Despite Trump’s blustering threats to hold to a strict deadline on the ceasefire with Iran before bombing of Iran’s civilian infrastructure if they did not return to the negotiating table by Tuesday 5:00 PM eastern time, Trump backed down and in a bid to calm the markets (and the critics of his handling of this war) extended the ceasefire “indefinitely.” With most of Iran’s military targets already destroyed and fearing that making good on his threat to target civilian infrastructure would make him a war criminal in international legal circles, Trump has few military options left. So it is not surprising that after many long, probably heated discussions with his advisors, Trump has settled on the next most effective pressure point on Iran—continuing the maritime blockade of Iranian ports. The blockade, which is not legal since the US started this war, has already netted one big prize—a cargo ship laden with missile fuel chemicals from China. Trump shrugged off the embarrassment of having earlier claimed he had an agreement with Xi that China would not supply war materiel to Iran saying, “I was a little surprised because I have a very good relationship, and I thought I had an understanding with ... Xi. But that’s all right. That’s the way the war goes, right?” No, Mr. President, that’s NOT “all right,” and you should learn not to trust Xi when you get a slap in the face like this from your presumed trusted Communist leaders. But Trump is so susceptibility to flattery and then seeing his enemies with “rose colored glasses,” I suppose he will never learn that he can’t trust Xi, Kim, and Putin when they tell him what he wants to hear. To receive a free, one-time sample of the Brief, along with option on how to subscribe, click on Request a Sample on the left.
Iran denies that FM Abbas Araghchi's trip to Pakistan will include new talks with US, rejecting reports that Trump is sent his negotiating team to restart negotiations.
24/7 shuttle diplomacy (via Al Jazeera): There’' been shuttle diplomacy, and as one diplomat said, it's been relentless diplomacy that has been put forward by Pakistan from all sides.
Iran's military says finger on the trigger: "greater power & readiness than before."
Pakistani mediators are "cautiously optimistic" despite it being clear negotiations have been at a stalemate.
manufacturers are now raising prices on everything from swimsuits and ski suits to medical syringes and air conditioners. The culprit: the Iran war’s energy shock, which has sent oil-linked input costs skyrocketing and is now rippling straight through to global store shelves.
The proliferation of cheap interceptor drones levels the playing field and provides a low-cost solution against Russian-produced Geran and Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones.
Ukraine's interceptor drones are emerging as a cheap solution, costing roughly $1,000 to $3,000 each versus about $4 million for a Patriot missile used to down $20,000 Shahed drones. In the economics of war, this mismatch matters because missile use, especially in the U.S.-Iran conflict, has already outstripped the U.S.' annual production capacity.
IRGC seizes a ship it says 'collaborated with US' in provocative move ahead of Pakistan talks; Iran FM preparing written proposal for US side.
President Trump is sending two envoys - Steve Witkoff and Jared Jushner - for talks with Iran in Pakistan, CNN reported, while Tehran sounded a more pessimistic tone on the prospects of further negotiations
US hits Iran 'shadow fleet' with new sanctions, also takes aim at Chinese 'teapot' oil refinery.
Trump administration lawyers on April 23 said they are still considering whether to appeal a ruling that blocked the rollback of guidance on some vaccines.
People often say: “I got the COVID vaccine and nothing bad ever happened to me.” If only they realized how lucky they were not to get one of the bad batches.
It is incredibly ironic that President Donald Trump would write that his pick to lead the CDC, Erica Schwartz, will “restore the GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE at the CDC, which was an absolute disaster focused on ‘mandates’ under Sleepy Joe,” when Schwartz is the QUEEN of mandating vaccines
A dramatic series of votes in the US House of Representatives resulted in a dead-of-night extension of what critics describe as a “deceitful proposal” to continue a controversial domestic spying program, known as Section 702, that allows federal agencies to spy on the communications of Americans without a warrant.
The seven-week Iran war, currently on pause due to an extended ceasefire, has raised alarm in Washington over the question of how fast the US has burned through its missile interceptor stockpile.
The two-week ceasefire, having just been extended, provided an opportunity for both sides to restock and regroup. A fresh analysis from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) finds the US military tore through nearly half its Patriot interceptor inventory while heavily draining multiple other critical missile stockpiles.
At least two fully laden Iranian tankers slip past US naval blockade, amid reports of more going dark, BBG reports, but Pentagon denies.
Reports of three more Iranian tankers being seized by US in Asian waters. Iran in turn seizes 2 more ships in Hormuz, citing "dangerous navigation".
