Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to abandon talks with Iran if it tries to impose tolls or other charges on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as both sides continue to diverge on issues key to peace talks.
The US president said that Iran had informed the US that, despite reports to the contrary, there are “NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, & NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND BEING SOUGHT OR RECEIVED BY IRAN ON SHIPS TRAVELING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ”.
“If this is false information, negotiations would end immediately,” Trump said in a post on social media. He went on to insist that the US would buy American food to send to Iran using frozen Iranian funds, after Iran said they would determine their spending.
Iran and the United States signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding last week setting out broad agreements in principle to end the war. The interim accord paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear programme.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday that access to Iranian nuclear sites for inspections would only be addressed in the framework of a final agreement and after practical steps are taken to lift sanctions, after the US indicated Iran had agreed to allow inspections to resume.
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Key Points
- Trump slams Senate vote and says Iran is willing to 'give us anything'
- Oil falls below $77 a barrel
- US Senate votes to block Trump's military action
- Only Iran will control its unfrozen assets, Iranian envoy says
- Recap: Iranian banks hit by cyber attacks amid peace talks
Trump was boasting of his ability to buy ‘good maple trees’ in early days of Iran war, book claims
15:00 , James ReynoldsPresident Trump appeared more interested in redecorating White House grounds than discussing conflict in Middle East in Oval Office meeting with journalists, a new book alleges.
Read the full report:
Trump boasted he was ‘good at buying maple trees’ in early days of Iran war: report
Two killed in Israeli drone strike in Lebanon: report
14:46 , James ReynoldsTwo people have been killed in an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon, Reuters is reporting, citing medical and security sources.
Trump moves to supercharge weapons production after Iran conflict drains US stockpiles: report
14:30 , James ReynoldsPresident Donald Trump is scheduled to meet munitions makers at the White House on Wednesday to expand weapons production, following depleted U.S. stockpiles due to military operations in Iran and other conflicts.
Extensive U.S. supplies to allies and its own military operations have depleted inventories of air-defense and precision-guided weapons, pressuring contractors to boost output.
This is the second White House gathering with executives from major defense firms. A March meeting included CEOs from Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and others, as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump moves to supercharge weapons production after Iran conflict: report
Watch: Tucker Carlson says Iran war is the end of Trump and MAGA has 'no future'
14:00 , James ReynoldsAnother dispute emerges over handling of Iranian frozen funds
13:33 , James ReynoldsUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed President Donald Trump on Wednesday and insisted that a large percentage of Iran's unfrozen assets would be used to buy US foods and medicine even as Iran says it would determine its spending.
Bessent, in an interview on CNBC, added that the U.S. Department of Treasury would have an operation in Doha to oversee the funds.
Qatar PM visits Oman for talks on Strait of Hormuz, diplomat says
13:30 , ReutersQatar's prime minister visited Muscat on Wednesday for talks with Oman on setting up negotiations involving Iran, Iraq and Gulf Arab states on the reopening and future operation of the Strait of Hormuz, a diplomat briefed on the talks told Reuters.
The discussions are separate from U.S.-Iran peace talks and de-mining arrangements, and Gulf states are expected to push for no transit fees while Iran could propose environmental, navigation and security fees, the diplomat said.
Talks will end if Iran is lying about Hormuz tolls, says Trump
13:05 , James ReynoldsIn a new post on Truth Social, Donald Trump says that talks will end “immediately” if Iran does try to impose tolls or the like on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
He also claims that no money has been given to Iran, but indicates the US will release some frozen assets controlled by the US to American farmers and ranchers to buy food “desperately needed” in Iran.
“We will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States,” he claims.
Trump fumes as US Senate votes to halt Iran war in historic move
13:00 , James ReynoldsThe US Senate backed legislation on Tuesday directing Donald Trump to halt US military action against Iran, the latest rebuke of the Republican president from an increasingly restive Congress.
The Senate voted 50-48 in favor of the war powers resolution, which passed the House of Representatives early this month, reflecting growing concern even among Republicans about the unpopular conflict.
It was the first time both chambers of Congress had passed a resolution directing a president to remove US armed forces from hostilities since the War Powers Resolution, more commonly known as the War Powers Act, was enacted in 1973.
While likely to remain largely symbolic, the vote was a setback for Trump, who until recently had enjoyed near-unanimous support from Republican members of Congress.
It also comes as the administration is expected to ask Congress to authorize tens of billions of dollars to pay for the war.
Recap: Israel and Lebanon 'discuss proposal for IDF to hand over land''
12:30 , James ReynoldsTalks between Israel and Lebanon include discussion of a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces to hand over some of the territory they have invaded to the Lebanese military, according to Israeli and Lebanese officials.
