US Iran war highlights: Trump says ceasefire is 'on life support'; Iran speaker says army ready to ‘teach a lesson'

US Iran war LIVE: Oil prices increased on Monday by more than $2, a day after President Donald Trump said Iran's response to a U.S. peace proposal was "unacceptable", leaving the Strait of Hormuz largely closed with no clear end in sight to the war. Brent crude futures were up $2.39, or 2.36%, at $103.68 a barrel at 10:51 a.m. EDT (1451 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $97.49 a barrel, up $2.07, or 2.17%. Earlier in the session, the contracts reached highs of $105.99 and $100.37, respectively.

US Iran war LIVE: In view of the West Asia war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made repeated appeals for cost-cutting measures as the war has impacted the global supply chain and pushed the energy prices. While he earlier urged people to postpone foreign travel, avoid buying gold and switching to WFH, Modi on Monday made fresh appeal for reduced dependence on imported products. Even in the earlier decades, whenever the country has gone through war or any other major crisis, every citizen has fulfilled their responsibility in the same way in response to the government's appeal. Today, too, there is a need for all of us to come together and fulfil our responsibility to reduce the burden on the country's resources. India spends lakhs of crores of rupees in foreign exchange to import many products from abroad. At the same time, the prices of imported goods are soaring, and global supply chains have also been severely disrupted. Just as every drop fills a pot, every small and big effort matters. We must reduce the use of products that come from abroad and avoid unnecessary dependence on imported goods in our daily lives, and also avoid such personal activities that involve spending foreign exchange," he said.

US Iran war LIVE: Lebanon's president has urged the United States to put pressure on Israel to cease fire and stop home demolitions in south Lebanon, the presidency said on Monday, as the death toll from Israeli attacks rose.

Lebanon's health ministry said 74 people had been killed by Israeli strikes in the last three days despite a truce announced last month in fighting between Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah and the Israeli military, a spokesperson said.

Tehran said it had demanded security for Lebanon as part of a proposal for ending the wider war with the U.S. and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's proposal.

The Hezbollah-Israel conflict reignited on March 2 when the group opened fire at Israel in support of Tehran.

Hostilities have continued since Trump declared a ceasefire on April 16, mostly in south Lebanon, where Israel is occupying a self-declared security zone, saying it aims to guard against Hezbollah attacks.

The Lebanese health ministry spokesperson said the victims since Saturday had been killed in various Israeli strikes, including one that killed at least seven people in the southern town of Saksakiyeh.

It said 2,869 people had been killed since March 2, including 584 medics, women and minors. Its toll does not say how many combatants are among the dead.

via Reuters

US Iran war LIVE: Oil prices are rising as the war with Iran threatens to drag on for longer, but the U.S. stock market is nevertheless holding near its record heights.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil rose 1.7% to above $103 Monday after President Trump blasted Iran’s latest proposal to end their war as totally unacceptable. The rejection keeps the two sides in an uneasy limbo, one that’s already driven the price of Brent up from roughly $70 per barrel before the war.

But the S&P 500 slipped just 0.1% from its record. The Dow fell 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.2%.

via AP

US Iran war LIVE: Britain on Monday sanctioned 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activity including plotting attacks and providing financial services to groups seeking to destabilise the UK and other countries.

Those targeted by the sanctions include alleged members and associates of what the British government described as the Zindashti criminal network, as well as several exchange houses and financial operators.

The government said the network was involved in Iranian-backed hostile activity, including threatening, planning or conducting attacks against people and assets in Britain and elsewhere.

Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in the UK and other countries.

According to the notice, some individuals were sanctioned for directly participating in hostile acts, while others were accused of providing financial services or other material support to facilitate such activity.

via Reuters

US Iran war LIVE: Israel on Monday launched strikes in southern part of Lebanon, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported.

