Here's the latest
• What we know: The United States and Iran are working toward what US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as a “memorandum of understanding.” But disputes over language concerning Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions have held up finalization of a deal to end the war, according to US officials, though there’s optimism that the differences will be resolved relatively soon.
• Status of talks: US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding nicely,” while demanding that Middle East countries sign the Abraham Accords after a deal is reached. Iran has said a “degree of understanding” has been reached with the US on many issues but that an agreement is not imminent.
• Israel’s posture: Israel is preparing to expand its operations in Lebanon in the near future, an Israeli source said, adding that the moves are being “coordinated” with the US.
Iran delegation continuing talks in Qatar, as Israel prepares to expand Lebanon operations
After both Iran and the US signaled this weekend that talks aimed at reaching a peace agreement are progressing, US officials told CNN earlier today that a deal to end the war has been held up by disputes over language on Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions.
Here’s what else has been going on in the region today:
- Iranian officials arrived in Qatar this morning for talks on diplomatic efforts to end the war, a diplomat briefed on the visit told CNN. A short while ago, a diplomatic source said these “intense talks” are continuing.
- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to expand its operations in Lebanon, an Israeli source told CNN, adding that the moves are being “coordinated with the United States.”
- Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have continued to trade blows, with the IDF saying it “struck more than 70 Hezbollah infrastructure sites” across Lebanon today.
- A US official signaled Washington’s support for continued Israeli operations against Hezbollah, saying that “Israel will never be expected to passively absorb attacks on its forces and civilians.”
- The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Greater Tehran claimed that his country is stronger now than it was on the first day of the war, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered authorities to restore internet access after months of a shutdown, Fars reported today, citing a source in the Ministry of Communications.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Mostafa Salem, Tal Shalev, Dana Karni, Andrew Carey, Mustafa Qadri, Jennifer Hansler and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
Iran will not retreat, top security official says in first message to Iranian public
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the newly appointed leader of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, displayed his hard-line stance in his first message to the Iranian people, vowing that “there will be no retreat” in Iran’s fight against the United States and Israel.
“The military field, the diplomatic field and the people sent forth into the streets demonstrated this through their courageous resistance and brought the enemy to its knees,” he said, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
Zolghadr, a veteran regime operator, was appointed head of the National Security Council in March to replace Ali Larijani, who was killed in an Israeli strike. Previously, he had been second-in-command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his elevation after Larijani’s death indicates the group’s expanding influence in Iran since the war started.
He called for “unity and cohesion” among the Iranian people, saying that in itself “is another battlefield in the struggle.”
“A collective effort to prevent any divisive words or actions will bring beloved Iran to final victory, God willing,” he added.
“Intense talks” with Iranian high-level delegation in Doha are ongoing, source says
Intense talks that began in Qatar this morning on the details of an agreement to end the regional conflict are continuing, a diplomatic source told CNN.
A high-level delegation consisting of Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati arrived in Doha earlier Monday for talks on issues relating to the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s highly enriched uranium, the source said.
Among the topics being discussed are Iran’s frozen funds, which are addressed in the memorandum of understanding currently being negotiated between Washington and Tehran and would form part of any final agreement, the diplomat had said earlier.
Negotiations have been taking place between Qatari mediators and the Iranian delegation in coordination with the United States, the source said.
Iran’s president orders internet access to be restored, Iranian news agency reports
President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered authorities to restore internet access, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency said Monday in a report citing a source in the Ministry of Communications.
Iran began restricting internet access in late December 2025, according to NetBlocks and other monitoring groups, following mass anti-government demonstrations initially driven by surging inflation, currency collapse and a deepening economic crisis.
Tehran tightened the restrictions as the protests expanded into broader calls for political change and by the end of February, amid the onset of US and Israeli military strikes, it had implemented a near-total disconnection.
In a post on X on Monday, NetBlocks said the shutdown had lasted more than 2,064 hours and had “eliminated any transparency around executions,” while adding to what it described as “inhumane conditions and daily uncertainty” faced by jailed critics and dissidents.
The report by Fars did not say when the restoration would take effect or specify which restrictions would be lifted.
IDF pushing to renew strikes on Beirut, Israeli source tells CNN
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to expand its operations in Lebanon in the near future, an Israeli source told CNN on Monday, saying the moves are being “coordinated with the United States.”