The Israeli officials said the Lebanese troops involved would undergo US training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in a buffer zone along the border.
The proposed "pilot" project is being discussed in the latest round of talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials, which got underway in Washington on Tuesday.
Rejected by Hezbollah, this diplomatic track has been overshadowed as Tehran has made Lebanon a focal point of its negotiations with the US.
Asked about the Israeli officials' comments, a senior Lebanese security official said discussions were ongoing in Washington and that Wednesday would see specific military-to-military discussions, including on the pilot zones.
The Lebanese official said the discussions would focus on a timeline for withdrawal and that any plan would emerge only after the final day of talks on Thursday. The official did not respond to a request for comment on the Israeli officials' account of U.S. vetting of Lebanese troops.
Only Middle Eastern countries should decide region's security, says Ghalibaf
12:00 , James ReynoldsIran’s parliamentary speaker said on Wednesday regional countries alone should determine the Middle East’s political and security order, rejecting external involvement and calling for expanded intra-regional cooperation.
Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf made his remarks at a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, as Iran and the United States seek to conclude a lasting peace agreement.
His comments were broadcast on state television.
Israel says 'we will not withdraw from Lebanon even if the US demands it'
11:48 , James ReynoldsIsrael’s defence minister Israel Katz insists that Israel will not withdraw from south Lebanon even if the US demands it.
Nuclear access to be discussed only in final deal with US, Iranian official says
11:47 , James ReynoldsQuestions around access to Iran’s nuclear sites and materials will only be discussed in a final deal with the US, after steps are taken to lift US sanctions, deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said today.
The head of the US nuclear watchdog director had said earlier on Wednesday that he expects inspections in Iran soon under the interim understanding linked to talks, but details are yet to be finalised.
"Media noise cannot be used to impose facts on the ground," Gharibabadi said in a post on X.
Deal was US 'declaration of defeat', says Iranian negotiator
11:32 , James ReynoldsThe deal between Iran and the US to end the war is “America’s declaration of defeat”, Iran’s top negotiator said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a conference in Azerbaijan, the outspoken parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the initial agreement to stop the fighting and begin talks “was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation”.
“That is why, the Islamabad memorandum of understanding became a declaration of America’s defeat,” he said, adding that Middle Eastern countries should be responsible for security in the region.
The two sides signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding last week setting out broad agreements in principle to end the war. The interim accord paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear programme.
Still discrepancies hang over the talks as the UN’s nuclear watchdog on Wednesday said it would resume inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities, after Iran said it had made no such concession.
Iran and the US have also offered conflicting accounts on financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz and the war in Lebanon since ending a first round of talks in Switzerland on Monday.
Watch: US Senate votes to halt Iran war
11:30 , James ReynoldsIn pictures: Devastation in Lebanese town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa
11:05 , James Reynolds
Airman rescued from Iran jet crash describes ‘jellyfish’ drone swarm
10:30 , James ReynoldsThe US fighter pilot rescued by commandos after he was shot down by Iran in April has described how Iranian drones swarmed him in what appeared to be a “jellyfish” formation before he ejected from his plane, according to a report.
Iranian forces opened fire on the $31m F-15E Strike Eagle on 3 April, triggering a major search for the missing weapons-system officer, who held out in the mountains for hours before his dramatic rescue.
During a debriefing with intelligence officials, the pilot described seeing a unified and overwhelming drone formation resembling a jellyfish, sources familiar with the matter told CNN in a report published on Tuesday.
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation: ‘Real alien s**t’
Watch: Tucker Carlson says Iran war is the end of Trump and MAGA has 'no future'
10:02 , James ReynoldsTucker Carlson says Iran war is the end of Trump and MAGA has ‘no future’
09:37 , James ReynoldsTucker Carlson believes the war in Iran will be “the end” of Donald Trump as a force in American politics, with the unpopular conflict continuing to weigh on the president’s popularity.
The firebrand conservative commentator, who this week formally broke from the Republican party, told Sky News he warned Trump at the start of the conflict it could damage his reputation.
“Of course it’s the end ... and I said this to him in February,” Carlson said. “I said what he already knew. I mean Trump is smart and I didn’t tell Trump anything that he didn’t know and understand... He understands big picture politics as well.”
Tucker Carlson says Iran war is the end of Trump and MAGA has ‘no future’
Iran's parliament speaker says only countries in the region should decide Middle East security
08:58 , Maira ButtIran’s parliamentary speaker said on Wednesday regional countries alone should determine the Middle East’s political and security order, rejecting external involvement and calling for expanded intra-regional cooperation.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf made his remarks at a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, as Iran and the United States seek to conclude a lasting peace agreement. His comments were broadcast on state television.
