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Top Iranian Negotiator Arrives Back in Pakistan — while Trump Orders Chief US Aides to Phone it in

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Iran’s foreign minister was back in Islamabad on Sunday reportedly hoping to work on a peace plan — while President Trump said his top aides will only participate by phone at this point because Pakistan is too far to go to again.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi did the quick turnaround after leaving Pakistan’s capital without meeting with US officials Saturday, a move that prompted Trump to then swiftly cancel American negotiators’ intended return trip to Islamabad.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to leave for Pakistan’s capital Saturday before being called off.

Trump on Sunday doubled down on his refusal to send the US negotiators back to Islamabad, telling Fox News that the 18-hour trip is too far to travel if Iran continues to refuse his nuclear demands.

“Great respect for Pakistan, because they’ve been terrific. They’ve really tried, and they’ll stay involved, but we’re going to do it by telephone, so if they want, they can call us,” Trump said of Tehran. (Read more from “Top Iranian Negotiator Arrives Back in Pakistan — while Trump Orders Chief US Aides to Phone it in” HERE)

Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner Heading to Islamabad for Iran Talks

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Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner will head to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday for another round of negotiations with Iran, and Vice President JD Vance “is on standby” and could potentially join them there.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the plans on Friday afternoon, first on Fox News Channel’s America Reports and then to reporters moments later.

“As you know, and I spoke about it earlier this week, the president was flexible in granting an extension of this ceasefire. Throughout this time, the President has decided to dispatch Special Envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner back to Islamabad. The Iranians want to talk,” Leavitt told reporters.

“They want to talk in person. So the President is, as I’ve said many, many times to all of you, always willing to give diplomacy a chance,” she added.

Leavitt, who said on America Reports that Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to depart Saturday morning, told reporters that President Donald Trump, Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will await updates in Washington, DC.

(Read more from “Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner Heading to Islamabad for Iran Talks” HERE)

Iran Fires On 3 Ships In Strait Of Hormuz

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By Daily Caller. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, complicating ongoing negotiations.

The IRGC fired on three vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to information from the British military’s UKMTO. The action took place a day after President Donald Trump announced an indefinite ceasefire in a Truth Social post until the Iranian government would agree to resume in-person negotiations that were originally slated to take place in Pakistan.

The IRGC seized two of the vessels, according to reporting from The Associated Press. Iranian state media claimed the Iranian military was allegedly taking the ships back to Iran.

The ships that were hit were the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, Liberia-flagged Epaminondas and the Liberia-flagged Euphoria, according to Reuters.

“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” Trump said in the Truth Social post on Tuesday. (Read more from “Iran Fires On 3 Ships In Strait Of Hormuz” HERE)

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Iran’s military more capable than Trump administration is publicly acknowledging, sources say

By CBS News. The Islamic Republic of Iran maintains more military capabilities than the White House or Pentagon has publicly admitted, according to multiple U.S. officials with knowledge of intelligence on the matter.

About half of Iran’s stockpile of ballistic missiles and its associated launch systems were still intact as of the start of the ceasefire in early April, three of the officials told CBS News.

Roughly 60% of the naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is still in existence, the officials said, including fast-attack speed boats. On Wednesday, Iranian gunboats attacked several commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, shortly after President Trump announced he was unilaterally extending a ceasefire to allow more time for peace talks.

Iranian air power has been significantly degraded but not erased, said the officials, who requested anonymity from CBS News because they were not authorized to discuss the matters publicly.

About two-thirds of Iran’s air force is still believed to be operational, the officials said, after an intensive U.S. and Israeli campaign that struck thousands of targets, including storage and production facilities. (Read more from “Iran’s military more capable than Trump administration is publicly acknowledging, sources say” HERE)

Iran’s Maimed Supreme Leader Khamenei Issues New Military Threats Against US, Israel Amid Truce

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A gravely injured Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a chilling message on Saturday amidst an uneasy truce with Israel, threatening that “Iran’s navy is ready to inflict new bitter defeats on enemies.”

The Iranian Armed Forces Day message comes from the newly minted Ayatollah who has not been seen since he took control of the regime after being maimed and losing a leg in the Feb. 28 US-Israeli airstrike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.

Now, despite Iran negotiating a truce with Israel, the absentee Ayatollah is threatening to flex Iran’s heavily depleted military.

“Just as Iran’s drones strike like lightning against the US and Zionist criminals, Israel, the brave navy is also prepared to inflict new bitter defeat on enemies,” a post from Khamanei’s Telegram account read.

“The Army is like the nation’s child, which arises from within the heart of the people’s homes,” the shadowy cleric boasted in another post. (Read more from “Iran’s Maimed Supreme Leader Khamenei Issues New Military Threats Against US, Israel Amid Truce” HERE)

Trump says Iran Won’t Execute 8 Women after He Demanded Their Release

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President Trump announced Wednesday that Iran will no longer execute eight women after he pleaded Tuesday for their freedom — calling it “very good news” in a social media post.

“I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed. Four will be released immediately, and four will be sentenced to one month in prison,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“I very much appreciate that Iran, and its leaders, respected my request, as President of the United States, and terminated the planned execution.”

The announcement came hours after Trump extended a two-week cease-fire with Iran as US negotiators await Tehran’s reply to the latest American offer to end the nearly two-month conflict.

Iran’s judiciary denied that the eight women were ever set for execution, claiming that “Trump was misled once again by fake news” and that “some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment.” (Read more from “Trump says Iran Won’t Execute 8 Women after He Demanded Their Release” HERE)

Photo credit: New York Post

Islamic Guard Takes Full Control of Iran, Sidelines Moderates: Analysts

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Iran’s hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leader has effectively taken control of Tehran’s military and negotiation team over the weekend, analysts said.

IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and members of his inner circle have allegedly taken charge of the Islamic republic, as evident by Iran’s attacks on ships trying to sail through the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s refusal to join peace talks with the US this week, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank said.

The sudden shift to a hardline stance also shows that more moderate members of Iran’s leadership, including Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi, have been sidelined.

Araghchi had initially agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after reaching a consensus with the Trump administration, but the IRGC demanded it remain shut in the face of the American blockade on Iranian ports.

Vahidi reportedly received the backing of Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary and an IRGC veteran, to control the strait — further cementing Vahidi’s grip on Iran. (Read more from “Islamic Guard Takes Full Control of Iran, Sidelines Moderates: Analysts” HERE)

Iran’s Top Negotiator Rejects Talks ‘Under Threat’ — Warns Regime ‘Ready to Reveal New Battlefield Cards’ as Ceasefire Looms

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Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared late Monday that Tehran will not negotiate with the United States “under the shadow of threats,” warning Tehran is prepared to “reveal new cards on the battlefield” as a ceasefire deadline looms and the fate of renewed talks remains uncertain.

Speaking in a post on X, Ghalibaf — who has led Iran’s recent negotiations alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — accused President Donald Trump of attempting to turn diplomacy into “an instrument of surrender” through continued pressure, including a U.S. naval blockade.

“Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table — in his own imagination — into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering,” Ghalibaf wrote. “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”

Ghalibaf’s remarks underscored a hardening stance in Tehran just hours after conflicting signals earlier Monday suggested talks could proceed — only to be thrown into doubt again by Monday night.

(Read more from “Iran’s Top Negotiator Rejects Talks ‘Under Threat’ — Warns Regime ‘Ready to Reveal New Battlefield Cards’ as Ceasefire Looms” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Trump Admin Officials Pull Democrat Inflation Tactic Amid Iran War

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President Donald Trump’s administration is being accused of taking a page out of the Democrats’ playbook by blaming inflation on price gouging during the economic instability of a U.S.-Iranian war.

The strategy was employed by members of the House GOP and Trump cabinet officials at hearings on Capitol Hill earlier this week to save face over a war-born hike in the cost of living as the midterms approach.

In March, the U.S. annual inflation rate jumped to 3.3%, marking not only a large increase from the 2.4% inflation rate in both February and January, but also the highest inflation rate since reaching 4.1% in May 2023, Trending Economics shows.

Although the inflation rate is the highest it has been under either of Trump’s terms, it is still dwarfed compared to Joe Biden’s June 2022 peak of 9.1%, which gave Democrats at the time plenty of practice deflecting responsibility and placing it on greedy corporations and fat-cat businessmen.

Ahead of 2022’s midterm elections, Biden blamed the rise in gas prices on the greed of oil companies despite funding a war between Ukraine and Russia, which had resulted in a fall in supply of oil, and thus a rise in oil prices, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

(Read more from “Trump Admin Officials Pull Democrat Inflation Tactic Amid Iran War” HERE)

Trump: U.S. Navy Blows a Hole in Iranian Ship, Seizes Vessel — Tehran Threatens Response as Talks Remain Uncertain

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President Donald Trump said Sunday the U.S. “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom” of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship before seizing the vessel — marking the first known use of force under Washington’s naval blockade as Tehran threatens retaliation and critical ceasefire talks hang in the balance.

In a Truth Social post Sunday afternoon, Trump said the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the vessel, identified as the Touska, in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach the blockade, adding that “U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel” and are “seeing what’s on board.”

Video released Sunday evening by U.S. Central Command confirmed the encounter, showing repeated warnings issued over several hours, including an audio command ordering, “Vacate your engine room… we are prepared to subject you to disabling fire,” before the destroyer fired into the vessel’s engine compartment.

CENTCOM said the Touska was warned multiple times over a six-hour period while sailing toward Iran’s Bandar Abbas port before U.S. forces disabled its propulsion using the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 gun, after which Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded and secured the vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.

The seizure marks the first known forcible interdiction since the blockade went into effect April 13, following the collapse of Pakistan-mediated talks, which U.S. officials said had already forced at least 25 vessels to turn back without incident.

(Read more from “Trump: U.S. Navy Blows a Hole in Iranian Ship, Seizes Vessel — Tehran Threatens Response as Talks Remain Uncertain” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

First Cruise Ship Sets Sail Through Strait of Hormuz After Weeks-Long Closure by Iranian Regime

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The first commercial ship successfully sailed through the Strait of Hormuz Friday after Iran agreed to reopen the vital waterway following a weeks-long closure.

The Celestyal Discovery cruise ship cleared the strait, just hours after Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the narrow waterway was once again fully open to all commercial vessels — after the Iranian regime had threatened to attack any ship that transited it following the launch of the US and Israel’s war on Tehran.

The ship departed Port Rashid in Dubai at 11:36 a.m. local time – becoming the first passenger liner to exit the shipping lane since the start of the conflict, data from shipping tracker MarineTraffic showed.

The vessel, which carries about 1,360 passengers, was reportedly empty when it traversed the strait.

It is headed to Muscat, Oman, where it is expected to dock late Saturday afternoon, according to CruiseMapper. (Read more from “First Cruise Ship Sets Sail Through Strait of Hormuz After Weeks-Long Closure by Iranian Regime” HERE)