US-Iran war highlights: Trump says US will retrieve Iran's 'nuclear dust' and destroy it after agreement

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Latest news on US-Iran war: Oil prices dropped to their lowest levels since the early days of the war as traders reacted to signs of increased traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and growing optimism over an interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran.

Brent crude futures fell 3.4 per cent to settle at $87.33 a barrel, their lowest closing level since March 5, and ended the week down 6.2 per cent. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled 3.2 per cent lower at $84.88 a barrel, while European gas prices dropped by as much as 8.4 per cent, according to Bloomberg.

Apart from growing hopes for peace, the fall in oil prices has also been driven by markets adapting to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and finding alternative ways to manage supply disruptions.

Latest news on US-Iran war: US President Donald Trump said an agreement with Iran was scheduled to be signed on Sunday and claimed Tehran had abandoned its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Contrasting the proposed accord with former President Barack Obama's 2015 nuclear deal, Trump said his agreement was "the exact opposite, A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON!"

He added that Iran "no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor will they have one, either through purchase, development, or any other form of procurement."

Trump also said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately after the agreement is signed and stressed that "no money will exchange hands."

Referring to Iran's nuclear programme, Trump said the United States would eventually retrieve the "Nuclear Dust" buried under "powerful sunken granite mountains" and "downblend and destroy it, whether in Iran, or the United States."

He warned that if diplomacy failed, "we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again."

Latest news on US-Iran war: Key mediator Pakistan said on Saturday that an agreement to end the Iran conflict was closer than ever, while US President Donald Trump declared that the deal would be "signed tomorrow." Iran, in some of its most optimistic remarks yet, signaled progress in the talks but indicated that more time was needed to resolve outstanding issues.

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately after the agreement is signed.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the deal was expected to be finalized within 24 hours, with both sides set to sign electronically. Pakistan's foreign ministry said the signing ceremony was scheduled for Sunday, but did not provide further details.

Latest news on US-Iran war: Dozens of people gathered outside a foreign ministry office in Iran's northeastern city of Mashhad on Saturday, chanting slogans against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi following a televised interview in which he spoke about signing a peace deal with the United States.

Footage shared by Fars news agency showed women dressed in black chadors chanting "death to dishonourable Araghchi, the infiltrator" outside the building while waving red and black flags.

The protest comes amid mounting opposition from hardline figures in Iran to the proposed peace agreement being promoted by US President Donald Trump and mediator Pakistan.

Latest news on US-Iran war: Lebanon reported fresh Israeli strikes in the country's south on Saturday after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for the city of Nabatieh and more than 20 other locations ahead of planned raids.

The latest attacks came even as the United States and Iran signalled they were nearing an agreement to end the Middle East conflict, a deal that could also have implications for Lebanon, which was drawn into the war after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in support of its patron, Tehran.

According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA), Israeli airstrikes targeted several areas across southern Lebanon, particularly the surroundings of the city of Nabatieh.

The evacuation orders covered Nabatieh and over 20 nearby locations, with the Israeli army warning residents to leave ahead of the strikes.

Latest news on US-Iran war: The Indian Embassy in Muscat on Saturday said it is coordinating with the ship management company and relevant stakeholders for the early repatriation of the mortal remains of an Indian national who died due to medical complications in Oman.

Latest news on US-Iran war: US President Donald Trump will meet key partners from the Middle East and India on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France next week, highlighting the continued focus on the conflict in Iran as European allies contend with its broader economic impact.

According to senior administration officials, Trump is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of France, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and India during the summit. India and the Middle Eastern nations are not members of the G7 but are expected to feature prominently in discussions surrounding regional stability and the global economic fallout from the Iran war.

The officials spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity ahead of the president's trip.

Latest news on US-Iran war: Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran remains skeptical about diplomacy with the United States because of Washington's history of failing to honor its commitments, adding that no trip to Geneva has been planned over the next two days amid reports of a possible agreement with the US.

Speaking on Saturday, Baghaei said the US had repeatedly broken promises in past negotiations with Iran, making Tehran increasingly doubtful about the outcome of the talks.

His remarks came amid reports that Iran and the US have moved close to signing an initial agreement aimed at ending the conflict triggered by the US-Israeli offensive on Iran in late February, which was halted by a ceasefire in early April.

