What we're covering
• Hectic diplomacy: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is headed to Russia and is expected to meet with President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss the status of negotiations, according to state media, after visiting with key mediators in Pakistan and Oman this weekend. Araghchi said earlier that it’s not clear if Washington is “truly serious about diplomacy” after US President Donald Trump scrapped plans for his envoys to visit Pakistan.
• Peace talks stalled: Trump said talks will continue by phone after Iran declined to meet directly with American negotiators. “If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us,” Trump said Sunday and reiterated that the war would “come to an end very soon.”
• In Lebanon: The fragile ceasefire is under growing pressure as Israel and Hezbollah have increased attacks on each other despite a US-brokered extension to the ceasefire that was supposed to halt fighting for three more weeks.
• Economic standoff: In the absence of a deal, a US naval blockade is causing rising food prices and unemployment for everyday Iranians, while Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has economic ripple effects around the world.
Trump's claim that Iran's oil lines will explode within 3 days are overstated, experts say
President Donald Trump claimed that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports has prevented Iran from effectively distributing its oil and will result in explosions within three days because of mechanical and geological issues.
“When you have, you know, lines of vast amounts of oil pouring through your system, if for any reason that line is closed because you can’t continue to put it into containers or ships — which has happened to them; they have no ships because of the blockade — what happens is that line explodes from within, both mechanically and in the earth,” Trump said in a phone interview on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.”
“It’s something that happens where it just explodes,” Trump added. “And they say they only have about three days left before that happens. And when it explodes, you can never … rebuild it the way it was.”
Experts told CNN that Trump is vastly overstating what happens when an oil-producing state can no longer export. Iran’s oil facilities are unlikely to explode, since many have been shut down, the experts explained.
“When tankers are no longer available to load oil production, the onshore inventories begin to fill up. As onshore facilities fill up, one begins to cut production. That has already happened in Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE. There have been no explosions in this regard, as yet,” Andy Lipow, of Lipow Oil Associates, told CNN over email.
But shutting wells could result in decreased oil production in the future once facilities are reopened, he noted.
Ultimately, “the oil will not explode,” Lipow said.
Iranian foreign minister has left Pakistan for Russia, state media reports
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has left Islamabad and is en route to Russia, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.
Araghchi will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and “consult with Russian officials on the latest status of the negotiations, the ceasefire and surrounding developments,” the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported earlier, citing Iran’s ambassador to Moscow.
The foreign minister’s departure marks the end of two visits to Pakistan in 48 hours, as hopes for further face-to-face US-Iranian talks dissipated.
Soon after IRIB published its report, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam thanked Pakistani leadership for “their tireless efforts” to end the war.
This post has been updated with additional details.
Israeli soldier killed in southern Lebanon, military says, bringing toll to 16
An Israeli soldier was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday, according to the Israeli military. It marks the 16th soldier killed in southern Lebanon since the war with Iran began eight weeks ago.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified the soldier as Sgt. Idan Fooks, 19.
The IDF said four other soldiers were severely wounded in the incident.
Earlier Sunday, Hezbollah announced it had launched on attack on Israeli forces in the town of Taybeh with a loitering glider and “achieved a confirmed hit.”
Israel sent Iron Dome air defense system to UAE during Iran war, source says
Israel secretly deployed an Iron Dome air defense system and dozens of soldiers to the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran, an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN on Sunday. The move marks a new level of unprecedented military cooperation between the two countries, who signed a normalization agreement under the Abraham Accords in 2020.
The Israeli source confirmed a report by Axios that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defense Forces to send an Iron Dome battery to the UAE, along with interceptor crews, following a call with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
The UAE was targeted by Iran more than any other country in the region – even more than Israel – as it was attacked with more than 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones, according to the Emirati Ministry of Defense. The UAE claimed an interception rate of more than 90%, while a fraction did strike military and civilian targets.
