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Intensive back-channel talks appear to be aimed at creating a phased way out of the Strait of Hormuz crisis. According to sources speaking to Al-Arabiya, agreements have been reached to ease the ongoing naval blockade in exchange for a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This breakthrough comes amid high-stakes negotiations to stabilise maritime traffic and reduce regional tensions following months of conflict.
Understandings have been reached regarding easing the US blockade in exchange for a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Al Arabiya reports citing sources.
The coming hours will witness a breakthrough regarding the status of ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Arabiya reports citing sources.
The Ministry Of External Affairs' Spokesperson stated the Ministry is in talks with Iran for safe passage of 13 ships, according to NDTV.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told state media outlet IRIB that he had a meeting with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
“What stood out to me more than any other issue in this meeting was the manner of confrontation, the type of gaze, and the humble and deeply intimate manner of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution; an approach that transformed the atmosphere of the discussion into an environment based on trust, calm, empathy, and direct dialogue,” Pezeshkian said, according to IRIB.
A French aircraft carrier is heading to the Red Sea for a possible defensive mission to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, blocked during the US-Israel war on Iran. France's Ministry of Armed Forces said the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle is en route to the strait, which previously handled 20% of global oil trade. President Macron and UK PM Starmer are leading a multinational mission they describe as defensive, to deploy only after the war ends.
(Source: Al Jazeera)
Rubio said topics other than the Iran war were on the agenda for the Vatican visit, including Cuba. The Holy See is particularly concerned about the Trump administration's threats of potential military action there following its January ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has said frequently that Cuba could be “next” and even suggested that once the war with Iran is over, naval assets deployed in the Middle East could return to the United States by way of Cuba.
Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants and a longtime Cuba hawk. "We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won't let us distribute it," Rubio said. "We distributed it through the church. We'd like to do more."
(Source: AP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US President Donald Trump's recent criticisms of Leo were rooted in his opposition to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he said could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians.
Trump “doesn't understand why anybody — leave aside the pope — the president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it's a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon”, Rubio told reporters Tuesday at the White House.
(Source: AP)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to the Vatican and Italy on a fence-mending visit after President Donald Trump's broadsides against Pope Leo XIV and the US-Israeli war in Iran have alienated those allies.
Rubio, a practising Catholic, will have an audience with Leo on Thursday, which was complicated at the last minute by Trump's latest criticism of the Chicago-born pope.
Leo has pushed back, calling out Trump's misrepresentations of his views on Iran and nuclear weapons and insisting that he is merely preaching the biblical message of peace.
Alcoholic beverage makers have sought a reasonable price hike from state governments to deal with pressures arising out of rising can and bottle costs due to supply chain disruptions triggered by the Middle East crisis.
British energy giant Shell announced rising net profits for the first quarter as the Middle East war sent oil and gas prices soaring in volatile trading.
Profit after tax increased 19% to $5.69 billion in the January-March period from $4.78 billion in the first quarter of 2025, Shell said in an earnings statement.
Emirates Group announced a 3% rise in annual profits to $5.7 billion despite severe disruption from the Middle East war, with flights grounded and Dubai airport repeatedly targeted.
The state-owned entity that includes Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul carrier, reported record pre-tax profits of $6.6 billion and record cash assets of $16.2 billion.
March, the last month of the financial year when Iran launched daily strikes at its wealthy Gulf neighbours, was "disruptive and challenging", it said.
(Source: AFP)
The United States and Iran are moving toward a deal that could end their war and reopen the blocked Strait of Hormuz in coming hours, Al Arabiya reported Thursday, citing source.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran likely to visit India to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi: Sources from Iran
Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran likely to visit India to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi: Sources from Iran pic.twitter.com/bIZtUn5Sla
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2026
Iran might hand over its response to the US proposal to Pakistan today, a Pakistani source told Al Arabiya.
Sources told Al Arabiya the US and Iran have reached an understanding to ease the American naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a gradual reopening of the waterway. Earlier, President Trump said talks with Iran have been "very good" and that the war will "be over quickly," expressing hope for a deal. This follows Tehran's review of a 14-point US memorandum aimed at ending the conflict.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to the Vatican and Italy on a fence-mending visit after President Donald Trump's broadsides against Pope Leo XIV and the US-Israeli war in Iran have alienated those allies.
Rubio, a practicing Catholic, will have an audience with Leo on Thursday, which was complicated at the last minute by Trump's latest criticism of the Chicago-born pope.
Leo has pushed back, calling out Trump's misrepresentations of his views on Iran and nuclear weapons and insisting that he is merely preaching the biblical message of peace.
Official Statement of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Allegations Concerning Damage to a Korean Vessel HMM in the Strait of Hormuz
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The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran firmly rejects and categorically denies any allegations regarding the involvement of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the incident involving damage to a Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
Since the outset of the aggressive actions carried out by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly emphasised that the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an integral part of its defensive geography in countering aggressors and their supporters. In this context, conditions governing navigation through this strategic waterway have been affected by the evolving security situation and differ from those prevailing in previous periods, as the area is subject to heightened tensions arising from the actions of hostile forces and their allies.
Accordingly, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz requires full compliance with applicable regulations, due attention to issued warnings, adherence to designated routes, and coordination with the competent authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It is evident that, under such circumstances, any disregard for the declared requirements and operational realities in an environment influenced by military and security tensions may lead to unintended incidents. Responsibility for such consequences rests with those parties that proceed with transit or activities in the area without due regard to these considerations.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently underscored its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of maritime navigation in the region, in accordance with international laws and regulations, and will continue to do so.