US Iran war LIVE: US Charge dAffaires Natalie A Baker on Monday held discussions with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, focussing on the "regional situation" and bilateral ties.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO), Baker called on Dar to "discuss the evolving regional situation and the broader Pakistan-US bilateral relationship".

Dar highlighted Pakistan's role in facilitating communication between the US and Iran, and expressed hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts would contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond, the FO said.

The meeting took place a day after Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator in the West Asia conflict, confirmed receiving from Iran the response to a US peace proposal. But US President Donald Trump is learnt to have rejected Iran's response to the peace proposal as "totally unacceptable".

During Monday's meeting, Dar also appreciated the ongoing US assistance in the repatriation of Pakistani and Iranian seafarers through Singapore, the FO said.

The ongoing West Asia conflict, triggered by the US and Israel's joint strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's subsequent retaliation, has remained under a ceasefire since April 8.

via PTI

US Iran war LIVE: Long before this week’s trip to China, Trump was already predicting on social media that Xi Jinping would “give me a big, fat hug when I get there.”

But Beijing’s deep economic ties to Iran, as well as trade tensions over tariff threats stretching back to Trump’s first term, could crimp the good feelings when Trump flies to Beijing this week — even though the Republican president has for years effusively praised Xi, making it clear he sees China’s leader as a competitor strong enough to warrant his respect and admiration.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that Beijing is willing to work with the U.S., based on equality and mutual respect, to expand cooperation, manage differences, and add stability to a turbulent world. The diplomacy between the leaders “plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role” in the bilateral relation, he said.

There will be plenty of ceremonial splendor, but the grandeur is not expected to rival Trump’s first visit to China in 2017, which Beijing dubbed a “state visit-plus.”

via AP

US Iran war LIVE: Iranian authorities on Monday announced the seizure of six properties allegedly linked to the former captain of the national football team, Ali Karimi, who now lives in exile and is vehemently critical of the Islamic republic.

The judiciary has repeatedly warned that people deemed to be acting against national security face asset seizures in the wake of January protests and against the backdrop of the war against Israel and the United States.

Karimi, who played for Bayern Munich during his career and was dubbed the "Asian Maradona" for his wizardry on the pitch, has in social media posts backed protests against the clerical authorities and also voiced support for the monarchy ousted by the Islamic revolution.

The Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency described Karimi as "one of the traitors to the homeland who has been extensively active in supporting the enemy in recent years".

It said two commercial units and four residential units belonging to Karimi "have been identified and seized by judicial order for the benefit of the people".

Karimi, who is now believed to be based in the Gulf after leaving in Iran in 2022, has yet to comment.

via AFP

US Iran war LIVE: second Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker is transiting the Strait of Hormuz days after the first such cargo crossed under an arrangement involving Iran and Pakistan, highlighting how cargoes are crossing the waterway on a case-by-case basis amid ongoing conflict risks. The vessel, Mihzem, with capacity of 174,000 cubic metres, departed Ras Laffan and is heading northeast toward Port Qasim in Pakistan, where it is expected to arrive on May 12, according to LSEG shipping data.

This would be the second successful passage through Hormuz for a Qatari LNG tanker since the start of Iran war.

On Saturday, LNG tanker Al Kharaitiyat started crossing Hormuz via the Iranian-approved northern route and on Sunday it managed to cross the strait.

The LNG is being sold by Qatar to Pakistan - a mediator in the war - under a government-to-government deal, according to two people familiar with the matter on May 9. They said Iran had approved the shipment to help build confidence with Qatar and Pakistan.

Two more tankers laden with Qatari LNG are expected to head to Pakistan in the coming days, the sources said.

via Reuters

US Iran war LIVE: Rafael's Yuval Steinitz said that since the October 2023 Hamas raid on Israel, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon combined have fired some 40,000 rockets at Israel. "Iron Dome intercepted most of them with success rates that (are) not 100% but close to 100%. It's around 98%, even 99%, so it's not perfect, but almost," Steinitz said.

