Trump warns Iran if regime 'doesn't live up to' deal following Switzerland talks
President Donald Trump warned that he would take whatever action he deems necessary if Iran fails to uphold its commitments during a new 60-day roadmap agreement after talks in Switzerland.
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Rutte says he 'completely backs' Trump on NATO but defends European military support
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday voiced support for President Donald Trump's criticism of NATO but argued that despite some frustrations within the alliance, European members have provided support to U.S.-led military operations.
His remarks came after Trump renewed pressure on NATO allies to increase contributions to collective defense and support alliance missions.
“I completely back him on this when it comes to NATO,” Rutte said during an appearance on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier."
“I know there is disappointment, but let's also see these are isolated cases,” he added.
Rutte pointed to European support for military action against Iran, noting that thousands of flights originated from European bases to assist the mission.
“I totally understand the disappointment, but when you take, for example, Italy, 500 U.S. planes took off from U.S. bases in Italy to support the operation. So this is massive.”
He also highlighted logistical assistance provided by other allies.
“When you look at all of Europe, again, it's between 4,000 and 5,000 sorties,” Rutte said. “A country like Romania — in its capital, Bucharest — had to cut down on commercial air traffic because the airport was being used as a tanker facility. So all this is taking place," he said.
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CENTCOM releases images of helicopters refueling in the air over Middle East
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday shared images of helicopters refueling midair over the Middle East, highlighting the force's range and endurance in regional operations.
“A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E helicopter is refueled by a KC-130J Super Hercules while flying over the Middle East,” the command said in a post shared on X.
“CH-53 helicopters refuel using a probe-and-drogue system, allowing the aircraft to fly farther distances without landing,” CENTCOM said.
Oil prices hit lowest levels in nearly four months as US-Iran peace talks progress
Oil prices settled around 1% lower Tuesday as investors watched crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and signs of progress in the U.S.-Iran peace talks, Reuters reported.
Brent crude fell 82 cents, or 1.1%, to $77.08 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) declined 65 cents, or 0.9%, to $73.21.
Both benchmarks hit their lowest levels in nearly four months during the session.
On Monday, oil prices fell 3% after the United States gave Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following initial peace discussions.
Oman and Iran also agreed to continue talks on the future governance of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel smuggled Starlink devices into Iran to aid protesters, former PM claims
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Tuesday that Israel smuggled thousands of Starlink satellite internet receivers into Iran to help protesters maintain internet access, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Bennett, speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, said he launched the effort to help protesters challenge the Iranian regime.
Bennett also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, saying it failed to continue the initiative after he left office.
Starlink, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is not licensed in Iran, though Musk has previously said the service is active there, the outlet said.
Iranian officials have previously accused Israel and the United States of smuggling Starlink equipment into the country.
Iran envoy pushes back on Trump, Vance over claims US would control unfrozen assets
Tehran will be deciding how to use any assets that are unfrozen under a new deal with the United States, an Iranian envoy said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
"Iran is the only country to decide what to do with its assets, which are going to be defrozen, and so I reject any claim about that if there would be any role for any other country to have an influence on those decisions or on those processes," Ali Bahreini, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, told reporters, the outlet said.
Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the U.S. and Qatar would have control over the funds when they are unfrozen and that the money could be spent on U.S. corn, soybeans and wheat.
President Donald Trump also said the U.S. Treasury Department would release the Iranian assets "into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A., and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies, exclusively from the United States, including corn, wheat and soybeans."
Meanwhile, Bahreini said the two sides had held "very good talks."
UK welcomes plan to evacuate thousands of seafarers stranded in Strait of Hormuz
U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday welcomed the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) decision to establish an evacuation plan for thousands of seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We welcome @IMOHQ's announcement to establish an evacuation plan in the Strait of Hormuz,” Cooper said in a post shared on X.
“This is a vital humanitarian step that will allow thousands of trapped seafarers to leave safely,” she added before stating that the U.K. was “ready to support the U.N. in playing this crucial role.”
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement that the operation would be carried out in cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry.
NATO chief backs Trump Iran process, says president 'doing exactly what is needed'
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday defended President Donald Trump's military action against Iran, warning that allowing the regime to obtain a nuclear weapon would have devastating consequences for the world.
“The president is doing exactly what is needed, degrading Iran's nuclear capability,” Rutte said on “Special Report with Bret Baier.”
“This is an exporter of chaos. It is an exporter of terrorism,” he said of Iran.
“It would be devastating for the region and would be devastating for the whole world. And if that moment comes, where they get their hands on a nuclear weapon, it's too late,” he warned.
When responding to nations telling the president that the war with Iran was “not our war” and that “we have not started it,” Rutte told Baier that he totally understood “the disappointment.”
