Iran US War News Live Updates | Iran slams US ‘piracy’ after ship seizure, vows to retaliate
Iran, US, Israel War News Live Updates: Earlier, US President Trump confirmed that American representatives would be in Islamabad on Monday for negotiations.
· The Indian Express · JoinIran US War News Live Update: There is currently no decision by Iran to send a negotiating delegation to Pakistan “as long as there is a naval blockade,” news agency Reuters reported, citing Iran’s Tasnim news agency. The remark comes soon after US President Donald Trump said that the second round of talks with Iran will be held on Monday in Pakistan, in a Truth Social post. Trump said that US representatives were headed to Islamabad, adding that they would be there on Monday evening for negotiations.
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said that while “progress has been made” in negotiations to end the war with the United States, the two sides are “far from final discussion”. “There are some issues on which we insist… They also have red lines. But these issues could be just one or two,” Ghalibaf said while speaking to state television. “We are still far from the final discussion.”
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What has happened so far: Iran said it has brought the Strait of Hormuz back under strict control after briefly declaring it open, citing the ongoing US blockade under Donald Trump, while officials said several vessels have been turned back in recent days; at the same time, maritime authorities reported gunfire and a projectile incident involving Indian ships in the waterway, raising safety concerns, as Iran confirmed it is reviewing new US proposals but no date has been set for the next round of talks, and a ceasefire linked to fighting involving Hezbollah in Lebanon continues to hold despite ongoing strikes and warnings from both sides.
Latest developments:
- Iran has reimposed control over the Strait of Hormuz after briefly reopening it
- The US blockade of Iranian shipping remains in place, with multiple vessels turned back
- Reports of gunfire and a strike involving Indian ships have raised shipping risks
- Talks between the US and Iran are ongoing, but no timeline has been set
- Casualties have been reported across Iran, Lebanon, Gulf states, Israel and among US forces as tensions continue
Live Updates
Apr 20, 2026 05:56 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran insisting on US lifting its blockade before a second round of talks
Iran’s participation in the next round of negotiations in Islamabad is conditional upon the US lifting the naval blockade on its ports.
This is what a well-informed source told Al Jazeera, and it’s also the same position taken by Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan.
The foreign minister and prime minister of Pakistan called Iran’s president and foreign minister to try to convince them to take part in the next round of negotiations. The Supreme National Security Council of Iran also convened to decide on this.
Apr 20, 2026 05:14 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran confirms US seizure of vessel in Sea of Oman, warns of ‘retaliation soon'
Iran’s Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters has confirmed a US military operation targeting an Iranian commercial ship in the Sea of Oman and warned of retaliation “soon,” according to a statement carried by semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“The aggressive America, by violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy, attacked one of Iran’s commercial ships in the waters of the Sea of Oman by firing upon it and disabling its navigation system by deploying several of its terrorist marines on the deck of the mentioned vessel,” the statement said, confirming the vessel’s seizure.
It added, “We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military.”
Apr 20, 2026 05:10 AM IST
‘Security of Strait of Hormuz is not free’: Iran’s first vice president
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has said the “security of the Strait of Hormuz is not free.”
“One cannot restrict Iran’s oil exports while expecting free security for others,” he said in a post on X.
“The choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone,” he added. “Stability in global fuel prices depends on a guaranteed and lasting end to the economic and military pressure against Iran and its allies.”
Apr 20, 2026 05:03 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: US military seized Iranian-flagged container ship, Trump says
The United States military has taken control of an Iranian-flagged container ship that tried to cross an American naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, according to current US President Donald Trump.
In a post on social media, Trump said the vessel, named Touska, attempted to pass through the blockade but was stopped by US forces. “An Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA tried to get past the US naval blockade, and it did not go well for them,” he said.
Apr 20, 2026 04:54 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Tehran will never cede control of Strait, senior Iranian politician tells BBC
"Never." That's when a senior Iranian lawmaker says they'll be ready to give up their control of the Strait of Hormuz.
"It's our inalienable right," Ebrahim Azizi, a former commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), tells the BBC in Tehran. "Iran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the Strait."
And he says that's about to become enshrined in law.
"We are introducing a bill in parliament, based on article 110 of the constitution, which includes the environment, maritime safety and national security - and the armed forces will implement the law," says this member of parliament who heads the Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy.