Airlines should still avoid airspace over Iran, says EU
08:50 , James C ReynoldsAirlines should continue to avoid the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon and remain cautious across the region despite the framework deal between Washington and Tehran, the EU aviation safety agency has said.
EASA said on Wednesday it was extending its conflict-zone advisory for the region until July 1 amid fears of a ceasefire violation.
The agency also said the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah created the potential for military activity impacting the airspace of Lebanon.
Israel smuggled Starlink into Iran to help protesters but ‘incompetent’ Netanyahu didn’t use them, says former PM
08:26 , Maira ButtIsrael secretly smuggled Starlink internet receivers into Iran to support anti-government protesters five years ago but Benjamin Netanyahu failed to follow through on the plans, former prime minister Naftali Bennett has claimed.
Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, Mr Bennett, who served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022, said he had initiated a "process of acquiring and smuggling into Iran tens of thousands of Starlink receptors that would allow continuity of the internet and social networks".
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, provides satellite internet connections. Its operation is not licensed to operate in Iran, though Mr Musk has previously said the service is active there.
James C Reynolds reports:
Israel smuggled Starlink systems into Iran to help anti-regime protesters, says ex-PM
Israel smuggled Starlink into Iran to help protesters but ‘incompetent’ Netanyahu didn’t use them, says former PM
08:25 , Maira ButtIsrael secretly smuggled Starlink internet receivers into Iran to support anti-government protesters five years ago but Benjamin Netanyahu failed to follow through on the plans, former prime minister Naftali Bennett has claimed.
Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, Mr Bennett, who served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022, said he had initiated a "process of acquiring and smuggling into Iran tens of thousands of Starlink receptors that would allow continuity of the internet and social networks".
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, provides satellite internet connections. Its operation is not licensed to operate in Iran, though Mr Musk has previously said the service is active there.
James C Reynolds reports:
Israel smuggled Starlink systems into Iran to help anti-regime protesters, says ex-PM
Israel, Lebanon discuss pilot project for transfer of some southern territory to Lebanese army
07:49 , Maira ButtIsrael and Lebanon are discussing a US-backed pilot project under which Israeli troops would hand over control of some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to three Israeli officials.
The officials said the Lebanese troops involved would undergo US training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in the buffer zone.
Shipping traffic increases in Strait of Hormuz
07:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarTraffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the US signed an interim deal to end a war that constricted global oil supplies and fuelled inflation.
Data and analytics company Kpler said its tracking confirmed 131 ships traveled through the strait between Friday and Monday, including 39 crossings on Monday.
In contrast, about 100 to 130 vessels a day made the journey before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February, and Tehran responded with its own attacks and effective closure of the waterway.
The main central route of the Strait of Hormuz is still mined and remains closed. Ships have been using the smaller northern route, which goes through Iranian waters, and the southern route, which goes through Omani waters.
UN finds Israel committing genocide in Gaza by deliberately killing Palestinian children
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsrael has deliberately and intentionally targeted Palestinian children during its military campaign in Gaza, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, a UN commission of inquiry has said.
A report released on Tuesday says that Israeli authorities and security forces deliberately and intentionally targeted Palestinian children, including after a ceasefire came into effect in October 2025.
It says that Israeli forces "deliberately carried out acts inflicting death and severe bodily and mental harm on hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children", as part of a “deliberate strategy to destroy the future of the Palestinians in Gaza”.
Around 30 per cent of those killed in the Gaza war were children, the report found, with a total death toll of at least 20,179 by October 2025.
More here.
UN says Israel committed genocide in Gaza by deliberately killing children
People return to places bombed by Israel
06:59 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Rubio kicks off Middle East trip
06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS secretary of state Marco Rubio has begun a Middle East tour in earnest today, seeking to reassure Gulf allies who view concessions in president Donald Trump’s Iran deal that include a proposed $300bn fund as too generous to a regional foe.
Rubio is undertaking his first high-level diplomatic mission on the agreement reached last week to end the four-month-old US-Israeli war with Iran.
Asked on arrival in Abu Dhabi if he planned to address allies' disquiet with the accord, Rubio told reporters: "That most certainly will come up in these discussions."
He said they would also discuss issues not covered by the memorandum of understanding.America's top diplomat has been largely absent from Iran-related discussions in recent weeks, with vice president JD Vance instead leading a round of talks with Iranian counterparts over the weekend in Switzerland.