“But when you take, for example, Italy, 500 U.S. planes took off from U.S. bases in Italy to support Operation Epic Fury. So this is massive,” he added.
“I think the president, when it comes to Iran, has done exactly what he needed to do,” Rutte said.
Considering the aftermath of the G7 summit and the signing of the memorandum of understanding, or MOU, Rutte told Baier that it “was a big success” given that leaders came to joint conclusions, especially over opening the Strait of Hormuz.
“All the leaders supported him when it came to Iran,” Rutte explained.
“All the leaders there supported him when it came to this principle of freedom of navigation.”
“You see now European allies massively prepositioning their assets close to the strait,” Rutte said.
France pledges to mobilize international leaders to bolster Lebanese forces amid ceasefire
President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he had held talks with Lebanese leaders and committed to supporting Lebanon while mobilizing other countries.
“I met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Nabih Berri,” Macron said in a post shared on X.
“To each of them, I reiterated France's commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.
“The establishment of a robust ceasefire, which must be respected by all, should enable the launch of a simultaneous process of Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and redeployment of the Lebanese armed forces in order to ensure that the state exercises its monopoly on the use of force,” he said.
Macron added that France is ready to “concretely support this process and to mobilize the international community in the coming weeks, alongside the Lebanese government, to bolster the Lebanese armed forces and address the needs of displaced populations.”
Senate votes to limit US military involvement in Iran as Trump pursues Tehran deal
The Senate voted 50-48 on Tuesday to back legislation aimed at limiting U.S. military involvement in Iran while President Donald Trump pursues a peace agreement with Tehran.
The measure, which previously passed the House, received support from four Republicans: Sens. Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Bill Cassidy. Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Democrat to vote against it.
A White House official dismissed the vote as having "no significance," noting that concurrent resolutions do not go to the president and carry no force of law.
The official told Fox News there are no ongoing hostilities from which to remove U.S. forces, citing the April 8 ceasefire, and said the resolution's passage was due to Republican absences.
Oman launches temporary maritime passage for Hormuz traffic
Oman launched a temporary maritime corridor Tuesday for ships looking to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.
Citing state news media reports, the outlet said Oman had coordinated with the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, on the effort.
Vessels wanting to use the new corridor would need to coordinate with the IMO based on coordinates announced by the organization and Omani authorities, the report said.
The measure aims to ensure freedom of navigation through the waterway in line with international law and the law of the sea without imposing transit fees.
Trump keeps warships on Iran's doorstep as Iran talks continue, Hormuz risks linger
The Trump administration is keeping major U.S. military forces in the Middle East despite lifting its naval blockade of Iran and launching a 60-day negotiating period aimed at securing a long-term agreement with Tehran.
Two carrier strike groups — the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. Bush — remain operating in the Arabian Sea, while President Donald Trump said that U.S. naval forces would stay in position even after the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
"All ships are remaining in place should it be necessary to reinstitute the Blockade, which seems, at this point, highly unlikely," Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.
The comments provide the clearest indication yet that the administration intends to maintain its military leverage over Iran while negotiations continue, even as officials tout progress toward a broader agreement.
"The plan is to keep the current force posture during the 60-day negotiations," a senior U.S. official told reporters on a call June 15. "We hope to draw them down, but we're not doing that yet."
The administration has not provided a timetable for reducing its military presence in the region, saying any drawdown would depend on progress toward a final agreement.
"The agreement contemplates the reduction of military forces in the region upon the agreement of a final deal," the official added.
The decision means the Pentagon will maintain a military posture that recently included roughly 50,000 troops deployed across the Middle East, one of the largest U.S. force concentrations in the region in more than two decades.
This is an excerpt from a report by Fox News' Morgan Phillips.
Trump says Iran's economy has been 'crushed,' touts falling oil prices, Hormuz oil flow
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran's economy had been severely damaged in the war, while touting lower oil prices and increased exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
"The Iran economy has been crushed and the defense industrial base has been damaged so severely that it'll take many years to rebuild, many, many years," Trump told a crowd in Pennsylvania.
"And now we're trying to work out a deal that's fair. And we also want to work out a deal," Trump added.
Trump pointed to recent economic indicators, including stock market gains and lower oil prices.
"You know, the stock market hit a new high today again. And oil, for the first time in months, hit $70 a barrel," Trump said.
"Think of it, $70 a barrel. And that equates to a very low price."
"That number is going to come charging down. And with oil comes everything else," Trump said.
The president also described what he called "a historic peace agreement" involving Iran and efforts to end conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.
He claimed million barrels of oil had flowed through the strategic waterway on Monday.
"Yesterday, 19 million barrels of oil flowed out of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said. "That's the most oil in the history of the Strait."
"You've never seen anything like that. It's called oil production," he added.
