Impasse over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz cripples peace efforts : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6031x4020+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd2%2F7b%2F0531aaff4fdf992d5a0ef1f1b3fc%2Fap26114485261857.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6031x4020+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd2%2F7b%2F0531aaff4fdf992d5a0ef1f1b3fc%2Fap26114485261857.jpg" class="img" alt="Iranian worshippers perform their Friday prayers under the portraits of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, second left, and top military officials who were killed during the U.S.-Israel campaign, at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 24, 2026." fetchpriority="high"/> Iranian worshippers carry out their Friday prayers below the portraits of the late Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, second left, and high army officers who have been killed in the course of the U.S.-Israel marketing campaign, on the Tehran College campus, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 24, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP cover caption

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Vahid Salemi/AP U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled that efforts between the U.S. and Iran to finish the conflict have been deadlocked, amid rising worldwide backlash over the blockade within the Strait of Hormuz, which has interrupted the world's gasoline provide and impacted dwelling prices globally.

Chatting with Fox Information on Monday, Rubio mentioned the newest proposal by Iran, first reported by Axios, was "higher than what we thought they have been going to submit." However he mentioned that the U.S. administration confronted "a deeply fractured" management in Iran, complicating efforts to barter an finish to the conflict.

Rubio indicated that no progress had been made on the U.S. demand for Iran to surrender its nuclear ambition.

"That elementary concern nonetheless needs to be confronted. That also stays the core concern right here," Rubio mentioned within the interview.

"We won't allow them to get away with it," he mentioned. "They're very skilled negotiators, and we have now to make sure that any deal that's made, any settlement that's made, is one which definitively prevents them from sprinting in the direction of a nuclear weapon at any level."

His feedback got here amid Iran's diplomatic outreach to Russia, as Iranian officers sought to achieve political leverage and overseas assist. Iran's overseas minister, Abbas Araghchi, met on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed his assist for Iran in its conflict with the U.S. and Israel.

Araghchi additionally traveled to Oman and Pakistan for talks over the weekend. His go to to Pakistan prompted President Trump to say he would ship his envoys for talks in Islamabad, solely to later cancel the U.S. delegation's journey when Araghchi left.

In the meantime, in an indication of the continuing standoff within the strategic waterway of the Strait of Hormuz, a guided-missile destroyer blocked an Iranian oil tanker from crusing to an Iranian port, the U.S. Central Command mentioned on social media on Monday.

In Lebanon, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah additionally seems to be fragile. Israel has carried out widespread strikes within the south of the nation and Hezbollah has fired a number of drones at Israeli troops.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F09%2F38%2F57d382bd49bb87cc5e3b10bee0bb%2Fap26117545379836.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F09%2F38%2F57d382bd49bb87cc5e3b10bee0bb%2Fap26117545379836.jpg" class="img" alt="A boat sails past a tanker anchored on the Strait of Hormuz off the coast Qeshm island, Iran, April 18, 2026." loading="lazy"/> A ship sails previous a tanker anchored on the Strait of Hormuz off the coast Qeshm island, Iran, April 18, 2026. Asghar Besharati/AP cover caption

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Asghar Besharati/AP Listed here are additional developments within the Center East battle:

Strait of Hormuz | Lebanon | Worldwide reactions | Iraq's new prime minister

Rubio says Iran's try to regulate the Strait of Hormuz cannot be tolerated Rubio additionally spoke towards Iran's try to regulate the Strait of Hormuz, the important thing waterway by means of which about 20% of the world's oil passes, primarily from Gulf nations to markets in Asia.

"They can not normalize nor can we tolerate them making an attempt to normalize a system wherein the Iranians resolve who will get to make use of a global waterway and the way a lot you need to pay them to make use of it," he mentioned.

Site visitors has largely been at a standstill within the Strait of Hormuz since Iran moved to exert its management over the strait in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes. The U.S. has additionally imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, in a transfer aimed toward growing financial stress on Iran to comply with Washington's phrases for an finish to the conflict.

