US-Iran news highlights: 'Enemies of America neutralised by Trump', says US amid Iran suspense; oil rises again

US-Iran war news: Efforts are ongoing to finalise the text of an agreement between Washington and Tehran, and its completion could be announced within the next few hours, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday, citing sources. Check LIVE updates here

US-Iran war news: Efforts are reportedly underway to finalise the contents of a peace agreement between Iran and the US. (AFP/PTI)

US-Iran war news highlights: Efforts are ongoing to finalise the text of an agreement between Washington and Tehran, and its completion could be announced within the next few hours, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday, citing sources....Read More

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• 21 May 2026, 08:43:42 AM IST

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• 21 May 2026, 07:59:00 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Where do US-Iran peace talks stand now? Trump says 'on the borderline'

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Situation remains tense in the Middle East, even as Iran and the United States are reportedly looking to finalise terms for an agreement to end the ongoing war. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the two sides are "on the borderline".

  Read full report here

• 21 May 2026, 07:33:25 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: 'Enemies of America neutralised by Trump', says US amid Iran suspense; oil rises again

  US-Iran war news LIVE: The United States on Thursday projected confidence amid growing uncertainty over ongoing tensions with Iran, with officials claiming that “enemies of America” had been “neutralised” under President Donald Trump.

• 21 May 2026, 07:29:08 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Trump, Netanyahu had tense phone call on future of Iran war

  US-Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense phone call over the future course of the war on Iran as Washington appeared to be in favour of a deal instead of the resumption of strikes, US media reported.

  After the Tuesday phone call with Trump, Netanyahu's "hair was on fire", US media outlet Axios reported on Wednesday, adding that the Israeli Prime Minister was keen on the resumption of strikes to further degrade Iran's military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure.

  Trump on Sunday said he had put-off strikes on Iran, planned for Tuesday, following a request from Arab nations including Qatar and the UAE.

  A revised peace memo was drafted by Qatar and Pakistan with input from the other regional mediators to try to bridge the gaps between the US and Iran, Axios reported, quoting sources.

  Netanyahu is highly sceptical about the negotiations and wants to resume the war to further degrade Iran's military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure. (PTI)

• 21 May 2026, 06:47:40 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices slide after Trump says US-Iran negotiations in 'final stages'

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices fell about 6% on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said that negotiations with Iran were in the final stages, although investors remained wary about the outcome of peace talks as disruption to Middle Eastern supply continued.

  Brent crude futures settled $6.26, or 5.63%, lower at $105.02 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were down $5.89, or 5.66%, at $98.26.

  Trump said negotiations with Iran were in the final stages but warned of further attacks unless Iran agreed to a deal.

  Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran was ready to develop protocols for safe shipping traffic in cooperation with other coastal states, without providing further details.

  Despite signs of progress, some market participants and analysts remained wary about the outcome of negotiations and global supply tightness that will likely persist even if the U.S. and Iran reach a deal. (Reuters)

• 21 May 2026, 05:48:55 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iran Guards vow to bring enemies to 'ruin' if Tehran attacked again

  US-Iran war news LIVE: The Iran Guards Revolutionary Corp has vowed to "bring enemies to absolute ruin" if the Islamic Republic faces new aggression amid efforts to finalise the text to seal a peace deal between Iran and the US.

  "Although they attacked us with the full capabilities of two armies – the most expensive armies in the world – we did not bring all the capacities of the Islamic Revolution into action against them," the IRGC said in a statement.

  "But now, if aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional war that had been promised will this time be drawn beyond the region, and our crushing blows will bring you to absolute ruin in places you cannot imagine."

• 21 May 2026, 05:05:01 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Where do US-Iran peace talks stand now? Trump says 'on the borderline'

  Situation remains tense in the Middle East, even as Iran and the United States are reportedly looking to finalise terms for an agreement to end the ongoing war. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the two sides are "on the borderline".

  Read full report here

• 21 May 2026, 03:57:03 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices drop after Trump says talks in 'final stages'

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices plummeted on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the US is in the "final stages" with Iran. West Texas Intermediate fell 5.7 per cent to settle near $98 per barrel as hopes for an end to the war rose.

• 21 May 2026, 02:48:25 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iran's new Hormuz agency announces 'controlled maritime zone'

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iran's newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority said in a post on X on Wednesday that there will be a "controlled maritime zone" at the Strait of Hormuz.

  The authority, which has been established to manage the strategic waterway, set the zone as the "line connecting Kuh-e-Mobarak in Iran and southern Fujairah in the UAE at the eastern side of the strait, to the line connecting the end of Qeshm Island in Iran and Umm Al Quwain in the UAE at the western side of the strait."