Rubio's remarks during his swing through the region will be closely scrutinised to see how the man once known as a hawkish critic of Iran frames a deal that many congressional Republicans argue amounts to capitulation.
UN nuclear agency chief says inspectors will visit Iran
06:26 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe head of the UN's nuclear agency today signaled that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his inspectors, a key component in the interim deal between the United States and Iran to reach an end to the war.
International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi made the comments in Tokyo."Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it's important, but not essential," Grossi told reporters.
"This is going to happen."Iran and the US have disputed whether or not bombed enrichment sites would be inspected. That's key for the deal, which calls for Iran's stockpile of uranium to be "downblended" from highly enriched levels.
Trump instructs DOJ to probe oil companies over higher gasoline prices
06:13 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump this morning said that he has instructed the Department of Justice to look into oil companies for not lowering pump prices in line with falling crude costs.
"The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil. Those prices are dropping like a rock! In other words, customers are being "gouged," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I’m seeing.”
Qatar to resume normal LNG production 'within a few weeks'
05:54 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarQatar’s prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said the Gulf state would resume normal liquefied natural gas production “within a few weeks”, the Financial Times reported.
Establishing a hotline between the US and Iran is essential to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he told the FT in an interview.
Qatar Energy suspended LNG production after the US and Israel launched their war on Iran on 28 February following a drone attack on its huge Ras Laffan plant.
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation
05:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe US fighter pilot rescued by commandos after he was shot down by Iran in April has described how Iranian drones swarmed him in what appeared to be a “jellyfish” formation before he ejected from his plane, according to a report.
Iranian forces opened fire on the $31m F-15E Strike Eagle on 3 April, triggering a major search for the missing weapons-system officer, who held out in the mountains for hours before his dramatic rescue.
During a debriefing with intelligence officials, the pilot described seeing a unified and overwhelming drone formation resembling a jellyfish, sources familiar with the matter told CNN in a report published on Tuesday.
More here.
Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in ‘jellyfish’ formation: ‘Real alien s**t’
Four Korean vessels cross Strait of Hormuz
05:25 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAt least four vessels operated by South Korean shippers exited the Strait of Hormuz to sail to their destinations, the South Korean maritime ministry said.
The ministry said that 18 of the 26 vessels that had been stranded since the start of the Middle East conflict were still in the Persian Gulf.
Oil falls below $77 a barrel
05:17 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices fell this morning, extending this week's losses and trading near four-month lows hit in the previous session, on signs that more oil tankers stranded in the Gulf since the start of the Iran war are set to move out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures were down 37 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at $76.71 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate slipped 36 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to $72.85 a barrel.
Both benchmarks declined nearly 1 per cent on Tuesday, touching their lowest levels since early March.
Watch: Trump claims Americans are 'demanding' $80bn more for his war with Iran
05:00 , Rachel DobkinTrump slams Senate vote and says Iran is willing to 'give us anything'
04:54 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump said the Senate vote on war powers related to Iran had made his job more difficult."So, I have Iran on the 'ropes,' ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He added that for "the first time in decades" Iran was "respecting the hell out of the United States and its President, ME, and the US Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act Vote, telling the Number One Sponsor of Terror in the World that the United States doesn’t like what I am doing to them, and I must stop, and by so doing has provided aid and comfort the Enemy."
Trump added: "These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done."
US Senate votes to block Trump's military action
04:38 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe US Senate backed legislation directing president Donald Trump to halt US military action against Iran, the latest rebuke of the Republican president from an increasingly restive Congress.
The Senate voted 50-48 in favour of the war powers resolution, which passed the House of Representatives early this month, reflecting growing concern even among some of Trump's Republicans about the unpopular conflict that began on 28 February when the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran.
It was the first time both chambers of Congress had passed a resolution directing a president to remove US armed forces from hostilities since the War Powers Resolution, more commonly known as the War Powers Act, was enacted in 1973.
While likely to remain largely symbolic, the vote was a setback for Trump, who until recently had enjoyed near-unanimous support from Republican members of Congress.
It also comes as the administration is expected to ask Congress to authorize tens of billions of dollars to pay for the war.
Iran-US war in numbers: Five charts on impact of Trump’s conflict
03:00 , James ReynoldsIt is nearly four months since the US and Israel launched war on Iran - a decision which had a dramatic and devastating impact stretching almost every corner of the world.
From skyrocketing oil prices, rising costs of global commodities, and deepening levels of food insecurity and poverty, normal people have been paying the price for a war involving the world’s most advanced military and the two most powerful forces in the Middle East.
