United News of Bangladesh

US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran could end soon, expressing optimism about a possible resolution. “I think it’s close to over, yeah,” Trump said in a clip of an interview aired by Fox News. “I mean I view it as very close to over.” Meanwhile, Democrats in the US Senate are planning another vote on Wednesday to limit Trump’s war powers over the conflict, reports Al Jazeera. Senator Tammy Duckworth, who introduced a War Powers Resolution, said Trump’s “war of choice” is putting American lives at risk and driving up prices at home, reports Al Jazeera. “The Senate must fulfil its constitutional duty and vote to stop it immediately, before our economy takes yet another hit and more lives are lost,” she said. Under the US Constitution, only Congress has the authority to declare war. Democrats in both the Senate and the House have repeatedly sought to pass resolutions requiring the president to obtain congressional approval before launching military action. US blockade on Iran applies to ships of all nations: CENTCOM However, those efforts have been blocked by Republicans, who hold narrow majorities in both chambers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would continue forcing votes on the issue weekly as long as the conflict persists.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the ongoing blockade on Iranian ports is being enforced against vessels of all nations entering or leaving Iran’s coastal areas. In a statement, CENTCOM said the operation is being carried out “impartially” and includes US Navy guided-missile destroyers as part of the assets enforcing the blockade, reports Al Jazeera. “A typical destroyer has a crew of more than 300 sailors that are highly trained in conducting offensive and defensive maritime operations,” it added. Diplomats push for fresh US-Iran talks as blockade enters first full day CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the blockade has been “fully implemented,” claiming US forces have established maritime superiority in the region. “An estimated 90% of Iran’s economy is fuelled by international trade by sea,” he said on X. “In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.” The developments come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following failed diplomatic efforts and growing concerns over disruptions to global trade and energy supplies.

Diplomats worked through back channels on Tuesday to arrange a new round of talks between the United States and Iran, as Washington enforced its blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran warned of possible retaliation across the region. US President Donald Trump said a second round of talks could take place “over the next two days,” suggesting Islamabad as a possible venue. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also said it is “highly probable” negotiations will resume. The first round of talks held in Pakistan last weekend failed to produce a deal, with Iran’s nuclear programme remaining a key sticking point. A US official said discussions on fresh talks are ongoing but no schedule has been finalised. Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said efforts to mediate between the two sides are continuing, adding that “our leadership is not giving up.” The blockade, now in its first full day, is aimed at pressuring Iran, which has continued exporting oil—largely to Asia—since the conflict began on February 28. A US official said forces enforcing the blockade are operating in the Gulf of Oman, monitoring vessels leaving Iranian ports before intercepting them after they pass through the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said no ships passed through the blockade in the first 24 hours, while six vessels complied with orders to turn back. The standoff over the vital waterway—through which about one-fifth of global oil flows in normal times—has raised fears of renewed hostilities and further economic fallout. Oil prices have surged as maritime traffic remains severely disrupted. Meanwhile, separate talks between Israeli and Lebanese envoys in Washington were described as “productive,” with both sides agreeing to pursue direct negotiations, though major differences remain over Hezbollah and the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon. The war, now in its seventh week, has killed thousands across the region and displaced more than a million people, particularly in Lebanon, intensifying international calls for a broader ceasefire.

Oil prices rose in early market trading Sunday after the U.S. said it would blockade Iranian ports beginning Monday. The price of U.S. crude oil rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7% to $102.29. Brent crude has swung dramatically during the Iran war, rising from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. On Friday, ahead of the peace talks, Brent for June delivery fell 0.8% to $95.20 per barrel. Iran has been effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping. U.S. Central Command said the blockade would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations” entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Around a fifth of the world’s traded oil typically flows through the Strait of Hormuz every day. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iran are all major exporters. Traffic in the strait has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire. Claudio Galimberti, chief economist of Rystad Energy, said the blockade will raise prices but might move the needle on talks.

Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said US President Donald Trump’s recent threats “have no effect on the Iranian nation,” amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. In comments carried by state media, Ghalibaf said Iran had shown “very good initiatives” and goodwill in talks with the United States, which he claimed had led to progress, reports Al Jazeera. He warned Washington, saying, “If you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the Strait of Hormuz remains “open to the harmless passage of civilian vessels” in line with international law. Trump warns of Hormuz blockade as US-Iran talks end without deal However, it warned that military vessels approaching the waterway would be considered in violation of the ceasefire and “will be dealt with severely.” The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region following US threats of maritime action and growing concerns over the security of the world’s most critical oil shipping route. US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the US Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz after US-Iran talks ended without an agreement. He said he had instructed US naval forces to “seek and interdict” vessels in international waters that have allegedly paid a toll to Iran, warning that “no one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” US Vice President JD Vance said the latest round of marathon negotiations ended without agreement after 21 hours of talks in Islamabad. While, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the talks concluded without outcome, citing “excessive demands” from Washington as a key obstacle to a deal.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam on Sunday said the situation could deteriorate further, affecting the world, if a solution does not emerge from the US-Iran peace talks. "Every country will be affected - economically, socially, and in every way. We don’t want that at all," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that they want the talks to be expedited and a resolution to be reached. Meanwhile, the State Minister requested Iran to consider facilitating the safe passage of Bangladesh-bound vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. She raised the issue when Ambassador of Iran to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi met her.  

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. Trump sought to exert strategic control over the waterway responsible for the transportation of 20% of global oil supplies before the war, hoping to take away Iran’s key source of economic leverage in the fighting. The president added that he has “instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” Trump also said the U.S. was ready to “finish up” Iran at the “appropriate moment," stressing that Tehran's nuclear ambitions were at the core of the failure to end the war. Face-to-face talks ended earlier Sunday after 21 hours, leaving a fragile two-week ceasefire in doubt. U.S. officials said the negotiations collapsed over what they described as Iran’s refusal to commit to abandoning a path to a nuclear weapon, while Iranian officials blamed the U.S. for the breakdown of the talks without specifying the sticking points. Neither side indicated what will happen after the 14-day ceasefire expires on April 22. Pakistani mediators urged all parties to maintain it. Both said their positions were clear and put the onus on the other side, underscoring how little the gap had narrowed throughout the talks. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance said after the talks. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran in the negotiations, said it was time for the United States “to decide whether it can gain our trust or not.” He did not mention the core disputes in a series of social media posts, though Iranian officials earlier said the talks fell apart over two or three key issues, blaming what they called U.S. overreach. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons but has insisted on its right to a civilian nuclear program. It has offered “affirmative commitments” in the past in writing, including in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Experts say its stockpile of enriched uranium, though not weapons-grade, is only a short technical step away. Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, it has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and caused lasting damage to infrastructure in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has largely cut off the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue between Iran and the U.S. in the coming days. “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to cease fire,” Dar said. The deadlock — and Vance’s take-it-or-leave-it proposal that Iran end its nuclear program — mirrored February’s nuclear talks in Switzerland. Though Trump has said the subsequent war was meant to compel Iran’s leaders to abandon nuclear ambitions, each side's positions appeared unchanged in negotiations following six weeks of fighting. An Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the closed-door talks, denied that negotiations had failed over Iran's nuclear ambitions. “Iran is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but it has the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” they said, reiterating Iran's longstanding negotiating position. There was no word on whether they would resume, though Iran said it was open to continuing the dialogue, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported. “We have never sought war. But if they try to win what they failed to win on the battlefield through talks, that’s absolutely unacceptable,” 60-year-old Mohammad Bagher Karami said in downtown Tehran. US moves to shift status quo in Strait of Hormuz The United States and Iran entered talks with sharply different proposals and contrasting assumptions about their leverage to end the war. Before negotiations began, the ceasefire was already threatened by deep disagreements and Israel’s continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s 10-point proposal ahead of the talks called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It included ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. Pakistani officials told The Associated Press in March that the U.S. 15-point proposal included monitoring mechanisms and a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program. Speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to discuss details, they said it also covered reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Indeed, Iran’s closure of the strait has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war. During the talks, the U.S. military said two destroyers transited the critical waterway ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran’s state media, however, reported the country's joint military command denied that. “We’re sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me,” Trump said as talks extended into early Sunday morning. Israel presses ahead in Lebanon The impasse raises new questions about fighting in Lebanon. Israel has pressed ahead with strikes since the ceasefire was announced, saying the agreement did not apply there. Iran and Pakistan claimed otherwise. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported six people were killed Sunday morning in an Israeli strike in Maaroub, a village near the southern coastal city of Tyre. Though Israel’s strikes over Beirut have calmed in recent days, its attacks on southern Lebanon have intensified alongside a ground invasion it renewed after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in the opening days of the Iran war. Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office has said, after Israel’s surprise announcement authorizing talks despite the lack of official relations between the countries. Protests erupted in Beirut on Saturday over the planned negotiations. Israel wants Lebanon's government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades. The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began, according to the country's Health Ministry.