  The authority further added that transit through the area to pass through the Strait would require coordination and authorisation from authority.

• 21 May 2026, 01:36:14 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iran talks on 'borderline', says Trump

  US-Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that talks with Iran were "on the borderline" between a deal to end the war in the Middle East and a resumption of strikes on the Islamic Republic.

  "It's right on the borderline, believe me," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews near Washington when asked where the talks with Iran stood.

  "If we don't get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We're all ready to go. We have to get the right answers -- it would have to be a complete 100 percent good answers," he added.

  Trump said that if Iran made a deal, then it would save a "lot of time, energy and lives", adding that it could happen "very quickly, or (in) a few days."

• 21 May 2026, 01:08:17 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: US Dollar dips amid hopes for a peace deal

  US-Iran war news LIVE: The US dollar dipped after a six-week high on Wednesday amid rising hopes that the US is nearing a deal with Iran to end the war in the Middle East.

• 21 May 2026, 12:29:42 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Will wait for Iran's response for a 'few days', says Trump

  US-Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump said that he will wait for Iran's response for a "few days". He further stated that the US will not do any relief for Iran until a deal is reached.

• 21 May 2026, 12:28:41 AM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Have to get the right answer from Iran, says Trump

  US-Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump said that Washington has to get the right answer from Iran on a deal to end the war. He affirmed that the US is dealing with "reasonable people".

• 20 May 2026, 11:59:26 PM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Extension of ceasefire with Iran positive, tells Turkey's Erdogan to Trump

  US-Iran war news LIVE updates: Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan spoke to his US counterpart, Donald Trump, over a phone call on Wednesday evening. He told Trump that the extension of the ceasefire with Iran "is positive", adding that he believes the contested issues can be "resolved".

• 20 May 2026, 11:54:59 PM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Forcing Iran to surrender is 'illusion', says President Pezeshkian

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that forcing Iran to surrender through "coercion" is nothing but an "illusion".

• 20 May 2026, 11:54:02 PM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: All paths remain open from Iran's side, says President

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that Iran has consistently honoured its commitments and explored every avenue to avert war, adding "all paths remain open from our side."

• 20 May 2026, 11:42:13 PM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices dip after Trump says US in 'final stages' with Iran

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Oil prices took a dip after US President Donald Trump said the US is in the "final stages" with Iran.

  West Texas Intermediate fell by as much as 7 per cent before trading near $99 per barrel.

• 20 May 2026, 11:09:56 PM IST

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Tehran examining news US proposal after Pak mediator visits

  US-Iran war news LIVE: Iran has said that it is examining the new proposal sent by the US after a Pakistani mediator visited the country, AFP reported.

• 20 May 2026, 11:03:10 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran seeking mechanism with Oman over Strait of Hormuz, spokesperson says

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran is looking to create a framework with Oman aimed at maintaining long term security in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state television on Wednesday.

  He said Tehran was prepared to work on arrangements to ensure safe shipping routes alongside other countries along the coast, but did not share additional details.

  Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz largely closed to all vessels except its own since the conflict involving the US and Israel began in late February, leading to what has been described as the biggest disruption to global energy supplies in history. Last month, the United States responded by imposing its own blockade on Iran's ports.

• 20 May 2026, 10:57:34 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Pak army chief Munir to visit Iran?

  US-Iran news LIVE: Efforts are ongoing to finalise the text of an agreement between Washington and Tehran, and its completion could be announced within the next few hours, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

  According to the report, Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir may travel to Iran on Thursday to announce the final version of the agreement.

  It also said that another round of talks is expected to take place in Islamabad after the Hajj season.

• 20 May 2026, 10:43:46 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: US military boards, releases Iran-flagged oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

  US-Iran news LIVE: The US military boarded Iranian-flagged commercial oil tanker M/T Celestial Sea in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday after suspecting it had violated a US blockade, US Central Command said in a statement.

  American forces released the ship, which was headed toward an Iranian port, after searching it and directing its crew to alter course, the statement said.

• 20 May 2026, 10:34:09 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran says currently studying US points of view on proposal

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, quoted by news agency Reuters, said on Wednesday that Tehran is currently studying US points of view on the proposal.

  The spokesperson also said:

  • Iran is "seriously and in good faith" pursuing the negotiation path, but holds "severe and reasonable suspicion" about the US.
  • Iran is also demanding an end to all fighting, including in Lebanon, and the release of Iranian assets, the spokesperson told Iranian state TV.
• 20 May 2026, 10:03:26 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: ‘We may have to hit Iran even harder but maybe not’, says Trump

  US-Iran news LIVE: “We hit them very hard. We may have to hit them even harder, but maybe not,” said US President Donald Trump in a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy.

