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US Iran war highlights: US, Iran consider two-week ‘ceasefire extension’ to buy time for peace deal
The updates to this live blog have ended. Our latest coverage on the US-Iran war has moved here, follow for regular and real-time updates on the conflict.
- 7:38 AM IST, Apr 16The updates to this live blog have ended.
- 4:56 AM IST, Apr 15US, Iran weigh two-week ceasefire extension as talks continue amid Hormuz tensions
- 4:22 AM IST, Apr 15Pakistan army chief holds talks in Tehran; future US-Iran talks likely in Islamabad
- 3:35 AM IST, Apr 15Iran, Pakistan to hold detailed talks on US messages in Tehran
- 3:26 AM IST, Apr 15Pakistani PM Sharif meets Saudi crown prince as army chief holds parallel Iran talks
- 3:25 AM IST, Apr 15Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon expected ‘soon’ amid ongoing talks
- 2:01 AM IST, Apr 15Iran FM meets Pakistan army chief amid ongoing regional tensions
- 1:55 AM IST, Apr 15Donald Trump says Iran war ‘very close to over’ as Tehran threatens Gulf trade disruption
- 11:58 PM IST, Apr 15White House says next round of peace talks likely venue unchanged
- 11:39 PM IST, Apr 15Bessent warns US to ramp up economic pressure on Iran, likens moves to ‘financial bombing’
- 11:36 PM IST, Apr 15UAE to reopen schools on April 20 as US-Iran ceasefire holds
- 10:54 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistani delegation meets Iran FM
- 10:46 PM IST, Apr 15US and Iran weigh extending ceasefire by 2 weeks
- 10:28 PM IST, Apr 15Three paramedics killed in south Lebanon, Israel says 200 Hezbollah targets hit
- 9:21 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistani delegation carrying new message from US to Iran
- 8:58 PM IST, Apr 15Qatar warns of ‘huge’ economic fallout from war in coming months
- 8:35 PM IST, Apr 15CENTCOM says no vessel crossed strait of Hormuz in 48 hrs
- 8:26 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistani delegation led by Asim Munir in Tehran for talks
- 8:15 PM IST, Apr 15Hezbollah lawmaker says Iranian efforts could lead to Lebanon ceasefire 'soon'
- 8:03 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistan's Asim Munir arrives in Tehran
- 7:58 PM IST, Apr 15Israeli security cabinet to discuss possible Lebanon ceasefire
- 7:45 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistan army chief to narrow gaps between Iran and US
- 7:33 PM IST, Apr 15Pope Leo says world needs to hear message of peace and coexistence
- 7:23 PM IST, Apr 15Iran says it would block Gulf trade if blockade continues
- 7:16 PM IST, Apr 15Israel hails Lebanon talks as 'historic opportunity' to end Hezbollah stranglehold
- 7:13 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistani delegation on way to Iran amid plan for second round of talks
- 6:54 PM IST, Apr 15Iran's internet blackout continues on 47th day, among longest in history
- 6:47 PM IST, Apr 15Starmer hits back after Trump’s trade deal threat over Iran conflict
- 6:34 PM IST, Apr 15Iran says several messages exchanged with US via Pakistan, after talks failed
- 6:16 PM IST, Apr 15Trump says Iran war ‘could end soon’
- 6:10 PM IST, Apr 15Fresh Israeli strikes hit Lebanon following the first round of talks
- 6:04 PM IST, Apr 15Oil gains as Hormuz shipping constraints persist
- 5:53 PM IST, Apr 15US has not formally agreed to extend Iran ceasefire, senior US official says
- 5:51 PM IST, Apr 15Trump says US could take out Iran's bridges, power plants in one hour
- 5:42 PM IST, Apr 15Iran foreign ministry insists on right to enrich uranium, says level negotiable
- 5:40 PM IST, Apr 15Trump says China has not agreed to send weapons to Iran
- 5:24 PM IST, Apr 15Iran says exchanges with US via Pakistan continue after failed talks
- 5:16 PM IST, Apr 15Iran to hold Pakistani delegation on Wednesday
- 4:41 PM IST, Apr 15Trump says he asked China's Xi not to give Iran weapons
- 4:35 PM IST, Apr 15Iran military warns will block Red Sea if US naval blockade continues
- 4:27 PM IST, Apr 15Vance says Pope should be careful with words after Iran critique
