Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim to have shot down a US Reaper drone and caused an F-35 fighter jet to flee the area, after American airstrikes in the Strait of Hormuz threatened to violate a fragile ceasefire between the warring nations.
The US said it launched new strikes on southern Iran on Monday night, targeting missile sites and boats that its forces say were attempting to place mines.
The strikes were taken in “self-defence” and were designed “to protect troops from threats posed by Iranian forces”, US Central Command said in a statement.
In retaliation, the IRGC downed an MQ-9 Reaper drone and opened fire on an American fighter jet, claiming it had a “legitimate and definite” right to defend itself against US aggression.
“The era where West Asia bows quietly to intimidation is long over,” the regime said in a statement.
New UpdatesView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostToday20:58 BST
In his latest Truth Social post, Donald Trump has slammed the “Dumacrats and Media” over their coverage of the Iran war.
He claimed that even if Iran were to shout “I surrender, I surrender” and “admit their defeat to the great power and force of the magnificent U.S.A.”, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and other media outlets would “headline that Iran had a Masterful and Brilliant Victory over The United States of America”.
Eliana NunesToday19:34 BST
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied reports that the US Navy has resumed escorting commercial vessel through the Strait of Hormuz.
It stressed that ‘Project Freedom’ – which the US launched on May 4 to escort stranded ships through the strait – has not resumed.
Eliana NunesToday19:29 BST
In Lebanon, at least 3,213 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
A further 9,737 people have been wounded, the ministry said.
Eliana NunesToday18:01 BST
Iran’s vice president Mohammad Reza Aref says the country has taken the “first step” towards restoring full internet access, ending one of the longest-running national internet shutdowns ever recorded worldwide.
“In line with the government’s promise, the first step towards free and regulated access to cyberspace has been taken,” Aref said on X.
Iran cut internet access after joint US-Israeli attacks on February 28. Officials suggested the aim was to prevent surveillance, espionage and cyber-attacks.
Zahra KhaliqToday17:56 BST
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani discussed the US-Iran war in a call with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, according to a statement from Doha.
The officials touched on Pakistan’s mediation efforts and how their countries can “support and enhance them”, the statement said.
The two countries stressed the need to “address the roots of the crisis through peaceful means and dialogue, leading to a sustainable agreement that prevents the renewal of escalation,” it added.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty(Image: Getty Images)
An Iranian military chief has warned that any further violations of the ceasefire by US-Israeli forces would see the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps respond with even “heavier” and “stronger military force.
“If the region enters another round of war, Iran’s response will extend beyond regional borders and will be much heavier and stronger,” senior military spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi told Iranian state media on Tuesday.
His words come after US forces carried out a series of airstrikes in Southern Iran on Monday evening, despite agreeing to a 40 day ceasefire on April 8.
Tom SandersToday12:42 BST
Donald Trump’s former national security advisor says he believes the United States is heading towards a “catastrophic loss” in its war with Iran, and hopes that the ongoing peace talks “fail.”
John Bolton, a longtime Iran hawk who pressured Trump to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal during the president’s first term, told CNN host Pamela Brown that the current ceasefire was a “mistake” that will give the Islamic Republic time to regroup and rearm.
“Are you feeling optimistic about this memorandum, given that we’ve seen negotiations break down before when it comes to the finer points of Iran’s nuclear program?” Brown asked the former advisor.
“Well, I hope the negotiations break down, because every day that goes by is a gift to Iran,” Bolton responded. “It gives them 24 more hours to recover from the pummeling they took during the six weeks of U.S.-Israeli attack. It gives them time to try and reconstitute their government, which increasingly looks dysfunctional in decision-making capability. And it postpones the day of reckoning.”
Bolton went on to call the negotiations a “mistake,” adding “I think we’re on the verge of something that ultimately history will decide was a catastrophic loss for the United States.
“We have done significant damage to the Islamic Republic of Iran. And right now, we’re letting them undo the damage. And that is a real tragedy, not just for us, but for the people in the region, too.”
Tom SandersToday11:53 BST
Iran’s negotiating team has demanded the release of $24 billion in frozen assets as a key component of any peace deal with the United States.
The Iranian government, which does not trust the US to honour any potential deal, has said it seeks tangible results as a precursor to further talks, and has intructed Central Banks to release $12bn immediately as a sign of commitment to the deal, with the other half to be unfrozen within 60 days, Al Jazeera reports.
The issue, which would be a major concession from the US, is considered so important by Tehran that their top negotiator, Mohammad Baqr Qalibaf, is believed to have travelled personally to Qatar to oversee the talks.
