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Iran said it is still reviewing the latest US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict and will send its response at an “appropriate time.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran would not be pressured by deadlines set by Washington, dismissing them as meaningless. “Iran does not respond to deadlines or ultimatums,” he said. Iranian officials said the delay is due to the technical complexity of the proposed agreement and the need for approval from several key institutions in Tehran. According to media report, the review process involves parliamentary leaders, including Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Supreme National Security Council and ultimately Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Khamenei’s approval is required before Iran sends its final response to Washington. #From Middle East Eye

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a telephone conversation to discuss regional developments amid the US-Israel war on Iran, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry said the discussions focused on the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, including deliberations on the issue at the United Nations. It added that the Russian side emphasised the importance of supporting ongoing negotiation efforts between Iran and the United States. US disables two more Iranian tankers as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate Moscow also reaffirmed its position that prospects for stabilisation should not be undermined by a renewed outbreak of hostilities, which could lead to civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure in Iran as well as neighbouring countries. The statement further said both foreign ministers agreed to remain in contact and work towards aligning the approaches of all parties involved in seeking a long-term and sustainable settlement. Source: Al Jazeera

US forces disabled two Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after overnight exchanges of fire with Iranian forces, as tensions continued to rise despite a fragile month-old ceasefire. The US military said Friday the tankers were attempting to breach an American blockade of Iranian ports. Earlier, Washington said it had thwarted attacks on three US Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in the strategic waterway. No American ships were hit. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said three people were wounded after Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeted the country. It remained unclear whether all projectiles were intercepted. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was awaiting “a serious offer” from Tehran regarding a deal to end the conflict, reopen the strait and curb Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran condemned the US actions as “hostile” and accused Washington of violating the ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US was choosing “reckless military adventure” over diplomacy. Iran has largely blocked the vital shipping route since the war began on February 28, disrupting global energy supplies and increasing fuel prices worldwide. Satellite images also showed a large oil slick near Iran’s Kharg Island export terminal.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the fallout from the ongoing war have triggered increases in fuel and food prices, disrupting supply chains in several countries, including Somalia, where an already severe hunger crisis has worsened, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP said Somalia is currently facing one of the “most complex hunger crises in recent years” due to prolonged drought, conflict and limited humanitarian assistance.According to the agency’s latest findings, the number of people experiencing “crisis-level hunger or worse” in Somalia has nearly doubled over the past year to 6.5 million. Malnutrition worsens in Gaza, women and children severely affected Of them, around two million people are suffering from “emergency hunger”, described as the second-highest level of food insecurity. Hameed Nuru, WFP country director in Somalia, told Al Jazeera that many families are once again being forced to make extremely difficult decisions. “Entire families have had to once again make the toughest choices,” Nuru said.“Sell the little assets they had, reduce or completely cut meals, and leave everything behind to find help – but this time there’s no help available,” he added. Source: Al Jazeera

A severe malnutrition crisis is deepening in the war-battered Gaza Strip amid restrictions on food and humanitarian aid imposed on Palestinians, according to Doctors Without Borders. The organisation said pregnant women, newborns and young children are among the worst affected, with data from its supported clinics showing a rise in premature births, miscarriages, low birth weight babies and infant deaths, alongside increasing cases of acute child malnutrition. Spain demands ‘immediate release’ of Gaza flotilla activist Field workers reported witnessing the crisis firsthand. “We are seeing this every day as we work in the field. We are meeting mothers, we are seeing these premature births and miscarriages, and all of these women are telling us the main reason behind this malnutrition is Israel’s restriction on food,” the statement said. The group further said that nearly six months into the so-called ceasefire, restrictions on aid entry remain in place despite an agreement allowing 600 trucks of humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza daily. “In reality, only about 150 trucks are entering, and people here do not have access to food or basic supplies,” it added. Source: Al Jazeera

The Israeli military has claimed that its forces killed 220 Hezbollah fighters since a Washington-brokered “ceasefire” between Israeli and Lebanese officials took effect in mid-April. In a statement, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said Israeli forces killed 85 Hezbollah members over the past week and struck more than 180 military facilities belonging to the group. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks have killed more than 2,700 people since March 2, including dozens since the supposed truce began. Trump says US held “very good” talks with Iran in last 24 hours Source: Al Jazeera

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Washington had held “very good” talks with Iran over the past 24 hours regarding ending the war that has continued for more than two months. Speaking at an event at the White House, Trump said Iran was eager to reach an agreement. “They want to make a deal,” Trump told reporters, repeating his earlier claim that Iran wants “to make a deal badly.” Iran reviews latest US proposal as Trump pushes for deal to end conflict “We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” he added. Trump also reiterated that if the United States withdrew from Iran at this moment, the country would need 20 years to rebuild because of the extensive damage caused by the US-Israeli strikes launched on Feb. 28.

