Iran parliament speaker warns US against abandoning commitments Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf warned the United States against failing to honour any commitments made under a potential memorandum of understanding or future agreement with Tehran. In a post on X, Qalibaf wrote: “Commitments made must be commitments kept. No ifs, no buts, no excuses.
India raises US vessel attacks with Rubio after sailors killed Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said he spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about "unjustified" attacks on vessels carrying Indian crew members off the coast of Oman, including one incident that killed three Indian sailors. The call came after the US embassy's chief of mission in India was summoned for the second time in two days to protest the attacks. New Delhi has expressed growing concern over the safety of Indian seafarers and maritime interests in the region following a series of strikes on commercial vessels operating near the Gulf of Oman.
US says it shot down multiple Iranian drones over Strait of Hormuz The US military said it shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones that were launched over several hours and allegedly targeted commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement posted on X, US Central Command (Centcom) said American forces had intercepted all of the drones. “US forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded,” Centcom said.
Tehran describes memorandum as path to formalising battlefield gains Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said diplomacy with the United States is intended to consolidate what he described as Iran’s victory in the recent conflict, outlining a proposed memorandum of understanding that he said was nearing completion. “Iran has been the winner of this war, and the people of Iran are the true winners of this arena,” Araghchi said in a televised interview, adding that “after such a victory, it is necessary to consolidate it through an agreement or understanding”. He said the proposed 14-point memorandum remained subject to revision and final approval.
Report: Vance to travel to Geneva for US-Iran memorandum signing US Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Geneva to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran, according to a US official cited by The Wall Street Journal. The official said any easing of sanctions would remain conditional on Iran taking specific steps related to its nuclear programme. According to the report, further technical discussions on unresolved issues could take place in Islamabad after the signing.
Tehran official says $24bn in Iranian funds to be unfrozen A senior Iranian official has claimed that US President Donald Trump agreed to release $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets, despite publicly denying reports of such a move. According to Iran’s state-run Fars news agency, Mohsen Rezaei said Trump had privately accepted the release of the funds but had not openly acknowledged the decision. Rezaei's remarks come amid ongoing discussions over a possible agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Axios: Trump urged Netanyahu to end conflict as talks advanced US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a telephone conversation last week that negotiations with Iran were progressing well and that an agreement could be reached within days, according to a US official cited by Axios. The report said Trump described the proposed deal as a positive development and argued that it was time to bring the conflict to an end. According to the official, Netanyahu appeared to recognise during the conversation that he would be unable to prevent Washington from pursuing an agreement with Tehran.
Report: Nuclear issues to be addressed after initial US-Iran accord A senior US official has expressed strong confidence that an agreement between Washington and Tehran will be completed, according to remarks reported by The New York Times. The official said details concerning the future of Iran’s nuclear programme, including the dismantling of key elements, would be discussed after the signing of a memorandum of understanding. The official also said Iranian intermediaries and military figures had indicated that Iran’s supreme leader was satisfied with the proposed arrangement.
Trump open to easing sanctions on Iran, Israeli media reports A senior US official said President Donald Trump has directed that sanctions on Iran be eased if Tehran adheres to a future agreement, according to remarks reported by The Times of Israel. The official said Washington welcomed Iran’s reported commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon but stressed that verification would be required before any deal could be fully implemented. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a memorandum of understanding with the United States had not yet been signed.
Hezbollah MP says Lebanon included in reported US-Iran understanding Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said Iran had “clearly” informed the group that Lebanon was included in a reported memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. Hassan said Iranian officials had also told Hezbollah that the arrangement requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory. Hassan said Hezbollah would “absolutely not accept returning to the status quo” that existed before the latest escalation in March and insisted that Israel had “no right to remain on our lands”.
Israeli forces use tear gas and stun grenades on Palestinians near Bethlehem Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians near Solomon’s Pools, a historic tourist site south-west of Bethlehem, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The report said the military also closed access to the area and imposed movement restrictions. The site, located about 3.
