President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire,initial U.S.-Iran talksin Pakistan earlier this month failed to reach a peace deal.
Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of the blockade until Iran's proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded "one way or the other."
Latest Developments
May 2, 4:44 PMUS fast-tracks $8.6 billion in arms sales to Middle East partners
The U.S. has approved $8.6 billion worth of arms for Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Israel -- sidestepping Congress by invoking emergency powers, according tonoticespublished by the State Department.The State Department notified Congress it was using its authorities for the sales, including $4 billion worth of Patriot missile interceptors for Qatar.
Since the outset of the war in Iran, the administration has used the authority for billions of dollars' worth of sales to the UAE, Israel and Kuwait.Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the administration was "using the veneer of an emergency declaration to push through sales with no urgent nexus to current conflicts."-ABC News' Chris Boccia
May 2, 5:47 AMSenior Iranian military official says war with US will 'likely' resume
Iran’s armed forces say it is "likely" the U.S.-Israel war on the country will resume as "evidence shows the US is not committed to any agreements or treaties.""The actions and statements of U.S. officials are primarily media-driven aimed first at preventing a drop in oil prices and second at extricating themselves from the mess they have created," Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy of the military headquarters, said in a statement carried by Iran’s Fars news agency.
"The armed forces are fully prepared for any new adventures or foolishness from the Americans."-ABC News's Lama Hasan
May 1, 3:44 PMTreasury warns ships that pay toll to Iran could face US sanctions
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Controlissued a warningto shippers on Friday that fulfilling any demand for an Iranian toll in exchange for passage through the Strait of Hormuz risks exposure to U.S. sanctions."OFAC is issuing this alert to warn U.S. and non-U.S. persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of payment method," its alert said.
Demands to pay a toll could come in a variety of ways, including "fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments," such as charitable donations to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the alert said.The OFAC also reiterated that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect.The alert comes as shipping traffic through the critical shipping channel remains at a virtual standstill and the indefinite ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran drags on without a clear resolution to the war -- or a full reopening of the strait -- in sight.-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr
May 1, 2:49 PMTrump sends War Powers letters to CongressPresident Donald Trump has sent letters alerting Congress that he "will continue to direct United States Armed Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive."
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Despite facing the 60-day deadline under the War Powers Act, the president is not asking Congress for authorization, rather providing an update to the posture of U.S. forces in the region.Echoing Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth, the president noted that he ordered a two-week ceasefire on April 7 that has since been extended."On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended," Trump wrote. "There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated."Trump also stressed that he ordered Operation Epic Fury "consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests."
May 1, 1:36 PM45 ships turned back during blockade: CENTCOM
So far, 45 commercial vessels have been directed to turn around or return to port as part of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command said Friday.
May 1, 12:56 PMTrump says he's 'not happy' after Iran talks
President Donald Trump said Friday that he is "not happy" after recent talks with Iran."We just had a conversation with Iran. Let's see what happens. But I would say that I am not happy," Trump told reporters before departing the White House.Trump said the Iranian leadership is "very disjointed" and "argumentative with each other.""They come back -- one says one thing, one says another. They're very confused," he said, adding that he's "not satisfied" with what's been offered.
May 1, 12:40 PMUS targeting foreign currency exchange houses
The Trump administration is targeting foreign currency exchange houses that it says help the Iranian military access revenues from oil sales."Because Iran primarily settles its oil sales in Chinese yuan, these exchange houses play a critical role in converting oil revenues into currencies that are more readily useable by the Iranian military and its partners and proxies," the Treasury Department said in a statement Friday.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action was taken as part of the "Economic Fury" campaign."Today’s designations further disrupt the Iranian regime’s mechanisms for receiving payments for oil and other commodities, thereby increasing costs and reducing revenue for the regime’s destabilizing activities, and exposing individuals and the methods the Iranian regime uses to bypass sanctions and abuse the international financial system," Bessent said in a statement.The move follows actions by the Treasury Department earlier this week to target entities in Iran's shadow banking network that it says help the country evade sanctions.-ABC News' Chris Boccia
May 1, 5:38 AMFlotilla activists to be taken to Greece, Israel to detain 2 participants
Israel says most of the activists it detained in the Mediterranean near Crete, who were part of a flotilla attempting to break the blockade of Gaza, were taken to Greece.On Thursday, the Greek foreign ministry said it had "urged Israel to withdraw its vessels from the area and offered its diplomatic assistance by agreeing to host the passengers on its territory and ensure their safe return to their home countries."The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it would detain two of the members of the flotilla. Palestinian Saif Abu Keshek, whom Israel accuses of "suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, and Brazilian citizen Thiago Avila, whom Israel says is "suspected of illegal activity," will be taken to Israel for questioning.-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Apr 30, 4:34 PMTrump says Iran 'dying' to make dealPresident Donald Trump said in the Oval Office that Iran is "dying to make a deal," adding, "hopefully it can be worked out very soon," despite the fact that in-person negotiations with the regime are stalled after Trump cancelled the latest round of peace talks.When asked about the future of negotiations, Trump said, "Nobody knows what the talks are except myself and a couple of other people."“I mean, Iran is dying to make a deal. I can only tell you that. I don't want to get into it, but they got -- they cannot be nuclear other than that. But they are,” Trump said.
-ABC News’ Nicholas Kerr, Emily Chang and Isabella Murray
Apr 30, 3:28 PMSenate fails to advance Iran War Powers Resolution for 6th time
For the sixth time, the Senate on Thursday failed to advance an Iran War Powers Resolution by a vote of 50-47.But for the first time, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Maine, voted with Democrats on Thursday in favor of advancing the legislation. Similar to the last five attempts, Democrat Sen. John Fetterman voted against advancing the resolution and Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted in favor."No more dodging, no more hiding, no more shirking," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. "Republicans need to help us end this illegal, costly war. They should have done it long ago. The most important vote a senator can take is on matters of war and peace."Republicans, most of whom have been reluctant to break with Trump, have pointed to the 30-day extension under the War Powers Resolution as a way to move the goalpost on taking a vote on the administration’s operations.Friday will mark the 60-day statutory deadline to conclude the conflict. A White House official said the Trump administration is in "active conversations" with lawmakers about requesting Congressional authorization for the war in Iran.-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa
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