US-Israeli attacks have killed and injured a total of 144 healthcare workers in Iran, according to the head of the country’s emergency department. Jafar Miadfar told Mehr news agency that the strikes have caused significant damage to Iran’s health sector, leaving 118 healthcare workers injured and 26 killed. He said the casualties included 78 emergency personnel who were actively on duty in the field. He added that more than 400 medical units were damaged in the attacks, along with 57 emergency bases and 47 ambulances. Two air ambulance helicopters and a sea ambulance were also destroyed. US-Iran talks end without deal; Tehran rejects nuclear condition Miadfar expressed concern over the condition of medical staff in hospitals, saying, “The situation of our colleagues in hospitals is worrying.” The reports highlight the scale of damage inflicted on Iran’s healthcare infrastructure amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes, raising concerns over emergency response capacity in affected areas. Source: Al Jazeera

Viral AI-generated videos styled like Lego animations are being used to spread pro-Iran narratives during the ongoing conflict, with experts warning they represent a powerful new form of propaganda. At first glance, the fast-paced and vividly coloured clips resemble scenes from animated films. However, the content often includes images of war, injured children, fighter jets and US President Donald Trump, presenting Iran as resisting what it portrays as a dominant global power, the United States. In a recent BBC podcast, a representative of Explosive Media, one of the main creators of such videos, acknowledged that the Iranian government is a “customer” of the outlet, despite earlier claims of being fully independent. The individual, who identified himself as Mr Explosive, said his small team uses the Lego-style format because it is easily understood across cultures. The videos are widely shared by Iranian and Russian state-linked social media accounts, reaching millions of viewers. Experts say the content is highly effective. Propaganda specialist Dr Emma Briant described the videos as “highly sophisticated,” noting that AI tools trained on Western data help create culturally familiar messages for global audiences. She said the clips have collectively drawn hundreds of millions of views. The videos often mix political messaging with controversial or unverified claims. Some include references to conspiracy theories, such as alleged links between US figures and the Epstein files, for which there is no credible evidence. In one widely circulated clip, a downed US pilot is shown being captured by Iranian forces. However, US officials said the pilot was rescued by special forces on April 4 and is receiving treatment in Kuwait. The producer rejected that account, offering an alternative version without evidence. Analysts say such content can shape perceptions by rapidly spreading misleading narratives. Some social media influencers have echoed the claims made in the videos, further amplifying their reach among English-speaking audiences. The clips have become more detailed in recent months, depicting specific locations in the Gulf region being destroyed by Iranian strikes. In reality, reports suggest damage in many cases has been limited. The videos are often released shortly after major developments in the conflict, sometimes even before official announcements, indicating a coordinated and fast-moving content strategy. Explosive Media’s representative defended working with the Iranian government, calling it an “honourable” role, and dismissed criticism over misinformation and alleged bias. Researchers say this type of AI-driven messaging signals a shift in how countries communicate during conflicts, bypassing traditional media channels and directly targeting global audiences. While social media platforms have removed some accounts sharing the videos, similar content continues to reappear, highlighting the challenges of controlling such rapidly evolving digital campaigns. Source: BBC

The Pakistani prime minister has conveyed a clear message expressing confidence that the ongoing talks are taking place in Islamabad. Reports suggest that US Vice President JD Vance is already en route to Islamabad, while there are also claims that two aircraft have departed from Iran. Earlier, Iran’s parliament speaker posted on social media that negotiations would only be possible if a ceasefire is established in Lebanon and Iranian assets are unfrozen. Tehran proposes Strait of Hormuz transit fees to be paid in Iranian currency Sources involved in the process from the beginning said such statements are expected as both sides continue shaping narratives for their domestic audiences. They added that Iran is unlikely to abandon Hezbollah under current circumstances.