Iran, he said, has fired about 1,500 ballistic missiles at Israel in two rounds of fighting since 2024 and "only several dozens" were not intercepted.

US Iran war LIVE: Israel's Iron Dome has been nearly 99% effective against missiles from Hamas and Hezbollah militants and has knocked out most missiles from Iran, the chairman of state-owned Iron Dome maker Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd said on Monday.

Rafael's Yuval Steinitz told a conference of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs that since the October 2023 Hamas raid on Israel, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon combined have fired some 40,000 rockets at Israel. "Iron Dome intercepted most of them with success rates that (are) not 100% but close to 100%. It's around 98%, even 99%, so it's not perfect, but almost," Steinitz said.

Iran, he said, has fired about 1,500 ballistic missiles at Israel in two rounds of fighting since 2024 and "only several dozens" were not intercepted.

He noted that there was no shortage of missile interceptors.

US Iran war LIVE: Trump said Sunday that Iran's response to his latest proposal was "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!" Ending the blockade before discussing Iran's nuclear program would eliminate a major point of leverage for Trump in the talks.

In the meantime, the standoff over the strait, which is a key transit point for the world's oil and natural gas exports, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled world markets.

via AP

US Iran war LIVE: : Iran on Monday said that the United States must abandon its "one-sided approach" and accept Tehran's "legitimate demands," including ending the war, lifting blockades, halting maritime piracy, and releasing frozen Iranian assets.

Addressing a press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran's proposals were aimed not only at protecting its national interests but also ensuring regional and global stability.

"In our proposal, we only raised Iran's legitimate rights. Everything we proposed in the text was reasonable and generous," Baghaei said, according to Iran's state-linked Fars News Agency.

"Not only for Iran's national interests but for the good and welfare of the region and the world. The American parties continue to insist on their unreasonable demands," he added.

Baghaei said Tehran viewed itself as a responsible regional power and rejected accusations of coercive behaviour. "Iran has proven itself to be a responsible power in the region. We are not bullies; we are anti-bullying," he said.

"Look at our performance; was it us who marched on America? Is it us who are bullying in the Western Hemisphere against Cuba and Venezuela and...? Was it us who committed this crime twice in the diplomatic process?!" he added.

via ANI

US Iran war LIVE: Iran said Monday it had demanded the release of its frozen assets and the end of a US blockade of its ports, after President Donald Trump angrily rejected Tehran's terms for ending the Middle East war.

The sharp exchange of messages raised the spectre of a return to open conflict in the Gulf, dashed hopes of a quick negotiated deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping and sent oil prices higher.

Trump reacted with fury after Iran responded to the latest US proposed outline for peace talks with a counteroffer he deemed, in a brief social media post, "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE".

The impasse unnerved global energy markets, with international benchmark Brent crude prices rising 4.65 percent to $99.95 a barrel during early Monday trade in Asia.

The US leader did not say what had offended him in Iran's response, but Tehran's foreign ministry said it had called for an end to the US naval blockade and to the war "across the region" -- implying a halt to Israel's strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Crucially, ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters, Iran demanded the "release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks".

This would suggest not just a return to the status quo before the United States and Israel launched the war on February 28, but a victory for the Islamic government's long-standing campaign against economic isolation.

via AFP

US Iran war LIVE: President Donald Trump's swift rejection of Iran's response to a U.S. peace proposal sent oil prices higher on Monday amid concerns the 10-week-old conflict will drag on, keeping shipping through the Strait of Hormuz paralysed.

Days after the U.S. floated an offer in the hopes of re-opening negotiations, Iran on Sunday released a response focused on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, where U.S. ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

Tehran also included a demand for compensation for war damage and emphasised Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state TV said.

It also called on the U.S. to end its naval blockade, guarantee no further attacks, lift sanctions and end a U.S. ban on Iranian oil sales, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.

Within hours, Trump dismissed Iran's proposal with a post on social media.

