US Iran war highlights: JD Vance says further Iran talks hinge on Tehran, ‘ball is in their court’

Donald Trump told reporters that Iran had reached out to the United States about another round of negotiations, but he declined to say whether the US has agreed.

“We’ve been called by the other side,” he told reporters outside the Oval Office. “They’d like to make a deal very badly.”

Donald Trump says he posted a picture of himself dressed as a doctor and not Jesus.

"I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support... It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better," he said on Fox News.

Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, is the latest Iranian official to react to Trump’s remarks to Pope Leo.

“In an era when the thunder of bombs and the clamour of warlords and aggressors weigh heavily on the world’s conscience, the words of Pope Leo XIV echo the profound call of the Gospel: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, he wrote on X.

“Insulting Pope Leo XIV is not only ‘unchristian’; it is a blatant assault on responsible advocacy for peace, justice and humanity.”

Israel military has said that it struck 150 Hezbollah targets in the past 24 hours.

The US Navy’s blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports or coastal areas is now in effect, the New York Times reported, citing a US military official, without providing any details. There was no indication of any incident in the blockade’s first 90 minutes.

Israel summoned Italy's ambassador Monday to protest after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Israel's "unacceptable attacks" on civilians in Lebanon during a visit to Beirut, an Italian diplomatic source said.

Tajani, a senior member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, visited Beirut on Monday for talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi.

Tajani wrote on X that he was there to "convey Italy's solidarity following Israel's unacceptable attacks against the civilian population".

He called for dialogue between Lebanon and Israel and a "necessary and lasting ceasefire", adding: "Another escalation like in Gaza must be avoided at all costs."

The United Kingdom is calling for Lebanon to be “included urgently” in the current ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said today, also condemning Israel’s continued attacks on the country.

“Whilst the ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran is undeniably welcome, it is also highly fragile. The region remains on edge, and a lot of work is required to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to de-escalate the situation, leading to a sustainable ceasefire,” Starmer said at the House of Commons.

The prime minister also said that, while the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah “must disarm,” he is “equally clear” that Israel’s strikes on the country “are wrong.”

“They are having devastating humanitarian consequences and pushing Lebanon into a crisis. The bombing should stop now,” Starmer said.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that the current priority should be to maintain the ceasefire between Iran and the United States and prevent conflict from reigniting in West Asia.

Chinese top diplomat made the comments in a phone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

Pakistan has been mediating between Iran and the US and helped bring them to historic, face-to-face talks over the weekend. However, the negotiations ended without an agreement, raising questions about the fate of the two-week truce.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has criticised the US blockade, writing on X: “Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!”

He added: “Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!”

The number of people killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 2,089, the country’s health ministry has said.

At least 6,762 others have been wounded, it added.

The US has threatened to "vigorously prosecute" anyone who buys or sells sanctioned Iranian oil, US acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has said, as President Donald Trump announced the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade, which was announced after the US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad failed to reach an agreement on Sunday to end the war that began on February 28.

"The Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who buys or sells sanctioned Iranian oil. The Department of Justice fully supports our Commander in Chief @POTUS and our military," Blanche said in a post on X.

Iran’s acting defence minister said Monday the country is prepared for “any scenario” and warned that any aggression against it would result in a “harsh and decisive response,” according to remarks broadcast on Iran’s state-run television.

Brigadier General Majid Ibn Reza said Iran’s armed forces are on “maximum combat alert,” Press TV reported.

US President Donald Trump said the US Navy will begin blockading Iranian ports and “interdict” every ship that has paid a toll to Tehran, after peace talks between both countries faltered over the weekend.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has addressed the British parliament about the Iran war, after he refused to support the US in blockading the Strait of Hormuz.

“Diplomacy is the right path, and I welcome the talks (in Pakistan)”, he said, adding that he would convene a summit of leaders jointly with French President Emmanuel Macron to address the situation later this week.

