Iran war news highlights: Trump says 'most of the agreement' with Tehran is about nuclear issues

Iran war news LIVE: President Donald Trump has said the US and Iran are close to a "very good deal," but if Washington does not get what it wants, then it will "end it in a different way.

Iran war news LIVE: The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday located weapons in the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah- further proving Hezbollah's presence inside civilian areas in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli Air Force continues to strike Hezbollah terror headquarters.

In a post on X, the IDF said, "These are photos from the precise IDF operation in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi Saluki area in southern Lebanon. IDF troops located weapons in the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah- further proof of Hezbollah's presence inside civilian areas in southern Lebanon."

via ANI

Iran war news LIVE: An Israeli strike near a hospital in Tyre, south Lebanon wounded 13 staffers, the Lebanese health ministry said, as Israel pushes forward its offensive deeper into the country.

"The Israeli enemy launched an airstrike in the vicinity of Hiram Hospital in Tyre, injuring 13 hospital staff members and causing significant damage," the ministry said in a statement, urging "the international community to put an end to the escalating and expanding Israeli attacks".

via AFP

Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump said he had secured guarantees from Iran that it would not develop nuclear weapons, as reports emerged he had sent a tougher peace proposal back to Tehran.

Any tweaks to the proposal could prolong even further an agreement to formally end the Middle East war and open the Strait of Hormuz maritime route after weeks of efforts to secure a deal despite fractious rhetoric and the occasional flare up of armed conflict.

The New York Times and Axios media outlets reported on Saturday that Trump had sent back a new framework to be considered by Iran with "tougher" terms, though it was not immediately clear what that entailed.

Trump has said his priorities for any deal include stopping Iran from any nuclear weapon development and re-opening the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.

"The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons. They've agreed to that, and it was very interesting," he told his daughter-in-law Lara Trump in an interview broadcast on her Fox News program on Saturday night.

via AFP

Iran war news LIVE: France has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Israeli forces seized the medieval Beaufort castle in Lebanon, the French foreign minister said Sunday.

"I have requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council because, while we recognise Israel's right, like that of all countries, to self-defence... nothing can justify the continuation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and its ever-deeper occupation of Lebanese territory," Jean-Noel Barrot said on the BFMTV channel.

via AFP

Iran war news LIVE: Iran has said its defence forces intercepted and shot down a US MQ-1 drone after it encroached the Iranian airspace over the Persian Gulf. The drone entered Iranian airspace in early hours of Sunday, IRGC said in a statement, Press TV reported.

Iran war news LIVE: Trump has the option to choose between good or worse, a high-ranking commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) was quoted as saying by Iran's Press TV.

“Trump, whose defeat in the war has become evident to anyone, now faces two paths forward: the bad path or the worse path,” IRGC Deputy for Political Affairs Second Brigadier General Yadollah Javani was quoted as saying.

“Iran has won this battle, and the United States is going down the spiral of defeat and decline,” Javani was quoted as saying.

Iran war news LIVE: Iran has restored gas production at three offshore platforms in the South Pars gas field that had been forced to halt output after Israeli attacks disrupted processing capacity at some onshore facilities, the chief executive of the Pars Oil and Gas Company told state media on Sunday.

Touraj Dehqani said the platforms had not been damaged. He said production from the three platforms was being routed to other processing plants in the region while repairs continue at damaged facilities, including the Phase 14 refinery.

via Reuters

Iran war news LIVE: Top Iranian negotiator and Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has once again targeted the US. He said ‘enemy’s promise' cannot be trusted, only objective results matter, IRNA reported. He also said that no agreement will be accepted until the ‘nation’s rights are secured'.

Iran war news LIVE: The Beaufort fortress, perched high atop Lebanon’s rolling green hills and overlooking the Litani River, has been a strategic military asset for many armies over almost 1,000 years.

Built as a Crusader castle around the 12th century on top of previous fortifications, it has been used by the Crusaders, Saladin’s Jerusalem army, Mamlukes, Ottomans, the French mandate, the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Israeli military until 2000, when it was partially restored and opened to visitors. The Crusaders named it Beaufort which is Old French for “beautiful fortress.”

The 1982 capture of the castle from the Palestine Liberation Organization was a major victory for the Israeli military that was led at the time by Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, who later became the country's prime minister. At the time, the Israeli army pushed all the way north and occupied Beirut.

