and averaging $125 a barrel in 2027.
The forecast is the worst scenario included in a range of projections published on Tuesday in the Annual Progress Report that examines potential impacts of the war in the Middle East.
The Department of Finance assessed three scenarios in its spring forecasts.
The reference scenario was based on energy prices prevailing at mid-March levels and involved headline inflation averaging 3.3 per cent this year, with Modified Domestic Demand expanding by just over 2 per cent.
A more adverse scenario involved inflation averaging 3.7 per cent, and a severe scenario had average inflation of 4.6 per cent – peaking at 6.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2027.
The full-year averages reflect “relatively modest inflation” in the first quarter but a “sharp acceleration in the annual rate” by year-end.
The department’s chief economist, John McCarthy, said the war remains a “major source of uncertainty” in the projections.
Trump’s approval rating held at the lowest of his term in recent days
US president Donald Trump’s approval rating held at the lowest of his term in recent days as many Americans questioned his temperament amid the Iran war and a feud with Pope Leo, a Reuters/Ipsos poll has found.
The six-day public opinion poll, concluded on Monday, showed only 36 per cent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, unchanged from a month earlier. Trump enjoyed the highest approval rating of his current term, 47 per cent, shortly after he was sworn in to office on January 20th, 2025.
Read the full poll findings here.
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Global economy risks hitting “tipping point” if shortfall in oil supply isn’t resolved, warns DHL CEO
DHL Group’s chief executive officer has warned the global economy risks hitting a “tipping point” if the shortfall in oil supply isn’t resolved, as the conflict in the Middle East squeezes transport routes and pushes up freight costs.
Consumers often fail to fully recognise the impact of crises until a single event - such as a major plant closure in a Western country - triggers “broader uproar,” DHL CEO Tobias Meyer said.
“This hasn’t happened yet,” Meyer said in a television interview. “But if the underlying economic issue - the lack of supply of energy, the 10 million, 12 million barrels of crude oil per day - if that is not resolved, it’ll come to that tipping point.”
Concerns about fuel supplies are growing amid tensions in the Middle East, with airlines calling on governments to take emergency steps to avoid flight cuts. DHL has seen a “tremendous” impact due to the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is impacting the movement of containerised goods, Meyer said.
Asked about fuel supplies, Meyer said there’s “not much we can do,” adding that DHL is talking to its suppliers and that the “willingness to pay is important.”
Global trade routes between Asia and Europe are becoming “quite limited,” especially as Western airlines avoid Russian airspace and Gulf carriers operate below pre-war capacity.
“You see tight markets out of India, out of Southeast Asia, especially to Europe,” Meyer said. “And we’ll continue to see elevated freight rates until the situation has further eased and resolved itself in the Middle East itself.”
In the long term, however, Meyer doesn’t believe the conflict will structurally change trade.
“Think about pharmaceuticals, medical devices - those will not be produced in every country, quite the opposite,” he said. “Those goods get more complicated, more concentrated and these are goods that need to be traded.”
Three vessels appear to cross the Strait of Hormuz
Three vessels - two cargo ships and a fuel tanker - appeared to have crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday as US and Iranian blockades remained in place.
The Shoja 2, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, transited the strait and moved into the Gulf of Oman and is now in waters off Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, ship-tracking data show, according to Bloomberg.
The progress of the ship is being closely watched after the US Navy seized another Iranian cargo ship on Sunday, the first capture since Washington imposed a blockade of the waterway last week.
The other two vessels have no clear links to Iran. The Lian Star, a general cargo ship flagged to Gambia, crossed the strait and is now sailing southeast along Iran’s coastline in the Gulf of Oman. The Ean Spir, a medium-range tanker previously named Blue Commander and with no identified owner, began sailing northeast from waters near Ras Al-Khaimah in the UAE, and is now heading south into the Gulf of Oman, indicating Shinas in Oman as its destination.
Otherwise, traffic through the vital waterway remained at a virtual standstill following a chaotic weekend in which Iran declared the corridor open before closing it again after the US declined to lift its blockade. Around 800 vessels remain stuck in the Persian Gulf.
Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul has urged Iran to hold constructive talks with the United States in Islamabad, Pakistan.
“As we know, the US vice president is prepared to travel to Islamabad,” Wadephul said ahead of a foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.
“Iran should now take up this offer for the sake of its own people.”
Ireland growth forecast faced upgrade but for Iran war, says Harris
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris has said if Iran had not been bombed, Ireland’s growth forecast would have been upgraded in its spring forecast.
“That does speak to the resilience of the Irish economy where growth is strong, there are more people in work than ever before,” he told reporters as he arrived at Government Buildings, Vivenne Clarke reports.
“We’ve got to move beyond the lazy politics of suggesting that surplus is a dirty word or a derogatory term. Thank God we have a surplus in this country.”
Harris said the spring economic forecast would include forecasts such as where oil prices stay at a high level, or where they are at an even higher level than they are currently.
“Stagflation was a risk” to the Irish economy, he said, but added Ireland had “fiscal resilience” at a challenging time.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is working on an evacuation plan for hundreds of ships that have been stuck in the Gulf since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began more than seven weeks ago, according to secretary general Arsenio Dominguez.
The plan can only be put into action when there are clear signs of de-escalation, Dominguez said on the sidelines of Singapore Maritime Week. Details being discussed include an order of departure for vessels, depending on the length of time the crew has been stranded, among other factors, he added.
Any transits would follow a long-established route - the Traffic Separation Scheme that was proposed by Iran and Oman and adopted by the IMO in 1968, Dominguez said.
Iran has developed a system over the past few weeks that includes a specific route close to its coast and, in some cases, payment.
The IMO is in touch with littoral states, including Iran and Oman, and flag states to finalise the blueprint.
Over the past year, US air strikes have crippled Iran’s nuclear programme, writes Michael Crowley. Several Iranian nuclear facilities lie in ruins. And the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium – “nuclear dust”, as US president Donald Trump calls it – is thought to be buried deep under rubble.
But even after a US bombing raid last June and more than five weeks of attacks on Iran since February, one suspected nuclear site remains untouched.
Read the full piece here.
Iran military ready to deliver ‘immediate and decisive response’
Iran’s armed forces are ready to deliver an “immediate and decisive response” to any renewed hostile action by its adversaries, a senior Iranian military commander said on Tuesday, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency.
A two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US is set to expire on Wednesday. The two countries have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire and have both tightened control over Gulf maritime transit.
Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Tehran retained the upper hand in the military field, including in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, and would not allow the US president to “create false narratives over the situation on the ground”.
Trump says he is ‘not going to be rushed into making a bad deal’
US president Donald Trump signalled he is unlikely to extend a two-week ceasefire with Iran that’s set to expire in two days, while Iran has yet to confirm it will participate in talks to end the war.
Trump said in an interview on Monday that the ceasefire expires on Wednesday evening in Washington and he is “not going to be rushed into making a bad deal”. He said the Strait of Hormuz would stay blockaded for now, and “I’m not opening it until a deal is signed.”
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said his country would not “accept negotiations under the shadow of threats”.
The standoff underscores the uncertainty surrounding a new round of talks, even after Trump said negotiations could begin as early as Tuesday. The US president has threatened strikes on Iran’s power infrastructure if diplomacy fails.
A pause in hostilities has mostly held for two weeks after a conflict that killed thousands across the region and disrupted global energy supplies.
US vice-president JD Vance will leave for Pakistan to participate in negotiations that are set to begin “either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning”, Trump said on Monday. He is expected to be joined by the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“There’s going to be a meeting. They want a meeting, and they should want a meeting. And it can work out well,” Trump said.
Trump says recovering Iran’s uranium will be ‘long and difficult’
Donald Trump has said retrieving uranium from Iran will be a “long and difficult” process in the wake of the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
“Operation Midnight Hammer was a complete and total obliteration of the Nuclear Dust sites in Iran,” the president posted on his Truth Social platform overnight.