Israel and Hezbollah commerce hearth The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon seemed to be fraying on Tuesday as peace talks between the U.S. and Iran remained in flux.

Israel has carried out widespread strikes in Lebanon's south as Hezbollah has fired a number of drones at Israeli troops.

The short-term ceasefire, which got here into impact almost two weeks in the past, continues to be largely in place. No strikes have taken place in Beirut since that truce was agreed in Washington, with U.S. mediation.

However elsewhere within the nation, assaults have been ramping up from each side. Within the south, many needed to re-evacuate their houses.

The talks between the U.S. and Iran — which have largely stagnated — have been linked to the ceasefire in Lebanon. Iran has beforehand demanded that Israel cease its assaults in Lebanon as a situation to proceed negotiating with the U.S.

Worldwide backlash over the conflict in Iran The extended blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is being met with elevated criticism by world leaders, with some scrambling to take care of rising discontent over excessive gasoline costs which have pushed up dwelling prices.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz blasted the U.S. administration on Monday for missing a technique in its conflict with Iran.

"The Individuals clearly don't have any technique. And the issue with conflicts like that is at all times that it is not sufficient simply to get in - you additionally need to get out," Merz instructed a pupil discussion board within the German city of Marsberg on Monday.

He mentioned Iranians have been "maybe very skillfully refusing to barter" by having the U.S. delegation journey to Islamabad and concluding the talks with no consequence.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2667x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6d%2F57%2Fd6a99e1546eeab9c5fb3760dff6a%2Fap26114554305366.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2667x4000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6d%2F57%2Fd6a99e1546eeab9c5fb3760dff6a%2Fap26114554305366.jpg" class="img" alt="In this photo released by Tasnim News Agency, Revolutionary Guard Navy (IRGC) armed men climb aboard the cargo ship MSC Francesca during what state media described as the seizure of one of two vessels accused of violations in the Strait of Hormuz, April 21, 2026." loading="lazy"/> On this photograph launched by Tasnim Information Company, Revolutionary Guard Navy (IRGC) armed males climb aboard the cargo ship MSC Francesca throughout what state media described because the seizure of considered one of two vessels accused of violations within the Strait of Hormuz, April 21, 2026. Meysam Mirzadeh/AP/Tasnim Information Company cover caption

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Meysam Mirzadeh/AP/Tasnim Information Company "A whole nation is being humiliated by the Iranian management, particularly by these so-called Revolutionary Guards," Merz mentioned.

His feedback got here as Bahrain, a U.S. ally and one of many Gulf nations that had its oil refineries attacked by Iranian drones, convened a high-level assembly on the United Nations to demand that Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

Whereas many of the nations sided with Bahrain's name, Russian and Chinese language representatives blamed the blockade on the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Bahrain-sponsored assertion didn't point out the U.S. blockade of the passage.

Australia's overseas minister, Penny Wong, started a diplomatic tour in Japan, China and South Korea to debate "shared vitality safety" amid rising considerations of export controls by Asian nations.

"In fact I am involved about what is going on within the Strait of Hormuz and what's occurring by way of Australia's provides. We're all involved, which is why we're ensuring we interact with the nations of the area," she mentioned Monday.

She mentioned that Australia and the nations within the area, which get 80% of their oil provide by means of the Strait of Hormuz, have been "disproportionately affected."

Iraqi leaders agree on a brand new prime minister Iraqi political leaders have agreed on a brand new prime minister months after an election.

The prime minister designate, Ali al-Zaidi, a banker, is a political newcomer.

Zaidi is seen as a compromise candidate after President Trump rejected an Iran-backed former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to guide the nation.

The U.S. controls Iraq's provide of {dollars} and has used that as leverage.

Zaidi is a controversial decide who nonetheless faces hurdles earlier than taking the job.

He headed an Iraqi financial institution that was amongst a bunch of economic establishments denied entry to {dollars} two years in the past, by means of the Iraqi banking system, because of considerations of cash being channeled to Iran.