Trump claims British freighter was attacked by Tehran in Strait of Hormuz and calls for end to ‘Iran killing machine’: Live updates

JD Vance will lead the American delegration in Iran peace talks in Islamabad, Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, told ABC News.

Donald Trump on Sunday said his representatives were going to be in Islamabad on Monday night for more negotiations.

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 U.S. 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.

The US president says American negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday to hold a second round of talks with Iran.

Trump didn’t say in his post on social media which officials the United States will send to attend the negotiations in Islamabad.

Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has lashed out at the US and Israel, branding their actions the “height of desperation” as tensions continue to escalate.

In a video statement, he praised Iran’s armed forces for standing firm against what he described as the pressure of “great powers”.

The performance of the country’s armed forces in the face of pressures and threats has surprised many analysts; in such a way that a country, despite its problems, has been able to stand up to great powers and their widespread support.

He went on to accuse Iran’s adversaries of targeting civilian infrastructure – including schools, hospitals, universities and public places – calling it a clear violation of international law.

“In contrast, the enemies – who have failed to achieve their goals – are attacking civilian infrastructure,” he said, adding that the strikes showed “the height of desperation and defeat of the nation’s enemies”.

President Trump has revealed that Iran fired bullets at a French ship and a Freighter from the United Kingdom in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

The US leader took to the Truth Social on Sunday with a new statement blasting Iran for ‘always wanting to be the tough guy’.

The statement read:

International flights will resume in Iran on Monday, the country’s civil aviation department has said.

A statement aired on State TV reportedly revealed that the Mashhad Airport – situated in the north-east of the country – will see flights arriving and departing tomorrow.

‘Permission to operate international passenger flights at Mashhad Airport has been issued, starting tomorrow,’ that statement read.

It comes almost two months after Iranian airports first closed on February 28.

The US military is reportedly deploying sea drones and other technology to search for mines in the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to restore commercial shipping through the key waterway.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a US defence official said the operation is using a mix of “manned and unmanned capabilities in the countermine operation”.

Military analysts told the newspaper that initial mine-sweeping could be carried out quickly, with further “sea robots” then deployed to destroy any ordnance discovered.

Former US vice admiral Kevin Donegan said:

You can get a small channel in that area surveyed in days not weeks using Unmanned Underwater Vehicles.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard-linked Tasnim News Agency has claimed two more oil tankers were turned back from the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.

According to Tasnim, the vessels – sailing under the flags of Botswana and Angola – attempted to pass through the narrow waterway but were “forced to change course and retreat” following what it described as “timely action” by Iranian armed forces.

The move comes after Tehran announced the strait would remain closed until the United States lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, further tightening pressure on one of the world’s most critical trade routes.

Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has insisted Tehran is not seeking war, saying the country is acting purely in self-defence following attacks he blames on the US and Israel.

He accused both nations of striking civilian infrastructure, branding the actions a breach of international law and pointing to what he described as double standards on human rights.

We have not attacked any country, and in the current situation we do not intend to attack any party, and we are simply defending ourselves legitimately.

It should not be suggested that Iran is seeking war. On the contrary, we are peace-loving and what we are doing is legitimate self-defence. Just as every human being reacts to aggression, a nation also defends itself against attack.

UN secretary-general António Guterres has condemned a deadly attack on peacekeepers in southern Lebanon that left one French soldier dead and three others wounded.

In a statement relayed by spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, the UN chief denounced the attack after troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came under small-arms fire on Saturday morning.

Two of the injured were said to be in a serious condition.

Emmanuel Macron and UNIFIL both pointed the finger at Hezbollah, although the group has denied any involvement.

Iran has arrested dozens of people accused of spying for the US and Israel, according to officials.

The country’s intelligence agency said it had dismantled “espionage and sabotage networks” allegedly linked to the United States, Israel and the UK in Kerman.

A total of 51 individuals were detained on suspicion of “intelligence gathering, armed organisation and inciting unrest”, authorities claimed.

Officials added that “several spy cells and related groups were also identified and neutralised” as part of the operation.

Iran has flatly ruled out handing over its enriched uranium to the United States, directly contradicting claims made by Donald Trump.

Deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said that any such proposal is off the table, despite Trump suggesting on Friday that Washington would work with Tehran to bring the material back to the US.

I can tell you that no enriched material is going to be shipped to United States. This is non-starter and I can assure you that while we are ready to address any concerns that we do have, we’re not going to accept things that are nonstarters.

In the same interview, he also accused the US of refusing to soften its stance in ongoing tensions, adding:

We are still not there yet to move on to an actual meeting because there are issues that the Americans have not yet abandoned their maximalist position.