Iran news highlights: Trump says Tehran to make offer as per US demands; Araghchi-led team in Pakistan

This blog has been closed and won't be updated. Follow updates related to US-Iran peace talks here.

Iran news LIVE updates: Here are the key points so far:

• US President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday to continue talks with Iran, the White House said Friday.
• White House press secretary Karolien Leavitt said in an interview on Fox News Channel that the two will have talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
• Shortly after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi touched down in Pakistan, his government made it clear that there would be no direct negotiations with the US government representatives during this visit.
• The Trump administration said on Friday it had imposed sanctions on an independent "teapot" refinery in China for buying billions of dollars' worth of Iranian oil.
• Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed six people Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said, despite an ongoing ceasefire in the more than six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iran news LIVE updates: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to propose legislation within weeks to proscribe Iran's Revolutionary Guards, a report said Friday.

Starmer made the comments while speaking to the Jewish Chronicle newspaper during a visit Thursday to a London synagogue targeted by arsonists nearly a week ago.

The commitment comes after the European Union in January agreed to designate Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation" over a deadly crackdown on mass protests.

"In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures, and that is legislation that we're bringing forward as soon as we can," Starmer said when asked about the prospect of proscribing the Guards, news agency AFP reported.

Iran news LIVE updates: Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the US does not plan to renew a waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that are currently at sea. He also said a renewal of a one-time waiver for Iranian oil at sea is totally off the table.

“Not the Iranians,” Bessent told The Associated Press. “We have the blockade, and there’s no oil coming out.”

In an AP interview about the impact of the war on the global energy market and other topics, Bessent also said he had no plans to extend the sanctions relief for Russia.

“I wouldn’t imagine that we’d have another extension. I think the Russian oil on the water has been largely sucked up,” he said.

Iran news LIVE updates: The Trump administration said on Friday it had imposed sanctions on an independent "teapot" refinery in China for buying billions of dollars' worth of Iranian oil, as Washington and Tehran head into another round of peace talks over the weekend.

The treasury department targeted Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, which it said is one of Iran's largest customers of crude oil and petroleum products. The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said it also imposed sanctions on about 40 shipping companies and vessels that operate as part of Iran's shadow fleet.

China has said it opposes "illegal" unilateral sanctions.

(With Reuters inputs)

Iran news LIVE updates: Shortly after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi touched down in Pakistan, his government made it clear that there would be no direct negotiations with the US government representatives during this visit.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmael Baqaei said on X that "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US." Instead, Baqaei said Pakistani officials would convey messages between the delegations.

Baqaei thanked the Pakistani government for its "ongoing mediation & good offices for ending American imposed war of aggression."

Iran news LIVE updates: President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday to continue talks with Iran, the White House said Friday. White House press secretary Karolien Leavitt said in an interview on Fox News Channel that the two will have talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward to a deal,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt told reporters the president decided to send Witkoff and Kushner “to hear the Iranians out.”

Iran news LIVE updates: The United States has intensified its military and maritime pressure on Iran, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announcing an expanded naval blockade that officials say is growing in scale and reach. The move comes amid heightened tensions and is being framed by the administration as part of a broader strategy to compel Iran toward a nuclear agreement.

In a statement outlining the latest developments, Hegseth emphasized both diplomatic and military pathways, while asserting that enforcement actions are already underway across key waterways.

"Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal, a good deal, a wise deal. As part of that effort, the U.S. has closed an ironclad blockade. It grows more powerful by the day, from the Gulf of Oman to the open oceans. Our Navy is enforcing this blockade. As usual, there's a lot of false information out there. I'll say this: every ship that the U.S. believes meets our criteria, either Iranian ships or to and from Iranian ports, has been turned around. As of this morning, 34 total non-Iranian vessels are allowed to transit and many have, including overnight. Not only is the blockade growing-in fact, a second aircraft carrier will join the blockade in just a few days-but this growing blockade has also gone global. Just this week, we seized two Iranian 'dark fleet' ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had left Iranian ports before the blockade went into effect. Because they made it out just in time, we seized the sanctioned ships, and we will seize more. Our blockade is growing and going global. America's military is unmatched, projecting power, denying passage to adversaries and protecting our interests at the time and place of our choosing".

via ANI

Iran news LIVE updates: Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed six people Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said, despite an ongoing ceasefire in the more than six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah.

"The Israeli enemy's airstrikes on southern Lebanon today, April 24, resulted in the martyrdom of six citizens and the injury of two others," the ministry said in a statement.

Two people were killed in Wadi al-Hujair, two were killed in Touline, and one each in Srifa and Yater, all in southern Lebanon, the ministry said.

The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, also announced on Friday that an Indonesian blue helmet died in hospital of wounds suffered on March 29 in an attack on his base.

via AFP

Iran news LIVE updates: Shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi touched down in Pakistan, his government made it clear that there would be no direct negotiations with American government representatives during this visit.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmael Baqaei said on X that “No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S.” Instead, Baqaei said Pakistani officials would convey messages between the delegations.

Baqaei thanked the Pakistani government for its “ongoing mediation & good offices for ending American imposed war of aggression.”