The IDF is also pushing to renew strikes on Beirut and target senior Hezbollah figures there, the source added.
The more aggressive military approach will be aimed at countering Hezbollah’s drone threat, the source said. The threat includes fiber-optic drones, which Israel has struggled to deal with.
Earlier Monday, the IDF said that Hezbollah had launched “a number of explosive drones” toward Israeli soldiers and Israeli territory. Some of the drones came down inside Israel, but no injuries were reported, the IDF said.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire last month, though fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has continued on a near-daily basis.
Israeli attacks have largely remained south of the Litani River, where Israeli troops are also occupying a swath of territory along the border. Hezbollah has continued to target Israel border communities with drones and rockets.
In a video posted Monday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country will “intensify the blows” and “increase the force” used against Hezbollah.
The IDF said late Monday it was striking Hezbollah sites in the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, as well as “additional areas” across the country, including the city of Tyre on the Mediterranean coast.
In a separate statement, the IDF said it “struck more than 70 Hezbollah infrastructure sites” across the country on Monday, including command centers, weapons storage facilities and other sites used by the militant group in Tyre.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency also reported strikes on towns in southern Lebanon on Monday evening.
CNN’s Eyad Kourdi contributed to this report. This post has been updated with developments.
US official signals Washington's support for Israeli operations against Hezbollah
A US official signaled Washington’s support for continued Israeli operations against Hezbollah, saying Monday that “Israel will never be expected to passively absorb attacks on its forces and civilians.”
“Since April 17, Hezbollah has fired over a thousand drones and over 700 rockets to try and derail ongoing negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. The status quo is untenable,” the official said.
Hezbollah “is entirely responsible for the current situation,” the official said. “It broke the ceasefire on March 2 and is now intent on denying the Lebanese people a path to peace and reconstruction.”
The comments come amid ongoing negotiations to end the war in Iran. Tehran has also called for an end to the war in Lebanon.
There have also been continued strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, despite an ostensible US-brokered ceasefire. Israeli operations continued across southern Lebanon on Monday and killed at least three people, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).
Israel’s military reported a series of explosive drones launched by Hezbollah during the early hours of Monday towards a spread of locations along the Israeli side of the border. It also reported a drone impact in southern Lebanon in an area currently controlled by Israeli soldiers. There are no reports of any injuries from the attacks.
On Sunday, Israel’s army chief, Eyal Zamir, said he had approved plans for the “continuation of the combat in the north,” a reference to Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah.
Trump honors 13 US service members killed in Iran war during Memorial Day remarks
President Donald Trump honored US service members at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, including the 13 lost in connection with the Iran war.
“In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls, wonderful special people. These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon. Oh, and they won’t. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said during Memorial Day remarks.
The family of one of the fallen service members, Capt. Ariana G. Savino — who was aboard a refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq — was in the audience, and Trump asked them to stand up and be recognized.
As the US president seeks to reach a final agreement to end the war, he projected victory and said the service members will not have died in vain.
“Ariana’s selfless gift will not be in vain. Our debt to you is everlasting, and it’s always going to end in victory. We’re having victories all over the place, more than we’ve had many, many decades,” he said.
Trump touted that the US military “lost no one” in the operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, calling it “a complete and total victory.”
“In two wars recently, we’ve lost a total of 13 service members,” Trump said, referring to Venezuela and Iran.
Speaking before Trump, Vice President JD Vance, who is a Marine veteran, said, “I know, from every American across every political persuasion, that we love you, we’re grateful to you and we commit to make the United States of America the very best version of itself.”
Tehran's Revolutionary Guard commander claims Iran is "stronger today than at start of war"
The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Greater Tehran claimed Iran is stronger now than it was on the first day of the war with the US and Israel, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency on Sunday.
Brig. Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh said US officials “know very well that Iran is stronger today than on the first day of the war” and warned that if Washington continues what he described as a path of threats and pressure, it would again face defeat and “heavy, fatal, and regrettable blows.”
The top military official responsible for safeguarding Iran’s capital, protecting its regime institutions and suppressing local political dissent said that Iran’s armed forces “have not only not been weakened but have become stronger, more prepared and better equipped than at the beginning of the war,” as cited by Fars, which is closely affiliated with the IRGC.
