Talks, statements, sanctions, nuclear policy, and government decisions.
440 entries, newest first; showing 271–300. Show all updates
The U.S. Treasury designated Nobitex, Iran's largest digital asset exchange, along with Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex, saying Nobitex processed more than half of Iran's digital asset inflows in 2025 and handled IRGC-linked payments and sanctions evasion. The brothers who control Nobitex and its chief executive were also sanctioned; Nobitex denies direct government links.
Testifying to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the first time since the war began, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran would not get sanctions relief for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and that any relief would be conditions-based, and that Iran had agreed to negotiate parts of its nuclear programme it previously refused to discuss. He said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was alive and 'increasingly engaging'.
Trump said that after a 'very productive' call with Netanyahu no Israeli troops would go to Beirut, and that Hezbollah, through 'highly placed representatives', agreed all shooting would stop. Lebanon's presidency said Hezbollah accepted a U.S. proposal for a reciprocal halt, with no Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs in exchange for no Hezbollah attacks on Israel, while Netanyahu said the army would keep operating 'as planned' in south Lebanon.
The IRGC-aligned Tasnim agency said Iran had stopped exchanging messages with Washington through intermediaries because of Israel's attacks on Lebanon, and that Iran and its allies were weighing a full closure of Hormuz and activating 'other fronts'. Foreign Minister Araghchi said the ceasefire covered all fronts including Lebanon; Trump said Iran had not informed him, that 'going silent would be very good', and that the U.S. blockade would stay.
Axios reported that Trump asked for several amendments to the memorandum his envoys had reached, on how and when the U.S. would obtain Iran's enriched uranium and on the wording on reopening Hormuz, with an Iranian reply expected in about three days; the New York Times said he had toughened the terms and sent them back to Tehran.
The U.S. Defense Department said the two militaries held "productive, military-to-military talks" on practical frameworks for regional security, backing "Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, free of armed non-state actors"; its statement did not mention the truce. Lebanon's prime minister called the talks "the least costly path" but said the outcome was not guaranteed.
Trump wrote that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon, Hormuz must open immediately without tolls, remaining mines must be cleared, the U.S. would unearth and destroy the buried enriched uranium with Iran and the IAEA, no money would change hands for now and the blockade "will now be lifted". A two-hour Situation Room meeting ended without an announced decision, and Iran's Foreign Ministry said no final agreement had been reached.
U.S. officials said negotiators agreed a memorandum to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and open talks on a final deal, pending Trump's sign-off; as described, Hormuz would reopen, Iran would clear mines within 30 days and pledge not to build a nuclear weapon, and the U.S. blockade would be lifted in parallel. The Guardian reported Trump had circulated the draft among allies including Israel, and Pakistan's foreign minister was to fly to Washington the next day.
Treasury added the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to its sanctions list and warned that anyone paying its fees may face sanctions risk. On May 28 Bessent said Treasury would "aggressively target" any actors, naming Oman, involved in facilitating Hormuz tolls, and would cut off both Iranian airlines' access to landing slots, refuelling and ticket sales.
Asked at a Cabinet meeting about a short-term arrangement for Iran and Oman to manage the strait, Trump said "nobody's going to control it" and that "Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up". Iran's Foreign Ministry said it stood in solidarity with Oman.
IRIB said it had obtained an unofficial 14-point draft under which the U.S. would lift its blockade and pull forces from Iran's vicinity while Iran restored commercial Hormuz traffic to pre-war levels within a month, with inspections and service fees staying under Iranian control. The White House said the report was "not true" and the memorandum "a complete fabrication".
Speaker Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Araghchi and the central bank governor held talks in Doha with Qatar's prime minister focused on Hormuz, the enriched uranium stockpile and frozen funds, Reuters said. Regional officials told CBS the draft memorandum included a 60-day ceasefire extension, an immediate Hormuz reopening with normal traffic within 30 days, an end to fighting on all fronts including Lebanon, and disposal of the uranium under an agreed mechanism.
Trump wrote that it should be "mandatory" for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and others to sign the Abraham Accords simultaneously with a settlement with Iran, starting with Saudi Arabia and Qatar. At a Cabinet meeting on May 27 he said he was "not sure we should make the deal if they don't sign".
Netanyahu said that in a call the previous night he and Trump agreed any final agreement must dismantle Iran's enrichment sites and remove its enriched material, and that Trump reaffirmed Israel's right to act "on every front, including Lebanon". An Iranian source told Al Jazeera Washington was retreating on the frozen-assets mechanism and the scope of a Lebanon ceasefire.