Apr 20, 2026 04:38 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran vows a swift response to the US seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel
Iran's military vowed a swift response to the US seizure of an Iranian-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Oman, state media reported on Sunday.
The military headquarters said the attack and subsequent boarding of the ship by US forces was a violation of the ceasefire and denounced it as piracy, Iran's state-run broadcaster said.
The United States says it fired on the ship and seized it because it had crossed the blockade line after ignoring multiple warnings.
Apr 20, 2026 04:37 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: US seizes Iranian cargo ship, Tehran vows to retaliate
The United States said on Sunday that it had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade and Iran said it would retaliate, raising the possibility that the ceasefire between the two countries might not last for even the two days it is set to remain in force.
Efforts to build a more lasting peace in the region likewise appeared to be on shaky ground, as Iran said it would not participate in a second round of negotiations that the U.S. had hoped to kick off before the ceasefire expires on Tuesday.
A weeks-long blockade of shipping that has driven global oil prices higher likewise might remain in place.
Apr 20, 2026 04:28 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran confirms US interdiction, seizure of Iranian vessel, says will retaliate ‘soon’
Iran’s Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters confirmed an attack claimed by the US military on a ship in the Sea of Oman in a statement carried by semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“The aggressive America, by violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy, attacked one of Iran’s commercial ships in the waters of the Sea of Oman by firing upon it and disabling its navigation system by deploying several of its terrorist marines on the deck of the mentioned vessel”, it said, confirming that the ship had been seized.
“We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military,” it added.
Apr 20, 2026 04:21 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran’s Araghchi warns US against threatening ports and ships
Tasnim news agency reports that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has told his Pakistani counterpart that threats to Iranian ports and ships, alongside irrational demands from Washington, are a sign of its lack of seriousness.
Araghchi said that “Iran will use all of its capacities to protect the interests and national security of Iran,” according to the Tasnim report.
Apr 20, 2026 04:19 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Oil prices rise again as Iran tensions unsettle markets
Oil prices jumped, the US dollar rose and stock futures fell today, as investors dealt with conflicting messages about the Iran war and news that the Strait of Hormuz was closed again.
In early Asian trading, oil benchmark Brent crude futures jumped about 7 percent to $96.85 a barrel and the price of US crude oil jumped 6.4 percent to $87.88 per barrel after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Apr 20, 2026 02:12 AM IST
US seizes Iran-flagged ship trying to get past Hormuz blockade, says Trump
President Donald Trump said the US forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to get around a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, the first such interception since the blockade of Iranian ports began last week. He said a US Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom” and that US Marines had custody of the vessel, named Touska, and were “seeing what’s on board!”There was no immediate Iran comment, AP reports.
Apr 19, 2026 10:13 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Israeli army reports casualties in southern Lebanon
Israel’s military says two soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon days into a fragile ceasefire as protests across Israel highlight discontent with the government’s handling of the conflict, Al Jazeera reported.
Apr 19, 2026 09:49 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: UK police examine Iran links to arson attacks on Jewish targets
British police said they are investigating possible Iran links to a series of arson attacks on Jewish targets in London, which the UK chief rabbi said showed a sustained campaign of violence against the Jewish community was gathering momentum. After the latest attack, at Kenton United Synagogue in the Harrow area of the city shortly after midnight, the third such incident in a week, UK counter-terrorism police said they were heading up investigations into the incidents.
A pro-Iranian government group, which says it is also behind a spate of attacks across Europe on U.S., Israeli and Jewish targets, has said it was responsible.
"As the conflict in the Middle East continues to evolve, counter-terrorism policing and our partners remain alive to the threat of Iranian hostile activity in the UK," Vicki Evans, Britain's senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, told reporters.
Apr 19, 2026 09:19 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: No confirmation on Iranian delegation taking part in negotiations
The Iranian state-affiliated Fars News Agency said that a final decision on whether Iran would take part in the second round of negotiations “could not yet be confirmed or ruled out.”
Apr 19, 2026 08:09 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran says no decision on sending delegation to Pakistan ‘as long as naval blockade remains’
There is currently no decision by Iran to send a negotiating delegation to Pakistan "as long as there is a naval blockade," news agency Reuters reported, citing Iran's Tasnim news agency.