• 20 May 2026, 09:51:12 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran chief negotiator says preparing 'forceful response' to potential attacks

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that forces were preparing a "forceful response" to potential renewed attacks by the United States and Israel.

  "We must strengthen our preparations for an effective and forceful response to any potential attacks," said Ghalibaf in an audio message on his website, adding that "Iran will never give in to intimidation, under any circumstances."

• 20 May 2026, 09:32:27 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Trump's fresh jab at Iran over deal

  US-Iran news LIVE: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran's navy and air force are gone and the only question is whether America goes back to finish the job or will Iran sign a document.

  "Everything's gone. Their navy's gone. Their air force is gone. Just about everything. The only question is, do we go and finish it up? Are they going to be signing a document? Let's see what happens," Trump said in a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy.

• 20 May 2026, 09:23:28 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran jails ex-national team goalkeeper after anti-Khamenei post, says his wife

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran has jailed a former goalkeeper for the national men's football team after he published earlier this year a post deeply critical of then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei, his wife said.

  The Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary confirmed that Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri was under arrest but said he had been detained after seeking to illegally cross the border.

  Mazaheri won a handful of caps for his country and was in the Iranian squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but spent most of his international career in the shadow of Iran's undisputed number one goalie in the last years, Alireza Beiranvand.

  The player, who also kept goal for top domestic teams, had in February published a since-deleted Instagram post in which he described longstanding supreme leader Khamenei as "only a dark and passing chapter" in Iran's history.

  (With AFP inputs)

• 20 May 2026, 09:04:20 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE:-Iran news LIVE: Oil prices plunge 5% amid hope of US-Iran deal

  US-Iran news LIVE: Oil prices have fell by 5 per cent amid reports of a possible deal between the US and Iran to end the conflict in the West Asia.

• 20 May 2026, 09:00:54 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran says US wants to ‘start new war’

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that the United States was seeking to restart the conflict in West Asia, after US President Donald Trump warned of fresh attacks if Tehran did not agree to a peace deal.

  Ghalibaf, who warned of a "forceful response", made the remarks after Iran's Revolutionary Guards said any renewed conflict would extend well beyond West Asia.

  "The enemy's movements, both overt and clandestine, show that despite economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war," Ghalibaf said in an audio message carried by Iranian media.

• 20 May 2026, 08:46:36 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: US-Iran agreement to be finalised tonight?

  US-Iran news LIVE: Efforts are ongoing to finalise the text of an agreement between Washington and Tehran, and its completion could be announced within the next few hours, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

  According to the report, Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir may travel to Iran on Thursday to announce the final version of the agreement.

  It also said that another round of talks is expected to take place in Islamabad after the Hajj season.

• 20 May 2026, 08:39:35 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Trump says negotiations with Iran in final stages

  US-Iran news LIVE: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that talks with Iran had reached the final stage, while warning of more attacks if Tehran does not agree to a deal.

  Six weeks after Trump paused Operation Epic Fury under a ceasefire arrangement, efforts to end the conflict have made little headway. Earlier this week, he said he had come close to approving further strikes but decided against it to allow negotiations more time.

  "We're in the final stages of Iran. We'll see what happens. Either have a deal or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won't happen," he told reporters on Wednesday.

  "We're going to give this one shot. I'm in no hurry," Trump said. "Ideally I'd like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot. We can do it either way."

• 20 May 2026, 08:30:18 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: US test fires mobile rocket system near Mount Fuji

  US-Iran news LIVE: US Marines test fired a dozen rockets from a mobile launcher on Wednesday at a range in the foothills of Japan's iconic Mount Fuji, in an exercise to keep sharp on weapon that is a growingly important component of the American military's arsenal.

  The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a launcher mounted on the back of a military truck that can be rapidly brought out from concealment, fire its rockets, then move quickly to a new location to avoid counter-battery fire. The so-called “shoot and scoot” tactics are becoming increasingly important with the proliferation of drones over the battlefield, which make static positions more vulnerable.

  The system has been used by US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and most recently US Central Command said it was employed in the opening attack on Iran where it launched a new precision-guided rocket that could reach targets hundreds of miles away.

  (With AP inputs)

• 20 May 2026, 08:15:53 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Israel army chief says military 'on highest alert'

  US-Iran news LIVE: Israel's army chief Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Zamir on Wednesday said the military was at its highest alert level, as Tehran and Washington traded threats of war.