"We should wait for the exact time of signing [a potential agreement]. We have no plans for trips to Geneva or other places for the next two days," Baghaei said, dismissing reports that a signing ceremony could take place on Sunday in Geneva or Islamabad.

Latest news on US-Iran war: President Donald Trump said the United States would find and destroy Iran's enriched uranium when the region is calmer, as he announced that a deal to end the war would be signed on Sunday.

"When all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust, buried deep under the powerful sunken granite mountains, thanks to our beautiful B-2 Bombers and their brilliant pilots, and downblend and destroy it, whether in Iran, or the United States," he said on social media Saturday.

via AFP

Latest news on US-Iran war: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed efforts to end the Iran conflict during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Downing Street said on Saturday.

Starmer welcomed progress made so far and reiterated that Britain stands ready to support the implementation of any peace agreement and work with international partners to ensure its success.

The two leaders also agreed on the need to restore freedom of navigation to ease global economic impact.

via Reuters

Latest news on US-Iran war: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the Strait of Hormuz will be open to all after the peace deal between Iran and the US is signed tomorrow.

Latest news on US-Iran war: US President Donald Trump said a long-awaited deal to end the war in the Middle East is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, paving the way for the opening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

"The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.

Trump's statement, however, ran counter to Iran's foreign ministry which indicated earlier in the day that the deal would not be signed Sunday, according to state media reports.

via AFP

Latest news on US-Iran war: February 28. The clock struck 9:40 am when air strikes, launched by the US and Iran, targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his office. As missiles rained over Tehran, Khamenei's daughter, son-in-law and a grandchild were also killed alongside him, along with several top officials of the Iranian regime.

But Khamenei has yet not been buried, his funeral delayed multiple times since March 2026.

On Saturday, Iran announced fresh dates for Khamenei's burial and funeral ceremony. He will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza on July 9, following funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad on July 6, 7 and 9, respectively, Iran state media said on Saturday.

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Latest news on US-Iran war: President Donald Trump will meet with US partners in the Middle East at the Group of Seven leaders’ summit in France next week, underscoring the outsized role the war in Iran continues to play as European allies grapple with the global economic fallout.

The president will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of France, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt as well as India, according to senior administration officials who briefed reporters on the upcoming trip on the condition of anonymity. India and the Middle Eastern countries are not part of the G7.

The US and Iran are closing in on an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which could be signed as early as Sunday on the sidelines of the summit.

The Trump administration believes it has a strong deal, one of the US officials said, adding that there are many actions that other G7 member nations can take once the agreement with Iran moves forward.

The president is expected to focus on economic development and security, supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence, regulatory streamlining and energy abundance, the officials said.

The meeting at Évian-les-Bains from June 15 to June 17 comes at a time of growing tensions between the US and many of its largest economic and security partners.

via Bloomberg

Latest news on US-Iran war: Pakistan foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud welcomed what they referred to as the “final stage” of negotiations between US and Iran.

Both “expressed the hope that this important development will contribute to lasting peace and stability in the region”, Pakistan's foreign ministry said about the talks in a post on X.

“The Saudi Foreign Minister appreciated Pakistan’s consistent and sustained efforts in support of mediation and dialogue throughout the process,” it said.

Latest news on US-Iran war: Momentum for a deal to end the Iran war appeared to grow Saturday as key mediator Pakistan said an agreement was closer than “ever before” and U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to discuss demining the Strait of Hormuz during next week’s Group of Seven summit.

Separately, Iran’s state-run television said funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in the war's opening attack, will take place in July.

A senior U.S. official, who briefed journalists on condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said Trump planned to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit that starts Monday with the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to discuss efforts to wind down the war.

Britain and France, both G7 members, have expressed interest in assisting with demining the waterway once the conflict is paused. The official said both have military vessels at sea that could participate.

It was not immediately clear how many mines are in the strait that Iran has effectively controlled since shortly after the war began, virtually shutting down oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf. The U.S. has blockaded Iranian ports in response. A tenuous ceasefire has been in place since April 7.

