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We’re updating this post as developments happen.
- US blockade: A US naval blockade of Iranian ports came into force on Monday, according to Donald Trump’s timing, after an earlier announcement that the US would blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran in Pakistan on a peace deal broke down;
- Trump attacks Pope: The US president launched a blistering attack on Pope Leo overnight on Sunday, calling him “WEAK on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy”. The pontiff responded, saying he will continue to speak out against war. Trump shared and then deleted an AI image of himself as Jesus, later claiming it was depicting him as “a doctor making people better”;
- Talks collapse: Peace negotiations between the US and Iran collapsed in Islamabad on Saturday after a marathon 21 hours, with Trump saying he doesn’t care if the Iranians return to talks. A US official, however, has told Reuters that the two sides are still in touch, while JD Vance claimed “progress” had been made;
- Tehran’s response: Iran has dismissed Trump’s blockade threat as “ridiculous and laughable”, warning any ships will be “sent to the bottom of the sea”. After the talks collapsed, officials said the US “ultimately failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation”.
- Israel-Lebanon peace talks: The ambassadors for Israel and Lebanon are due to take part in a meeting in Washington later today, with US secretary of state Marco Rubio also set to attend. Hezbollah’s secretary general Naim Qassem said the Iran-backed group “absolutely rejects” the talks, saying they amount to “submission” and “surrender”.