“Therefore, digging it out will be a long and difficult process.”
Trump has used nuclear dust to refer to Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium but also to nuclear materials left from the June strikes.
The US president claimed after the bombardment that it had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme, but it soon became apparent this was not true. The bombs had wreaked extensive damage but deep underground sites – burrowed beneath mountains in two sites in particular, Isfahan and Natanz – could not be destroyed.
In Trump’s latest post he also hit out at news outlets, saying: “Fake News CNN, and other corrupt Media Networks and Platforms, fail to give our great aviators the credit they deserve - Always trying to demean and belittle - LOSERS!!!”
The future of Iran’s nuclear material has become a key sticking point between the US and Iran in their ongoing standoff. Trump last week claimed Iran had agreed to hand over its enriched uranium to the US, prompting Iran to say it had not.
Representatives for Donald Trump’s Board of Peace have held discussions with state-owned Dubai multinational DP World about managing supply chains and other infrastructure projects in Gaza, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
The talks examined whether DP World could enter into a partnership with the Board of Peace to run the logistics for humanitarian aid and other goods entering Gaza, the report said.
Oil prices fall on hopes of talks breakthrough
Oil prices fell on Tuesday, reversing gains in the previous session, on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran will take place this week and allow more supply to flow from the key Middle East producing region.
Brent crude futures declined 54 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $94.94 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May fell $1.11, or 1.2 per cent, to $88.50. The May contract expires on Tuesday and the more-active June contract was down 76 cents, or 0.9 per cent, at $86.66.
Both benchmarks surged on Monday, with Brent up 5.6 per cent and WTI up 6.9 per cent, after Iran again shut the Strait of Hormuz, closing the key oil transport artery, and the US seized an Iranian cargo ship as part of its blockade of the country’s ports.
Vessels attempt to cross Strait of Hormuz
Three vessels – two cargo ships and a fuel tanker – appeared to be attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday as US and Iranian blockades remained in place.
The Shoja 2, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, crossed the strait and moved into the Gulf of Oman, but has now stopped signalling its location. The progress of the ship is being closely watched after the US navy seized another Iranian cargo ship on Sunday, the first capture since Washington imposed a blockade of the waterway last week.
The other two vessels have no clear links to Iran. The Lian Star, a general cargo ship flagged to Gambia, has crossed the strait and is now turning south toward the Gulf of Oman. The Ean Spir, a medium-range tanker with no identified owner, began sailing northeast from waters near Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, and is now south of Larak island, indicating Shinas in Oman as its destination.
Otherwise, traffic through the vital waterway remained at a near standstill following a chaotic weekend in which Iran declared the corridor open before closing it again after the US declined to lift its blockade. Some 800 vessels remain stuck in the Gulf.
President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US blockade would remain in place for now. The US leader said a two-week ceasefire with Iran, which expires on Wednesday evening in Washington, was not likely to be extended. Talks between the two countries are expected to take place in Pakistan.
JD Vance to lead US delegation in Pakistan
JD Vance is expected to fly to Islamabad at the head of a US diplomatic delegation on Tuesday if Iran agrees to further talks in the Pakistani capital as the deadline for the current ceasefire looms.
The US vice-president will travel with Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law – though Iran’s president warned there remained a “deep historical mistrust” of the US.
Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was concerned about “unconstructive and contradictory signals from American officials” and concluded they amounted to an effort to seek the country’s surrender. “Iranians do not submit to force,” he said.
However, one senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency that Tehran was “positively reviewing” its participation, amid reports that its delegation would again be headed by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf if Vance attends.
Ghalibaf said later that Iran would not accept negotiations with the US while under threat, adding in the post on X early on Tuesday that “we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield”. He also accused Trump of seeking to “turn this negotiating table – in his own imagination – into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering”.
Tehran called for an end to the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Trump repeated a demand that Iran should never be allowed to build a nuclear weapon and said he would be willing to meet Iranian leaders himself.
