United News of Bangladesh

Uncertainty continues over the next steps for possible US-Iran talks after US President Donald Trump said Washington had extended the ceasefire in the conflict at Pakistan’s request, while waiting for what he called a “unified proposal” from Tehran. Iran has not yet responded to Trump’s announcement. Both sides have also warned they could resume fighting if no agreement is reached. In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said Iran does not want the Strait of Hormuz closed because it relies on the route to export crude oil. He also earlier indicated that the US military would maintain pressure on Iranian ports. The developments come as tensions remain high across the wider region. Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon exchanged fire on Tuesday, despite a recent 10-day ceasefire. Talks in Washington are expected later this week. The conflict has already caused heavy casualties, with thousands killed in Iran and Lebanon and deaths also reported in Israel and Gulf Arab states, along with losses among soldiers and US personnel in the region. In a separate development, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, damaging the vessel, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). UKMTO said the incident occurred around 7:55am when a Guard gunboat fired without first contacting the ship. No injuries or environmental damage were reported. Iranian media outlets linked to the Revolutionary Guard confirmed the incident, with one describing the move as enforcement of Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway, through which a large share of global oil shipments passes, is widely regarded as an international shipping route despite lying between Iranian and Omani waters. The incident follows recent US actions in the region, including the seizure of an Iranian-linked ship and the boarding of an oil tanker associated with Iran’s oil trade in the Indian Ocean, further heightening tensions.

US President Donald Trump has said he is “ready to go” back to war with Iran if no agreement is reached by the end of the ceasefire scheduled for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s information minister said Iran’s response on whether it will send a delegation to meet US officials is still awaited, as diplomatic efforts to end the US-Israel conflict with Iran remain uncertain. Earlier, Tehran said it would not enter negotiations under the “shadow of threats” or under a US naval blockade. Vance to travel to Pakistan on Tuesday for Iran talks Source: Al Jazeera

US President Donald Trump said Washington will obtain all of Iran’s enriched uranium as part of an anticipated agreement, while maintaining that no financial exchange would be involved. In a post on social media, Trump referred to Iran’s enriched uranium as “nuclear dust” and said the United States would take possession of it, reports Al Jazeera. He added that no money would be exchanged “in any way, shape, or form” and that the arrangement would not be linked to developments in Lebanon. Iran, US say Strait of Hormuz is fully open to commercial vessels In a separate post, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open and ready for business,” but noted that a US naval blockade on Iran would remain in place until a final deal is reached. “The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete,” he said, adding that the process “should go very quickly” as most key points have already been negotiated.

Iran and the United States on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz has been reopened and is fully operational for commercial shipping after nearly seven weeks of disruption that had affected global energy trade. “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!,” US President Donald Trump said on social media, using an unofficial name for the strategic waterway. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that commercial vessels would be allowed to pass in line with the ongoing ceasefire arrangement, reports South China Morning Post. Araghchi said ships would be required to follow designated routes set by Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation. The announcement comes alongside a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, under which passage through the strait will remain open for the duration of the truce. Trump, however, said US naval blockade on Iranian vessels and supplies would remain in place until a final agreement is reached. The apparent breakthrough eased market concerns, with oil prices falling nearly 10 percent following the announcement.

US President Donald Trump has said Iran has agreed not to develop nuclear weapons, expressing optimism about ongoing negotiations and the prospects of a long-term deal. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the agreement under discussion would extend “beyond 20 years” and described the outlook for a deal as “looking very good.” He added that the next round of talks with the Iranian delegation could take place over the weekend, reports Al Jazeera. Trump also said the recently announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon includes Hezbollah, indicating broader involvement in the truce arrangement. The US president further said he plans to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, though he did not specify a timeline for the meetings.

US President Donald Trump has announced that Lebanon and Israel have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, set to begin at 5pm EST, following what he described as “excellent conversations” with the two countries’ leaders. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that both sides had agreed to the temporary truce “in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries.” He said the agreement follows the first direct meeting between officials of the two countries in 34 years, held in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reports Al Jazeera. No date fixed yet for 2nd round of U.S.-Iran talks: Pakistan Trump said he had directed Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Rubio and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a “lasting PEACE.” “It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE!” he added.