  "At this moment, the IDF (military) is on the highest level of alert and prepared for any development," Zamir said at a meeting of all division commanders, according to a statement issued by the military.

  Iran's Revolutionary Guards had earlier warned that the war would expand beyond the region if the US and Israel resumed attacks, after President Donald Trump said he would strike again unless Tehran agreed a peace deal.

• 20 May 2026, 08:07:26 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Saudi praises Trump for giving 'diplomacy a chance' to end war

  US-Iran news LIVE: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday praised Donald Trump's decision to "give diplomacy a chance" after the US president announced earlier that he had called off planned strikes on Iran.

  The minister wrote on social media that the kingdom "highly appreciates the US President Donald Trump's decision to give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war".

  The minister added that Saudi Arabia remained supportive of ongoing mediation efforts carried out by Pakistan and urged Iran to seize "the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation".

• 20 May 2026, 07:58:27 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Trump to attend the G7 summit next month

  US-Iran news LIVE: The White House says Trump will be at the June 15-17 meeting in Evian-les-Bains, in the French Alps.

  The war in Iran promises to be a major point of contention, as Trump has said US allies haven’t done enough to help open the Strait of Hormuz.

  But Trump also wants to use discussions to reframe development conversations so they can better focus on investment partnerships that benefit investors as well as recipient nations, the White House says.

  He’ll further seek to promote global innovation around artificial intelligence development, boost critical mineral supply chain resilience and strengthen international actions against drug smuggling and further tougher immigration policies. And Trump will use the meeting to promote US energy exports, the White House says.

• 20 May 2026, 07:44:25 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Trump claims US ‘has essentially taken over’ Iran

  US-Iran news LIVE: US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, DC, said: “I’m in for three months and much of it’s been ceasefire."

  “We’re going to give this one shot. I’m in no hurry," he said.

  He then said that the US “has essentially taken over” Iran.

• 20 May 2026, 07:24:04 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran chief negotiator Ghalibaf says US 'seeks to start new war'

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday said the United States was seeking to restart the war and still hoped the Islamic republic would surrender.

  "The enemy's movements, both overt and clandestine, show that despite economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war," Ghalibaf said in an audio message carried by Iranian media.

  "Close monitoring of the situation in the United States reinforces the possibility that they still hope for the surrender of the Iranian nation," he said.

• 20 May 2026, 07:19:00 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Trump in ‘no hurry’ for Iran deal

  US-Iran news LIVE: Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said, “We're going to give this one shot. I'm in no hurry. You never think, oh, the midterms, I'm in a hurry. I'm in no hurry.”

  He added, “Ideally, I'd like to see a few people killed as opposed to a lot. We could do it either way, but I'd like to see a few people killed. I just wonder whether or not they have the good of the people because some of the things they're doing to me mean they don't have the good of the people, and they have to have the good of the people.”

• 20 May 2026, 06:49:46 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: UAE urges Iraq to prevent acts from its territory

  US-Iran news LIVE: The UAE demanded on Wednesday that Iraq "immediately" prevent further attacks from its territory, following an accusation by the Emirates that a drone targeting a nuclear plant was launched from there.

  The foreign ministry in a statement called on "Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originating from its territory urgently and without conditions", saying there was a "need to address those threats promptly, immediately, and responsibly".

  On Sunday, an unclaimed drone attack struck an electrical generator near the Arab world's only nuclear power plant in Barakah in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, triggering a fire but causing no injuries or radiation leak. Two other drones were intercepted.

  (With AFP inputs)

• 20 May 2026, 06:32:21 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran says 26 vessels transited Strait of Hormuz in past 24 hours

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy said on Wednesday that 26 vessels, including oil tankers, container ships and other commercial vessels, transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours in coordination with Iran, state media reported.

  The IRGC navy added that transit through the waterway was ongoing, with permits obtained and coordination carried out with the force.

• 20 May 2026, 06:24:09 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: New UAE pipeline bypassing Strait of Hormuz now 50% complete

  US-Iran news LIVE: UAE ADNOC chief executive Sultan Al Jaber said on Wednesday the country had moved ahead in 2025 with plans for a new pipeline designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, and the project was now already 50% complete.

  Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed directed the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to fast-track the West-East Pipeline project during an executive committee meeting, ADMO said, adding the pipeline is under construction and expected to start operating next year.

• 20 May 2026, 05:48:49 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Italy summons Israeli ambassador over 'unacceptable' treatment of Flotilla activists

  US-Iran news LIVE: Italy's government said on Tuesday that Israel's treatment of Flotilla activists trying to take aid to Gaza was unacceptable and that it would summon the Israeli ambassador for an explanation.

