Iranian drone strikes ship in Strait of Hormuz ahead of crucial talks between Lebanon and Israel
An Iranian drone struck a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, threatening a fragile regional ceasefire ahead of high-stakes peace and security talks between Israel and Lebanon.
Trump says Iran ‘wants to make a deal’ as US negotiates from ‘pure strength’
President Donald Trump said Thursday evening that the U.S. is negotiating with Iran from a "position of pure strength."
“We knocked the hell out of them, and now we’re negotiating from a position of pure strength,” Trump said at a dinner with American farmers in the White House Rose Garden. “Pure strength. They know that.”
Trump said Iran “wants to make a deal with us very badly," while also insisting Tehran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“They will not have a nuclear weapon,” the president said. “And they've agreed to that.”
The president also said the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
Trump additionally reiterated that Iran could become a new market for U.S. farmers, saying the administration would use Iranian money to buy “wheat, soybeans and corn” as Tehran struggles with food shortages.
IRGC forces tankers to turnaround in Strait of Hormuz as Trump insists waterway is open
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forced three foreign oil tankers to turn around in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported Friday, citing Iranian state media.
Turkish state-affiliated broadcaster Anadolu corroborated the reports, also citing Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.
The vessels attempted to cross the southern tip of the Strait without coordinating with Iranian authorities, prompting the IRGC to issue a warning that attempting to cross without Tehran's permission was "illegal, unacceptable and highly dangerous," according to Anadolu.
The vessels then turned back towards the Persian Gulf, according to the outlet.
President Donald Trump, during a Friday speech to U.S. farmers, declared the Strait of Hormuz open.
Large gatherings seen across the Middle East during Muslim holiday as fragile ceasefire holds
Ashoura, the holiest day for Shiite Muslims, takes place Friday, spurring large religious gatherings across the Muslim world, particularly in Iran where Shiites are the dominant religious group.
Ashoura commemorates the seventh-century killing of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and a seminal figure in Shiite theology.
The holiday is the culmination of a 10-day mourning period for Hussein, who is revered by Shiite Muslims as the ultimate martyr.
Large crowds gathered in Lebanon and Iraq on Friday, particularly in the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is buried.
Naim Kassem, the leader of the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, said in a speech Friday that Ashoura is being repeated again by the U.S. and Israel.
“America and Israel also wanted to eliminate Iran by removing the regime and controlling the country,” Kassem said. “The memorandum of understanding is a declaration of defeat for America and Israel,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.
Pope Leo XIV says war 'never blessed by God' to open meeting of world's cardinals
Pope Leo XIV said war "is never blessed by God" to begin a convening of the world's cardinals at The Vatican on Friday.
“Therefore, war is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God,” Pope Leo said during a Friday morning mass to open the meeting of the cardinals.
“Because, even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts," the Pope continued.
Iran ‘cannot be trusted,’ retired Navy commander says amid Strait of Hormuz fee push
Retired U.S. Navy Commander Kirk Lippold said Thursday that Iran’s reported push to charge fees for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz is a violation of international law.
“Clearly, they are trying to get these tolls put into place, that's exactly what it is. It is in violation of international law. It is an international waterway through the Strait of Hormuz. They do not have control of it,” Lippold said during an appearance on Fox News' "America Reports."
Lippold said the Trump administration is seeing that Iran “cannot be trusted” in negotiations.
“Whether it is the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], the president or the Ayatollah, anything they say and do has to be measured by actions,” he added.
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