Ali Vaez, Iran director at the International Crisis Group said, "Going to China while the strait remains closed is humiliating for President Trump and puts China in a position of strength vis-a-vis the United States, because President Trump would have to, as he has done recently, ask for China's help to resolve a problem that didn't exist before he launched a war."
The Israeli army carried out an attack in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Wednesday, the first in the vicinity of the Lebanese capital since a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect last month.
The Israel Defense Forces sought to assassinate the commander of Iran-backed Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force in Beirut, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.
Before the Iran war, 100 to 135 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily, according to research firm Lloyd's List Intelligence, but that has slowed to a trickle as Iran has demanded that vessels go through a vetting process run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that involves passing to the north near the Iranian cost, submitting information on crew and cargo, and in at least some cases paying.
Meanwhile, paying the IRGC risks running afoul of sanctions from the US and the EU, which have designated it a terrorist organisation.
Goods stranded in the strait include oil and oil products such as fertilizer, not to mention thousands of ship workers. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday there are more than 1,550 vessels with about 22,500 mariners on them inside the Persian Gulf.
(Source: AP)
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran has agreed to give up its nuclear weapons program and that a formal deal to end the ongoing U.S.-Iran war could be reached very soon, striking a confident tone during a tele-rally in Georgia.
IRGC's Political Deputy General Javani:
(Source: Press TV)
US President Donald Trump said he would have accepted oil prices reaching $200 a barrel, double their current level, as a trade-off for the United States' ongoing war against Iran, brushing aside concerns about the conflict's economic toll on American consumers.
Oil prices steadied on Thursday after suffering their sharpest drop in weeks, as traders assessed signs of possible diplomatic progress between the US and Iran that could eventually ease disruptions in the Middle East. Brent crude traded above $102 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate hovered near $96.
The Trump administration's shifting and often contradictory messaging throughout the Iran war has produced ever more confusion this week as the president and his aides presented a dizzying narrative over the US strategy to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and wrap up the war that drastically changed over the course of mere hours.
Administration officials have been trying to walk a fine line between maintaining the ceasefire and reopening the strait, where 20 per cent of the world's oil normally flows.
The economic fallout is growing as fuel prices rise, with Republicans facing increasing pressure to find solutions to higher costs ahead of the midterm congressional elections.
US President Trump has said time and again that there will be zero tolerance for Iran developing nuclear weapons. The US position goes further by pushing to halt even domestic uranium enrichment in Iran as part of any deal.
This, however, is a controversial claim as Iranian officials have firmly rejected sending uranium abroad, exposing a major sticking point in negotiations
Trump suggests Tehran is under pressure and seeking talks, a recurring theme in his messaging. US officials have indeed said negotiations are ongoing or possible, though Iran has publicly disputed the extent of these contacts, highlighting a gap between narratives.
Asked about a timeframe on Iran, US President Donald Trump told Fox News' Bret Baier "one week." Fox News reported Trump is optimistic about a framework with Iran.
US President Trump said Iran agreed not to have a nuclear weapon and "won't have a nuclear weapon, they've agreed." He added it's "very possible we will make a deal with Iran" and that "they want to make a deal badly, we'll see." Summing up, Trump declared: "We won."
Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X, saying "Operation Trust Me Bro failed. Now back to routine with Operation Fauxios," apparently mocking US negotiation efforts. "Fauxios" likely plays on Axios, a US news outlet often cited in reporting on the Iran talks.
Operation Trust Me Bro failed. Now back to routine with Operation Fauxios.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) May 6, 2026
US President Donald Trump voiced hope about reaching an agreement with Iran that would involve Iran shipping its highly enriched uranium to the United States. The deal could be reached before his upcoming visit to China, planned on May 14-15, Trump indicated, while speaking to PBS.
On oil, US President Donald Trump said: "Even if it went to $200, it would've been worth it. I understood that. We had just set a record -- 50,000 on the Dow."
Trump on oil: "Even if it went to $200, it would've been worth it. I understood that. We had just set a record -- 50,000 on the Dow." pic.twitter.com/WWa8ZVpUrv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 6, 2026
In Washington DC, US President Donald Trump said on Iran: "They want to make a deal badly and we will see if we get there. They can't have nuclear weapons... They don't have any planes and anti-aircrafts, radars, their missiles are decimated... Their leaders are all dead so I think we have won... We have had very good talks over the last 44 hours and it is very possible that we are going to make a deal."
#WATCH | Washington DC: On Iran, US President Donald Trump says, "They want to make a deal badly and we will see if we get there. They can't have nuclear weapons... They don't have any planes and anti-aircrafts, radars, their missiles are decimated... Their leaders are all dead… pic.twitter.com/KgczqZvpvp
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2026
On the Middle East conflict, US President Donald Trump says, "We are going to blow them (Iran) away... We are not going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon... We are dealing with people who want to make a deal very much, and we will see whether or not they can make a deal that is satisfactory to us. We have it very much under control. The blockade is unbelievable. The Navy has been incredible. The job they did is like a wall of steel. Nobody goes through. In particular, the Iranians are not getting anything through one way or the other, so they are out of business. We will see whether or not they agree. If they don't agree, they will end up agreeing shortly thereafter..."
#WATCH | On the West Asia conflict, US President Donald Trump says, "We are going to blow them (Iran) away... We are not going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon... We are dealing with people who want to make a deal very much, and we will see whether or not they can make a deal… pic.twitter.com/ceSe53ilY7
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2026
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