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.
Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi was sentenced last week to 74 lashes for a 2024 concert in which she performed without a hijab, according to The New York Times.
During an appearance on Fox News’ “America Reports,” Hudson Institute research fellow Zineb Riboua said the punishment reflects the Iranian regime’s broader crackdown on dissent.
“I think that it's not really a coincidence that this is happening now,” Riboua said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is, I think, correctly assessing that it is weak. … They have to pursue maximum repression against their people. Otherwise, they will rebel. And I think that this is why this is happening right now.”
Riboua said the regime has faced growing pressure at home and abroad.
“The Islamic Republic is weaker than it says it is,” she said. “And that’s a very important point that I think Iranians themselves are realizing.”
Riboua also said President Donald Trump should pressure Tehran over Ahmadi’s sentence.
“President Trump should put immense pressure, because the truth is the Islamic Republic is just not as strong as it was,” Riboua said.
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.
{{#rendered}}Asked to touch on negotiations with Iran during a sit-down at the Nixon Library in California on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance reflected on Richard Nixon’s foreign policy legacy and his handling of Vietnam.
Vance said Nixon’s approach showed the importance of acting from "a position of strength."
“It's one thing to tuck tail and run," Vance said. "It's another thing to clearly define an objective, to accomplish that objective, and then to ensure that you don't allow mission creep to transform a victory into a defeat.”
Vance said Trump has faced pressure to expand or change the mission he set out to achieve.
“One of the things I've seen with the President of the United States in the last few weeks and, frankly, some of the criticism that we've gotten even from our friends, is they're constantly trying to change the mission that Donald Trump set us up to achieve,” the vice president said.
Vance added, “I think the reason why the president has been so successful is because he refuses to give in to that impulse."
Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism, told Fox News Digital that Tehran and its proxies will face consequences if they fail to comply with U.S. demands, adding that President Donald Trump has restored U.S. counterterrorism efforts.
“We are back in the business of counterterrorism,” Gorka said.
Speaking in an interview at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London, Gorka said Americans should have confidence in Trump’s ability to negotiate and apply pressure. He said U.S. forces have killed more than 1,050 jihadists globally over the past 17 months and that 106 Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained have been brought home under Trump.
Asked whether he believes the Iranian regime will abandon its nuclear ambitions — and whether sanctions relief could be used to finance terror groups and proxies such as Hezbollah — Gorka pointed to Trump’s willingness to use pressure.
“My guarantee, and the guarantee for the American people, is you have a commander-in-chief who’s serious in the Oval Office, who also literally wrote the book 'The Art of the Deal',” Gorka said.
Gorka described Iran as “the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” saying many of the most serious threats in the Middle East and beyond are tied to Tehran’s support for militant groups.
Gorka added that the U.S. and Israel have shown they can “degrade” and “crush” Iran-backed threats.
The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for global shipping safety, said it is temporarily pausing its vessel evacuation operation following an attack on a ship off the coast of Oman.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the pause is meant to confirm that safety guarantees remain in place for ships on the evacuation list and others in the region.
The attacked vessel had passed through the Strait of Hormuz but was not part of the IMO evacuation framework, Dominguez said.
"I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel which passed through the Strait of Hormuz," Dominguez said. "This vessel did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework. I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained," he added."
The agency said it began evacuating vessels from the region this week with support from member states and industry partners.
{{#rendered}}A map from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) shows the approximate location where a Singapore-flagged cargo ship was struck by a drone while exiting the Strait of Hormuz earlier Thursday.
Two U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out the attack.
The drone hit the vessel several miles off the coast of Oman, damaging the ship’s bridge, according to the UKMTO.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, expressed skepticism Thursday about Vice President JD Vance’s Iran negotiations, urging caution before offering concessions to Tehran.
“We don't know what the final deal is,” McCaul told reporters.
McCaul said Iran must first meet key conditions, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and ensuring it cannot build a nuclear weapon.
“You don't reward them first and then hope they meet our conditions. That's not a good negotiation,” he said.
McCaul added that he respects Vance’s effort to pursue peace in the region but warned the U.S. must go in “eyes wide open” when dealing with Iran, which he called “a sponsor of terror."
When asked whether Vance can reach a deal in 60 days, McCaul said he has “an uphill battle” and is “a bit skeptical given Iran’s track record.”
“I think the president's put him in a very challenging position,” McCaul said. “And I think his race for the presidency will hinge on how he performs on Iran.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Thursday that Israeli troops eliminated Hezbollah terrorists who posed a threat to soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.
The IDF said soldiers in Zawtar al-Sharqiya identified five Hezbollah terrorists in the Security Zone. In a separate incident, troops in the Ali al-Taher Ridge spotted an armed Hezbollah terrorist who also posed a threat.
The Israeli Air Force and ground forces fired on the terrorists and eliminated them, according to the IDF.
The military said troops remain active in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area and will continue working to prevent Hezbollah terrorists from operating there or exiting underground tunnel networks.
Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
{{#rendered}}U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shared new photos Thursday highlighting American F-16 fighter jets actively flying over the Middle East during a patrol.
"U.S. forces remain present and vigilant throughout the region," CENTCOM wrote in an X post.
The update came minutes after U.S. officials confirmed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked and hit Singapore-flagged cargo ship "Ever Lovely" while exiting the Strait of Hormuz with a drone.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that Iran and Oman will hold talks “to define [the] future administration” of the Strait of Hormuz.
Araghchi made the announcement following a phone call with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.
“We re-emphasized that Iran and Oman will conduct dialogue ‘to define future administration and maritime services in Strait of Hormuz.’ We're determined and will do so in discussion with our neighbors,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Oman and Iran had reaffirmed their commitment to international law and toll-free, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during talks in Muscat on Monday, according to Albusaidi.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this post.
Iran’s hardline parliament speaker and key negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf pushed back Thursday after President Donald Trump said unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy American crops for the benefit of the Iranian people.
Trump said Wednesday that "We will be releasing some of their money, that is totally controlled by us, to our Farmers and Ranchers, for the purchase of Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, and more," and that "Food is desperately needed in Iran, and we will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States.”
Ghalibaf responded Thursday by saying "America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting."
"The only crop we're harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It's organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the U.S. only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks," he added on X.
{{#rendered}}Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked and hit Singapore-flagged cargo ship "Ever Lovely" in the Strait of Hormuz with a drone, two U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said the attack, which damaged the bridge of the ship, happened about 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman, as the vessel was exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
No casualties and or environmental impacts have been reported.
“A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge,” UKMTO said in an advisory, noting there were no reported casualties or environmental impact.
“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO," UK officials said.
Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this report.
Kpler, a data and intelligence company, told FOX Business on Thursday that 70 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday and eight have made the journey so far today.
The figure comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that "what we're interested in is whether or not ships are moving" through the key waterway.
FOX Business reported earlier this week that shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz rose over the weekend to the highest level since the conflict began at the end of February, with 109 vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz from Saturday through Monday, according to Kpler.
FOX Business' Lauren Simonetti and Eric Revell contributed to this post.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said following a meeting Thursday with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa that Iran’s attacks on Bahrain during the ongoing war “were unacceptable.”
“Met with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain to reaffirm our enduring partnership and our commitment to Bahrain's security. We stand united on regional stability, a free and open Strait of Hormuz, and preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said.
“Iran's attacks on Bahrain were unacceptable, and the United States stands with the people and government of Bahrain,” he added.
{{#rendered}}Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told “Fox & Friends” on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s willingness to “bomb the hell out of Iran” and impose a naval blockade in the Middle East brought the Iranian regime to the negotiating table.
“We have the opportunity for the Middle East and the world to be more at peace because of the actions he took,” Scott, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said about Trump.
“What Marco Rubio is doing right now is exactly what the president does, he listens and then he takes action,” Scott added about the Secretary of State’s recent meetings with Gulf leaders. “So we have the opportunity for peace in the Middle East only because this president was, number one, willing to bomb the hell out of Iran and then make sure we had a blockade on the Strait [of Hormuz] so they came to the table.”
“I believe we have every opportunity for peace, it’s always up to the Iranians whether they want it or not, but this president is absolutely committed to peace and preserving American lives, but lives all over the world,” Scott also said.
U.S. Central Command released a new video Thursday showing F-35 fighter jets taking off and landing aboard the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship currently stationed in the Middle East.
"U.S. Sailors and Marines are operating in the Arabian Sea," CENTCOM wrote on X.
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.
"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 last week.
Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this post.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that there will be no peace or stability in the Middle East “as long as there are non-state actors operating within the boundaries and borders of sovereign countries and being funded by Iran.”
“If you look at the MoU, it talks for peace in the region. It talks for no interference in the sovereignty or interest of independent countries, of sovereign countries,” Rubio said about the deal reached between the U.S. and Iran last week. “Well, that's what proxies are. They're interfering in the sovereignty of a country.”
“When you're giving money, for example, to Hezbollah, to act as a rival to the sovereign government of Lebanon, you're interfering in their politics. When you're sponsoring militias in Iraq, you're interfering in Iraq, when you're sponsoring, you know, Hamas or the Houthis or whoever it may be, you're interfering in the sovereignty of these countries,” Rubio added.
“Ultimately, you're not going to have peace and stability in this region as long as there are non-state actors operating within the boundaries and borders of sovereign countries and being funded by Iran,” he declared.
{{#rendered}}Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that “for the first time in 30 years, the sovereign government of Lebanon is speaking to the government of Israel directly.”
Rubio made the comment as negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are unfolding in Washington this week. He said Wednesday that Lebanon and its military needs “to be able to control and secure more and more of their own territory, because that's who needs to control Lebanese territory, not a terrorist group like Hezbollah.”
"Today will be the third day of three days of talks between the Lebanese authorities and the Israeli authorities. I think we had a very good day yesterday. I think we are very close in our hopes of getting a commitment of intent between the two countries that I think begin to outline a promising future,” Rubio said Thursday.