During the previous Israel-Hezbollah war in 2024, UNESCO gave enhanced protection to 34 cultural sites in Lebanon including Beaufort Castle to safeguard it from damage.

The castle is a few kilometers north of the Israel border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon and northern Israel. In Arabic, it is called Al-Shaqif castle, an old Syriac word referring to the formidable rocky area.

The statement said the army is ready “to expand the operation if needed.”

Beaufort is symbolic across the region, including in Israel, where it was one of the most well-known places Israel controlled during the 18 year occupation. One of Israel's most well-known war films, “Beaufort,” explores the moral questions and reservations and the futility of war, in the last days before the military withdrew.

via AP

Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump has asked for several changes to the proposed deal prepared by his envoys with Iranian counterparts during a meeting on Friday, multiple reports said on Saturday.Trump held a meeting with his national security team in the Situation Room on Friday. Though the meeting lasted for two hours, there was no immediate details of what unfolded during the meeting.

Officials familiar with the development said Trump called for changes to toughen the terms of the deal and the new framework has been sent back to Iran, The New York Times reported.

Though Times stopped short of elaborating on the proposed changes, Axios reported that the amended parts involved tougher conditions on enriched uranium and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump took to his Truth Social platform sharing the details of the meeting, saying the two countries are close to a peace deal to end the conflict and that the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was being lifted. Iran rubbished the US claims saying negotiations were still underway on the ceasefire deal and no final understanding was reached. Read full report here

Iran war news LIVE: Iranian authorities have shut down a cafe in central Tehran over allegations that it promoted "satanic" activities, local media reported on Sunday.

The cafe, located on Tehran's famed Valiasr street, had hosted events featuring Western-style music that "provided a setting for abnormal behaviours," the Fars news agency reported.

The Mehr news agency said police accused patrons of engaging in "satanic movements".

A 14-second muted video carried by Tasnim news agency showed a packed venue where performers played guitars while some customers nodded their heads in apparent rhythm with the music.

Iranian authorities have long carried out raids and arrests targeting gatherings or networks accused of promoting "satanism," and have in the past labelled some rock and heavy metal concerts as satanist events.

The Islamic republic has a history of targeting activities it considers contrary to Islamic values or influenced by Western cultures.

via AFP

Iran war news LIVE: Growing tensions between the United States and Iran are fuelling fears of a fresh inflation crisis in Pakistan, with residents of Islamabad expressing deep concern over soaring fuel prices, rising living costs, and the worsening economic burden on ordinary citizens.

Several residents said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has already begun affecting daily life in Pakistan. Many complained that inflation has reached unbearable levels, making it increasingly difficult for salaried workers and low-income families to meet basic expenses.

One resident said he had been forced to leave his car parked for over a month because he could no longer afford fuel, adding that even maintaining a motorcycle had become difficult.

"Our salaries remain the same, but prices keep increasing. Survival is becoming nearly impossible," he said.

Citizens linked the recent surge in inflation to disruptions in global energy markets caused by the US-Iran confrontation and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route.

According to residents, petrol prices in Pakistan reportedly surged from around ₹250 per litre to as high as ₹450 before easing slightly to above ₹400 per litre. Diesel prices have also witnessed similar increases, placing additional pressure on transportation and commodity costs.

Residents argued that higher fuel prices inevitably lead to increases in public transport fares, food prices, and other essential goods. Some claimed inflation had risen by as much as 300 per cent, leaving poor and middle-class households struggling to cope.

Several speakers argued that military actions and missile strikes undermine diplomatic efforts and prolong instability in the region. Residents also blamed the continued deadlock on geopolitical rivalries and alleged external interference in the peace process.

Calling for an immediate end to hostilities, Islamabad residents urged all parties to prioritise negotiations, stressing that peace is essential to stabilising fuel prices, controlling inflation, and preventing further hardship for millions of Pakistanis.

via ANI

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says 28 vessels, including oil tankers, containers and other commercial ships, passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours “with the coordination and security of the IRGC Navy”.

“Intelligent control of the Strait of Hormuz is being carried out continuously and with firmness and authority,” its statement carried by the Fars news agency said.

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The European Union is considering a temporary freeze to its price cap on Russian oil as the war in the Middle East continues into a fourth month, said people familiar with the matter.

