US Iran war LIVE Highlights: Araghchi to visit Islamabad for possible second round of US talks, says Pakistan

US Iran war Highlights: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night for a possible second round of peace talks with the United States, officials familiar with the matter said. Iran said Tuesday the United States can no longer “dictate” actions to other nations, as Washington considers Tehran’s new proposal to end the West Asia war. Defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik said the US must accept abandoning its “illegal and irrational demands,” according to state television.

Amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, António Guterres warned that maritime security threats now affect every coastline and nation, even landlocked ones. He said growing global divisions are eroding trust, challenging international law, and putting the foundations of collective security under severe strain.

The United States Central Command said the guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta intercepted the tanker M/T Stream on Sunday, preventing it from reaching its destination. The vessel was stopped after it attempted to sail toward an Iranian port, according to the statement.

Oil prices rise

Oil prices edged higher as traders weighed prospects for peace talks in the Iran conflict, with the US reviewing Tehran’s proposal while the Strait of Hormuz remained largely impassable. Brent crude hovered near $109 a barrel after a 2.8% rise, reported Bloomberg.

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Earlier, A superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the few vessels to pass the blockaded route amid the US-Iran conflict, shipping data showed.

The 142-metre yacht Nord, valued at over $500 million, departed a Dubai marina around 1400 GMT on Friday, crossed the strait on Saturday morning, and reached Muscat early Sunday, according to MarineTraffic data.

It remains unclear how the luxury vessel secured permission to transit the route. Since February, Iran has heavily restricted movement through the strait, a crucial global chokepoint that typically carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. The rare passage underscores the tight controls in place and highlights the ongoing disruption to one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes.

White House reviewing Iran proposal

The White House said US officials are reviewing Iran’s latest proposal but reiterated firm red lines, including preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

According to two regional officials, Iran has offered to ease its control over the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its blockade and ending the conflict, while deferring discussions on its nuclear programme.

However, US President Donald Trump is unlikely to accept the proposal, which was conveyed through Pakistan and leaves key disputes unresolved — issues that led to the US and Israel launching military action on February 28, the AP reported.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump held a meeting with national security officials earlier in the day to assess the offer.

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“His red lines with respect to Iran have been made very, very clear,” she said, adding that the president would address the issue “very soon.”

Araghchi meets Putin

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin as negotiations with the US to end the eight-week war remain stalled. Araghchi said he was coordinating with Russian officials after the US-Israeli military campaign disrupted bilateral talks, according to a foreign ministry statement. Iran's foreign minister's trip to Russia comes after a report emerged that Tehran was signaling willingness to accept an interim deal with the US whereby Iran reopens the Hormuz in exchange for Washington ending its blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran's oil production beginning to stall, says US

Amid ongoing efforts to end the war, the United States is intensifying pressure on Iran to accept its proposal. On Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the American blockade on Iranian ports is severely impacting the country’s oil sector, pushing it toward a potential shutdown.

In a post on X, Bessent claimed Iran’s oil production is beginning to stall under mounting pressure, warning that output could soon collapse entirely. He also suggested that fuel shortages may follow if the situation continues to worsen.

Using strong language, Bessent said remaining leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are increasingly constrained, comparing their position to being trapped. His remarks underscore Washington’s strategy of using economic and logistical pressure to force concessions, even as diplomatic talks remain deadlocked and prospects for a resolution appear uncertain.