Iran rejected taking part in the second round of talks with US: IRNA
Iran rejected taking part in the second round of talks with US, said the Islamic Republic News Agency.
Iran currently has no decision to send a negotiating delegation to Pakistan: Report
There is currently no decision by Iran to send a negotiating delegation to Pakistan "as long as there is a naval blockade," Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday, citing its reporter.
German cruise line TUI says two of its ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz
German cruise line TUI said on Sunday that its Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement posted on its website, the company said it had obtained approvals from relevant authorities, under careful consideration of the security situation.
It said the ships would now proceed swiftly to the Mediterranean Sea.
The cruise operator said that all passengers had previously been brought home and both ships were operating with reduced crews. It declined to provide further detail.
Indian tanker clears Hormuz as two vessels turn back after firing
An Indian-flagged crude tanker safely transited the Strait of Hormuz even as two other vessels were forced to turn back after being fired at, prompting New Delhi to raise concerns with Iran over the safety of merchant shipping.
Crude oil tanker Desh Garima, with 31 Indian seafarers onboard, crossed the strategic waterway on April 18 and is expected to reach Mumbai on April 22, according to an update released by the government on developments in West Asia.
Trump says US officials will be in Pakistan for negotiations
US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan, "tomorrow night" for Iran negotiations.
US vice president J.D. Vance is to lead the American delegation for talks with Iran in Pakistan, reported Reuters, quoting ABC News.
US will knock out every power plant and every bridge in Iran: Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump said that if Iran does not accept a deal, the US "is going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran."
"No more Mr. Nice Guy," he added.
"We're offering a very fair and reasonable deal and I hope they take it," said Trump about Iran.
Iran prevents two tankers from transiting Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim reports
Iran’s armed forces turned back two tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after issuing warnings, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, saying this came as a result of the continuing US maritime blockade on Iran.
The vessels, sailing under the flags of Botswana and Angola, were forced to change course after what the report described as “unauthorised transit” through the strategic waterway.
Two foreigners arrested in Iran for importing Starlink technology, Tasnim reports
Four individuals, including two foreign nationals, were arrested in Iran's northwest, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday, for being part of a "US-Israel-linked espionage network."
The foreigners, whose nationality was not disclosed, are accused of importing satellite internet equipment such as Starlink, which is a criminal offence in the country, which has faced seven weeks of an internet blackout.
Hundreds of Iranians have been arrested for "cooperating with enemy states" since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Turkey says US and Iran have the will to continue talks
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that both Iran and the United States had the will to continue talks to end the war. Speaking to reporters at a diplomacy forum in the southern province of Antalya, Fidan said that while the talks between Washington and Iran were largely complete, there were still a number of disagreements. Fidan also said a ceasefire which is due to expire next week should be extended.
Iran replenishes launchers at higher rate than pre-war, guards commander says
Iran now updates and replenishes its missile and drone launchers at a higher speed than it did prior to the war with the U.S. and Israel, the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force commander said on Sunday, according to Nour news. Israel and the US launched attacks on Iran on February 28, with one of their aims being the neutralization of Iran's missile strike force. Majid Mousavi's statement was shared alongside an edited video of him inspecting an unspecified underground missile facility. The video also included footage of drones, missiles and launchers inside underground facilities as well as ground missile launches. Reuters was unable to verify the footage.
Iran arrests 51 people for intelligence gathering related to US, Israel
Iran’s intelligence agency says it dismantled “espionage and sabotage networks” linked to the US, Israel and the UK in Kerman City in south-eastern Iran, as reported by Al Jazeera.
It said 51 people were arrested for “intelligence gathering, armed organisation and inciting unrest”, adding that “several spy cells and related groups were also identified and neutralised”.
UAE and UK hold high-level talks amid Gulf tensions: Report
The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom held high-level talks on escalating tensions in the Gulf region, including recent Iranian missile attacks and their broader regional implications, according to an official statement released by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by The Tribune.
UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in Abu Dhabi, where both sides reviewed the evolving security situation in the region.
"During the meeting, they discussed overall developments in the region, as well as the unprovoked and terrorist Iranian missile attacks that targeted the United Arab Emirates and a number of brotherly and friendly countries, and their serious repercussions on regional and international security and stability, the safety of international navigation, energy supplies, and the global economy," it added.
Iran’s president says Trump has no justification to deny Iran its nuclear rights
US President Donald Trump has no justification to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, the Iranian Student News Agency quoted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as saying on Sunday, as Washington and Tehran continue to face disagreements over nuclear issues.
"Trump says Iran cannot make use of its nuclear rights but doesn't say for what crime. Who is he to deprive a nation of its rights?" Pezeshkian was quoted as saying.
Traffic remains out of bounds on Hormuz Strait after Iranian gunboats fire vessels: Report
Traffic remains out of bounds on the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian gunboats fired on merchant vessels yesterday, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The Iranian authorities halted traffic barely hours after reopening the strait briefly, calling on the US to lift the naval blockade against its ports.
Traffic remains standstill after radio transmissions, heard by several owners with vessels in the area, warned the strait had gone back to “strict management and control by the [Iranian] armed forces”.
Iran to reopen airspace in four stages: Report
Iran is preparing to reopen its airspace in four stages, according to the Tasnim news agency reports. The article, citing the deputy director of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, said flights will resume gradually from east to west.
In the first phase, the airspace will be opened for transit flights, followed by flights from the country’s eastern airports. In the third phase, flights from Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports will be permitted, followed by flights from other western airports.
Iran says any ship approaching Strait of Hormuz will be targeted: Report
"We warn that no ship, of any kind, should leave its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Any attempt to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the offending vessel will be targeted," the navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement on its official Sepah News website.
Iran says talks with US see progress, but 'still a big distance' remains
'We have had progress in negotiations with the US but there is still a big distance', says Iran's top negotiator, Ghalibaf.