Pakistan says a deal to end the war is imminent

via AP

Latest update on US-Iran war: Iran foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Saturday said that the negotiating team is not planning to visit Pakistan or Geneva in next few days amid buzz that Iran and the US are likely to sign the peace deal within 24 hours.

Latest update on US-Iran war: Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said that Iran-US peace deal will be signed tomorrow.

Pakistan foreign ministry said that Dar spoke with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan as they welcomed the US–Iran negotiations in their final stage, ‘with the electronic signing ceremony scheduled for tomorrow’. This comes even as Iran said it was yet to be determined, "although it will not be tomorrow".

“The possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Saturday.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had likewise said on Friday that the deal could be signed "in the coming days", while a senior US official had put their confidence in finally reaching an agreement at "80 to 85 percent".

Latest update on US-Iran war: Iran said on Saturday it could sign the framework for a peace deal with the United States in the coming days, but dismissed a suggestion by mediator Pakistan that it would be signed within the next 24 hours.

The U.S. and Iran signalled on Friday that an agreement to end three months of war was close, with a U.S. administration official saying both sides had agreed on a text and that Washington expected to sign an initial deal in the coming days.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday the two sides had agreed on a framework for a peace deal and Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing to be followed by technical-level talks next week.

Sharif suggested the initial deal could be signed on Sunday, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei was later quoted by state media as saying caution was needed when commenting on the timing.

"We will have to wait and see about the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow," Baghaei was quoted as saying.

via Reuters

Latest update on US-Iran war: Two days after merchant navy cadet Aditya Sharma (23) was killed in a US strike on an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, his father, Rajesh Sharma, on Saturday has demanded an investigation into the circumstances leading to his death.

Questioning why timely first aid was allegedly not administered if Aditya was still breathing after the incident, his father, Rajesh Sharma said that preliminary reports suggest the young cadet suffered a severe head injury.

Speaking to reporters, Sharma also questioned why the vessel's captain continued towards Oman despite reports of a possible US attack circulating for days. He further asked why the lives of three sailors could not be saved when 21 other crew members were rescued.

Aditya, a deck cadet on probation, was among the crew members killed after the US military struck the Palau-flagged MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, alleging that the vessel was attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of an American blockade. There were 24 Indian crew members on board, of whom 21 were rescued.

The only son of his parents, Aditya hailed from Bhalu village in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district.

Sharma said he had received information that his son's body was still on the vessel and was being shifted for a post-mortem examination. He urged the Government of India to expedite the repatriation process so the family could perform the last rites.

via PTI

Latest update on US-Iran war: All commercial vessels should immediately comply with US orders in the Strait of Hormuz, US secretary of state Marco Rubio told India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, PTI reported.

“Violations of US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated,” Rubio told Jaishankar.

This comes after three Indian-crewed vessels came under US attack near Oman in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalated tensions around the strategic oil passage this week. Three Indian crew members were killed in the attacks, following which India lodged strong protest' with the US.

Latest update on US-Iran war: After Pakistan said that a peace deal between the US and Iran will be finalised within 24 hours, Iran said that no signing will take place on Sunday.

Latest update on US-Iran war: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, top Iranian negotiator, on Saturday said Iran remains firm until the ‘ultimate victory’. He shared a post marking the one-year anniversary of 12-day war and wrote, “One year has passed since the start of the first round of criminal attacks by the Israeli and American regimes on our eternal home, Iran; they murdered innocent children and refrained from no crime or cruelty.”

Latest update on US-Iran war: Pakistan said an interim US-Iran deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be finalized within 24 hours, raising expectations that the sides may be nearing a broader agreement after recent skirmishes near the strategic waterway.

Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal “immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week,” said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator in talks between Washington and Tehran.

His comments on Saturday came hours after the US Central Command said it shot down multiple Iranian drones targeting commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior Trump administration official said Friday there was an 80% or 85% chance the pact would be signed soon.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed those expectations in a speech carried by state television on Friday, adding the signing could take place in the coming days.

President Donald Trump has vowed dozens of times that an agreement to end the war that began in February is near, only for none to materialize so far. The primary US objectives are to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic, and curb Iran’s nuclear program. Iran insists on retaining a degree of control over the waterway and gaining immediate access to its frozen funds, while negotiations over the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment would take place after the interim deal is signed.

via Bloomberg