- 3:37 PM IST, Apr 15Trump says talks with Iran to resume soon, says ‘amazing two days ahead’
- 3:31 PM IST, Apr 15Turkish president says working to extend ceasefire between US-Iran
- 3:19 PM IST, Apr 15Iranian tanker crossed Hormuz despite sanctions, Iran media says
- 3:13 PM IST, Apr 15Iranian President hits back at external pressure against Iran
- 3:03 PM IST, Apr 15UN nuclear watchdog urges ‘very detailed’ checks on Iran's nuclear activities
- 2:54 PM IST, Apr 15IMF warns that Middle East could trigger market turmoil
- 2:44 PM IST, Apr 15Pakistan PM heads to Saudi, Qatar, Turkey to push for US Iran talks
- 2:29 PM IST, Apr 15Iran acquired Chinese satellite to monitor US bases, says report
- 2:18 PM IST, Apr 15Mossad says Israel will keep trying to topple Iran’s government
- 1:54 PM IST, Apr 15Iraq-bound tanker sails into Gulf after second attempt Hormuz transit
- 1:35 PM IST, Apr 15Israeli army strikes south of Beirut as Hezbollah launches rockets
- 1:15 PM IST, Apr 15Tehran to use alternative ports to bypass US blockade, says report
- 1:06 PM IST, Apr 15Tehran rejects UAE proposal on 'maritime corridor' in Strait of Hormuz
- 12:52 PM IST, Apr 15Iran to avenge Ali Khamenei, says senior lawmaker
- 12:48 PM IST, Apr 15Urgent task is to avoid resumption of war, says China
- 12:22 PM IST, Apr 15UN nuclear chief urges strict Iran checks in any deal to end war
- 12:15 PM IST, Apr 15Iranian citizen, held in France, returns home
- 12:00 PM IST, Apr 15Hermes reports hit to first-quarter sales amid Middle East conflict
- 11:48 AM IST, Apr 15China warns US over tariff hike threat over reports of backing Tehran
- 11:44 AM IST, Apr 15China refutes reports of providing military support to Tehran
- 11:37 AM IST, Apr 15Conflict cuts Nissan's Middle East car sales by half, says report
- 11:22 AM IST, Apr 15Tehran will become a footnote, says Trump's top aide
- 11:05 AM IST, Apr 15India-flagged LPG vessel reaches Kandla Port after crossing Hormuz
- 11:01 AM IST, Apr 15Lebanon in talks with IMF for rapid financing, says report
- 10:54 AM IST, Apr 15Iran used China's TEE-01B satellite to target US bases, says report
- 10:37 AM IST, Apr 15Luxury brands feel the heat of Middle East conflict at airports
- 10:24 AM IST, Apr 15Pak PM to depart for Saudi Arabia official visit today
- 10:06 AM IST, Apr 15Sri Lanka repatriates 238 stranded Iranian sailors
- 9:40 AM IST, Apr 15Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases, says report
- 9:37 AM IST, Apr 15Trump reportedly not thinking about extending ceasefire with Iran
- 9:35 AM IST, Apr 15US treasury refuses extension of Iranian oil sanctions waiver
- 9:34 AM IST, Apr 15Iraq-bound tanker tries crossing through Hormuz into Persian Gulf
- 9:32 AM IST, Apr 15Trump takes swipe at Pope over Iran nuke
- 9:27 AM IST, Apr 15US Iran war LIVE updates: ‘Blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented’, says US CENTCOM
- 9:05 AM IST, Apr 15US naval blockade gross violation of Tehran's territorial integrity, says UN envoy
- 8:49 AM IST, Apr 15Israel, Lebanon hold first diplomatic talks in decades
- 8:38 AM IST, Apr 15Tehran estimates damage caused by US-Israeli strikes at $270 billion
- 8:23 AM IST, Apr 15Moratorium on Iran uranium enrichment under US talks a political decision, says IAEA
- 8:10 AM IST, Apr 15US military will operate blockade in Gulf of Oman, says report
- 7:50 AM IST, Apr 15US military says it has completely halted economic trade to Iran by sea
- 7:46 AM IST, Apr 15Japan's Nikkei hits over one-month high amid hopes of fresh peace talks
- 7:38 AM IST, Apr 15US intercepts eight Iran-linked oil tankers since start of blockade, says report
- 7:37 AM IST, Apr 15War could bring more inflation pressure, says ex-US treasury secretary
- 7:32 AM IST, Apr 15Sanctioned tanker turns back to Strait of Hormuz day after exiting Gulf
- 7:19 AM IST, Apr 15Oil prices continue falling amid hopes for peace talks resumption
- 7:07 AM IST, Apr 15Vance says mistrust cannot be resolved overnight
