U.S.-Iran talks nonetheless in limbo after Iran seizes ships : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd8%2Fdb%2F12a308ff45a28ca7eaf804f5da95%2Fgettyimages-2271974157.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd8%2Fdb%2F12a308ff45a28ca7eaf804f5da95%2Fgettyimages-2271974157.jpg" class="img" alt="Ships are anchored near the shoreline on April 22, 2026 in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Bandar Abbas is a port city and the capital of Hormozgan Province, along the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz." fetchpriority="high"/> Ships are anchored close to the shoreline on April 22, 2026 in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Bandar Abbas is a port metropolis and the capital of Hormozgan Province, alongside the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. Getty Photographs disguise caption

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Getty Photographs U.S.-Iran peace talks remained in limbo Thursday, a day after Iran seized two industrial ships within the Strait of Hormuz, with no indicators the 2 sides have been near resuming negotiations.

President Trump stated on social media Tuesday he was extending the ceasefire indefinitely, hours earlier than it was set to run out. He advised Fox Information on Wednesday that there was "no time stress" both on the truce or setting a brand new date for talks.

Iran dismissed Trump's extension as "meaningless" and stated it might not return to negotiations until america lifted its naval blockade on Iranian ports. The U.S. Central Command stated it has directed 31 vessels to alter course since imposing its blockade earlier this month.

Oil was once more buying and selling at over $100 a barrel Thursday because the deadlock continued to disrupt transport via the strait, a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of the world's crude oil and pure fuel.

Hours after Trump's announcement, Iran attacked three industrial vessels within the slender waterway and seized two of them, additional tightening its grip on one of many world's most vital transport lanes.

Lebanon, in the meantime, is about to pursue an extension of its U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel throughout a second spherical of talks in Washington on Thursday. The talks come a day after Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at the least 5 folks, together with a Lebanese journalist.

The newest regional turmoil coincided with a shakeup on the Pentagon, the place U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan was dismissed following months of pressure with senior Pentagon officers, together with Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F79%2F7b%2Fa5d89ea049f9ab089a81adfb586f%2Fgettyimages-2271904687.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F79%2F7b%2Fa5d89ea049f9ab089a81adfb586f%2Fgettyimages-2271904687.jpg" class="img" alt="A man reads a newspaper with a front page article referring to anticipated US-Iran peace talks, at a stall in Islamabad on April 22, 2026. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump for extending a ceasefire with Iran and indefinitely pushing back the end of the two week truce, with Tehran silent on the decision early on April 22. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP via Getty Images)" loading="lazy"/> A person reads a newspaper with a entrance web page article referring to anticipated US-Iran peace talks, at a stall in Islamabad on April 22, 2026. Asif Hassan/AFP by way of Getty Photographs disguise caption

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Asif Hassan/AFP by way of Getty Photographs Listed below are the most recent developments on Day 55 of the Center East struggle:

Israel-Lebanon talks | Navy Secretary dismissed

Second spherical of Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington Israel and Lebanon are set to carry a second spherical of ambassador-level talks in Washington on Thursday, as each side discover extending the delicate 10-day ceasefire that took impact final week.

The talks observe the primary high-level contact between the 2 nations in a long time and are available as Lebanon seeks to cease the preventing between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Lebanon can also be making an attempt to safe the withdrawal of Israeli troops nonetheless occupying components of the nation's south, the place Israel desires to determine a "buffer zone" to maintain Hezbollah from launching strikes into northern Israel.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F47%2F21%2F7668ba184bd0986736e812b15b4a%2Fgettyimages-2272048864.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F47%2F21%2F7668ba184bd0986736e812b15b4a%2Fgettyimages-2272048864.jpg" class="img" alt="A woman mourns next to a press ballistic helmet as relatives and friends gather at the house of Amal Khalil, a veteran correspondent for the daily newspaper Al-Akhbar who was killed in a reported Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, in the village of Bisariyeh on April 23, 2026." loading="lazy"/> A lady mourns subsequent to a press ballistic helmet as family and mates collect on the home of Amal Khalil, a veteran correspondent for the each day newspaper Al-Akhbar who was killed in a reported Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, within the village of Bisariyeh on April 23, 2026. Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP by way of Getty Photographs disguise caption

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Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP by way of Getty Photographs The Israeli authorities has known as on the Lebanese authorities to do extra to stress Hezbollah into disarming.

Salman Harb, a Hezbollah spokesperson, advised NPR that the group maintained its "proper to withstand" if Israel refused to withdraw from Lebanon.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday killed at the least 5 folks, together with Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil. Lebanese officers stated Khalil and one other journalist took shelter in a home after a close-by car was focused, however the constructing was then struck as nicely. Medics stated they have been in a position to rescue a wounded journalist accompanying her. They then got here beneath fireplace and have been compelled to retreat earlier than they may save Khalil, who later died beneath the rubble. The Israeli navy stated it was responding to an "imminent risk" and was reviewing the incident.

Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of concentrating on journalists.

"Israel's concentrating on of media staff within the south whereas they perform their skilled duties is not remoted incidents, however has change into a longtime method that we condemn and reject, as do all worldwide legal guidelines and conventions," Salam wrote in a put up on social media.

A minimum of eight journalists have been killed by Israel in Lebanon because the begin of the battle, in line with the Committee to Mission Journalists.

U.S. Navy secretary dismissed The newest regional turmoil coincides with one other shakeup on the Pentagon, the place Navy Secretary John Phelan was dismissed on Wednesday.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa5%2F66%2F4b4b57064970b24ee56a29507595%2Fgettyimages-2225462024.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa5%2F66%2F4b4b57064970b24ee56a29507595%2Fgettyimages-2225462024.jpg" class="img" alt="John Phelan, 79th U.S. Secretary of the Navy speaks onstage during the Reindustrialize Conference 2025 on July 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan." loading="lazy"/> John Phelan, 79th U.S. Secretary of the Navy speaks onstage through the Reindustrialize Convention 2025 on July 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Photographs North America disguise caption

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Tasos Katopodis/Getty Photographs North America The Pentagon stated solely that Phelan was "departing the administration, efficient instantly," and stated that Undersecretary Hung Cao would function appearing Navy secretary.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), who heads the Senate Armed Providers Committee, known as Phelan's dismissal "one other instance of the instability and dysfunction which have come to outline the Division of Protection beneath President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth."

Phelan, a billionaire investor with no naval expertise, was the service's prime civilian official who oversaw the Navy's funds, personnel and energy to construct extra ships. He was not, nonetheless, answerable for day-to-day operations going down within the Center East.

Phelan's departure places him on a listing of over 30 Pentagon officers who've been ousted since Hegseth's arrival on the Pentagon, a lot of them generals and admirals.

Jane Arraf in Amman, Jordan, Kat Lonsdorf and Jawad Rizkallah in Beirut, Lebanon, Rebecca Rosman in London and Greg Myre Washington contributed reporting to this story.