US says warships passed Hormuz amid ongoing talks with Iran

We moved coverage to a new blog after we learned that JD Vance was going to deliver remarks to the press. He said there was no deal with Iran yet. Follow here.

Iran's government said in a post on X that "negotiations will continue despite some remaining differences."

Trilateral in-person negotiations between the US, Iran and Pakistan continued into the early hours on Sunday in Islamabad.

The White House is yet to comment on the status of negotiations. 

Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has said that military vessels may not pass through the Strait of Hormuz, hours after the US military said two of its warships had passed through to begin mine-clearing operations.

"Any attempt by military vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will be dealt with severely. The IRGC Navy has full authority to manage the Strait of Hormuz intelligently," the Guards' Navy Command said, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

The IRGC added that permission to enter the strait would only be "granted to civilian vessels under specific conditions."

As talks between the US and Iranian delegations in Pakistan carried on into the early hours of Sunday, US President Donald Trump said it "makes no difference" if a deal is made.

"We’re sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me," Trump told journalists. "The reason is because we've won."

Little is known about the talks, taking place behind closed doors, but Iranian TV reported that an agreement had not yet been found on the Strait of Hormuz, a key aspect in any deal, following two rounds of talks.

In his comments to reporters, Trump also warned that China would have "big problems" if it ships arms to Iran.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has rejected the reports that US warships passed through the Strait of Hormuz for mine-clearing operations.

A spokesperson was cited by Tasnim as saying: "The claim by the Centcom commander that US vessels have approached and entered the Strait of Hormuz is strongly denied, and the passage of any vessel is only at the initiative of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

US Central Command (Centcom) earlier stated that two US warships had passed through the strait. Neither claim could be independently verified.

The war has seen repeated cases of the US and Iran giving contradictory statements about events.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that any peace agreed with Lebanon must be long-lasting.

"Lebanon has approached us. In the past month, it has reached out several times to begin direct peace talks," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

"I have given my approval, but on two conditions: we want the dismantling of Hezbollah's weapons, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations."

Hezbollah has protested the talks between Lebanon and Israel.

The first two rounds of talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan have come to an end, according to Iranian state TV, with a third round expected to start either tonight or tomorrow.

"According to information provided to the state TV correspondent by a person close to the negotiating team, another round of negotiations will likely be held tonight or tomorrow," state broadcaster IRIB reported.

The two sides have been exchanging texts to reach a common framework, according to semi-official news agency Tasnim, with the Iranian side accusing the US delegation of pushing forward excessive demands.

The future of the Strait of Hormuz was reportedly a particular sticking point in the talks, Tasnim said. The US has demanded the strait be opened unconditionally, while Iran wants recognition of its control over the key maritime region.

Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born leader of the Catholic Church, sharpened his condemnation of the US-Israeli war in Iran on Saturday after negotiations began in Pakistan.

He said the war had been fueled by a "delusion of omnipotence," without mentioning the US or President Trump by name.

His comments came during an evening prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica.

He called on political leaders to stop the war and negotiate a peace. The pontiff has been increasingly outspoken over the war, increasing the Vatican's participation in political affairs.

The White House appears to have made an enemy of the US pope, having used religion to justify the conflict.

"Enough of the idolatry of self and money!" Leo demanded in a not-so-subtle attack on Trump. "Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!"

US Central Command (Centcom) said on Saturday that two US warships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz to start clearing away mines laid by Iran.

"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," said Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper.

Iran had earlier reported warning US warships not to enter the strait, threatening to attack the vessels. The US denied receiving such a warning.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has spoken with his Iranian counterpart Massoud Pezeshkian amid the ongoing US-Iran talks in Pakistan.

"I stressed ‌the need for Iran ‌to ​restore freedom of navigation and security in the ​Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible, to ⁠which ​France ​stands ready to contribute," Macron wrote on X.

"​I insisted on ‌the importance of fully respecting ​the ⁠ceasefire, including in Lebanon."