“It'll be a process. It will take some time. It will take a lot of work. But I can tell you that for the first time in 30 years, the sovereign government of Lebanon is speaking to the government of Israel directly,” Rubio continued.
“That's who we're going to be negotiating with. That's what we're going to be working with, not Hezbollah. Hezbollah is not the government of Lebanon. Lebanon has a government. It has democratically elected leaders,” Rubio also said. “They have the sovereign right to speak and defend the interests of the Lebanese people. And what we want for Lebanon is a peaceful future. That's what everyone wants here.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday dismissed the “maximalist rhetoric” coming out of Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz, telling reporters in Bahrain that “What we're interested in is whether or not ships are moving.”
"We've reached a point now in this where you're hearing, for example, the Iranians will say one thing, but then something else is actually happening. So here's what I would tell everybody. It's now obvious to us, and I think should be obvious to all of you, that the Iranian system is going to continue to produce all sorts of maximalist rhetoric,” Rubio said.
“They're going to have people going on their TV, on their official media, and making all kinds of pronouncements. But what we are interested in is not their press conferences. What we're interested in is whether or not ships are moving,” Rubio continued.
“If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that's what we're going to judge, and that's what we're going to react to. If, on the other hand, this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving, that's a violation of the agreement and we're going to have a problem with it,” he also said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday after meeting with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain that there is “zero support among the Gulf countries for any sort of toll or fees or anything that charges for the use of international waters.”
The remark comes after President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran against imposing costs on ships using the Strait of Hormuz, saying such a move could derail U.S. negotiations.
"The president's made it clear that's not going to happen. It's not going to be a part of this. It cannot be a part of this. He made that clear again yesterday in the Oval Office in a press availability that he had. And I reiterated that point, which I think was a welcome message from our partners here to hear that as well,” Rubio said.
The Secretary of State added that the Gulf Cooperation Council – which consists of Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates -- “shared with us some very concrete, concerns, ideas” as the U.S. is negotiating with Iran to end the war.
“When I say concerns, I think the biggest concern is that they really just want to be informed every step along the way as we enter these negotiations at both the technical and political levels, and we want them to be involved... it's helpful that Qatar is there as a mediator, but we want the views of all these countries to be reflected,” Rubio added. “We don't, we want and will not be making any decisions or commitments that in any way undermines the prosperity, stability or security of our Gulf partners."
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this post.
{{#rendered}}President Donald Trump on Wednesday took a swipe at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying he was "now gone," and said the United States had been "let down" by allies during its military offensive against Iran.
"We were let down," Trump told reporters at the White House after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. "We didn't need help on this at all. We demolished them," he said of Iran.
"But it would have been nice if they would have said, 'We'd like to help,'" he said. "We didn't even need it, but it would have been nice if they said that. They didn't say it."
The president suggested he could have turned to Rutte for support if it had been necessary.
"I think if I would have called him, he probably would have found a way to help if we needed it," Trump said. "I feel, you know, it would have been a little bit different."
Trump then singled out several European countries for criticism.
"But I was disappointed. I was disappointed with Italy. I was disappointed with the UK," he said.
"He's now gone and, you know, he had a lot of problems," Trump said of Starmer.
Trump added that he was also disappointed with Germany and France.
"We were disappointed with Germany and France. We're disappointed with most of them," he said. "Spain is a horror show," Trump added.
An explosive meeting in the Senate turned into a win for President Donald Trump and his administration as key Republicans flipped on another bid to handcuff the administration’s authorities in Iran.
In its final act before leaving Washington, D.C., for an over two-week break, the Senate rejected Democrats’ attempt to rein in Trump’s war powers in Iran as talks continue between Iran and the U.S. to hammer out a long-term peace deal.
It was the same war powers resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that passed over a month ago and stunned Republicans in the upper chamber.
What seemed like a predetermined outcome just hours after Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., sparred over the Iran war, and the administration's lack of forthcomingness with lawmakers, during a closed-door meeting to discuss the president's marquee voter ID and citizenship verification legislation turned into a surprise late night win.
Trump argued to the GOP that the previous war powers resolution, which passed on Tuesday thanks in part to a pair of Republicans being absent, hurt the administration's negotiating position with the Iranians.
Meetings with key holdouts at the White House helped change the minds of Cassidy and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has routinely voted with Democrats on every war powers resolution brought forward, and provided the administration with a win as they work toward a deal beyond the 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran.
"I want to thank Vice President [JD] Vance and Special Envoy [Steve] Witkoff for the thorough briefing this afternoon on Iran," Cassidy said on X. "I appreciate the quick invitation to the White House to address many of my concerns."
"Wow! The Senate just changed its vote on Iran from 50-48 against, to 50-47 for," Trump also said on Truth Social. "Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy changed. Thank you to Leader John Thune, Lindsey Graham, Bernie Moreno, and all. This vote puts Iran on notice!"
Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.
Coverage for this event has ended.