After a call with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, Trump said an agreement had been "largely negotiated", subject to finalisation, and that "the Strait of Hormuz will be opened". Iran's Fars agency said the strait would remain under Iranian management even if traffic returned to pre-war levels.
The four-week review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ended without consensus, its president Do Hung Viet of Vietnam said, citing as "a very important reason" a draft provision that Iran "can never seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons". It was the third consecutive review conference to fail.
Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran and met Foreign Minister Araghchi late into the night, then Speaker Ghalibaf, President Pezeshkian and Interior Minister Momeni. Pakistan's military said on May 23 the intensive talks had brought "encouraging progress towards a final understanding", and Reuters said Iran and Pakistan then sent a revised proposal to Washington.
The European Council amended its existing Iran sanctions framework so it can impose travel bans and asset freezes on people responsible for undermining freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the blockade contrary to international law; no names were listed yet.
Treasury sanctioned nine people in Lebanon it accused of obstructing the peace process and Hezbollah's disarmament, including army Colonel Samir Hamadi and security officer Khattar Nasser Eldin, the first Lebanese officers it has sanctioned, and also targeted Iran's ambassador-designate Mohammad Reza Sheibani, whom Beirut had declared persona non grata in March. Lebanon's army said it had not been told in advance and that its soldiers were loyal.
Reuters, citing two senior Iranian sources, reported that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had formally ordered that the highly enriched uranium stockpile stay in Iran; a senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera the report was "propaganda" and that Iran would downblend the material itself. Trump told reporters "we will get it" and would probably destroy it.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran had received "the points of view of the American side" and was examining them, and that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's second visit in a week was to help exchange messages and clarify texts. He repeated Iran's demands for the release of frozen assets and an end to the U.S. blockade; Naqvi met President Pezeshkian the same day.
Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy joined most Democrats to discharge the resolution from committee, with Democrat John Fetterman opposed and three Republicans not voting; the measure needs further votes and would face a veto. On May 21 House Republican leaders called off a vote on a similar resolution.
Treasury and the State Department sanctioned the Iran-based Amin Exchange and front companies in the UAE, Turkey and Hong Kong that they said laundered money for sanctioned Iranian banks, plus 19 vessels carrying Iranian oil and petrochemicals. Treasury said it may impose secondary sanctions on foreign banks, including those tied to China's independent "teapot" refineries.
Trump said Qatar's emir, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed asked him to hold off the attack "scheduled for tomorrow" because serious negotiations were under way, and that he told Hegseth and Gen. Daniel Caine to be ready for a "full, large scale assault" at a moment's notice. On May 19 he said he had been "an hour away" from deciding and would give talks two or three days.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a new 30-day general licence would let the most vulnerable nations buy Russian oil stranded at sea, after the earlier waiver introduced to ease the Hormuz supply shock expired on May 16 without renewal. He said it would also reduce China's ability to stockpile discounted oil.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran had reviewed "corrective notes" relayed by Pakistan and sent its own positions back, and Tasnim said a 14-point proposal had been submitted while Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi extended his visit to Tehran to a third day. Tasnim also reported, citing an unnamed source, that the latest U.S. draft offered to waive oil sanctions during talks, which Washington did not confirm.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran "better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them". He spoke with Netanyahu for more than half an hour that day about possible renewed fighting, Israel's Kan reported, while Iran's Mehr agency said the latest U.S. reply to Tehran's proposal offered "no tangible concessions".
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the April 16 cessation of hostilities would be extended by 45 days after U.S.-hosted talks on May 14 and 15, with a Pentagon security track for military delegations from May 29 and political talks resuming on June 2 and 3. Hezbollah, which rejects the direct talks, was not a party.
Speaking on Air Force One after leaving Beijing, Trump said he would be fine with a 20-year suspension if Iran's commitment was "real", said the U.S. "may have to do a little cleanup work" in Iran, and said he had agreed to the ceasefire largely as a favour to Pakistan.
Speaking in New Delhi after a BRICS ministers' meeting, Iran's foreign minister said the two sides had reached a "deadlock" over Iran's enriched material, which would be left to later stages of talks, and confirmed discussing a Russian offer to store the uranium. He said Iran "cannot trust the Americans at all" but was trying to maintain the "very shaky" ceasefire.