Around $100 in Iranian assets stored in foreign banks have been frozen since the start of the war, which accounts to roughly a third of the country’s GDP. The release of the funds would offer the Islamic Republic a major economic lifeline, and signal a major concession from the US over its initial objective of overthrowing the Iranian regime.
Tom SandersToday10:01 BST
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone on Tuesday after it allegedly violated the country’s airspace.
Iranian state media reports that the country’s air defence systems also targeted both an RQ-4 intelligence drone and a US F-35 fighter jet, forcing them to flee the area.
The MQ-9 Reaper is among the most expensive military drones in operation today, with each one costing around $30-$35 million to produce. Iran is believed to have destroyed around two dozen Reaper drones since the war began, according to a report by Bloomberg, which is belived to have cost the US around $1 billion.
Tom SandersToday08:37 BST
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei says Gulf powers will no longer be a shield for United States bases.
Writing on Telegram he wrote that the US will no longer have a safe haven in the region, as Tehran and Washington discuss a framework to end their three-month-old war.
Tim HanlonToday07:46 BST
Four dead Iranian soldiers have been identified following US strikes on boats, says news outlet Tabnak, believed to be close to former Revolutionary Guard chief Mohsen Rezaei.
Iranian state television has also reported blasts around Bandar Abbas, a city on the Strait of Hormuz home to a military port and a dual-use airport.
The strikes were the latest attacks to shake the weekslong ceasefire in the war. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of all crude oil and natural gas traded once passed, remains effectively in Iran’s chokehold, disrupting global energy markets.
Tim HanlonToday05:55 BST
ANI news agency has reported that Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that he does not believe his country should join the Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords are a series of US-brokered agreements to normalise diplomatic, security and economic relations between Israel and several Muslim-majority countries.
Asif is quoted as saying to Samaa TV: “Personally, I don’t think that we should join any such accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies. We have a very clear stance that this is not acceptable to us.”
Tannur AndersToday04:29 BST
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that a deal with Iran is still being discussed.
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress,” Rubio told reporters.
“I think it’s a lot of talking, back and forth, going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days,” he said.
“The president’s expressed his desire to make it. He’s either going to make a good deal or no deal.”
Tannur AndersToday03:04 BST
The US strike targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boat trying to emplace mines, the captain said.
“Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines.”
“U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
Tannur AndersToday01:36 BST
Fox News reported on Monday that US forces conducted “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran, citing a military spokesperson.
US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins said in a statement:
“U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”
Tannur Anders25th May23:57 BST
Multiple explosions have been reported in costal areas near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media reported on Monday, May 25 that explosions were heard east of Iran’s Bandar Abbas city.
The cause of the explosions remains unknown.
The strait has been closed since the conflict started almost three months ago. Iran closed the strategic trade route in response to joint US and Israel strikes on several key Iranian sites.
Tannur Anders25th May17:27 BST
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has noted that some some progress has been made in Pakistan-mediated talks with the US on “a large portion of the discussion topics”.
This does not mean that “the signing of an agreement is imminent”, he adds.
Zahra Khaliq25th May16:15 BST
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has joined the country’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati in Doha, Qatar, today.
The trio are reportedly discussing “the most sensitive unresolved issues” with Qatar’s prime minister to reach a memorandum of understanding with the US, Al Jazeera reports.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf(Image: ICANA News Agency via Getty Images)
Iran says 32 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz after “obtaining permission with the coordination and security of the IRGC Navy”.
Zahra Khaliq25th May14:58 BST
Donald Trump says negotiations with Iran are “proceeding nicely” as he urged Muslim nations to join the Abraham Accords.
The US president said it will only be a great deal for all or, no deal at all – with the latter meaning a return “to the battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before”.
Trump added it should be mandatory for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain to sign onto the Abraham Accords, given “all the work done by the US to try and pull this very complex puzzle together”.
“It may be possible that one or two have a reason for not doing so, and that will be accepted, but most should be ready, willing, and able to make this Settlement with Iran a far more Historic Event than it would, otherwise, be,” he added.
“I am mandatorily requesting that all Countries immediately sign the Abraham Accords, and that, if Iran signs its Agreement with me, as President of the United States of America, it would be an Honor to have them also be part of this unparalleled World Coalition.”
Zahra Khaliq25th May14:31 BST
Iran has reportedly shot down “a hostile drone” over the waters of the Gulf, according to the Fars news agency.
“This operation, which was carried out using a system with hidden capabilities, is a clear and decisive message from Iran,” the report said quoting unnamed officials.
Zahra Khaliq25th May13:59 BST
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araqchi have arrived in Doha, where they’ll be speaking with Qatar’s prime minister on a potential US-Iran deal to end the war, an official briefed on the visit said.