The summit will focus on reaching a diplomatic solution to end the conflict, as well as on military planning to “provide assurance to shipping as soon as a stable environment can be established.”

“Our shared aim here is an independent, coordinated, multinational plan,” he added.

The blockade was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Eastern time, but the United States had not formally acknowledged that it had begun.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has said that he hopes a meeting in Washington between Lebanese, US and Israeli representatives will lead to a ceasefire.

In remarks to Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the Lebanese presidency said on X that Lebanon wants “an agreement … with the aim of initiating direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel” to end hostilities and stabilise the south.

He said there is “an available opportunity to reach a sustainable solution”, but stressed it “cannot be one-sided” and that Israel must respond to calls “to stop its aggressions … and commence negotiations”.

“Israel’s destruction of Lebanese areas is not the solution and will not achieve any result, because diplomatic solutions have always been the best for armed conflicts.”

More than 5,000 people have been killed in Iran and Lebanon since conflict broke out in the region six weeks ago, according to recent tolls given by local authorities.

At least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran since the US and Israel began strikes on the country in February, Iranian state media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Sunday.

Lebanon’s health ministry said today that at least 2,089 people have been killed there since Israel began its attacks on March 2. At least 166 children are among those killed, it said.

Israel began attacks on what it says are Hezbollah targets in the country exactly six weeks ago, and has continued to conduct strikes following the current ceasefire between Iran and the US.

Hundreds of people have also been reported killed, as a result of the conflict, in Iraq, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, the occupied West Bank, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia since February 28, according to local authorities.

Hezbollah has said that it has launched a series of rocket and drone attacks at Israel, citing what it described as repeated ceasefire violations.

In multiple statements issued on Monday, the group said its fighters targeted Israeli positions near Bint Jbeil, al-Bayyada and the outskirts of Tyre.

It also claimed rocket fire on northern Israel in Hanita, Shlomi and Nahariya, as well as a drone attack on the Shraga base, described as “the administrative headquarters of the Golani Brigade”.

US Iran war live updates: US President Donald Trump said that if any Iranians ships near the blockade imposed by American military, they will be “immediately eliminated.”

“Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, “fast attack ships,” because we did not consider them much of a threat,” Trump said.

US Iran war live updates: With the US planning a blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, the UKMTO has said that neutral vessels have currently been granted limited grace period to depart.

The organisation says transit through the strait to or from non-Iranian destinations is not reported to be impeded by these measures, Reuters news agency reported.

US Iran war live updates: The United States' NATO allies said Monday said they would not get involved in President Donald Trump's plan to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. This comes amid Trump's increasing friction with the alliance, with the US President also mulling leaving NATO.

Trump had earlier said US would work with other countries to block all maritime traffic in the waterway.

US Iran war live updates: Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom said it had withdrawn all its staff from Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant.

Rosatom said it had started the final stage of evacuation from the plant, Reuters news agency reported. Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said 108 of its personnel would leave the plant, RIA reported.

US Iran war live updates: The US military in a note to seafarers said the blockade near the Strait of Hormuz would not affect neutral transit passage through the waterway, and to or from non-Iranian destinations, Reuters news agency reported.

The note said that humanitarian shipments, including food, medical supplies, and other essential goods will be permitted subject to inspection.

US Iran war live updates: Neutral vessels might also be subjected to the “right of visit and search” to determine the presence of contraband cargo, the US military said in a note to seafarers Monday.

The US military further said that the blockade applies to all vessel traffic, regardless of flag, Reuters news agency reported.

US Iran war live updates: The US military in a note to seafarers said any vessel passing through the blockaded area near Strait of Hormuz without authorisation was subject to capture, interception, diversion and capture, Reuters news agency reported.

The blockade will be enforced in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz, the note, seen by Reuters, stated.

US Iran war live updates: Iran's ambassador to India on Monday said Tehran had a “good contact” with New Delhi on the passage of ships.

The ambassador said Iran wants “to help India,” while adding that Tehran has oil and is ready to sell to any country which wants it, Reuters news agency reported.