Middle East

Trump officials were so worried Israel would assassinate key Iranian peace negotiators it took the extraordinary step of asking intermediaries to warn Iran.

To reach a more durable peace agreement with Iran and open the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump needs Israel to uphold the terms of a deal with Lebanon that Hezbollah says it will block by “any means necessary.”

In a statement, Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts have demanded the assassination of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on followers to ‘send them to hell’.

US envoys who have arrived in Doha will not hold a high-level meeting with Iran, a Qatari official says, casting doubt ‌on the progress of peace talks.

President Donald Trump said the US and Iran would meet in Qatar this week, at Iran’s request.

Iran and the US will sit down together for talks, but Iran says the focus will be on managing the Strait of Hormuz and de-escalating tensions.

The US President made the announcement on Truth Social, just hours after Iranian officials denied any meeting was scheduled.

Tehran insists that it had a right to full control of the strait, brushing aside Donald Trump’s threats to “complete the job”.

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An Iranian official has suggested technical talks with the United States are on hold as both sides accused each other of not sticking to an interim agreement.

Donald Trump has issued a stern threat to Iran after the US launched a fresh wave of strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, marking another escalation in the fragile ceasefire agreement. 

Iran has threatened to retaliate to US strikes after President Donald Trump accused Tehran of breaching a ceasefire by carrying out a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The International Maritime Organisation has temporarily suspended an operation to escort ships through the Strait of ‌Hormuz following an attack on a vessel.

The US Secretary of State made the pledge while wrapping up a Middle East trip aimed at selling the Trump administration’s interim agreement to sceptical regional partners.