Live updates: Vance in Pakistan for Iran peace talks as Hormuz tensions rise
This version of Live Updates Trump Iran Hormuz Israel Lebanon Ceasefire Talks Pakistan Rcna285140 - World News | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
Vice President JD Vance is in Islamabad for talks with Iran as fighting in Lebanon continues and slow traffic in the Strait of Hormuz fuels market concerns.
What to know
- PEACE TALKS: Vice President JD Vance is in Islamabad for peace talks with Iran, saying he thought the discussions were “going to be positive.” Tehran has taken a hard-line public stance ahead of the negotiations, saying it remains “distrustful” of the U.S.
- HORMUZ AT A STANDSTILL: President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is “clearing” the key Strait of Hormuz trade route as a “favor” to the world. Only a handful of ships have transited the waterway since the agreement, and oil prices have climbed again.
- LEBANON STRIKES: Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued this morning, after the issue threatened to collapse the Iran ceasefire. The U.S. ally said it planned direct talks with Lebanon's government next week, sparking protests from supporters of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
- DEATH TOLL: Iranian officials have not released a recent death toll. The U.S.-based rights group HRANA put the total number of people killed at almost 3,400, including more than 1,600 civilians. More than 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon, and 23 people have died in Israel. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed, and two more died of noncombat causes.
- INSIGHTS AND ANALYSIS: Get exclusive analysis and insight into the Middle East conflict by becoming an NBC News subscriber.
Tribal gas stations offer a reprieve from high prices during Iran war
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Junelle Lewis was on the hunt for a reprieve from Seattle-area gas prices driven high by the Iran war when an app on her phone gave her the answer: the Tulalip Reservation north of the city, almost half an hour from her home.
She didn’t hesitate.
“I purposely drove here just for the gas,” Lewis said while filling up her Chevrolet Suburban at the Tulalip Market this week for $4.84 a gallon (3.8 liters) — about 75 cents less than prices near home. “Gas is ridiculous. But I have found, honestly, over the years, this gas station specifically is cheaper than a lot around here. Probably the cheapest.”
Lewis isn’t the only driver who has discovered that some of cheapest fuel can be found on Native American reservations.
Especially in California, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Washington state — places with dozens of tribally owned stations, including some in busy travel corridors — tribes exempt from state fuel taxes can sell for much less than competing stations nearby.
U.S., Iran and Pakistan talks ongoing
Trilateral in-person negotiations between the U.S., Iran and Pakistan are ongoing, according to a senior White House official.
Eight killed in Israeli raids on southern Lebanon
Eight people were killed and nine wounded in Israeli raids on Lebanon's southern town of Tuffahta, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Five of the wounded are in critical condition, according to the ministry.
Pope Leo blasts ‘delusion of omnipotence’ fueling the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran
ROME — In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV today denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.
Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan and as a fragile ceasefire held.
History’s first U.S.-born pope didn’t mention the United States or President Donald Trump in his prayer, which was planned before the talks were announced. But Leo’s tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo demanded. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
U.S. begins process to clear mines in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. began "setting conditions" for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz that were laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to U.S. Central Command.
Two U.S. Navy-guided missile destroyers, the USS Frank E. Peterson and the USS Michael Murphy, transited the strait as part of the mission, CENTCOM said in a statement.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” CENTCOM Cmdr. Adm. Brad Cooper said.
Additional resources, including underwater drones, will join the mission "in the coming days," CENTCOM said.
Iran "remains determined not to allow any vessel to transit without authorization," semiofficial news agency Tasnim reported. According to the outlet, there is no traffic in the strait at the moment, and "the American destroyer that intended to pass through the strait was not granted permission."
Trump suggests the U.S. knows where Iranian sea mines are in Strait of Hormuz
Trump told Kellie Meyer of News Nation on the phone this morning that the U.S. knows where Iranian sea mines are in the Strait of Hormuz.
When Meyer asked if the U.S. can "help get them out," Trump said it's only a matter of time.
"We have the most, yeah, we’ve got the most sophisticated mine equipment in the world," Trump said. "We know it. We’re just bringing it to the location."
Trump also said the strait will be open "in the not-too-distant future," adding that "people are seeing that there are other alternatives to going through the strait."
When asked how he thinks talks between the U.S. and Iran will go, he responded, "I have no idea."
Pakistan to join in on talks later today
The U.S., Iran and Pakistan will hold a trilateral face-to-face meeting today.
