Latest Iran-US war: Trump says naval blockade of Hormuz will be lifted, promises ‘final decision’ on peace deal

Vance: US is ‘very close’ to agreement on reopening Strait of HormuzYour support helps us tell the story

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Donald Trump pledged Friday to lift the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and make a “final decision” on Iran, as the world awaits his decision on a memorandum of understanding negotiated by negotiators to extend the ceasefire and pave the way for nuclear negotiations.

However, as of Friday evening US time, no progress on a deal had been announced, despite earlier positive indications.

“Ships stuck in the strait due to our incredible and unprecedented naval blockade, which will now be lifted, could begin the process of ‘returning home’! “, the American president wrote on Truth Social earlier today.

Trump said some points had already been agreed upon, but insisted that Iran “must accept” that it will never have a nuclear weapon and that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened without tolls. He said the uranium would be discovered and destroyed by the United States in coordination with Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

But Iran’s Fars news agency, citing sources, quickly dismissed the president’s claims, calling the statement a “mixture of truth and lies” intended to “portray a fabricated victory.”

He said there was no clause in the original memorandum of understanding that Iran should reopen the strait without a toll, nor any provision regarding the destruction of Tehran’s nuclear materials. Iran would reopen the waterway according to its own predetermined arrangements, he said.

Iran’s moves ‘difficult to understand’ as negotiations continue, says ex-CIA officer

Donald Trump’s story on the fate of Iran may seem to change day by day, and his counterparts in Tehran are hardly improving, according to a former CIA officer.

“The Iranians clearly speak with two different voices, one for the global community or at the negotiating table and the other for their own people,” Scott Uehlinger told Al Jazeera.

“It’s very difficult to understand Iran [and] understand Iranian messages,” he added.

US and Israeli strikes have killed many members of Iran’s pre-existing leadership at the start of the war, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Josh MarcusMay 30, 2026 01:30

Unclear whether Iran actually laid mines in Strait of Hormuz: report (Reuters)

The threat of Iranian mines is one of many factors hampering traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

But the U.S. military has not confirmed whether Tehran has actually planted mines on this vital oil transportation route, U.S. officials told NBC News.

With or without mines, traffic across the strait continues to move at a small fraction of its prewar level, adding to the economic hardship resulting from the war.

Josh Marcus30 May 2026 00:31

White House remains vague on State of Iran deal decision

The Trump administration is keeping its cards close to its chest regarding the fate of the Iran war negotiations.

Despite the president’s much-anticipated announcement Friday that he was considering a “final decision” on the recent proposals, much of the day passed without any announcement of a deal.

When asked if a deal had been reached, the administration remained vague.

“President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and meets his red lines,” the White House told CBS News. “Iran can never possess nuclear weapons.”

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 11:34 p.m.

Kazakhstan proposes to hold Iranian nuclear stockpile: report

The United States and Iran have not yet announced a final deal, but any lasting agreement will likely include provisions regarding Tehran’s nuclear stockpile.

President Trump has said the United States wants to seize and secure the stockpiles to prevent them from being turned into nuclear weapons.

Kazakhstan, for its part, has offered to recover these stocks if the two sides reach an agreement, according to the UN.

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with the International Atomic Energy Agency this week and signaled his “openness” towards near-weapons-grade uranium, the Financial Times reports.

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 11:15 p.m.

US has seized $1 billion worth of Iranian cryptocurrency so far, says Bessent

The United States has so far seized $1 billion in Iranian cryptocurrency as part of its efforts to financially hammer Tehran.

“I just grabbed the wallets,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday at an event at the Reagan National Economic Forum. “Some of them may be writing right now and may not realize their wallets have been seized.”

The fate of Iranian assets, which have been subject to a mix of seizures and sanctions, would remain one of the key issues still being debated by negotiators on both sides.

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 10:50 p.m.

‘Cartoon Villain’: Hegseth Shredded for Pep Talk to Marines on Iran War

Hegseth was in Singapore on Friday, where he conducted exercises with the crew of the USS Boxer and then spoke to a group of gathered sailors about the ongoing conflict.

In his remarks, Hegseth highlighted a recent comment by President Trump, who threatened further U.S. strikes if Iran did not agree to a deal to end the war.

“He said, ‘Well, Iran can either do it the right way, with a deal around the table, or deal with my guy on the left,'” Hegseth said. “It was me. But it’s not me. It’s you guys!”

Online commenters were quick to mock the speech and the military audience, who seemed mostly unmoved by Hegseth’s call to arms.

Learn more about backlash in our full article.

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 10:25 p.m.

The American Public Still Unconvinced About the Iran War

The Trump administration now has three months to make its case for war in Iran, but Americans remain largely opposed to the campaign, according to a new poll.

About 38 percent of Americans support the strikes, according to a POLITICO poll, while 41 percent of respondents said they don’t believe the president has a plan to end the conflict.

Even among Trump supporters, there are few positive feelings about the war.

Forty-five percent of them told POLITICO the president failed to achieve his goals.

Josh Marcus May 29, 2026 10:03 p.m.

UAE carried out ‘dozens’ of strikes against Iran: report (AFP/Getty)

The UAE has reportedly carried out dozens of strikes against Iran in the conflict, contrasting with the approach of some of its more cautious Gulf neighbors.

The strikes, reported by the Wall Street Journal, were coordinated with the United States and Israel and continued until the day after the April ceasefire. They represent a greater involvement by the UAE in the conflict than previously thought.

Some of the reported attacks hit Iran’s energy infrastructure as revenge for Tehran targeting similar facilities in the United Arab Emirates, according to the newspaper.

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 9:33 p.m.

Joint Chiefs chairman leaves White House despite no deal announcement (Getty)

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer, was seen leaving the White House on Friday, suggesting the president’s Situation Room meeting may have ended without any major progress on a deal on war with Iran.

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 9:14 p.m.

Trump’s unpredictability undermines negotiations, Iranians say (AFP/Getty)

President Donald Trump has already published a book called The Art of the Deal, but the Republican’s erratic style could harm negotiations with Iran, officials say.

Iranian officials told the Washington Post that Tehran harbors deep distrust of the Trump administration, particularly after the United States and Israel attacked the country twice during recent negotiations in recent months.

The threat of a new strike of this type has made it difficult to conclude this round of negotiations, where both parties want immediate guarantees.

Josh MarcusMay 29, 2026 9:00 p.m.

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