US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran could end soon, expressing optimism about a possible resolution. “I think it’s close to over, yeah,” Trump said in a clip of an interview aired by Fox News. “I mean I view it as very close to over.” Meanwhile, Democrats in the US Senate are planning another vote on Wednesday to limit Trump’s war powers over the conflict, reports Al Jazeera. Senator Tammy Duckworth, who introduced a War Powers Resolution, said Trump’s “war of choice” is putting American lives at risk and driving up prices at home, reports Al Jazeera. “The Senate must fulfil its constitutional duty and vote to stop it immediately, before our economy takes yet another hit and more lives are lost,” she said. Under the US Constitution, only Congress has the authority to declare war. Democrats in both the Senate and the House have repeatedly sought to pass resolutions requiring the president to obtain congressional approval before launching military action. US blockade on Iran applies to ships of all nations: CENTCOM However, those efforts have been blocked by Republicans, who hold narrow majorities in both chambers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would continue forcing votes on the issue weekly as long as the conflict persists.

A sharp and highly unusual public rift has emerged between Pope Leo XIV and US President Donald Trump, as their contrasting views on the Iran war have escalated into a direct war of words. The soft-spoken pontiff and the combative US leader have long appeared headed for confrontation, but tensions intensified after Trump criticised the pope on social media, calling him “weak” and accusing him of aligning with the “Radical Left.” He also suggested that Leo’s elevation to the papacy was linked to his own presidency. In response, Pope Leo strongly condemned Trump’s threats toward Iran as “truly unacceptable,” emphasising that his stance is rooted in Christian teachings rather than politics. Speaking to reporters, he said he is unafraid of the Trump administration and remains committed to conveying the message of the Gospel. China slams US action over Iran ports, UN urges safe navigation in Strait The dispute highlights a rare scenario in which two globally influential American figures—one political and the other religious—are openly at odds over a major international conflict, reports AP. Before becoming pope, Leo—then Robert Prevost—had already demonstrated a willingness to speak candidly on global issues. He had criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and also shared commentary opposing strict US immigration policies justified on religious grounds. Initially, Trump welcomed Leo’s election in May 2025, calling it a “great honour” for the United States. However, his tone has since shifted, framing the pope’s appointment in nationalistic terms and even claiming indirect credit for it. From the outset of his papacy, Leo has consistently emphasised peace, frequently referencing global conflicts including Ukraine and the Middle East. His early messages and public appearances have underscored a commitment to applying church doctrine to contemporary crises. The divide became more visible during Holy Week, when Trump escalated threats against Iran, while Leo called for peace and warned against violence. The pope later directly urged Trump to seek a de-escalation path, particularly after the president threatened severe military action. Despite Trump’s criticism that the pope should avoid political commentary, Leo has maintained that his statements are grounded in religious duty, not political opposition. The ongoing exchange marks a rare instance of a pope directly engaging with a sitting US president by name, underscoring the depth of disagreement between the Vatican and Washington over war, peace, and moral authority.

Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said US President Donald Trump’s recent threats “have no effect on the Iranian nation,” amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. In comments carried by state media, Ghalibaf said Iran had shown “very good initiatives” and goodwill in talks with the United States, which he claimed had led to progress, reports Al Jazeera. He warned Washington, saying, “If you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the Strait of Hormuz remains “open to the harmless passage of civilian vessels” in line with international law. Trump warns of Hormuz blockade as US-Iran talks end without deal However, it warned that military vessels approaching the waterway would be considered in violation of the ceasefire and “will be dealt with severely.” The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region following US threats of maritime action and growing concerns over the security of the world’s most critical oil shipping route. US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the US Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz after US-Iran talks ended without an agreement. He said he had instructed US naval forces to “seek and interdict” vessels in international waters that have allegedly paid a toll to Iran, warning that “no one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” US Vice President JD Vance said the latest round of marathon negotiations ended without agreement after 21 hours of talks in Islamabad. While, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the talks concluded without outcome, citing “excessive demands” from Washington as a key obstacle to a deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. Trump sought to exert strategic control over the waterway responsible for the transportation of 20% of global oil supplies before the war, hoping to take away Iran’s key source of economic leverage in the fighting. The president added that he has “instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” Trump also said the U.S. was ready to “finish up” Iran at the “appropriate moment," stressing that Tehran's nuclear ambitions were at the core of the failure to end the war. Face-to-face talks ended earlier Sunday after 21 hours, leaving a fragile two-week ceasefire in doubt. U.S. officials said the negotiations collapsed over what they described as Iran’s refusal to commit to abandoning a path to a nuclear weapon, while Iranian officials blamed the U.S. for the breakdown of the talks without specifying the sticking points. Neither side indicated what will happen after the 14-day ceasefire expires on April 22. Pakistani mediators urged all parties to maintain it. Both said their positions were clear and put the onus on the other side, underscoring how little the gap had narrowed throughout the talks. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance said after the talks. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran in the negotiations, said it was time for the United States “to decide whether it can gain our trust or not.” He did not mention the core disputes in a series of social media posts, though Iranian officials earlier said the talks fell apart over two or three key issues, blaming what they called U.S. overreach. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons but has insisted on its right to a civilian nuclear program. It has offered “affirmative commitments” in the past in writing, including in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Experts say its stockpile of enriched uranium, though not weapons-grade, is only a short technical step away. Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, it has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and caused lasting damage to infrastructure in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has largely cut off the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue between Iran and the U.S. in the coming days. “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to cease fire,” Dar said. The deadlock — and Vance’s take-it-or-leave-it proposal that Iran end its nuclear program — mirrored February’s nuclear talks in Switzerland. Though Trump has said the subsequent war was meant to compel Iran’s leaders to abandon nuclear ambitions, each side's positions appeared unchanged in negotiations following six weeks of fighting. An Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the closed-door talks, denied that negotiations had failed over Iran's nuclear ambitions. “Iran is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but it has the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” they said, reiterating Iran's longstanding negotiating position. There was no word on whether they would resume, though Iran said it was open to continuing the dialogue, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported. “We have never sought war. But if they try to win what they failed to win on the battlefield through talks, that’s absolutely unacceptable,” 60-year-old Mohammad Bagher Karami said in downtown Tehran. US moves to shift status quo in Strait of Hormuz The United States and Iran entered talks with sharply different proposals and contrasting assumptions about their leverage to end the war. Before negotiations began, the ceasefire was already threatened by deep disagreements and Israel’s continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s 10-point proposal ahead of the talks called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It included ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. Pakistani officials told The Associated Press in March that the U.S. 15-point proposal included monitoring mechanisms and a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program. Speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to discuss details, they said it also covered reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Indeed, Iran’s closure of the strait has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war. During the talks, the U.S. military said two destroyers transited the critical waterway ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran’s state media, however, reported the country's joint military command denied that. “We’re sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me,” Trump said as talks extended into early Sunday morning. Israel presses ahead in Lebanon The impasse raises new questions about fighting in Lebanon. Israel has pressed ahead with strikes since the ceasefire was announced, saying the agreement did not apply there. Iran and Pakistan claimed otherwise. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported six people were killed Sunday morning in an Israeli strike in Maaroub, a village near the southern coastal city of Tyre. Though Israel’s strikes over Beirut have calmed in recent days, its attacks on southern Lebanon have intensified alongside a ground invasion it renewed after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in the opening days of the Iran war. Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office has said, after Israel’s surprise announcement authorizing talks despite the lack of official relations between the countries. Protests erupted in Beirut on Saturday over the planned negotiations. Israel wants Lebanon's government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades. The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began, according to the country's Health Ministry.