US war latest: Tehran ‘refuses to send negotiators’ to peace talks until Trump lifts blockade on Strait of Hormuz

Future of peace talks in Pakistan up in the air ahead of expiry of ceasefire within hours
US vice-president JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan for peace talks has been put on hold, it’s being reported.

A source told The New York Times his journey for a second round of negotiations is not going ahead for now after Tehran failed to respond to American positions.

Iran says it is yet to decide whether to attend the last-ditch peace talks in Islamabad, after US forces boarded a huge Iranian oil tanker at sea with just a day left before the ceasefire runs out in the war in the Gulf.

US president Donald Trump said he hoped to reach a "great deal" to end the war, but he did not want to extend the ceasefire and that the US military was "raring to go" if negotiations were not successful.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the BBC that a decision had not yet been made on sending a delegation to the talks, as he expressed concern over the seizure of the Iranian vessel, along with the continuing naval blockade of Iran’s ports.

Mr Trump has warned that "lots of bombs" will "start going off" if there is no agreement before the ceasefire deadline.

Vance trip to peace talks 'on hold'
US vice-president JD Vance’s trip to Islamabad for peace talks has been put on hold, The New York Times is reporting .

A source told the paper his trip to Pakistan for a second round of negotiations with Iran has been put on hold after Tehran failed to respond to American positions.

Iran says it has not yet decided whether to resume talks with the United States.

Uncertainty over peace talks as Iran 'undecided' on sending delegation
There is ongoing uncertainty over peace talks in Pakistan as the deadline to the ceasefire looms.

With US president Donald Trump saying the current ceasefire will end on Wednesday evening local time, and it is “unlikely” he will extend it, hopes lie with talks in Islamabad.

However, Reuters is reporting that US vice president JD Vance has still not departed Washington for the talks.

And now Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, has told the BBC that a decision has still not yet been made for an Iranian delegation to attend.

He said: ““We went to this negotiation with good faith and sense of seriousness, but you have a negotiating party that has shown its lack of seriousness, lack of good faith…They're changing their position frequently, these flip flops, threats of war crimes."
Iran executes man over burning of mosque during January protests, says Mizan news agency
A man has been executed on Tuesday after being accused of being a leader of a network linked to Israel’s intelligence service and setting fire to a mosque in Tehran during January protests earlier this year, according to Mizan news agency.

The man identified as Amirali Mirjafari was convicted of ​carrying out arson at the Qolhak ‌mosque ⁠in Tehran and leading anti-security activities.

Pakistan still awaiting Iran's confirmation on second round of talks, minister says
Pakistan ​is still awaiting a formal response from Iran about ⁠confirmation of delegation to attend a second round of ⁠peace talks ​with ⁠the U.S.

in Islamabad, ⁠the country's Information Minister ​Attaullah ⁠Tarar said ‌in a post on X.

"Decision from Iran ‌to attend the ‌talks before the end of two weeks ⁠ceasefire is critical," Tarar said in a post on X, adding that Pakistan has made ‌sincere efforts to ​convince the Iranian ‌leadership to ⁠participate in the ⁠second round of ‌talks.

Iran talks up its ‘new cards’ to play if war with US and Israel resumes – but what are they?

Iran has warned it has prepared “new cards” to use on the battlefield as fears grow that a two-week ceasefire with the US may end without a peace agreement.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf , Tehran’s parliamentary speaker and top negotiator, said Donald Trump wants to “justify renewed warmongering” by “imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire”.

“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” he added in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Iran says it has ‘new cards’ to play if war with US resumes – but what are they?

Watch: US navy boards Iran-linked tanker M/T Tifani
Israel will face resistance if troops stay in Lebanon, Speaker Berri says
Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri warned on Tuesday that Israeli forces occupying parts of the country's south would face resistance if they fail to withdraw.

Berri, Lebanon's most senior Shia statesman and a Hezbollah ally, told Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria that Lebanon could not tolerate losing a metre of land.

If Israel “maintains its occupation, whether of areas, positions, or by drawing yellow lines, it will smell the scent of resistance every day,” he said.

In pictures: Funeral held for people killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon
Shipping traffic through Hormuz still halted
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained largely halted on Tuesday with only three ships passing the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.

A US blockade of Iranian ports has infuriated Tehran, prompting it to maintain its own restrictions on the strait, which had been typically handling roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before war broke out.

The Ean Spir products tanker, which had no known flag or known ownership, sailed through Hormuz on Tuesday after previously calling at an Iraqi port, ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed.

The Lian Star cargo ship, which had no known flag or known ownership, also sailed through the strait from an Iranian port, the data showed.

Breaking: Pete Hegseth cancels ‘absurd’ flu vaccine requirement for ‘brave warriors’ in military
American service members will no longer be required to get a yearly flu shot under a new Defense Department policy described by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as an effort to “restore freedom and strength to our joint force.”
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