“All of the defense capabilities and strategic equipment of the Islamic Republic have been produced by Iranian youth, and the enemy may be able to cause disruptions at some points but will never be able to stop Iran’s progress in the missile, drone and other power-building areas,” he added.
US and Iran working to resolve language disputes on nuclear issues and sanctions
Disputes over language on Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions have held up finalization of a deal to end the war, according to US officials, though there’s optimism that the differences will be resolved relatively soon.
The presence of an Iranian delegation in Qatar on Monday — including senior members of Tehran’s negotiating team — was a positive sign, one US official said, citing Qatar’s mediating abilities.
The US has been looking for firm commitments from Iran that it will dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and not pursue a nuclear weapon. A US official said Sunday that Iran had agreed in principle to those points.
But Iran says it is not discussing details of its nuclear program, leaving that for a future round of talks.
“This is one of the main sticking points in the negotiations,” a regional source familiar with the negotiations said. “Things are changing every single minute.”
Meanwhile, Tehran has pressed for commitments on lifting sanctions and unfreezing assets that could buoy its struggling economy.
The US has insisted that American financial relief won’t arrive until progress is made on the nuclear issue.
The refrain American officials began using this weekend is “No dust, no dollars,” referring to the cache of nearly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium the White House insists must be disposed of before Iran will see financial benefit from the deal.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
Abraham Accords fail to resolve Palestinian statehood issue, regional expert says
The Abraham Accords — a series of deals normalizing relations between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors — failed to address Palestinian statehood, according to a regional expert.
Saudi Arabia would only normalize relations with Israel once an “irreversible pathway” to a Palestinian state is established, a Saudi source told CNN after US President Donald Trump demanded that Middle Eastern countries sign the Abraham Accords once US reaches a deal with Iran.
Trump brought up Abraham Accords “in passing” during call with regional leaders, source says
US President Donald Trump brought up the Abraham Accords “in passing” during a call with regional leaders on Saturday and encouraged their countries to join, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
Trump did not raise it as a condition of the Iran deal, the source said. It was not met with a reply from the regional leaders. Instead, the speaker after Trump continued with their remarks without an acknowledgment it had been raised, the source said.
The Abraham Accords are a series of deals normalizing relations between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors, including Bahrain and the UAE.
Following Trump’s demand on Truth Social, a Saudi source said their position on the Abraham Accords has not changed. There must be an irreversible path to a Palestinian state.
Another regional source said that certain countries might be open to joining the Abraham Accords, but with conditions regarding Israeli actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.
Remember: In a post on Monday morning, Trump said he discussed the Abraham Accords during the call and “stated that, after all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.”
What the US, Iran and Israel have said recently about a potential deal to end the war
Iran and the US have in recent days signaled that talks aimed at reaching a peace agreement are progressing, after President Donald Trump said Saturday that a broader agreement had been “largely negotiated.”
Here’s a look at what officials have most recently said:
What US officials have said
- In a post on Truth Social yesterday morning, Trump said the US will not “rush into a deal” with Iran, adding that his country’s blockade of Iranian ports will remain in “full force and effect” until an agreement is reached.
- A senior administration official told CNN that a framework agreement between the US and Iran gives the parties “60 days to reach final deal points,” describing it as “‘trust but verify’ on steroids.”
- Trump said yesterday that “if” he strikes an Iran deal, it will differ from the one made under former President Barack Obama, saying it “is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is.”
- Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that negotiations are “still a work in progress,” adding that there was “a pretty solid thing on the table” regarding Iran’s ability to open up the Strait of Hormuz and enter into “a real significant time limited negotiation on nuclear matters.”
- Trump also claimed today that negotiations are “proceeding nicely,” but warned that military operations could resume if a deal is not reached.
What Iran has said
- Iranian state-affiliated news agency Tasnim reported yesterday that Iran has not agreed to any new measures related to its nuclear program as part of talks to end the war.
- Despite this, a senior Iranian source told CNN yesterday “a lot of progress has been made” in the talks in recent days, adding that it could mark a “turning point” in efforts to end the war.
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry said today that a “degree of understanding” has been reached with the US on many issues, but added that an agreement isn’t imminent.