Iron Dome is an Israeli-developed mobile, short‑range air‑defense system that intercepts rockets, mortars, artillery shells and drones. Israel has previously concluded several arms deals to sell the system abroad, but this appears to be the first time it has been deployed to another country and used operationally. The system intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles during the war, Axios reported citing an Israeli official.
For context: Cooperation between Israel and the UAE has steadily deepened since the Abraham Accords were signed under the first Trump administration in 2020. The two countries have developed a close military and intelligence partnership, which has been on display during the Iran war, the Israeli source told CNN.
Meanwhile: Trump reiterates his assessment that Iran war could end "soon"
US President Donald Trump elaborated Sunday morning on his decision to cancel his envoys’ planned trip to Pakistan, also saying that Iranian authorities “can call” if they want to talk.
The US delegation was set to be led by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. CNN previously reported that Vice President JD Vance would have been on standby to travel to Islamabad in the event that the talks progressed.
That the US delegation was at least 17 hours away by plane, however, is something that would have posed a logistical hurdle, as the US negotiators would have been unlikely to land in Islamabad prior to the departure of the Iranian delegation – something Trump acknowledged during the interview with Fox.
Araghchi calls Arab and European counterparts in diplomatic push
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi churned through phone calls with counterparts in Egypt, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey this weekend – after regional hopes of further US-Iran talks dissipated.
The Iranian foreign minister made a short stop in Muscat on Sunday, before returning to Islamabad for another meeting. At the same time, Iranian state media reported that Araghchi spoke to Arab and European foreign ministers about efforts to pursue diplomacy with Washington – where Trump administration officials have yet to commit to more in-person negotiations.
- Egypt: Araghchi held a phone call with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) said on Sunday. The two talked about “diplomacy, the ceasefire” and “the latest regional developments.
- France: France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot “expressed hope that ongoing dialogue would lead to peace in the region” during a call with Araghchi, according to Iran’s semi-official agency, Mehr News. Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister emphasized “the importance of European countries playing a constructive role” in a long-lasting ceasefire.
- Turkey: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke to Araghchi late Saturday, ISNA reported.
- Qatar: In a call with Araghchi, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani reaffirmed his “readiness to continue playing an active role in mediation and facilitating dialogue” to end the war, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
- Saudi Arabia: Araghchi briefed Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on “the latest diplomatic efforts and initiatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran aimed at ending the war and reducing tensions,” according to Tasnim News Agency.
Why Iran's top diplomat is visiting Russia during his overseas tour
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has visited key mediators in Pakistan and Oman on Sunday, and he is next heading to Russia, highlighting the countries’ long standing partnership.
Russia has remained a critical diplomatic ally for Iran throughout the conflict with the United States. The Kremlin has repeatedly offered to take custody of Iran’s enriched uranium, proposing to store or reprocess it on Russian soil.
While this could theoretically resolve some of the key US demands in negotiations to end its war with Iran, US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer, presumably wanting to stave off Moscow – already a global leader in nuclear energy – from gaining even more leverage.
Beyond uranium, Iran and Russia signed a 20-year treaty in January 2025 strengthening their economic, military and political partnership. Russia views US strikes on Iran as “unprovoked aggression,” but crucially, the agreement signed by Tehran and Moscow stopped short of a mutual-defense pact.
Earlier this week, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he “highly appreciated” Islamabad’s mediation efforts between Iran and the US in a call with his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar, while voicing Moscow’s “readiness to contribute.”
In March, CNN reported that Russia was providing Iran with intelligence about the locations and movements of American troops, ships and aircraft, according to multiple people familiar with US intelligence reporting on the issue – the first indication that Moscow sought to get involved in the war.
Araghchi’s trip to Moscow on Monday is a sign that Tehran will be looking to consult its partners in the Kremlin amid the conflict.
This post has been corrected to reflect that Araghchi’s visit to Moscow will take place on Monday.
Iran's foreign minister expected to meet Putin
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to depart for Russia after his brief stop in Pakistan, a source told CNN.
During his trip to Moscow, Araghchi will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and “consult with Russian officials on the latest status of the negotiations, the ceasefire and surrounding developments,” Iranian semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported, citing Iran’s ambassador to Russia.