Apr 19, 2026 07:03 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran, Pakistan discuss war developments over call
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Pakistani counterpart, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, have talked about the US-Israel war on Iran during a phone call.
The two leaders “discussed and exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments and bilateral relations”, according to a statement relayed by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, reported Al Jazeera.
Apr 19, 2026 06:47 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Who will lead the US delegation?
Trump, in his post on Truth Social, didn't detail which officials the US would be sending for its second round to talks with Iran, but ABC news citing the US ambassador to the UN, said that JD Vance (who also led the first round of in-person talks) would lead the American delegation.
Apr 19, 2026 06:26 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran’s actions on Hormuz Strait counterproductive, says Trump
US President Trump said on Truth Social that Iran’s actions around the strategic waterway were counterproductive.
“Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing.”
Apr 19, 2026 06:06 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Second round of talks with Iran will be held on Monday in Pakistan
US President Donald Trump has said that the second round of talks with Iran will be held on Monday in Pakistan, in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said that US representatives were headed to Islamabad, adding that they would be there on Monday evening for negotiations.
Apr 19, 2026 05:17 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Iran, US have will to continue talks to end war, says Turkey FM
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says both Iran and the United States have the will to continue talks to end the war.
Speaking to reporters at a diplomacy forum in the southern province of Antalya, he said that while negotiations between Washington and Iran are “largely complete”, there are still a number of disagreements.
Fidan also said the ceasefire, set to expire on Wednesday, should be extended.
(Al Jazeera)
Apr 19, 2026 04:47 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: Forces motivated by spirit of 'jihad', will fight enemy till last breath, says Iran army chief
Iranian army chief Amir Hatami has vowed to defend the country’s “independence, territorial integrity, and security across land, air, and sea”. “Our forces will confront the enemy until the last breath with their finger on the trigger, ready for confrontation and to make sacrifices,” Hatami said.
He said the army, alongside other branches of the armed forces, remains prepared to confront “enemies decisively while advancing military capabilities”.
Iranian forces are motivated by a spirit of sacrifice and “jihad” and have pledged “unwavering commitment to their mission”, he added.
(Al Jazeera)
Apr 19, 2026 04:24 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Updates: We are simply defending ourselves legitimately, says Iran
“We have not attacked any country, and in the current situation we do not intend to attack any party, and we are simply defending ourselves legitimately,” the ISNA news agency quoted Iranian President Pezeshkian as saying.
Apr 19, 2026 04:05 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Acting in self-defence, says Iranian President
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran isn’t seeking war and is “acting only in self-defence against the attack by the US and Israel”, stressing his country’s commitment to peace and regional stability.
Apr 19, 2026 03:45 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: 'Iran won't hand over enriched uranium to US'
In an interview with The Associated Press on the margins of a diplomacy forum in Turkiye, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh also said his country will not hand over its enriched uranium to the United States, rejecting claims made by US President Donald Trump.
Apr 19, 2026 03:21 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Iran not ready to hold round of face-to-face talks with US, says Iranian official
Iran is not yet ready to hold a new round of face-to-face talks with US officials, a senior Iranian official told news agency AP, citing Washington's refusal to abandon "maximalist" demands on key issues.
Apr 19, 2026 02:52 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Iran doubles down on closing the Strait of Hormuz
Iran doubled down on its pledge to restrict ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, as mediators scrambled to extend the ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday.
The dueling blockades have complicated Pakistani-led mediation attempts and raised questions about whether the truce can be extended beyond its deadline.
“It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot,” Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said in an interview aired on state television late Saturday.
Apr 19, 2026 02:22 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Iran says Trump has no right to deny its nuclear programme
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Donald Trump has no justification to deny Tehran its nuclear rights amid ongoing tensions and stalled negotiations. “Trump says Iran cannot make use of its nuclear rights but doesn’t say for what crime. Who is he to deprive a nation of its rights?” Pezeshkian said, according to The Times of Israel.
Apr 19, 2026 01:54 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Hezbollah says truce with Israel not one-sided, warns of retaliation
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the 10-day truce with Israel cannot be one-sided and warned of retaliation if Israeli strikes hit Lebanese territory.