A source has informed DW that talks in Islamabad have begun on a Lebanon ceasefire, which the Iranian side has repeatedly stressed. Iran also wants its assets unfrozen and long-standing sanctions lifted, which have hurt its economy.

"Face-to-face talks are now going on between both the delegations. There is cautious optimism that the parties will extend the truce and continue negotiations toward a peaceful and lasting resolution. We hope the talks will soon lead to a meaningful and constructive outcome," the source told DW. 

Washington is ready to seriously consider sanctions relief, but it demands Iranian nuclear and missile concessions. The US also wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened unconditionally.

Supporters of Hezbollah took to the streets of Beirut to protest planned direct talks with Israel to end the war.

People carried Hezbollah and Iranian flags and pictures of deceased leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike in September 2024.

Lebanon and Israel are planning to hold direct talks in the US next week, for the first time in decades.

Israel's attacks on Lebanon have focused on Hezbollah positions. The most recent conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

Israel has subsequently launched a ground operation and displaced thousands of people from the south of Lebanon.

The continuation of Israeli attacks after the announcement of the ceasefire deal between Iran and the US has also jeopardized the deal.

DPA reported, citing a source from the Lebanese parliament, that the US has assured Israeli attacks will ease over the weekend to pave the way for a possible ceasefire by Wednesday.

President Donald Trump has claimed that US warships crossed through the contested Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, while Iran has denied the claim and warned that any US vessel attempting to traverse the waterway will be attacked. 

Trump took to social media to announce that the US had started "the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz," as "a favor" to countries such as China, Japan and France, that "don't have the courage or will to do this work themselves."

Trump has been angered that allies have not leapt at the chance to join the US-Israeli war in Iran and pry open the Strait of Hormuz — a key global shipping chokepoint that Iran has maintained an iron grip on since the US and Israel launched their attacks on the Islamic Republic on February 28.

Trump's claim also comes as US and Iranian negotiators meet in Islamabad, Pakistan, in hopes of hammering out a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Iranian media outlets have quoted navy officials who said US sailors had been warned that they will be attacked if they continue on their current course.  

The Iranian delegation in Islamabad lodged a formal complaint over the provocation and demanded the vessel turn back.

The heads of several United Nations agencies on Saturday published an open letter calling for an immediate end to all military action that violates international law in the Middle East.

The statement, penned by UN humanitarian boss Tom Fletcher and other agency leaders, decried "sustained violations of the rules of war and international humanitarian law." 

Blasting the current situation brought on by the US-Israeli war against Iran, which was launched on February 28, and with the nightmare of Gaza still unresolved, UN agency heads said: "In just the last month across the Middle East, thousands of civilians have been killed and injured. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced, many multiple times."

"The numbers continue to rise and essential services are increasingly difficult to access," read the statement, with agency leaders expressing concern over the conflict's impact on "women and children and others with specific needs" as well as on prices for food and fuel around the globe.

The international body also pointed out that aid workers are paying an increasingly high price to help those trapped in war zones. 

"Fourteen aid workers have been killed or injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, eight in Iran and five in Lebanon" since the beginning of this year, said the statement, which called this "an alarming toll."

Finally, the statement very strongly condemned "all attacks on civilians, including humanitarian and aid workers, as well as civilian objects." 

While urging governments and armed non-state actors to respect the legal obligation to protect all civilians, the statement concluded by saying, "all violations must be met with accountability."

Senior US and Iranian officials convened in Islamabad on Saturday for high-stakes talks aimed at ending their conflict in the Middle East, which has claimed thousands of lives, disrupted energy markets, and seriously strained the global economy following six weeks of fighting.

DW has learned that the discussions are currently unfolding in two separate tracks —one between the Pakistani hosts and the United States, and another between Pakistan and Iran. The delegations may transition to a trilateral format if enough progress is made on their stated demands and conditions.

Officials in Islamabad say they are ready to facilitate both parties in any capacity required, although the ultimate decision on the structure and format of the talks will rest with Tehran and Washington.

The talks are weighed down by the continued fighting in Lebanon, even as positive signals from Islamabad suggest efforts are underway to address Tehran’s concerns on the issue.