In Pakistan, Araghchi is reportedly holding another round of consultations with local officials, IRNA said earlier today. CNN has reached out to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment on the trip.
Correction: An earlier version of this post mistakenly reported that Araghchi had already left for Russia. It has been corrected to reflect that the visit will take place on Monday.
Who is Abbas Araghchi?: Iranian foreign minister and veteran negotiator
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has a wealth of negotiating experience, with nearly 30 years in a variety of diplomatic roles.
Now 63, Araghchi was born in the central city of Esfahan and volunteered to fight in the Iraq-Iran war as a teenager, as did tens of thousands of young Iranians. After receiving a doctorate from the University of Kent in England, Araghchi joined the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and over the past 20 years has been a member of Iranian delegations on nuclear issues.
Other negotiators described him as highly competent with a command of the details. He was instrumental in negotiating the 2015 agreement with the West, Russia and China that set limits on Iran’s nuclear program before US President Donald Trump quit the accord in his first term.
Araghchi was appointed Foreign Minister in 2024 by President Masoud Pezeshkian, with a mandate to secure sanctions relief. He was soon negotiating with US envoy Steve Witkoff on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles programs – talks that ultimately failed.
Dozens of senior Iranian officials have been assassinated in airstrikes since the conflict began at the end of February, but Araghchi does not appear to have been a target, perhaps because he is seen as a possible interlocutor in any settlement.
But to many commentators, Araghchi has been eclipsed by other officials closer to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and to the new supreme leader. A post on X declaring the Strait of Hormuz open a week ago sparked criticism at home and a quick reversal, with one semi-official news agency criticizing him for a “flawed and incomplete tweet.”
Iran's internet shutdown is now in its ninth week – but not for everyone
Iran’s government-imposed communications blackout is now in its ninth week, shutting off most of the population from the outside world, internet monitoring watchdog NetBlocks said today.
“The ongoing measure remains in effect, impeding independent reporting and documentation nationwide,” NetBlocks posted on X.
The watchdog has previously branded the crackdown the “longest nation-scale internet shutdown on record in any country.” But what makes the current blackout different is not just its massive scale, experts say.
The ongoing restrictions have been in place since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, following a shorter internet shutdown in January as anti-regime protests spread across the nation, sparking a brutal clampdown by Iranian authorities.
Death toll in Lebanon since March 2 passes 2,500, health ministry says
At least 2,509 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, the Lebanese health ministry said in an update today.
In addition, more than 7,750 people have been wounded in those same attacks, the ministry said in a statement.
The fragile ceasefire in Lebanon is under strain as Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have increased attacks on each other despite a recent US-brokered extension to the truce that was meant to halt fighting for another three weeks.
Earlier today, the Israeli military issued fresh evacuation orders for residents in several areas of southern Lebanon.
View from Pakistan: Islamabad opens up again as peace efforts stall
The trappings of imminent talks in Islamabad have given way to almost normal life.
The road closures and checkpoints to help secure possible locations – but which frustrated locals – are gone. The ‘red zone,’ as it is known, is a government and diplomatic hub, and it has been the base for some of the United States’ security and logistics teams, who routinely protect US leaders overseas. They are also beginning a draw down.
Ever since US President Donald Trump announced his Vice-President JD Vance could be coming for face-to-face talks with Iranian officials more than a week ago, the city has been snarled by traffic diverted to smaller roads, while local traders complain they have taken a hit to business.
The city is doubly invested in the talks, not just to enjoy the vibe of a city feeling it might just help world peace, but also hoping a potential deal to open the Strait of Hormuz could also end the energy saving that has thrust swathes of the capital into darkness and forced factories and restaurants to shut early.
Hotels used by the negotiating teams still remain shuttered to the public. Although the Iranian foreign minister, who just returned here following his late-night dash from Islamabad to talks in Oman, isn’t expected to need it. Iranian state media says he’ll be on the ground only briefly, updating Pakistani mediators before heading to meetings Moscow, Russia.