Trump extends ceasefire by 3-5 days, per White House statement to Fox. Third US carrier precisely 3-5 day away from Mideast waters: Fox
IRGC seized the MSC Francesca and a Greek-owned ship named Euphoria, which had been attempting to transit the Hormuz chokepoint earlier today. Within hours, a third ship comes under fire by the IRGC.
Senior Iranian adviser says the US naval blockade is "no different than bombing" and must be met "with a military response".
Competing narratives emerge over what Iran calls "fake news" as Trump hails "release" of 8 Iranian women said to be facing death penalty.
Mr Baker, a former FBI employee named Kyle Seraphin and Kentucky representative Thomas Massie also pushed the accusation, saying FBI Director Kash and other FBI officials were lying and an innocent guy was arrested. The arrested suspect, Brian J. Cole, Jr., confessed to the crimes.
At the center of this new security effort to fortify the airspace above Prince Sultan Air Base against low-cost Iranian one-way attack drones is Sky Map, a Ukrainian command-and-control platform used to detect incoming drones. The coordinated response to Shaheds is the use of interceptor drones.
The Wall Street Journal has verified something that Iraqi officials themselves were denying just days ago: the US is blocking Iraq's regular dollar shipments in order to pressure it's Iran-backed militias.
It continued, "In fact, the Iranian-flagged tankers are anchored in Chah Bahar, Iran, after being intercepted by U.S. forces earlier this week. Dorena has been under the escort of a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean after previously attempting to violate the blockade."
Earlier even Bloomberg alleged that two Iranian fully laden tankers breached the US blockade. Amid two competing and contradictory narratives, the fog of war remains thick, making it difficult to assess which version is ultimately correct.
This has resulted in the US embassy in Beirut issuing an urgent renewed security alert, urging US citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial flight options are still available.
Neither side wants to appear 'weak' by flying to Pakistan first without the other side having already clearly committed. Trump warns: 'Expect...bombs' & urges Tehran "release women" said to be on death row.
Overnight, US forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani in Indo-Pac region: CENTCOM
As just 12 ships have gone through Hormuz Strait in last 24 hours, Iran claims one of its own made it past the US naval blockade. CENTOM says 28 turned around.
For an institution that prides itself on its confidentiality and insularity, the Court is looking increasingly porous and partisan in these leaks. Worse yet, people are indeed coming to the Court “to see the umpires.”
The most recent leak was published by the New York Times, which was given internal memos from various Supreme Court justices on the use of what is known as the “shadow docket” to issue rulings without oral arguments.
The announcement came after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio led the rare talks between the countries in Washington on April 14—the first time leaders from the neighboring countries met in-person in the U.S. Capitol in 34 years.
President Pezeshkian cites "historical distrust" and states on X: "they seek Iran's surrender. Iranians do not submit to force."
Vance intends to depart Tuesday to Pakistan, though still unclear whether Iranians will join - Pakistanis say yes, but timeline is fluid. Trump warns "nobody's playing games" & "lots of bombs will go off" if no deal (PBS)
Xi to Saudi crown prince important phone call: "the first time the Chinese leader had called for the reopening of the strategically vital waterway."
Ethane is a natural gas liquid primarily used to produce ethylene, a key building block for plastics, and China depends almost entirely on the US for supply. The product became a political flashpoint between Beijing and Washington last year after the US tightened export controls during a bitter trade war.
The carrier is rejoining an expanding US military buildup in the region - with the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already deployed, and the USS George H.W. Bush expected to soon join, which would bring the number of US carriers in the Middle East to three.
Radev, a eurosceptic former fighter pilot, built his campaign around calls for pragmatic ties with Moscow, resumption of Russian energy supplies and an end to military aid for Ukraine.
The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.
Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel.
Europe faces an imminent jet fuel crisis as the Iran war and Hormuz disruption cut off key Middle Eastern supplies.
Long-term refinery closures and rising import dependence have left Europe highly exposed, with limited alternatives and growing competition from Asia.
Airlines are already cutting capacity and warning of higher fares, with potential flight cancellations looming as fuel shortages intensify.
US officials: War may resume if no peace talks breakthrough: Axios
Two Iranian gunboats Open Fire on a tanker near Oman; 2nd tanker hit by 'unknown projectile'.
India summons Iranian ambassador to condemn incident
Pentagon prepared to expand anti-vessel action, signals prepared to board Iran-linked ships globally
Friday: Hormuz Open; Saturday: Hormuz Closed
Trump: Iran wanted to close up Strait again, can't blackmail us
On Friday, Trump declared the US had "prohibited" further Israeli strikes just as the administration-brokered 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon kicked in. The US President was unusually harsh in rhetoric with America's longtime #1 Mideast ally, writing on Truth Social that "enough is enough".
