Talks, statements, sanctions, nuclear policy, and government decisions.
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A White House readout of the Beijing summit said both leaders agreed the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, that Xi opposed its militarisation and any toll for its use and wanted to buy more U.S. oil, and that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon; Xinhua's account did not mention those points. Trump told Fox News that Xi offered to help and had said China would not give Iran military equipment.
Netanyahu's office said he secretly visited the UAE during the Iran war and met President Mohamed bin Zayed, calling it a "historic breakthrough"; the UAE's WAM agency denied any visit or reception of an Israeli military delegation. Iran's Abbas Araghchi said states "colluding" with Israel would be held to account and on May 14 accused the UAE of direct involvement in attacks on Iran.
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for parliament's National Security Commission, wrote that 'one of Iran's options in the event of another attack could be 90 percent enrichment', weapons-grade purity, and that parliament would review it.
US officials told CBS that Pakistan, while mediating, quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at its airfields, potentially shielding them from US strikes, and that Iran also sent civilian planes to Afghanistan. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry called the reports 'misleading and sensationalised', saying Iranian aircraft at Nur Khan air base arrived during the ceasefire and had no military purpose.
Treasury sanctioned three Iran-based individuals and nine companies in Hong Kong, the UAE and Oman that it said helped the IRGC sell and ship Iranian oil to China, days before Trump's visit to Beijing.
Trump said Iran's response was a 'piece of garbage' he did not finish reading and that the ceasefire was on 'massive life support', with 'approximately a one-percent chance of living'. He said Iran had agreed to let the US remove its highly enriched uranium but left it out of its paper, and that he was considering reviving Project Freedom.
Iran sent its response to the US peace text through Pakistan, focusing on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, and on maritime security; Tasnim said it sought guarantees, sanctions relief and release of frozen assets within 30 days, with nuclear issues left for later. Trump wrote that he had read it and 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!', and Brent rose about 4% to $105.45 on Monday morning.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel built a clandestine outpost in Iraq's desert, with US knowledge, to support its air campaign against Iran, and used air strikes to keep away Iraqi troops who nearly found it in early March. Iraq's military said the reports stemmed from a March 5 clash with unidentified forces that had air cover, in which one Iraqi soldier was killed, and denied any unauthorized bases were present.
Putin said Russia was ready to repeat its 2015 removal of Iran's enriched uranium and that all sides had initially agreed, until the US insisted the material go only to US territory and Iran then hardened its position. He said Ali Larijani, who has since died, had proposed diluting it jointly with Russia inside Iran, and that the issue had reached an impasse.
Bahrain's Interior Ministry said it arrested 41 people linked to a group affiliated with the IRGC and that investigations were continuing. Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, has also stripped dozens of citizenship for allegedly backing Iran; rights groups accuse it of using the war to crack down on dissent.
Treasury sanctioned Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, accusing him of helping pass Iranian oil off as Iraqi, along with four Iraqi companies and three leaders of the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Asaib Ahl al-Haq militias. Iraq's oil ministry denied the accusations.
Axios and a Pakistani source quoted by Reuters said the sides were close to a one-page memorandum under which Iran would pause enrichment, the US would ease sanctions and release frozen funds, and both would lift Hormuz restrictions. Trump said Epic Fury would end if Iran agreed, but otherwise 'the bombing starts' at a higher intensity; Iran said it was reviewing the US proposal, and Brent fell more than 6% to about $103.
On his first trip to China since the war began, Araghchi met Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who said China was 'deeply distressed', that a resumption of hostilities was 'not acceptable' and that a comprehensive ceasefire was urgently needed; Tasnim quoted him calling the US-Israeli attacks 'illegitimate'. China's Foreign Ministry also urged a quick response to calls for safe passage through Hormuz.
US Ambassador Mike Waltz said Washington, Bahrain and Gulf allies were drafting a Security Council resolution requiring Iran to stop attacking ships, laying mines and charging tolls, and to disclose where mines are. The draft, obtained by AP on Tuesday, threatens sanctions or other measures if Iran does not comply.
Tasnim said Iran answered a US nine-point proposal with a 14-point plan seeking non-aggression guarantees, withdrawal of US forces from around Iran, an end to the blockade and sanctions, release of frozen assets and an end to fighting on all fronts including Lebanon, with issues settled within 30 days and nuclear talks later. Trump wrote he 'can't imagine' it would be acceptable and told Kan on Sunday it was 'not acceptable'.