No one is ruling out another lockdown, and US advance teams could get back here in a hurry – it all depends on what progress may happen in later talks and phone calls.
Trump and Starmer discuss “urgent need” to relieve ships in Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed on Sunday the “urgent need to get shipping moving again” in the Strait of Hormuz, as thousands of seafarers remain trapped in the gulf.
The two leaders talked on the phone about the situation in the Middle East, and Starmer warned of “severe consequences on the global economy and the cost of living of people in the UK,” according to a readout from Downing Street.
Their call comes as Tehran warned earlier on Sunday that the waterway would “under no circumstances” return to its previous state after a weeks-long Iranian blockade that has sent oil prices soaring and piled pressure onto the global economy. The United States has responded with a naval blockade on Iran, which is strangling the Islamic Republic’s main economic corridors.
On Sunday, shipping barely trickled through the strait, marine tracking data appeared to show – with just a handful of vessels making the journey.
Britain’s prime minister had called Trump after a suspected gunman stormed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, late Saturday, where the president was attending alongside administration officials and journalists. The US president and top officials were rushed to safety after shots were fired near stairs leading down to the main ballroom.
Iran's foreign minister has landed in Pakistan, Iranian state media says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has landed in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, having recently departed from Oman, according to Iran’s official state news agency IRNA.
Upon his arrival to Nur Khan airbase on the outskirts of Islamabad, Araghchi was received by Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s interior minister, and Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran’s ambassador to Islamabad, IRNA reported on Sunday.
Araghchi is expected to hold another round of regional consultations with Pakistani officials, IRNA said. CNN has reached out to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment on the trip.
CNN reported earlier that Araghchi left the Omani capital of Muscat and was heading back to Islamabad, according to an Iranian source. After a short stopover in Pakistan, he will then travel to Moscow, Russia, the source added.
The foreign minister’s private plane also took off from Tehran and is due to land soon at Nur Khan Air Base, according to the source.
Iran's foreign minister thanks Oman for “prudent stance” on US-Israeli war
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi thanked Oman for its diplomatic efforts and warned US military presence in the region was causing “insecurity and division,” as he continued his diplomatic tour on Sunday even as as discussions between Tehran and Washington remain stagnant.
Araghchi, who met with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, expressed appreciation for the country’s “prudent stance regarding the imposed American-Israeli war,” according to Iran’s semi-official outlet, Tasnim News Agency.
The Sultan of Oman also called for “stability and security,” according to Iran’s state-affiliated Fars News Agency.
“I hope that the war will end as soon as possible and definitively, and that we will witness the return of stability and security to the region,” the Sultan said, Fars reported.
Diplomatic tour continues: Araghchi visited the Omani capital on Sunday before heading back to Pakistan and eventually to Russia. The latest push by mediators to facilitate a second round of talks between US and Iranian officials in Islamabad fell through earlier this week, when US President Donald Trump cancelled his envoys’ trip after Iran declined to meet directly with American negotiators.
Hormuz traffic remains at an effective standstill amid Iran's fresh pledge to exert control
The number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global crude oil typically flows, remains severely curtailed compared to pre-war levels, according to ship tracking data.
Only a few vessels have crossed the key waterway so far today, data from MarineTraffic, a maritime intelligence provider, appears to show.
The vessels listed by MarineTraffic include a partially loaded oil and chemical tanker, Deepblue, which traversed the strait from the Gulf of Oman into the Persian Gulf earlier today, passing by Iran’s Larak island.
Meanwhile, another vessel named Cstar Voyager, a laden cargo ship, crossed the waterway in the opposite direction to exit the Persian Gulf, MarineTraffic data shows.
CNN cannot independently verify the journeys as shipping data can sometimes show irregularities due to signal gaps and spoofing – the transmission of false signals to mislead tracking systems.
New warning by Iran: The latest crossings come as Tehran doubles down on its pledge to continue exerting maximum control over the chokepoint, with an Iranian official saying the strait will “under no circumstances” return to its previous state.