The bloc adopted a dynamic mechanism last year to ensure the price cap is automatically set every six months at 15% below the average market rate for Russian Urals crude. The current price threshold is $44.10 per barrel and is due for review later this summer.

Under the cap, European firms are banned from providing services such as insurance and transportation involving oil sold above the threshold.

Oil prices have soared as a result of the Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The next price cap review in July would likely see the level rise to at least $65, above the previous $60 threshold set by the Group of Seven, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

The freeze would keep the price cap at the current rate. Other options under consideration include suspending dynamic and automatic increases until the end of the year in light of the exceptional circumstances in the Middle East, or capping any rise to $60, back in line with the G7 level, the people said.

Videos on social media show people on a beach in northern Israel running for shelter as Hezbollah rockets are launched towards the region, local media reported. It was the first barrage fired from Lebanon towards the Israeli city of Nahariya in three weeks.

There are still major sticking points, all related to the economy.

The first one is Iran’s frozen assets in the US. The second sticking point is about Iran’s requested reconstruction fund. The third is Iran’s request for exemption from the ban on its oil and petrochemical sales.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has said Israeli forces, led by the Golani Brigade, have captured Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon after expanding operations across the Litani River.

“Under the direction of Prime Minister Netanyahu and my guidance, the [Israeli military] expanded the manoeuvre in Lebanon, crossed the Litani River and captured the Beaufort Ridge – one of the most important strategic points for the defence of the Galilee communities and maintaining the security of our forces,” Katz said in a post on Telegram, referring to residents of northern Israel.

The defence minister said the operation was previously under an information blackout. Katz added that fighting is ongoing and promised to continue efforts to weaken Hezbollah and secure Israel’s northern border.

There has been no comment from Lebanese authorities on Israel’s claim.

Beaufort Castle is a Crusader fortress overlooking the Litani River in Nabatieh governorate.

The Israeli military says a “suspicious hostile aerial target” has entered the country’s airspace from the north and has fallen in an open area.

The object triggered sirens in numerous towns along the border, according to the brief statement. The military said there were no casualties.

Israel has confirmed the capture of the Beaufort Castle in south Lebanon, saying that it planted flag on medieval castle.

Egypt’s foreign minister Badr Abdelatty has affirmed Cairo’s solidarity with Lebanon in a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Abdelatty stressed the Egyptian position, calling for the necessity of Israel’s complete withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, and stating that any infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty is a violation of international law.

He also expressed support for the Lebanese army, saying that only the Lebanese state – and no other groups, including Hezbollah – should have arms in the country.

At a plant near Frankfurt, in Germany, hydrogen and CO2 sourced from a chlorine factory and a biogas facility nearby are piped into a reactor and -- after a few more steps -- turned into jet fuel.

Interest in such synthetic propellants is growing as the Iran war pushes Europe to reassess its dependencies, raising hopes of a turnaround for the struggling sector, according to industry experts.

The conflict "made the business case for e-SAF much stronger," Mariano Berkenwald, head of strategy at Ineratec, the firm operating the Frankfurt facility, told AFP.

Before the war squeezed Europe's jet fuel supplies, electro-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (e-SAF), was largely touted for its climate friendly credentials.

Doing away with oil, it can reduce by 90 percent planet warming emissions from aviation -- itself responsible for up to four percent of all greenhouse gases released in the European Union -- proponents say.

Brussels has made it a key component of a push to green up transport, mandating fuel suppliers to blend at least 1.2 percent of the stuff into the kerosene made available at EU airports by 2030 and 35 percent by 2050.

The Israeli military has issued a new warning threatening residents south of the Zahrani River in southern Lebanon.

It said it was acting forcefully against Hezbollah in the region and told all residents located south of the river to leave their homes immediately.

It also said “any movement southward may put your lives at risk”.

Israeli air strikes this morning have targeted the southern Lebanese towns of Arnoun, Kfar Tebnit and Kfar Remman, according to an Al Jazeera Arabic report.

Israeli shelling also hit the Kfarjouz area in the Nabatieh district and the town of Dbeibine in the Marjayoun district.

China’s export sector showed strong resilience last month with the total value of outbound shipments hitting a monthly record even as the Strait of Hormuz crisis showed little sign of abating.

But while high-tech and AI-related industries are soaring, traditional manufacturers are struggling to survive.