At the War Powers Resolution's 60-day deadline, Trump wrote to congressional leaders that there had been no exchange of fire with Iran since April 7 and that the hostilities begun February 28 'have terminated'. The same day Trump called the War Powers Resolution 'unconstitutional'.
OFAC issued an alert that any US or foreign person paying Iran for safe passage through Hormuz, whether in cash, crypto or 'charitable' donations to bodies such as the Iranian Red Crescent, risks violating sanctions. The same day Treasury sanctioned three Iranian currency exchange firms, and the State Department sanctioned Chinese terminal operator Qingdao Haiye over Iranian crude imports.
Iran delivered a revised response to the latest US terms to Pakistani mediators on Thursday evening, IRNA said, and Pakistani officials told CBS it had been passed to US officials and that a deal might be nearer. Trump said Iran 'wants to make a deal, but I'm not satisfied with it', calling its leadership 'disjointed'.
The UAE Foreign Ministry banned Emiratis from traveling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq 'in light of the current developments in the region' and told citizens in those countries to leave and return home as soon as possible.
The US Embassy in Beirut called for direct engagement between Lebanon and Israel, including a Trump-facilitated meeting between President Aoun and Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying it could secure US-guaranteed sovereignty, secure borders and reconstruction aid. Aoun said on May 4 that the timing was not right and that Israeli attacks must stop first.
The State Department asked partners to join a Washington-based initiative to coordinate diplomatic and economic steps, and to identify safe corridors for ships through the Strait of Hormuz, first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Officials said it would not replace a separate French-British effort.
In a written statement read on state media for National Persian Gulf Day, Iran's new supreme leader said a 'new chapter' was emerging in the Gulf and Hormuz and that Iranians would protect their nuclear and missile capabilities 'like water, land and air borders'. President Pezeshkian later called the US blockade 'an extension of military operations' and 'intolerable'.
In a phone call, Putin told Trump that renewed US-Israeli military action against Iran would have 'extremely adverse consequences' and that a ground operation would be particularly dangerous, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said; he also praised the ceasefire extension. Trump said Putin offered to help with Iran's enriched uranium and that he had told him he would rather Russia helped end the Ukraine war.
Trump rejected Iran's Hormuz-first proposal and told Axios the blockade was 'somewhat more effective than the bombing' and would continue until Tehran agreed to a nuclear deal; a White House official said he had discussed with oil executives keeping it in place for months if needed. In the Oval Office he said Iran 'has to cry uncle' and that talks were now happening by phone.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told AP the agency believes a large share of Iran's highly enriched uranium was stored at the Isfahan complex when the June 2025 war began and has been there since, but it has not been able to inspect the site or check its seals. He said the agency also wants access to Natanz and Fordo.
OFAC designated 35 individuals and entities it said run Iran's 'shadow banking' system, moving billions of dollars through shell-company accounts at foreign banks on behalf of the IRGC, the National Iranian Oil Company and the armed forces. Treasury also warned that firms making 'toll payments' to Iran for passage through Hormuz face significant sanctions.
Trump posted that Iran had informed the US it was in a 'State of Collapse' and wanted the strait opened 'as soon as possible' while it sorted out its leadership; he did not say who delivered the message. Reuters, the New York Times and CNN reported he had told advisers he was not satisfied with Iran's plan to defer nuclear talks, and the White House said it would not be 'rushed into a bad deal'.
An extraordinary Gulf Cooperation Council summit chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rejected Iran's 'illegal actions' to close the strait, warned against any fees for passage and called for restoring freedom of navigation to prewar levels. Leaders also urged deeper military integration, including a ballistic missile early-warning system; the UAE was represented by its foreign minister.
At the opening of the four-week Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review at the UN, the US objected to Iran's election as one of 34 vice-presidents, with Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Yeaw calling it 'beyond shameful'. Iran's envoy Reza Najafi called the US allegations 'baseless and politically motivated'; Russia objected to singling out Iran.
Putin met Iran's foreign minister in St Petersburg, praised Iranians for fighting 'for their independence and sovereignty' and said Russia would do everything in the interests of Iran and the region to bring peace as quickly as possible. Putin said he had received a message from Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the week before.