"I don't like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE," Trump wrote on Truth Social, without giving further detail.

The U.S. had proposed an end to fighting before starting talks on more contentious issues, including Iran's nuclear programme.

Following Trump's rejection of its demands, Tehran said on Monday it believed its proposal to end the war was "generous and responsible".

via Reuters

US Iran war LIVE: Ahead of US President's visit to China, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that he conveyed to Beijing that “this was a war of necessity,” AlJazeera reported.

“China is fully aware that this was a war of necessity. It was a war imposed on Iran. It was not an emergency incident yet it is a continuation of unilateral actions of the United States which continues to violate international laws and regulations,” he said.

“To China, stability and security in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Far East are of top priority, and the Chinese would seize the opportunity to warn of any incalculable measures or unlawful acts by the United States which would continue to undermine not only the regional security and stability but the global economic security,” he added.

US Iran war LIVE: Israel's military said Monday that one of its soldiers had died in fighting near the border with Lebanon, bringing its losses to 18 personnel since the war with Hezbollah began in early March.

Sergeant Major Alexander Glovanyov, 47, "fell during combat near the Israel-Lebanon border", the military said.

-AFP

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Monday said Tehran had not yet “settled score” with those who acted against the country, responding to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments that the war with Iran was not over, Iran International reported.

“If an opportunity is given to our armed forces, it will certainly be used in the best way,” Baghaei said.

US Iran war LIVE: Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday said that Tehran is aware its citizens were “harassed” in the Emirates over the past week, Aljazeera reported.

“We have handed down clear instructions to our embassies and consulates in Dubai, and here we are closely monitoring the situation in the UAE. Any action required within our power, we wouldn’t falter or hesitate in order to serve our people,” he said.

US Iran war LIVE: Strait of Hormuz, a key energy trade waterway, continues to be in the center of the war between Iran and the United States even as the two countries scramble to find a way to end the conflict.

Last week, Iran created an agency to oversee and approve what vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz and to collect a fees from them, said Lloyd's List, a shipping journal.

It said that Iran has formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority which has "already introduced a new framework requiring ships to obtain transit authorisation and pay tolls before sailing."

"Ships are required to submit detailed records of ownership, insurance, crew details and intended transit route", Lloyd's List added citing a form sent by the authority.

US Iran war LIVE: Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is reportedly likely to visit India to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting to be held in the capital from May 14 to 15, news agency ANI reported citing sources.

The visit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical significance and underlines the deepening engagement between New Delhi and Tehran within the expanded BRICS framework.

US Iran war LIVE: The United Kingdom and France will host over 40 countries on Monday to discuss a European-led plan to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The countries will discuss ways and their contributions to the mission during the key meet.

The gathering will be chaired by UK Defence Secretary John Healey along with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin.

“We are turning diplomatic agreement into practical military plans to restore confidence for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Healey said.

However, the idea of the meeting did not sit well with Iran, whose deputy foreign minister said that any such action would be treated as escalation of war.

US Iran war LIVE: On reports that European countries will deploy warships to the region to open the Strait of Hormuz amid rising energy prices, Baghaei said Iran has “clearly stated to the Europeans that they shouldn’t succumb to the US and Israeli hubris acts," Aljazeera reported.

“They should refrain from making any move that would undermine their interests. As I’ve said, this war is not only unethical but it is also unlawful. The US and Israel started their aggression against Iran; these European countries shouldn’t be fooled in order to get into this matter."

"Any intervention in the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf would bring about further complications. They would rather exacerbate the prices, we look forward to the world countries to act responsibly,” he added.

US Iran war LIVE: Iran's foreign ministry said Monday it had called for an end to the war across the region and the release of frozen assets abroad in its response to the latest US proposal.

"We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran's legitimate rights," said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.

He said Iran's demands included "an end to the war in the region", ending the US naval blockade, and the "release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks".

-AFP