The White House said earlier Friday that its envoys would meet Araghchi.

Iran news LIVE updates: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the U.S. does not plan to renew a waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that are currently at sea. He also said a renewal of a one-time waiver for Iranian oil at sea is totally off the table.

“Not the Iranians,” Bessent told The Associated Press. “We have the blockade, and there’s no oil coming out.”

In an AP interview about the impact of the war on the global energy market and other topics, Bessent also said he had no plans to extend the sanctions relief for Russia.

“I wouldn’t imagine that we’d have another extension. I think the Russian oil on the water has been largely sucked up,” he said.

Iran news LIVE updates: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the U.S. does not plan to renew a waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that are currently at sea. And, he said, a renewal of the one-time waiver for Iranian oil at sea is totally off the table.

“Not the Iranians,” Bessent told The Associated Press. "We have the blockade, and there’s no oil coming out.”

"And we think in the next two, three days, they’re going to have to start shuttering production, which will be very bad for their wells.”

Bessent's statements come as the world is on edge over the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, and global energy markets have been ensnarled by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran news LIVE updates: Iran has said that there is no meeting planned between foreign minister Abbas Araghchi-led delegation with the US. Araghchi landed in Islamabad on Friday night, while the US confirmed talks saying Iran requested for in-person meeting.

“No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan,” Esmail Baghaei, Iran foreign ministry spokesperson, said.

Iran news LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran plans to make an offer aimed at satisfying US demands, but said he did not yet know what the offer entailed.

When asked who the US was negotiating with, Trump said: "I don't want to say that, but we're dealing with the people that are in charge now."

Iran news LIVE updates: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to propose legislation within weeks to proscribe Iran's Revolutionary Guards, a report said Friday.

Starmer made the comments while speaking to the Jewish Chronicle newspaper during a visit Thursday to a London synagogue targeted by arsonists nearly a week ago.

The commitment comes after the European Union in January agreed to designate Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation" over a deadly crackdown on mass protests.

"In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures, and that is legislation that we're bringing forward as soon as we can," Starmer said when asked about the prospect of proscribing the Guards.

"We go into a new session (of parliament) in a few weeks' time and we'll bring that legislation forward," he added.

via AFP

Iran news LIVE updates: Kuwait's army said two drones launched from Iraq targeted two northern border posts on Friday, causing damage. It added there were no casualties.

Iraq's prime minister ordered an investigative committee to examine the attack and identify those responsible, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari said, adding Iraq condemned the attack in a call with his Kuwaiti counterpart.

via Reuters

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they seized a ship suspected of collaborating with the US military after it committed violations and ignored warnings, Tasnim News Agency reported.

via Reuters

Iran news LIVE updates: Amid confusion over Iran's participation in high-stakes talks with the US in Pakistan over the weekend, reports suggest that Pakistan will convey Iran's proposal for talks to US as Iran delegates have ‘no plans’ to meet the US officials. Reuters quoted two Pakistani government sources saying that Iran foreign minister Araghchi's visit would be brief and focus on Iran's proposals for talks with the US, which mediator Pakistan would then convey to Washington.

Iran news LIVE updates: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi who is landed in Pakistan on Friday has no scheduled meeting with US, Iran state TV reporter was quoted as saying. But Pakistan can convey Iran's concerns for ending conflict, the reporter told broadcaster's website.

via Reuters

Iran news LIVE updates: Iran foreign minister has landed in Islamabad amid chatter over second round of talks between Tehran and Washington in Pakistani capital city. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will leave for Pakistan on Saturday morning as White House confirmed talks. However, Al Jazeera quoted an Iranian official saying that there won't be any talks with the US as Araghchi is visiting Pakistan, Oman and Russia to discuss regional developments.

Iran news LIVE updates: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday.

Araghchi was received by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials upon arrival.

In a statement, it said during the visit Araghchi is expected to meet Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments and ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and stability.

Iran news LIVE updates: The U.S. Treasury Department is sanctioning multiple wallets tied to Iran, thereby freezing $344 million in cryptocurrency, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement on X.

Iran news LIVE updates: The United States has imposed sanctions on China-based oil refinery and dozens of firms and tankers over accusations of shipping Iranian oil, the Associated Press reported.

The sanctions come just weeks ahead of President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping meeting in China.

This marks Trump administration's fresh bid to choke Iran's oil exports, its key source of revenue. The US administration led by President Donald Trump also imposed a physical blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies. Read full story here

Iran news LIVE updates: Vice President JD Vance, the lead negotiator for the US, will not be headed to Pakistan for now, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “JD Vance is on standby and will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it’s a necessary use of his time,” she said.

Iran news LIVE updates: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is set to be in Pakistan but hasn’t publicly agreed to sit down with Trump’s representatives. No talks are slated to take place between US and Iranian officials during the foreign minister’s trip, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported earlier.

Araghchi earlier posted on social media that the purpose of his travel is to “closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments.” Still, Leavitt claimed the Iranians had reached out to the US to arrange a fresh round of talks.

“We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forwards towards a deal,” Leavitt said on Fox. She later told reporters that the US has “certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the past couple of days,” without elaborating.

via Bloomberg