The U.S. core delegation includes Vice President JD Vance, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The broader delegation includes deputy national security adviser to the president and national security adviser to the vice president Andrew Baker, special adviser to the vice president for Asian affairs Michael Vance and a full suite of U.S. experts on relevant subject areas.
Additional experts are supporting from Washington.
Talks between Iran and U.S. begin
Talks between Iran and the U.S. have begun in Islamabad, Pakistan, several hours after they were initially expected to start.
Vice President JD Vance, adviser Jared Kushner and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff are the only officials expected from the U.S. side in the room. On the Iranian side, it is just expected to be the Iranian foreign minister and parliament speaker.
A translator on each side is also expected, as well as U.S. Secret Service special agents.
Three Iranian nationals with ties to terrorist spokesperson in ICE custody, State Department says
Three Iranian nationals with ties to a person identified as a spokeswoman for "terrorists" are now in ICE custody, according to the State Department.
The individuals were identified as Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son. Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, a woman the State Department says "was the spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he terminated the family's lawful permanent resident status this week after the Obama administration granted it to them in 2016 via the diversity immigrant visa program.
"Her family should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in our country," Rubio wrote on X.
The family is now in ICE custody pending their removal from the U.S.
Trump says U.S. is ‘clearing’ Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military has started to clear the Strait of Hormuz and all of Iran’s minelaying ships have been sunk, Trump said on Truth Social today as peace negotiations get underway in Islamabad.
Trump said Iran's navy, anti-aircraft apparatus and air forces were "gone" and that "the only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may “bunk” into one of its sea mines.
The president added that "all 28 of their mine dropper boats are also lying at the bottom of the sea."
“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as favor to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” he said.
Empty oil tankers heading to the U.S. to 'load up,' says Trump
Empty oil tankers are heading to the U.S. to load up on American oil and gas, Trump said in Truth Social post today.
"Massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the World, are heading, right now, to the United States to load up with the best and 'sweetest' oil (and gas!) anywhere in the World," he said.
The majority of oil produced in the U.S. is used domestically.
Trump's comments came after he accused Iran of violating its ceasefire promises by “doing a very poor job” of opening up the key Strait of Hormuz trade route.
Only a handful of ships have transited the waterway since the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, and oil prices have climbed again.
"We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined — and higher quality," Trump said in the post. "We are waiting for you."
In another post, Trump responded to reports of soaring prices for fertilizer, which is reliant on oil and gas byproducts.
He said: "I am watching fertilizer prices CLOSELY during our FIGHT FOR FREEDOM in Iran. The United States will not accept PRICE GOUGING from the fertilizer monopoly! American Farmers, we have your back!"
U.S. official rejects Iranian report that Washington agreed to releasing frozen assets
A senior U.S. official pushed back on a Iranian state media report that said the United States had agreed to release Iran's frozen assets.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the claim is "false."
No safe place in Lebanon, says UNICEF
There is "no longer a safe place in Lebanon," UNICEF said today as Israeli airstrikes continued to strike the country.
"In less than 10 minutes, over a hundred airstrikes killed hundreds of people, just as a ceasefire was being discussed in the region," spokesperson Christophe Boulierac said in a video posted on X.
In the capital, Beirut, "several neighborhoods which had never been targeted before were suddenly bombed," he added. "Dozens of attacks in less 10 minutes killed dozens of children and injured several hundred.”
Tea, coffee and music: Pakistan seeks to break the tension as world await news from talks
Security is tight in Islamabad as talks take place, with streets empty and police and military out in force lining the secure "Red Zone."
A deserted road leading to the Red Zone area is pictured after authorities restricted movement ahead of U.S.-Iran peace talks. Farooq Naeem / AFP - Getty Images
A Pakistani army soldier keeps watch from a rooftop during the arrival of Vice President JD Vance. Farooq Naeem / AFP - Getty Images
Journalists covering the talks at the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad have been treated to tea, coffee and music as they await the results of the high-stakes negotiations.
Musicians played in front of a large banner reading “Islamabad talks,” one of many outside and inside the conference venue, decorated with flags representing Iran, the U.S. and Pakistan.
Vance holds meeting with Pakistan PM
Vance has held a meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as U.S.-Iran talks commenced in Islamabad today, the prime minister's office said.
JD Vance shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during their meeting before U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad. Handout via Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office / AFP - Getty Images
"The U.S. Vice President was assisted by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr. Jared Kushner," the office said in a release.
