Updated on: May 23, 2026 8:07:44 AM IST
US-Iran War News LIVE: Although the temporary ceasefire on April 9 stopped active combat, it has not led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
US-Iran War News LIVE: Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday as diplomacy around the Middle East war gathered pace, with Iran weighing a new US peace proposal while warning that deep divisions still stand in the way of a deal. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei cautioned that the visit did not mean “we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation.”
The disagreements between Iran and the United States remained “deep and extensive”, he added, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.
Rubio reports ‘slight progress’
The United States has seen some progress towards a deal with Iran but more work is required, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday, while Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said the two sides’ differences were deep and significant.
What’s Iran latest offer to US?
Iran’s offer, submitted to the US earlier this week, reportedly largely repeats terms Trump had previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets, and the withdrawal of US troops.
Is Strait of Hormuz open?
Although the temporary ceasefire on April 9 stopped active combat, it has not led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz – the strategic waterway that normally handles about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could “trigger a severe global food price crisis” in the months ahead. The future of the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the major obstacles in negotiations, with growing fears that the global economy could face further strain as pre-war oil reserves diminish.
Israel-Lebanon
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the war with rocket fire at Israel after Iran’s supreme leader was killed in US-Israeli strikes. Since an April 17 truce, Israel has continued strikes, demolitions and evacuation orders in south Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah, which has also kept up attacks.
Late Friday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israel carried out five airstrikes in the east of the country near the Syrian border, targeting the Nabi Sreij area outside the town of Brital.
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The disagreements between Iran and the United States remained “deep and extensive”, he added, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.
Rubio reports ‘slight progress’
The United States has seen some progress towards a deal with Iran but more work is required, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday, while Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said the two sides’ differences were deep and significant.
What’s Iran latest offer to US?
Iran’s offer, submitted to the US earlier this week, reportedly largely repeats terms Trump had previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets, and the withdrawal of US troops.
Is Strait of Hormuz open?
Although the temporary ceasefire on April 9 stopped active combat, it has not led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz – the strategic waterway that normally handles about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could “trigger a severe global food price crisis” in the months ahead. The future of the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the major obstacles in negotiations, with growing fears that the global economy could face further strain as pre-war oil reserves diminish.
Israel-Lebanon
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the war with rocket fire at Israel after Iran’s supreme leader was killed in US-Israeli strikes. Since an April 17 truce, Israel has continued strikes, demolitions and evacuation orders in south Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah, which has also kept up attacks.
Late Friday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israel carried out five airstrikes in the east of the country near the Syrian border, targeting the Nabi Sreij area outside the town of Brital.
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May 23, 2026 8:07:43 AM IST
US-Iran war news LIVE: Trump ‘seriously considering’ fresh strikes on Iran, says report
US-Iran war news LIVE: US President Donald Trump is “seriously considering” launching new strikes against Iran barring a last-minute breakthrough in negotiations, Axios reported citing sources who have spoken directly with the president.
Trump met with his senior national security team on Friday morning, two US officials told Axios.
May 23, 2026 8:06:11 AM IST
US-Iran war news LIVE: Third hike for petrol, diesel in India amid Iran-US war
US-Iran war news LIVE: State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Saturday raised petrol and diesel prices by nearly ₹1 per litre each — the third hike in eight days — taking cumulative increases to almost ₹5 per litre, even as international Brent crude fell 5.5% from the level at the time of the first hike on May 15.
May 23, 2026 7:58:00 AM IST
US-Iran war news LIVE: Rubio reports ‘slight progress’ in Iran talks as Pakistan renews efforts to mediate a peace deal
US-Iran war news LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says “slight progress” has been made during talks with Iran. Rubio made the comment Friday as Pakistan’s army chief traveled to Tehran in a renewed effort to mediate a peace deal and uncertainty loomed over whether war will resume. The secretary of state’s remark comes days after US President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because negotiations were underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal.
May 23, 2026 7:48:49 AM IST
US-Iran war news LIVE: Arab nations seek Iran War accord as ceasefire remains fragile
US-Iran war news LIVE: Several Arab nations joined Pakistan in trying to push for a resolution to the Iran war as they urged President Donald Trump to allow more time for negotiations.
While there were some indications of progress in talks to end the conflict, Axios and CBS News reported that Trump was preparing for a possible fresh round of strikes, although he hadn’t made a final decision.
Iran warned that any new attacks by the US or Israel would extend the war to “new regional fronts,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, citing a military source.
One of the countries in the region, the United Arab Emirates, joined Qatar and Saudi Arabia in appeals to Trump, according to several people familiar with the matter.
And earlier Friday, the favored interlocutor between the US and Iran, Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran.
Munir was welcomed by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, according to the military’s press wing. He is expected to take part in discussions that will cover US-Iran negotiations, said a Pakistani security official familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. (Bloomberg)
May 23, 2026 7:45:11 AM IST
US-Iran war news LIVE: UN nuclear summit ends in deadlock amid Iran concerns
US-Iran war news LIVE: UN member states failed to reach an agreement after four weeks of talks on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament at the UN in New York. Conference president Do Hung Viet said there was no consensus on the substantive issues, so the final document would not be adopted.
The discussions focused on reviewing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signed by 191 countries, which limits nuclear weapons to China, France, Russia, the UK and the US. A draft text stressed that Iran must “never” develop nuclear weapons.
Besides the five recognised nuclear powers, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea also possess nuclear weapons. According to SIPRI, the US and Russia together hold about 90% of the world’s 12,241 nuclear warheads as of January 2025.
