diplomacy

A senior Iranian official says Tehran has received proposals to lower tensions and is signaling that talks with the U.S. may still be possible. At the same time, strikes are continuing, and both Israel and the United States are preparing for the possibility of a broader escalation.

Ahead of the NATO summit, Israel is calling for an international rebuke of comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warned: “The Jewish people know all too well what happens when words like these are allowed to go unanswered.”

Netanyahu pushed back on Vance’s criticism and dismissed reports of a rift with Trump, saying occasional disagreements are discussed openly.

Indirect technical talks between the U.S. and Iran are taking place in Doha with mediation from Qatar and Pakistan. According to a Saudi report, a preliminary agreement has been reached to release $3 billion for Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump said, "The talks with Iran are going very well."

A newly revealed memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran includes 14 clauses covering a halt to fighting, sanctions relief, and the nuclear program. The sides committed to negotiating a final agreement within 60 days.

The U.S. ambassador in Dublin is launching a direct attack on anti-Israel boycott legislation being advanced by the Irish government, warning of damaging economic consequences, direct harm to major American companies, and a wave of layoffs for ordinary Irish workers.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that he had ordered the planned strike on Iran to be called off. He said that "the points of the agreement were approved in principle, and the signing date will be announced soon."

Contacts between the United States and Iran are moving toward a draft agreement, but major disputes remain unresolved. In Tehran, officials insist the nuclear issue is not part of the initial understandings. A senior Israeli official said, “Trump made clear that he will stand firm in the negotiations on his consistent demand to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program.”

Riyadh is exploring a regional 'non-aggression' agreement with Iran for the postwar landscape, as European backers signal support, according to the Financial Times.

In an unprecedented move, Lebanon has formally complained to the UN Security Council regarding Iranian interference. Meanwhile, Israeli and Lebanese delegations are meeting in the U.S. today for a critical new round of talks.

Officials involved in the talks tell CNN that Trump’s patience is wearing thin over the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The president is weighing military steps as his team splits between ramping up pressure and giving diplomacy a fair chance.

An Israeli political source responded to reports of progress between the U.S. and Iran, stressing: "It was made clear to us from the conversations that President Trump is standing by his red lines, first and foremost the removal of the nuclear material." He said Netanyahu is in near-daily contact with Trump.

Lebanon signals progress as it readies for a two-day round in Washington. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said: "We are not going in the direction of normalization, but toward peace. Lebanon launched the Arab Peace Initiative."

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar blasted Belgian authorities after indictments of mohels in Antwerp, calling it "a stain on Belgium." Tensions spilled into the American arena when the U.S. ambassador in Brussels was summoned for a reprimand after he criticized the move.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at his Jerusalem office with the head of the "Peace Council" for the Gaza Strip, Nikolay Mladenov. Also attending were U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and businessman Michael Eisenberg.

The United States is working to rally countries behind a new international initiative designed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The coalition, called "Maritime Freedom Framework," is expected to focus on intelligence sharing, diplomatic coordination, and helping enforce international sanctions.

After Hezbollah labeled his government “traitors” over efforts to engage Israel, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said he is working to end the war without a “humiliating” deal.

Today in Washington, the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Lebanon demands that the IDF stop demolishing buildings in southern Lebanon. A Lebanese official: "This is a condition for continuing the talks"

Israel’s and Lebanon’s ambassadors in Washington meet tomorrow for another round of talks. Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun sets an initial condition of an IDF withdrawal from Lebanese territory and calls for at least a one-month ceasefire. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar: "Hezbollah is a shared enemy of Israel and Lebanon. It harms Lebanon’s future."

In Jerusalem, Israeli President Isaac Herzog presented Argentina's Javier Milei with the President's Medal of Honor for his consistent, public support of Israel since taking office in 2023. Milei: "It is a great honor for me. May Hashem bless Israel."