"Commending the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region," it continued.
The Iranian delegation in Islamabad is also set for talks with Sharif today, Iran's semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.
Iranian delegation meets with Pakistan’s prime minister
The Iranian delegation in Islamabad for talks with the U.S. met with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian state media reported.
Sharif is a key mediator in the talks, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets with Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Islamabad, Pakistan, today. Office of the Iranian Parliament Speaker / West Asia News Agency via Reuters
Israel launches strikes in Lebanon ahead of U.S.-Iran peace talks
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on April 11. Abbas Fakih / AFP - Getty Images
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Al Taybeh on April 11. AFP - Getty Images
Israeli airstrikes at dawn today killed three people when they hit a residential building in the southern Lebanese town of Mefdoun, the Lebanese state-run National News Agency reported.
"The enemy aircraft also carried out a series of raids on the town of Toul, near Nabatieh, destroying several residential buildings on Martyr Sabra Street and in the Al-Maqam neighborhood," it said, adding that strikes set an electricity complex ablaze in the town of Jebchit.
The Iran-backed group Hezbollah said it had fired rockets into Israel this morning, adding: "This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people stops."
U.S. delegation arrives in Pakistan for talks with Iran
A U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Pakistan for talks with Iran today.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance disembarks from Air Force Two after arriving for talks with Iranian officials Jacquelyn Martin / AFP - Getty Images
U.S. Vice President JD Vance walks with Pakistani officials after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad. Jacquelyn Martin / AFP - Getty Images
Vance was joined in the capital, Islamabad, by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have also led past U.S. negotiations on Gaza and Ukraine.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, told "Meet the Press NOW" that Pakistan, with its government serving as mediator, would provide a setting to “iron out” disagreements between warring parties.
The Pakistani foreign ministry expressed hope that both sides would engage in constructive talks, reiterating in a statement "Pakistan’s desire to continue facilitating the parties towards reaching lasting and durable solution to the conflict."
Iranian parliament speaker expresses hope and mistrust ahead of talks with U.S.
Iran's parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said his country is approaching weekend peace talks with goodwill and readiness to come to a deal.
But he also expressed mistrust toward the U.S. after the last round of talks about Iran’s nuclear program, which appeared to be progressing, became a prelude to unexpected attacks.
“Unfortunately, our experience of negotiating with the Americans has always been accompanied by failure and breaches of commitments,” Ghalibaf said upon arrival to Islamabad ahead of peace talks with the U.S., according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.
Iran's parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf looks at the photos of the children killed in Madrasa Minab in Iran, while aboard a plane on his way to Pakistan. AFP - Getty Images
He continued, “Twice within less than a year, in the middle of negotiations, despite the goodwill of the Iranian side, they attacked us and committed multiple war crimes.”
The speaker offered hope, but clearly expressed wariness, according to the Tasnim report.
“We have goodwill,” Ghalibaf said. “But we do not have trust.”
Still, he said that Iran is ready to come to an agreement if the U.S. shows readiness.
“In the upcoming negotiations, if the American side is ready for a genuine agreement and to grant the rights of the Iranian nation, they will see readiness for agreement from us as well,” he said. “However, in the current war we have shown them that if they intend to use negotiations as a fruitless display or a deceptive operation, we are prepared to realize our rights with faith in God and reliance on the strength of our nation.”
Hundreds of supporters of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah gathered outside the Lebanese prime minister’s office to protest against planned talks with Israel. An intense wave of Israeli bombing has killed hundreds of people across Lebanon in recent days.
Pakistan’s ambassador says U.S.-Iran talks can solve a lot
Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, expressed hope that the talks could serve as a one-stop event to end the war and resolve issues between the sides.
Responding to President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iran again if a deal isn’t reached, Sheikh said on "Meet the Press NOW" yesterday, “If we get this right, I think we would not have to go anywhere else.”
He offered the negotiations as a moment to answer the question of whether Lebanon should be covered by the current ceasefire. Pakistan’s prime minister initially said it was, but Israel has treated it as separate from the ceasefire and continued to strike the country.
Sheikh said Pakistan, its government serving as mediator, would be a setting to “iron out” other disagreements between warring parties.
He said his country will give advice — “maybe” — when it’s solicited, but that it’s otherwise up to the U.S. and Iran to “strike a solution.”
