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April 28, 2026
Iran is ready to share its defensive weapons capabilities with "independent countries, especially members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)", Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik said during a meeting of SCO defence ministers held in the Kyrgyz capital, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump is unhappy with the latest Iranian proposal on resolving the two-month war, a U.S. official said, dampening hopes for a resolution to the conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fuelled inflation, and killed thousands.
Iran's latest proposal would set aside discussion of Iran's nuclear program until the war is ended and disputes over shipping from the Gulf are resolved.
That is unlikely to satisfy the U.S., which says nuclear issues must be dealt with from the outset, and Trump was unhappy with Iran's proposal for that reason, a U.S. official briefed on the president's Monday meeting with his advisers said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said the U.S. "will not negotiate through the press" and has "been clear about our red lines" as the Trump administration looks to end the war against Iran it began in February alongside Israel.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that Iran's oil industry would begin shutting down production due to the U.S. blockade on Iran.
While the surviving IRGC Leaders are trapped like drowning rats in a sewage pipe, Iran’s creaking oil industry is starting to shut in production thanks to the U.S. BLOCKADE. Doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines risks exposure to U.S. sanctions. Foreign governments should take all actions necessary to ensure that companies in their jurisdictions do not provide services to those aircraft, including the provision of jet fuel, catering, "Iran's creaking oil industry is starting to shut in production thanks to the U.S. BLOCKADE," Bessent wrote on X, adding that "Pumping will soon collapse. GASOLINE SHORTAGES IN IRAN NEXT!" Earlier, Bessent warned foreign governments the U.S. would act against third parties providing services to sanctioned Iranian airlines. "Doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines risks exposure to U.S. sanctions," Bessent said. "Foreign governments should take all actions necessary to ensure that companies in their jurisdictions do not provide services to those aircraft," he noted, "including the provision of jet fuel, catering, landing fees or maintenance." The Lebanese president's office is conducting "intensive efforts and contacts" with Washington to avoid the "poisoned chalice" of a proposed meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Lebanese daily Nidaa al-Watan reported Tuesday, citing sources following the contacts. The two leaders were invited to a Washington summit by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier April, when he announced a cease-fire between the two countries. Aoun later refused to take part in a three-way call with Netanyahu and Trump. According to the report, Lebanon expects the Trump administration to "show understanding" of Aoun's position, as meeting Netanyahu could spark unrest within Lebanon. The president's office hopes Aoun will instead meet Trump bilaterally at the White House, the newspaper said. However, sources warned that failure to meet with Netanyahu could be seen as a provocation, leading to the collapse of the cease-fire and renewed escalation. The United States is working to establish "vetted units" within the Lebanese Armed Forces to disarm and dismantle Hezbollah, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday in an interview. In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News, Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, said Israel has no interest in maintaining its military buffer zone in Lebanon and defended its right to take "defensive measures" against Hezbollah under the ceasefire agreement. "Obviously, there's still going to be defensive operations within our agreement," Rubio said. "Israel has a right to defend itself from an imminent attack or an ongoing attack from Hezbollah elements, who will do everything they can to disrupt the ceasefire." Responding to a question about Israeli strikes in the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon, Rubio said the United States urged Israel to "measure themselves in their response," adding that it appears Israel's responses are "proportional and targeted." Asked where negotiations stand, Rubio said the sides were "working toward establishing a system that actually works, where vetted units within the Lebanese Armed Forces have the training, the equipment and the capability to go after elements of Hezbollah and dismantle them so Israel doesn't have to do it." "I think the ideal outcome here would be one in which you wouldn't need an Israeli presence," Rubio said. "The Israelis will tell you that. They don't want to permanently be in Lebanon." Turning to Gaza, Rubio was asked about ceasefire negotiations and said progress had been made over the weekend, adding that the United States was seeking to avoid a resumption of hostilities. "There's been some promising signs over the weekend that we're getting closer to an agreement with regards to [Hamas] demilitarizing," he said. "The outcome we want is for Hamas to be demilitarized and a Palestinian security force backed by an international security force which is able to secure Gaza." Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday he welcomed Russia's support for diplomacy and praised the strength of ties between the two countries, after meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Monday, saying recent events had demonstrated the depth of their strategic partnership. Russia has offered to mediate to try to help restore calm to the Middle East following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that Moscow has strongly condemned. Russia has also repeatedly offered to store Iran's enriched uranium as a way of defusing tensions, a proposal spurned by the United States. 6 hours ago A U.S. official said on Monday that President Donald Trump is unhappy with an Iranian proposal because it did not address Iran's nuclear program. "He doesn't love the proposal," the U.S. official said, referring to Trump. Earlier in the day, Trump discussed the proposal with his top national security aides. The U.S.-Iran conflict remains in a stalemate with energy supplies from the region reduced. Iranian sources earlier on Monday said the proposal would set aside discussion of Iran's nuclear program until the war has ended and disputes over shipping from the Gulf are resolved. Washington has said nuclear issues must be dealt with from the outset. Work to bridge gaps between the U.S. and Iran has not halted, sources from mediator Pakistan have said. But hopes of reviving peace efforts have receded since Trump announced this weekend he had scrapped a visit by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. Earlier, the Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, said that Trump is "skeptical" of the Iranian proposal. While he did not reject the offer outright, officials told the news outlet that Trump noted Iran is not acting in good faith or willing to meet his key demand: ending nuclear enrichment and vowing never to make a nuclear weapon. At the same time, officials said the U.S. is expected to continue participating in negotiations and that the White House is likely to respond in the coming days. The Israeli military said Monday it had struck more than 20 Hezbollah-linked infrastructure sites across the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon. According to the IDF, the strikes targeted weapons manufacturing and storage facilities as well as rocket launch sites. Mossad Director David Barnea praised groundbreaking operations in target countries and highlighted the success of operations against Iran and Hezbollah during a citation ceremony. Questioning continued by prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh on Case 4000, the Bezeq-Walla affair, where Netanyahu is accused of advancing regulatory decisions that benefited Shaul Elovitch. The real story of Zaidi is that he is largely unknown and appears to have been chosen almost by chance, as if Iraq’s politicians simply settled on a random figure to lead the country. Iran turns to Moscow as its foreign minister meets Putin, underscoring efforts to secure backing amid stalled US talks and growing uncertainty over the Iran-Israel conflict dynamics.Pumping will soon collapse.GASOLINE SHORTAGES IN IRAN NEXT!Report: Lebanese president conducting 'intensive efforts' to avoid meeting Netanyahu in Washington
U.S. working to establish 'vetted' Lebanese army units to disarm, dismantle Hezbollah, Rubio says
Iranian foreign minister praises Russia ties, welcomes Moscow's support for diplomacy
Trump unhappy with Iranian proposal, U.S. official says
IDF says it carried out over 20 attacks in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah
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