Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, declared that Tehran will defend its "nuclear and missile capabilities" as core national assets, striking a combative note as Washington presses for a broader agreement to shore up a fragile ceasefire. The intervention comes as US President Donald Trump pushes for an expanded deal aimed at reinforcing the uneasy truce that followed the war. Since assuming power after his father was killed at the outset of the conflict, Mr Khamenei has consistently projected defiance, and his…

President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest outline for ending the two-month war, according to a US official, dealing a fresh blow to hopes of defusing a conflict that has rattled energy markets, pushed up inflation and left thousands dead. The new Iranian proposal would postpone any discussion of Tehran’s nuclear programme until the war — paused after a ceasefire announced earlier this month — is formally over and disputes over Gulf shipping are settled. Mr Trump opposes that sequencing and wants nuclear matters on…

The US military said it had brought Iran’s seaborne trade to a standstill, even as President Donald Trump signaled that diplomacy with Tehran could restart as soon as this week to try to end the war. Mr Trump said US and Iranian officials could be back at the table in Pakistan within the next two days, while Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend negotiations that failed to produce a breakthrough, said he remained encouraged by the current state of play. "I think you're going to be watching an amazing two days ahead," Mr…

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a stark warning on Monday, saying any military vessel that moves toward the Strait of Hormuz would be treated as a breach of the two-week ceasefire with the US and met with a forceful response. In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the Guards said the strategic passage remains under the control and “smart management” of Iran’s Navy. They added that the waterway remains “open for the safe passage of non-military vessels in accordance with specific regulations”. The warning followed…

Iran has carried out another execution tied to the nationwide protests in January, deepening fears among rights groups as the number of people they describe as political prisoners put to death continues to rise amid the war against Israel and the United States. Ali Fahim, 23, was executed after being convicted over an attack on a Tehran base used by the Revolutionary Guards' Basij militia during the unrest, according to rights groups that have tracked the case. The judiciary's Mizan Online website called him "one of the…

President Donald Trump struck an upbeat note on the standoff with Iran, saying the two sides have been in contact "directly and indirectly" and describing Tehran's new leadership as "very reasonable", even as additional US troops arrived in the region and Iranian officials vowed they would not submit to humiliation. The comments, made last night, followed word from Pakistan — acting as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington — that it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" in the coming days in an effort to bring the…

Live Explosions rock Iran’s capital in a series of blasts Middle East

Live Iran's ambassador to Pakistan says no talks with US yet Middle East Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan has said there have been no formal discussions between Tehran and Washington to date, a clear statement that underscores the continued gap between the two governments. The declaration, delivered by Iran’s top diplomat in Islamabad, confirms that despite intermittent international attention on possible engagement, no negotiations have commenced. The ambassador’s remarks serve as a reminder that, for now, diplomatic…

Three weeks into the conflict, the human and material toll is already stark and sweeping. More than 2,000 people dead, 10,000 injured. More than 4 million people displaced in the region, a million of them in Lebanon. Oil prices above $100 a barrel. 45 million people at risk of acute hunger as food, fuel and shipping costs rise. 56 cultural heritage sites damaged or destroyed in Iran. Several more at risk in Lebanon. One of the clearest indicators of how this war is unfolding is the pace and scale of the bombardment. The…

Live Iran’s supreme leader declares the enemy 'defeated' Middle East Israel carried out additional strikes in Tehran today, despite a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump a day earlier not to repeat attacks on Iran’s natural gas infrastructure. Follow our live coverage for real-time…