  A strongly worded statement by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy "demands an apology for the treatment" of the activists and the "total disrespect" for the Italian government's requests.

• 20 May 2026, 05:29:44 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran still deciding whether to send foreign minister to UNSC, spokesperson says

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran has not decided yet whether its foreign minister will take part in a United Nations Security Council meeting on May 26, ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told ISNA on Wednesday.

  "Considering China's rotating presidency of the UN Security Council and its plan to hold a special meeting of foreign ministers on issues related to international peace and security, our country's foreign minister has also been invited to participate in this meeting.", Baghaei said.

• 20 May 2026, 05:00:07 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: South Korean oil tanker transits Strait of Hormuz

  US-Iran news LIVE: A South Korean oil tanker safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, the country's foreign ministry said Wednesday, marking the first passage by a South Korean vessel through the waterway since the Iran war began.

  One South Korean oil tanker "transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, May 20, and is continuing its voyage," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

  "Approximately 10 South Korean crew members are on board the vessel."

  The announcement followed earlier comments by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who told the National Assembly that the tanker was "passing through" the strategic waterway at the time of his remarks.

  "It is the first South Korea-flagged ship to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began," a foreign ministry official told AFP earlier.

• 20 May 2026, 04:30:48 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran faces historic resistance against ‘two global terrorist armies’, says Mojtaba Khamenei

  US-Iran news LIVE: Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei marked the second anniversary of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's death by urging officials across the Islamic Republic to strengthen what he described as service, unity and continuity in governance.

  The most significant part of his message focused on the ongoing war, where he said Iran was facing what he called a historic resistance against “two global terrorist armies", Iran International reported.

• 20 May 2026, 04:09:46 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Trump threatens Iran with ‘big hit’ if no deal is signed

  US-Iran news LIVE: US President Donald Trump threatened to resume strikes on Iran in the coming days as part of the push for a deal to end the war, after he said he had just called off a US attack.

  “I hope we don’t have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. When asked how long he would wait, he said: “Well, I mean, I’m saying two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Something maybe early next week — a limited period of time.”

• 20 May 2026, 03:57:53 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Israel takes big step toward snap election

  US-Iran news LIVE: Israel moved closer on Wednesday to a snap election after lawmakers gave an initial nod to dissolve parliament, with opinion polls showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose the first national vote since the 2023 Hamas attacks.

  Lawmakers voted almost unanimously for an early ballot in a preliminary reading of a bill to disband the 120-seat Knesset. If it receives final approval, a process that could take weeks, Israel could hold an election several weeks ahead of an October 27 deadline.

• 20 May 2026, 03:35:27 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Pakistan minister in Tehran amid US-Iran impasse, reports state media

  US-Iran news LIVE: Pakistan's interior minister headed to Iran on Wednesday for the second time this week amid an impasse between Tehran and Washington over a proposal to end the war, Iranian state media reported.

  "Mohsin Naqvi travelled to Tehran to meet officials from the Islamic republic," Iran's official IRNA news agency reported, citing diplomatic sources in Islamabad.

  Pakistan has been mediating between Iran and the United States, with Naqvi previously in Tehran on Saturday to "facilitate" the process between Tehran and Washington, according to Iranian media.

• 20 May 2026, 03:26:28 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Jordan shoots down ‘drone of unknown origin’

  US-Iran news LIVE: The Jordanian military announced it had shot down a drone of unknown origin in its airspace on Wednesday. No casualties were reported.

  "This morning, the Jordanian Armed Forces engaged with a drone of unknown origin that entered Jordanian airspace and was brought down in Jerash Governorate, without any injuries," the military said of an area located around 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of the capital Amman.

• 20 May 2026, 03:07:43 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Israeli jets target towns in Lebanon amid ceasefire

  US-Iran news LIVE: Israeli warplanes have targeted the town of Ghandouriyeh in the Bint Jbeil district, southern Lebanon, the country’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.

  Another raid was launched in the area between Ghandouriyeh and Abbasiyeh in the Tyre district, and the Israeli army artillery shelled the town of Siddiqin.

• 20 May 2026, 03:05:06 PM IST

  US-Iran news LIVE: Gaza aid flotilla activists taken to Ashdod after Israeli interception, says report

  US-Iran news LIVE: Activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have been taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod after their vessel was intercepted in international waters, according to the Adalah rights group.

  The organisation said participants, who were attempting to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge the blockade on Gaza, were “forcibly removed” and taken into Israeli territory against their will.

  It described the incident as part of broader Israeli policies toward Gaza. The flotilla had set sail from Turkiye last week as part of renewed efforts by activists to break the maritime blockade.