'Ukraine may send ships from UK to help reopen Hormuz'

 Ukraine is ready to send its four minehunters docked in Portsmouth, the United Kingdom, to assist a British and French-led mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, The Times reported on Tuesday, citing a Ukrainian military source.

According to the report, Kiev is ready to help its allies as much as possible in the Middle East amid fears that US President Donald Trump might side with Russia and turn against Ukraine.

"We are ready to offer everything. There are four minehunters, all in Portsmouth. They can't go to Ukraine because, first of all, they would be target number one, and secondly, because of the Montreux convention," the source said, referring to the 1936 agreement regulating the transit through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits and allowing Turkey to close the straits for foreign warships at wartime.

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Ukraine-may-send-ships-from-UK-to-help-reopen-Hormuz/66116984

Witkoff, Kushner, Rubio, Hegseth arrive at WH

 Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were seen arriving at the White House as the Trump administration reviewed its next steps on Iran ahead of a fragile ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday evening.

The two main US negotiators on the Iran issue arrived around 2:30 pm ET, seemingly traveling from Miami to Washington. It is uncertain if direct talks between US and Iranian officials will happen in Pakistan in the next few days.

The gathering occurs after Vice President JD Vance postponed his trip to Pakistan to participate in negotiations with Iran. Meanwhile, Tehran has not yet confirmed its participation in the talks.

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Witkoff-Kushner-Rubio-Hegseth-arrive-at-WH/66117135

Trump team eyes currency swap for UAE

 The White House is discussing a currency swap with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), CNBC reported on Friday after getting the information from a source of the US President Donald Trump's team. The idea is to give the UAE access to US dollars, since its economy is suffering due to the war between Washington and Tehran.

No formal request has been made yet, and no plans are in place, the source said. While the UAE is a close ally of Trump, the move could be unpopular because US consumers are already facing high prices. The UAE has also faced Iranian missile strikes and blocked oil shipments.

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Trump-team-eyes-currency-swap-for-UAE/66117170

Iran 'received signs' that US is ready to lift naval blockade

 Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani (pictured) stated on Tuesday that his country's government has "received some signs" that the United States is ready to lift the blockade of Iranian ports.

Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters in New York, Iravani stressed that ending the blockade is a condition for the next round of negotiations to take place. Furthermore, he said that Washington started the war against Tehran, and if they want to resume negotiations "and find a political solution, they will find us ready." "If they want to go to the war, in this case, also Iran is ready for that," he added.

Iravani's comments come as the two-week ceasefire nears its end and it remains unclear whether the new round of talks in Pakistan will take place, since neither the US nor Iran has sent a delegation to Islamabad.

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Iran-'received-signs'-that-US-is-ready-to-lift-naval-blockade/66117212

Senator draws criticism over post on Iran-linked ships bypassing US blockade

 

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy faced criticism on Tuesday after posting a one-word response to a report claiming 26 ships linked to Iran had made it past a US blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

“Awesome,” Murphy wrote on X in response to the post, prompting backlash from Trump allies and conservative commentators who said he was applauding Iran.

Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs, rejected the original report Murphy had responded to and criticized the senator’s comment.

“First of all this is false,” Parnell wrote. “Second, a Dem senator cheering on the number one state sponsor of terror is shameful.”

The Trump War Room account accused Murphy of rooting against the US military, while Mike Davis, founder of the conservative Article III Project, called for the Senate to censure him.

Murphy later said the post had been sarcastic and was aimed at President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict.

“Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not ‘awesome’,” Murphy wrote.

“My tweet was something called ‘sarcasm’,” he added.

Murphy has been a frequent Democratic critic of Trump’s foreign policy, including his approach toward Iran.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202604194357

US imposes new sanctions targeting Iran's missile, drone networks

 

The US Treasury on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 14 individuals, entities, and aircraft across Iran, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates for their alleged role in procuring and transporting weapons for Tehran.

A statement by the Treasury said the measures aim to disrupt Iran’s efforts to rebuild its ballistic missile program and expand its use of Shahed drones, which Washington says have been used against US interests and regional infrastructure.

The sanctions also target networks linked to Mahan Air, accused of transporting weapons and UAV systems, as well as companies involved in supplying missile propellant components.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US would continue to “follow the money” and hold those enabling Iran’s military activities accountable, warning of further action.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202604194357

Iran FM meets freed woman convicted in France of glorifying terrorism

 

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday met Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian woman who returned home after being released from prison in France where she was convicted of glorifying terrorism in social media posts.

Her release followed Iran’s freeing of French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, whose detentions Paris had described as part of Tehran’s practice of politically motivated arrests.