But a war that many believed would be short-lived - with Donald Trump repeatedly vowing it would end “soon” with a total victory - dragged on for days, weeks, and then months, inflicting spectacular damage not only on global finances, but on the US military’s reputation as an unassailable force.
Alex Croft reports:
Iran-US war in numbers: Five charts that lay bare the impact of Trump’s conflict
Only Iran will control its unfrozen assets, Iranian envoy says
02:00 , James ReynoldsIran alone will decide how to use assets that are unfrozen under a deal with the United States, an Iranian envoy said on Tuesday, denying Washington would have any control over the funds or that they must be used to buy U.S. commodities.
The U.S. waived sanctions on Iran for 60 days from Monday after the talks in Switzerland on turning an interim deal into a lasting peace agreement. Frozen Iranian assets worth about $12 billion are expected to be released under the initial accord.
Vice President JD Vance said on Monday the U.S. and Qatar would have control over the funds when they are unfrozen, and that the money could be spent on U.S. corn, soy and wheat.
Ali Bahreini, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said on Tuesday the two sides had held "very good talks" but challenged Vance's statement on use of the assets.
"Iran is the only country to decide what to do with its assets, which are going to be defrozen, and so I reject any claim about that if there would be any role for any other country to have an influence on those decisions or on those processes," Bahreini told reporters in Geneva.
Recap: Trump insists his peace deal will ensure ‘nuclear honesty’ in Tehran with new inspections
01:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to indefinite nuclear inspections on its facilities accusing “fake news” media of distributing false rebuttals.
“Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!),” he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
“This will insure ‘Nuclear Honesty’. If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!”
Iran has denied that it will allow inspectors into its nuclear sites despite US vice president JD Vance also insisting that Tehran had agreed to the visits.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Tehran had agreed “no new commitments” on inspections, adding that Iran would continue its current obligations as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
New Mossad chief plotting new ways to topple Iranian regime, says report
Wednesday 24 June 2026 00:00 , James ReynoldsThe new head of Israel’s spy agency Mossad is looking at new ways to topple the Iranian government, according to reports.
Roman Gofman is said to have told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a war with Iran would lead to a swift collapse of the government, three Israeli officials told CNN earlier this year.
However, nearly four months later the government of the Islamic Republic remains in power despite weeks of conflict with the US and Israel. The Trump administration has since entered negotiations with the regime on its nuclear programme after striking an initial agreement to end the violence.
Mossad chief plotting new ways to topple Iranian regime, says report
Recap: Iranian banks hit by cyber attacks amid peace talks
Tuesday 23 June 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsIranian banks were hit by a cyber attack days after Donald Trump said frozen funds would be returned to the Islamic Republic under the terms of their initial deal to end the war.
Iran’s state-owned banking technology provider said on Tuesday that ATMs, terminals and mobile apps linked to card systems were all affected.
Customers experienced interruptions, and the banks had to suspend card operations to stop unauthorised access.
Major banks including Melli, Saderat, Tejarat and the Export Development Bank of Iran have faced disruptions that were first reported on June 14.
Iranian state media said those took several days to resolve.
Trump claims 'bully' Iran has left 'without any nuclear capacity'
Tuesday 23 June 2026 22:00 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump has claimed that Iran has been left “without any nuclear capacity.”
The US president said Iran was “the bully of the Middle East” before the war.
“Now we’re leaving Iran with no navy, no air force, no anti-aircraft, no missile capability, no nuclear program”, Trump said at an event in Pennsylvania Tuesday.
“We’re leaving them without any nuclear capacity, and they’ve agreed to that”.
In the interim peace deal that the US and Iran signed, Tehran agreed not to obtain or develop nuclear weapons.
Trump’s assertions about Iran’s military capabilities are contrary to reports.
US following up on Lebanon ceasefire plans, Washington says
Tuesday 23 June 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsJD Vance and Marco Rubio told Lebanese president Joseph Aoun in a call on Tuesday that the US was following up on understandings reached in Switzerland, including plans to consolidate a ceasefire in Lebanon.
The statement, issued as Lebanon and Israel began a new round of talks in Washington, added that arrangements for a mechanism to firm up the ceasefire and monitor its implementation were still being discussed.
Lebanese officials have insisted that face-to-face negotiations with Israel are the only way to secure an end to the war. But four rounds of Lebanese-Israeli talks since April have failed to produce a durable ceasefire.
Instead, the longest lull in fighting came this week after Iran and the US agreed a memorandum of understanding that stipulated fighting would halt across all fronts, including Lebanon.
That deal buoyed Iran-backed Hezbollah and dealt a blow to the Lebanese state, whose leaders including Aoun had repeatedly warned that Tehran cannot negotiate on Lebanon's behalf.