“We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday. “We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well.” But he declined to give a timeline, saying Pakistan would not disclose details of the ongoing diplomatic efforts. “What I can tell you and this is what I have stated before that we remain positive, we remain optimist, and we hope the settlement will be soon rather than later,” he said. Asked whether Pakistan was expecting any response from Iran later Thursday, Andrabi said: “I will not comment on specifics or the movement of the messages.” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in televised remarks Thursday, said Islamabad remained in “continuous contact with Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the ceasefire.”  

The global energy crisis and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are expected to dominate discussions as leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gather on the Philippine island of Cebu this week. The two-day summit, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, will bring together leaders along with foreign and economic ministers from the 11-member regional bloc. According to report, ensuring energy and food supply security for ASEAN’s nearly 700 million people will be among the top priorities at the meeting. Analysts say the worsening fuel crisis is likely to test the Philippines’ leadership as ASEAN chair, requiring Manila to coordinate a regional response while also keeping attention on other unresolved regional tensions, including Myanmar’s civil war and the long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. “Planning to cushion the economic fallout could eventually outweigh other immediate regional issues,” Don McLain Gill, a geopolitical analyst and lecturer at Manila’s De La Salle University, told media. #From Al Jazeera

Iran says it is still reviewing a US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, amid reports that Washington and Tehran may be moving closer to a broader agreement. According to a report by Axios published Wednesday, the White House believes it is nearing a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran that could pave the way for more detailed nuclear negotiations. However, reactions from Tehran remained mixed. A senior Iranian lawmaker dismissed the reported proposal as a “wish list,” while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said Iran would share its response to the US proposal through Pakistani mediators after completing its review. “The American proposal is still being reviewed by Iran and after concluding, it will inform the Pakistani side of its opinion,” Baghaei told the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). Pakistan’s Foreign Minister said Islamabad is trying to turn the current ceasefire into “a permanent end to this war.” US President Donald Trump said Washington had held “very good talks with Iran in the last 24 hours” and suggested a deal could soon be reached. Axios reported that the proposed agreement is contained in a one-page memo outlining 14 points, including suspension of Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, lifting of sanctions, and restoring free movement through the Strait of Hormuz. The report, citing unnamed US officials and other sources familiar with the discussions, said many provisions would depend on a final agreement being reached later. Reuters also reported that sources familiar with the mediation efforts confirmed the existence of the proposal, although its details have not been officially released. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, reacted strongly to the report. “The Americans will not gain anything in a war they are losing that they have not gained in face-to-face negotiations,” he wrote on X. He warned that Iran was “ready” and could deliver a “harsh and regret-inducing response” if Washington failed to make concessions. Trump also issued a warning, saying on his Truth Social platform that if Iran refused a deal, “the bombing starts” and would be carried out “at a much higher level and intensity than before.” He added that “Operation Epic Fury,” the initial US-Israeli offensive against Iran, would end if Tehran accepted the proposed terms. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier said the operation had achieved its objectives and was now over. Trump again claimed Iran had agreed never to develop nuclear weapons, though Tehran has not publicly confirmed that position. Iran’s nuclear programme remains one of the central disputes between the two countries. “They want to make a deal. We've had very good talks over the last 24 hours and it's very possible that we'll make a deal,” Trump said, adding, “I think we won.” Trump also announced a pause in “Project Freedom,” an operation designed to restore shipping and oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz by escorting stranded vessels out of the Gulf. Iran has not officially commented on the pause, though the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) suggested the strait could reopen if “aggressors’ threats” end. The Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, has effectively remained blocked since US and Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February. Although a ceasefire announced in early April halted Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf states, including the UAE, shipping traffic through the strait remains limited. Meanwhile, US Central Command said Wednesday it disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that allegedly attempted to break the blockade. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “full coordination” between Israel and the US on Iran policy. “There are no surprises. We share common goals, and the most important objective is the removal of all enriched material from Iran and the dismantling of Iran's enrichment capabilities,” Netanyahu said. His comments came after Israel carried out its first strike on Beirut since an April ceasefire with Hezbollah. Netanyahu said the target was a senior Hezbollah commander allegedly responsible for attacks on Israeli settlements and soldiers. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, began launching attacks on Israel in March in response to Israeli strikes on Iran. Despite the ceasefire, both Israel and Hezbollah have continued cross-border attacks, accusing each other of violating the agreement. #From BBC