Apr 19, 2026 01:27 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Lebanon army reopens key south road after Israeli strikes
Lebanon’s military said a key road linking the city of Nabatieh with the Khardali area, and has “partially reopened the Burj Rahal-Tyre bridge.” “Work is also underway to rehabilitate the Tayr Falsay-Tyre bridge… following damage caused by the Israeli aggression,” the army added.
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Apr 19, 2026 01:04 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Iran says US talks see progress, but peace deal still distant
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said talks with the US have made progress but major gaps remain, signalling both sides are still far from a final peace deal. “There are some issues on which we insist… They also have red lines. But these issues could be just one or two,” Ghalibaf said while speaking to state television. “We are still far from the final discussion.”
Apr 19, 2026 12:13 PM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Trump, Iran cite progress in talks as uncertainty hangs over Strait
Iran's top negotiator said recent talks with the US had made progress but gaps remained over nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, while President Donald Trump cited "very good conversations" with Tehran despite warning against "blackmail" over the key shipping channel.
Neither side offered any specifics about the state of negotiations on Saturday, days before a fragile ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is set to expire.
Apr 19, 2026 11:54 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Kuwait condemns deadly attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has called for accountability in the attack that killed the French peacekeeper and wounded three others.
Issuing a statement, it reaffirmed “its total rejection of targeting peacekeeping forces” and said it constituted “a violation of international law”. It also expressed “sincere condolences” to France over the loss of its citizen.
The ministry emphasised the “necessity of holding accountable those responsible for this attack, renewing its full support for UNIFIL’s efforts to maintain security and stability in southern Lebanon”, it added.
Apr 19, 2026 11:21 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: What has the US said about its blockade of Iranian ports?
The US naval blockade of maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports has been continuing this weekend.
US President Donald Trump announced the blockade a week ago - less than a day after lengthy talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan failed to reach a deal.
American forces said they would intercept or turn back vessels travelling to or from Iran's coast, regardless of nationality.
The US hopes to put pressure on Iran by restricting its ability to profit from oil exports.
US Central Command (Centcom) said this weekend that it has forced 23 ships to turn around near the Strait of Hormuz since the blockade began.
In a social media post published just an hour ago, Centcom says "the blockade has completely halted economic trade going in to and out of Iran by sea". -BBC
Apr 19, 2026 10:45 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: 'We control the strait', Iranian senior negotiator says
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliamentary speaker, says that while "progress has been made" in negotiations to end the war with the US, the two sides are "far from final discussion".
One of Iran's negotiators, Ghalibaf was in Pakistan last week for peace talks with US envoys, including Vice-President JD Vance.
No date has been set for the next round of talks.
Apr 19, 2026 10:42 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Trump says he won't let Iran 'blackmail' US
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Saturday, US President Donald Trump said that "very good conversations" are happening with Iran, but that he won't let Tehran "blackmail" the US over the Strait of Hormuz.
He described them as acting "a little cute as they have for 47 years".
As a reminder, Trump had earlier said that the US blockade of Iranian ports would continue until "our transaction with Iran is 100% complete".
Apr 19, 2026 10:35 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: North Korea fires ballistic missiles again, flexing muscle amid Iran war
North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday, accelerating its missile launches amid Iran war tensions and talk of possible meetings with the US and South Korea.
Pyongyang's intense missile activity - this was the fourth such launch this month and the seventh of the year - is meant to display its self-defence capabilities while gaining international leverage, some experts said.
Apr 19, 2026 10:33 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: Iran fires on ships in Strait of Hormuz as Tehran imposes restrictions again
Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker attempting to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach.
Apr 19, 2026 10:32 AM IST
Iran US War News Live Update: A recap of recent developments
Here's what al; you need to know:
Hormuz standoff: Iran’s IRGC says the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the US lifts its blockade on Iranian ports.
Indian vessels hit: Two Indian-flagged ships came under attack in the strait, prompting New Delhi to summon Iran’s ambassador.
US position: President Donald Trump says the naval blockade stays “in full force” until a deal and warns Washington won’t be blackmailed by Iran.
Talks stalled: Deputy FM Saeed Khatibzadeh says Tehran won’t hold new face-to-face talks with the U.S. due to “maximalist” demands.
Lebanon front: Israel confirmed strikes in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire and set a “yellow line,” while a French UN peacekeeper was killed Macron blamed Hezbollah, which denied it. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said the truce can’t be “one-sided” and fighters remain ready to respond.
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