Trump defends Iran stance, says he stood up to global 'violators' like no other president
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that no world leader has done more than he has to confront international violators, pointing to Iran as an example.
“Right from a year and a half ago, nobody's ever seen anything like this with the hottest country anywhere in the world by a lot,” Trump told a crowd in Pennsylvania during an economy-focused event at Mack Trucks.
“But I stood up to the trade cheaters and abusers and violators of the world like no president has ever stood up before,” he added.
“And now I'm standing up again because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, if that's okay,” he said.
“We had 47 years with the president and other people, other countries too, not the only one, that never did anything.
“They were the bully of the Middle East. And now we're leaving Iran with no navy, no air force, no anti-aircraft, no missile capability, no nuclear program. We're leaving them without any nuclear capacity. And they've agreed to that.”
Hezbollah says Israel must not retain 'an inch' of Lebanese territory after ceasefire deal
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem demanded a complete and scheduled withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon on Tuesday to facilitate a Lebanese army deployment amid the new U.S.-Iran deal to end the Middle East war.
“We now have a ceasefire,” Qassem said on state TV, according to The Times of Israel.
“The withdrawal must take place according to a timetable. Israel has no choice but to fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory, without retaining an inch,” he added.
“Israel withdraws, and the Lebanese army deploys exclusively south of the Litani River.”
Lebanon announced in 2025 that it had completed its deployment in southern Lebanon after disarming Hezbollah in the area as part of a ceasefire deal.
Hezbollah later continued to attack Israel from the area.
Iran says missiles not part of US deal, 'will never be' included in negotiations
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed talks between Washington and Tehran, as well as Iran’s defense capabilities, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, Pezeshkian said Iran's missiles were not included in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with the U.S. and "will never be," the outlet reported.
The president also said Tehran will never negotiate its defense capabilities with any nation and stated that Iran believes "regional peace and stability can only be achieved through honest dialogue and intra-regional cooperation."
Pezeshkian described Pakistan as "not only a neighbor, but a brother and sincere companion," and said recent developments had shown the strength of mutual trust between the two countries.
Trump says nuclear site inspectors will be on the ground in Iran ‘at the appropriate time’
President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that inspectors will visit nuclear sites in Iran “at the appropriate time.”
Trump said Iran is “wrong” following claims from Iran’s foreign ministry earlier today that there are there were no visits scheduled yet for a U.N. watchdog to inspect nuclear sites.
“They know they're wrong. They told us inside, and we have it down 100%, inspections,” Trump said following the recent U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland.
“And if they were right, I’d cancel the meetings right now,” Trump added.
Trump said there is “no rush” but the inspectors “will be on the ground at the appropriate time.”
Trump says anyone critical of US-Iran deal ‘has to be educated, even if they're friends of mine’
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he thinks “anybody that's been critical" of the Iran deal “has to be educated, even if they're friends of mine.”
Trump made the remark when asked what he would say to allies of his such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who has spoken out against the deal.
“Because we have Iran in a position that nobody's ever had,” Trump continued. “This should have been done for 47 years by other presidents. And we have Iran in a position where their military has been totally wiped out, their leadership has been wiped out, their radar has been wiped out. Everything has been wiped out. They have not a good negotiating position.”
Iran war's price tag hits $80B — more than double what Congress was told
The Trump administration is prepping a long-awaited, multibillion-dollar request to resupply munitions drained during the Iran war as Congress wrestles with another eye-popping funding request from the Pentagon.
The Pentagon is expected to request roughly $80 billion in supplemental funding to cover the cost of the war in Iran, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital. That figure is double what War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst testified before lawmakers earlier this year.
Lawmakers have been waiting since the war began for a request from the administration with little insight on what the actual price tag would be.
Whether the request can pass muster in the upper chamber remains to be seen, especially with the backlash among several Democrats and Republicans over President Donald Trump's memorandum of understanding (MOU) that has temporarily paused the war.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., contended, "We need to make sure we're doing everything we can to replenish, resupply a lot of our munitions that have been depleted, not only just with what's happening in Iran but prior to that."
Fox News Digital's Alex Miller contributed to this post.
US official slams ‘Iranian propaganda’ regarding nuclear site visits
A U.S. official told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that “it is beyond reproach to see the U.S. mainstream media blindly believe Iranian propaganda without an inkling of skepticism,” after Iran’s foreign ministry claimed there were no visits scheduled yet for a U.N. watchdog to inspect nuclear sites.
“As the Vice President announced in Lucerne, the Iranians have agreed to invite IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspectors back into their country, which is a major milestone toward permanently ending Iran’s nuclear program,” the official said.
President Donald Trump also said in a Truth Social post earlier Tuesday that "Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!)."