- 6:46 AM IST, Apr 15Trump says Iran war is ‘very close to over’
US Iran war highlights: The updates to this live blog have ended. The United States and Iran are considering extending their ceasefire by two weeks to create more time for negotiating a broader peace deal, according to a person familiar with the discussions, easing fears of an immediate return to hostilities despite rising tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported....Read More
Hopes of fresh rounds of peace talks between Iran and the United States remained as US President Donald Trump hinted that negotiations could resume in Pakistan over the next two days, after a collapse of peace efforts in Islamabad during the past weekend. He also has said that he thinks the war with Iran is “very close to over”.
Officials from Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf reportedly said that negotiating teams from both sides could return to Islamabad later this week. However, no date had been set, reported Reuters, citing a senior Iranian source.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said the presence of immense mistrust between Iran and the United States cannot be resolved overnight, adding that Iranian negotiators wanted to make a deal and that he felt "very good about" where the US stood.
US blockade in Hormuz Strait
The first full day of a US blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports did not make much difference to the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, with at least eight ships, including three Iran-linked tankers, crossing the strategic waterway, according to shipping data.
The three Iran-linked vessels that transited the waterway were not heading to Iranian ports and were not affected by the blockade.
Another ship, a Panama-flagged Peace Gulf, a medium-range tanker, is heading to Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates, LSEG data showed.
Before this, two US-sanctioned tankers -- Handy tanker Murlikishan is heading to Iraq to load fuel oil, and Rich Carry is carrying methanol -- passed through the Strait, Reuters reported.
Central Command said no ships have made it past the blockade since it went into effect on Monday at 10am (local time).
US destroyer prohibits two oil tankers
A US destroyer reportedly interdicted two oil tankers trying to leave Iran on Tuesday, and instructed them to turn around.
The ships had left Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman and were contacted by the warship via radio communication, Reuters reported, citing a US official.
Trump says Iran war 'very close to over'
Trump said that he thinks that Iran is close to over. "I mean, I view it as very close to over," the US President said in an interview with Fox Business Network's 'Mornings with Maria'.
"If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we’re not finished. We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly," he added.
Trump's 40-min call with India's Modi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump held a 40-minute phone conversation on Tuesday, said US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. Trump briefed PM Modi on the situation in the Middle East, including the US blockade of Iranian ports, said Gor, adding that some big-ticket deals are expected between India and the US, including in energy.
In a post on X, PM Modi said he and Trump reviewed the progress of achieving bilateral cooperation in various sectors. He also stated that the two leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and "stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure".
Oil prices today
Oil prices fell for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as expectations of the resumption of peace talks between Iran and the US this week continued to weigh on markets.
Brent crude futures dropped 0.55 per cent to $94.27 per barrel after falling 4.6 per cent in the previous session. Meanwhile, the US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1.1 per cent to $90.24 after dropping 7.9 per cent in the previous session.