The discussions will be focused on the strait of Hormuz and Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the official told Reuters.
Iran’s central bank governor is also expected to discuss the potential release of frozen Iranian funds as part of a final agreement, the official added.
Zahra Khaliq25th May12:56 BST
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has privately told his close confidants that Israel has little influence over Donald Trump’s decision-making on Iran.
The Israeli PM had reportedly expressed concerns about the memorandum of understanding currently being negotiated towards a peace deal in Iran, reports Reuters.
Two Israeli officials with knowledge of the conversations spoke of Netanyahu’s comments on condition of anonymity, the publication said.
He demands to continue operations against perceived threats on all fronts, including Lebanon – a caveat that could derail a deal if Iran insists on a complete halt to stikes in southern Lebanon.
Benjamin Netanyahu(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Pakistan’s top negotiator, army chief Asim Munir, has travelled to China with the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as efforts continue to conclude a peace deal to end the Iran war.
Speaking to Chinese leaders in Beijing alongside Munir, Sharif said: “The world is passing through a critical moment.”
“Things are moving in the right direction. I would like to thank China’s support to promote peace,” he added.
Zahra Khaliq25th May11:05 BST
Oil prices fell more than 4% to two-week lows on Monday as optimism grew that the United States and Iran were moving closer to a peace deal, even though they remain at odds over key issues such as blockades on the Strait of Hormuz.
Prices touched their lowest since May 7.
On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington and Iran had “largely negotiated” an understanding on a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which carried a fifth of global shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas before the conflict.
However, the two sides remain at odds over several difficult issues, with Trump saying on Sunday he had told his representatives not to rush into any deal.
Laura Hill25th May08:41 BST
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, as Washington played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough in the three-month-old war.Rubio told reporters in New Delhi that the U.S. would give diplomacy every chance to succeed before exploring “alternatives”, after President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had told his representatives not to rush into any Iran deal.
There was a “pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the strait, get the strait open, enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter, and hopefully we can pull it off,” Rubio said.
A day earlier, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed”.
“Both sides must take their time and get it right,” he added.
Laura Hill25th May07:55 BST
The Trump administration has issued a stark warning to Tehran declaring , “no dust, no dollars” for Iran, on Sunday, 24 May.
A senior Trump official made it clear that sanctions won’t end unless Iran hands over its enriched uranium.
Trump unveiled a memorandum of understanding on Saturday, putting forward a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and granting a further 30 days for nuclear talks.
Trump administration officials confirmed that no deal was on the immediate horizon and that it would take at least five to seven days to conclude any agreement, according to reports.
“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday.
A senior administration official told reporters: “95% is done, but literally changing words requires days of deliberation in their system.
“No dust, no dollars – in other words, no highly enriched uranium, then the Iranians aren’t going to get any real relief.
“If they do nothing, they get nothing. If they do a lot, they can actually get a lot.”
Laura Hill25th May06:55 BST
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been asked by reporters about the hold-up on reaching a peace deal with Iran.
Rubio replied that “it’s just the response” from Iran.
“You’ve got to hear back, and it takes the Iranian system a little while longer to get back.”
“The president is not going to make a bad deal – he’s just not,” Rubio told reporters.
Tannur Anders25th May05:01 BST
Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is holed up undisclosed location with little access to the outside world, according to US officials familiar with the matter, reported CBS News.
It is understood that he is only reached by a labyrinth of couriers, making it more challenging and time-consuming to get information to him when the US makes a proposal to a peace deal.
Tannur Anders25th May03:07 BST
The US and Iran have been in conflict since February 28 when the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites. Iran retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz and striking sites across the Middle East.
Although a fragile, short-term ceasefire is in place, a long-term peace deal has been a contentious topic.
People across the global wait with bated breath over whether a peace deal can be reached and what the terms and conditions will be.
Here is the latest information on a possible peace deal:
- US President Donald Trump said on Saturday, May 23 that “an Agreement has been largely negotiated”. He said that the agreement is “subject to finalization between” the US, Iran and several other nations
- Trump went on to say on Sunday, May 24 that the deal was not “fully negotiated yet”
- Iran confirmed that negotiations are ongoing and strides have been made in reaching an agreement
- Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the possible agreement included a roadmap to end the war and the US waiving sanctions on the country’s oil during negotiations
- Sticking points remain the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme
- A Trump administration official told reporters on Sunday that “95% is done, but literally changing words requires days of deliberation in their system”.
- The official added that if Iran does not give up it highly enriched uranium, then it is not going to get any real relief