Overview
- Vice President JD Vance, speaking Sunday after 21 hours of Pakistan‑brokered meetings, said Iran rejected a U.S. “final and best offer” centered on an explicit pledge never to seek a nuclear weapon.
- Control of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that carries about one‑fifth of seaborne oil, remained a core rift as Iran pressed for authority and transit fees while the U.S. demanded free passage.
- U.S. Central Command said two Navy destroyers transited the strait and that mine‑clearing preparations began, but Iran denied any U.S. warship entry and warned it would respond to military passage.
- President Donald Trump threatened a naval blockade and interdiction of ships that pay Iranian tolls, a move that could strain a fragile two‑week ceasefire and unsettle global energy flows.
- Israel’s strikes in Lebanon continued during the pause in fighting, casualties across the region number in the thousands, and Pakistan urged both sides to hold the truce as any technical follow‑up is discussed.