UN observes heavy Israeli troop and air movements near border UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said peacekeepers in southern Lebanon continue to observe extensive Israeli military activity, including “high-density armoured movements, large-scale engineering and demolition works and sustained logistical traffic” in areas near the border. Dujarric said the UN peacekeeping mission, Unifil, also recorded intensive air activity involving fighter aircraft and drones. Of 531 trajectories monitored on Thursday, 526 originated from Israeli positions south of the Blue Line and within Unifil's area of operations, while five were believed to have been launched by Hezbollah, with one crossing the UN-demarcated frontier, he said.
US officials say Hormuz oil flows reaching half of pre-war levels The US Navy is escorting dozens of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz each night, carrying millions of barrels of oil, senior US officials said on Friday. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said vessels under US protection were carrying about seven million barrels of oil per day through the Strait of Hormuz - a substantial amount, roughly half of what was transiting the waterway before the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February. “Flows today are approaching half of the gap, and they’re rising,” Wright told the Bloomberg Energy Security Executive Briefing in Houston, Texas.
London mayor backs calls to ban Israeli settlement property event London Mayor Sadiq Khan has backed calls to ban a real estate sales event in the British capital that includes properties in Israel and listings in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Khan said the settlements are "unjustifiable and illegal under international law" and condemned efforts to market such properties in London. The intervention adds to growing pressure on organisers over the sale of settlement-linked property in the UK, as Israel continues to expand its occupation of Palestinian land.
UAE denies releasing or moving frozen Iranian funds The United Arab Emirates has denied media reports that it transferred money to Iran, saying no frozen Iranian funds have been released, moved or routed through the country. In a statement, the UAE rejected reports of any financial transfer to Tehran and said no frozen Iranian assets had passed through its banking system.
UAE paid Iran billions of dollars to halt strikes: Report The UAE paid Iran billions of dollars in return for a halt to attacks on the country in an about-face for the Gulf state that staked out the most hawkish position on Iran , lobbying the US to continue waging war on the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported on Friday. The UAE has already delivered $3bn to Iran as part of the agreement, which two regional sources said reached as high as $10bn. Two other sources told Reuters that the UAE would eventually pay Iran $20bn.
France says positive signs growing in US-Iran talks French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot says he sees a real willingness from both sides to reach an agreement, as diplomatic efforts continue around a possible US-Iran deal. “We call on both sides to seize this opportunity to end a situation that is clearly untenable and only creates losers,” Barrot told French news outlet LCI, adding that he had delivered the same message directly to his Iranian counterpart. Barrot said he spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi this morning and remained cautiously optimistic about the prospects for a breakthrough.
UAE paid Iran billions of dollars to halt strikes: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 06/12/2026 - 21:05 IRGC officials stayed at the UAE national security advisor's guest house last week to cut a de-escalation deal (L to R): Dubai Emirate ruler and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Abu Dhabi Emirate ruler and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and UAE Supreme Council Member and Sharjah Emirate ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed al-Qasimi at Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi, on 27 May 2026 (UAE presidential court/AFP) Off The UAE paid Iran billions of dollars in return for a halt to attacks on the country in an about-face for the Gulf state that staked out the most hawkish position on Iran , lobbying the US to continue waging war on the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported on Friday. The UAE has already delivered $3bn to Iran as part of the agreement, which two regional sources said reached as high as $10bn. Two other sources told Reuters that the UAE would eventually pay Iran $20bn.
Iran says nuclear and sanctions issues remain undecided Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi said the administration of the Strait of Hormuz would no longer operate as it did before the war, adding that the waterway falls “under the sovereignty of Iran and Oman”. He said vessels had passed through the strait freely for years, but that arrangement would now change, with Tehran set to charge for services. Araghchi also warned that talks on a final agreement would not move forward unless the terms set out in the MoU were implemented.
Iranian foreign minister says Strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-war status Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Strait of Hormuz has become one of Tehran’s “most important deterrent tools”, warning that the strategic waterway will not return to its pre-war status. Araghchi said the administration of the Strait of Hormuz would no longer operate as it did before the war, adding that the waterway falls “under the sovereignty of Iran and Oman”. He said vessels had passed through the strait freely for years, but that arrangement would now change, with Tehran set to charge for services.