Fragile ceasefire in Lebanon under pressure as Israel, Hezbollah increase attacks
The fragile ceasefire in Lebanon is under growing pressure as Israel and Hezbollah have increased attacks on each other despite a US-brokered extension to the ceasefire that was supposed to halt the fighting for another three weeks.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military is “operating with force” in Lebanon, as he accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire agreement, though the Iran-backed militant group is not a party to the agreement. Netanyahu said Israel’s strikes are “according to rules agreed upon with the United States.”
On Saturday evening, Netanyahu ordered the military to “vigorously attack” Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following rocket and drone fire into Israel. The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah military structures and a rocket launcher overnight.
Earlier Sunday, Hezbollah said it launched an attack on Israeli forces in Taybeh, in southern Lebanon, with a loitering glider, after the group accused Israel of violating the ceasefire. Hezbollah said the attack “achieved a confirmed hit.” Israel subsequently issued an evacuation order for several areas in southern Lebanon.
For context: Two weeks ago, Trump said on social media that “Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A.” Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire on Thursday and said he hoped to host Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington – a meeting that appears increasingly untenable.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 2,496 people, including at least 177 children, since the beginning of the war, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.
Iran’s foreign minister visits Oman, and death toll in Lebanon climbs: Get up to speed for the day
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stopped through Oman on Sunday after convening with Pakistani mediators on Saturday – as the US pulled back a negotiating delegation slated to visit the Pakistani capital. Araghchi is expected to return to Islamabad on Sunday night.
Elsewhere, in Lebanon, the death toll of Israel’s campaign rose to at least 2,496 people killed since March 2, according to the Lebanese Public Ministry of Health – marking a steep jump following the last update on April 17. The Israeli military threatened to keep striking what it says are targets of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah despite a ceasefire that was recently extended.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Araghchi presses on with diplomatic tour: The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met the Sultan of Oman on Sunday, as he continued holding talks with countries aiming to mediate the conflict. The Iranian foreign minister is set to return to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Sunday night, according to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
- Negotiations stalled: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Tehran would not accede to “forced negotiations” with the US, citing “hostile actions.” A day earlier, US President Donald Trump cancelled plans for his envoys to visit Islamabad – leaving US-Iranian negotiations at a stalemate.
- “Life became increasingly fragile”: Residents in Tehran have recounted the mental and physical trauma of trying to cope with war and bombardment. An Iranian-American photojournalist, Maryam Rahmanian, captured portraits of her fellow civilians, reflecting, “Some were focused on protecting loved ones. Others tried to hold on to a sense of normal life as that life became increasingly fragile.”
- Regime executes alleged Iranian protester: Iranian authorities executed at least two people this weekend – including one man for allegedly participating in anti-regime demonstrations earlier this year, according to the semi-official outlet, Tasnim news agency.
Israeli military issues fresh evacuation orders in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire
The Israeli military has issued fresh evacuation orders for residents in several areas of southern Lebanon, despite a fragile ceasefire that was recently extended by three weeks.
Urgent evacuation orders were issued for seven villages in the south of the country, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday. All the areas appear to be north of the Litani River, which bisects Lebanon.
For context: Earlier this week, a ceasefire in Lebanon was extended for three weeks, but Israel has insisted that its forces will remain in southern Lebanon and fighting has persisted between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Iranian official says Hormuz will not return to previous state, citing order from supreme leader
Iran’s Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Nikzad has warned the choked Strait of Hormuz will “under no circumstances” return to its previous state, citing an order from the country’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian semi-official media said on Sunday.
“We will under no circumstances return the Strait of Hormuz to its previous state, because this is an order from the Leader of the Revolution,” Mehr News Agency cited Nikzad as saying, referring to an order from Khamenei, who has still not been seen or heard in public since he was announced as leader.
Like the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab is another critical shipping chokepoint between Yemen and Africa.
In Khamenei’s first puported message as supreme leader earlier this year, he rattled global markets by doubling down on keeping closed the strait, which has become a key focal point of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
