Iran war day 69: Tehran ‘reviewing’ US proposals; Israel bombs Beirut

Trump says US-Iran talks are progressing arsenic Tehran reviews a US connection delivered done Pakistan.

United States President Donald Trump has said the US has held “very bully talks” with Iran and suggested a woody to extremity the struggle could beryllium wrong reach, arsenic Tehran says it is inactive reviewing a US connection delivered done mediator Pakistan.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, said the connection remains “under review” and that Tehran volition pass its effect erstwhile it has “finalised its views”.

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The diplomatic propulsion comes amid continuing determination tensions, with uncertainty remaining implicit whether the negotiations tin nutrient a breakthrough aft weeks of subject escalation and governmental threats betwixt Washington and Tehran.

Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its subject run by bombing Beirut successful the archetypal onslaught connected the Lebanese superior since a ceasefire, wide seen arsenic fragile, came into unit connected April 17.

Here is what we know:

In Iran

• Iran reviewing US proposal: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei said a US connection to extremity the warfare is inactive “under review” by Tehran. Iran volition convey its views to cardinal mediator Pakistan aft “finalising its views”, Baghaei told the ISNA quality agency.
• Iranian talker mocks US operations: Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf ridiculed caller subject operations against Tehran, joking connected societal media that “Operation Trust Me Bro failed” and that Washington had present returned to “Operation Fauxios”.

War Diplomacy

• Iran seeks China’s help: Tehran is looking guardant to China’s enactment for a “new post-war” determination model pursuing its struggle with the US, said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi successful a station connected X.
• Pakistan PM ‘hopeful’: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a cardinal mediator betwixt Iran, the US and Israel, said helium was “hopeful” the existent momentum of negotiations would pb to bid successful the region.
• Trump pushes for accelerated Iran deal: Trump is aiming to unafraid an statement with Iran earlier the extremity of his upcoming travel to China, arsenic negotiators enactment done a reported 14-point model via Pakistani mediators. Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett says the compressed timeline suggests the White House believes a breakthrough whitethorn beryllium close, portion besides allowing Trump to task momentum earlier a high-profile overseas visit.

In the Gulf

• US warplane disables Iranian tanker: The US subject says a Navy combatant pitchy fired connected and disabled the rudder of an Iranian-flagged lipid tanker successful the Gulf of Oman aft the vas allegedly tried to breach Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports.

In the US

• Trump predicts speedy extremity to war: Trump says the struggle with Iran “will beryllium implicit quickly” arsenic Washington pushes for a woody implicit Tehran’s atomic programme and the Strait of Hormuz blockade. Speaking to supporters, Trump said the US “cannot allow” Iran to get a atomic weapon, according to the Reuters quality agency.
• US threatens escalation: Trump threatened to resume bombing successful Iran if it did not hold to a deal. “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it volition be, sadly, astatine a overmuch higher level and strength than it was before,” Trump said successful a societal media post.

In Israel

• Sirens dependable successful bluish Israel: Israel’s subject says it intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” launched from Lebanon aft informing sirens sounded crossed bluish Israel.

In Lebanon

• Lebanon ceasefire nether strain: Israeli forces are carrying retired regular aerial strikes deeper wrong Lebanon contempt a US-brokered ceasefire, signalling a widening of the struggle beyond the country’s south.
• Hezbollah steps up attacks: Hezbollah says its fighters carried retired 17 targeted strikes against Israeli forces wrong Lebanese territory, accusing Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire.

Global economy

• Hormuz closure hits planetary shipping: German shipping elephantine Hapag-Lloyd says the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is costing it astir $60m a week successful substance and insurance, arsenic companies debar the waterway implicit fears of Iranian attacks and imaginable sanctions linked to IRGC-controlled transit procedures.
• China banks urged to halt refinery loans: Beijing’s fiscal regulator has reportedly advised large Chinese banks to intermission caller loans to 5 lipid refineries sanctioned by the US implicit alleged links to Iranian oil, according to Bloomberg News.