What Israel’s leadership has said
- In a post on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to reports of an emerging US-Iran agreement, stating that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
- Trump told Netanyahu he supports the country’s wish to “maintain freedom of action against threats on all fronts, including Lebanon,” an Israeli official told CNN yesterday.
CNN’s Julia Benbrook, Aileen Graef, Laura Sharman, Ally Barnard, Frederik Pleitgen, Mostafa Salem, Aida Karimi, Tal Shalev, Eugenia Yosef and Billy Stockwell contributed to this reporting.
Saudi Arabia will only normalize relations with Israel once there is a pathway to a Palestinian state, source says
Saudi Arabia will only normalize relations with Israel once there is an irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state, a Saudi source told CNN after US President Donald Trump said Middle Eastern states would be required to recognize Israel once an Iran deal is reached.
Saudi Arabia has the “same position as always… (an) irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state,” the source said.
Earlier on Monday, Trump said on social media that he “mandatorily” requested that Middle East and other countries sign the Abraham Accords after a deal to end the Iran war is reached – while threatening military action “bigger and stronger than ever before” if the two sides can’t come to an agreement to end the conflict.
In Israel, Netanyahu's opponents aim fire while mindful of popularity of war and Trump
An election in Israel could be as little as four months away, and opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are starting to express their opinions on reported details of the agreement under discussion between the US and Iran.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid – who was briefly Prime Minister in 2022 – described the emerging agreement as “a disaster.”
Iran’s ballistic missile program was not included in the discussions, he said, and the part of the deal covering nuclear issues could be worse than the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, he surmised in comments to party colleagues.
Even though the war with Iran has not met the objectives set out by Netanyahu, it nevertheless enjoyed the support of the majority of Israelis, so mainstream politicians like Lapid are aiming fire carefully.
They are also keen to avoid directing too much of it at US President Donald Trump, who remains popular in Israel.
His comments were echoed by Yair Golan, the leader of Israel’s left parliamentary bloc, which would likely be a member of any non-Netanyahu governing coalition after the election.
Like Lapid, Golan, too, supported the war at its inception on February 28.
On Monday, addressing his parliamentary faction, he called Israel’s absence from key discussions “an unimaginable disgrace.”
“Look at what is happening in Lebanon. Trump is not allowing Israel to return to war … This is not what security looks like. This is what a total loss of control looks like,” Golan said.
Iran talks "proceeding nicely," Trump says, as Israel and Hezbollah trade blows
In a post on Truth Social a short while ago, US President Donald Trump said that negotiations with Tehran are “proceeding nicely,” after claiming this weekend that a deal to end the war with Iran is close.
If you’re just joining us, here’s how things have been developing so far today:
- After Trump and other US officials hinted a deal could be near, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said today a “degree of understanding” has been reached with the US on many issues, but an agreement isn’t imminent, adding that Iran’s nuclear program isn’t part of discussions at this stage.
- Meanwhile, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the country’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Qatar today for talks on diplomatic efforts to end the war, a diplomat briefed on the visit told CNN.
- Oil prices dropped sharply today after US officials signaled that Tehran and Washington could be nearing a peace deal.
- Araghchi will not travel to New York City for a United Nations Security Council meeting this week due to “overall circumstances and (a) US visa-related issue,” Baghaei said today.
- In his post on Truth Social today, Trump said that he is “mandatorily requesting” that Middle Eastern countries sign the Abraham Accords, which would require them to normalize relations with Israel.
- Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, sustained “superficial injuries” to his face, head and legs during the February 28 airstrike that killed his father, Iran’s Health Ministry has said.
- Meanwhile, Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have continued to trade blows in Lebanon, with Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reporting that at least three people have been killed in strikes today.
CNN’s Mostafa Salem, Aida Karimi, Sarah Tamimi, Aileen Graef, Andrew Carey, Mustafa Qadri, Dana Karni and Charlotte Reck contributed to this reporting.
Oil prices drop sharply following talk of potential peace deal
Oil prices dropped sharply on Monday after US officials signaled that the United States and Iran had edged closer to a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Both countries have since downplayed chances of a successful deal being signed soon.
The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, fell roughly 6% to about $97 a barrel. That’s down from $104 a barrel at market close on Friday, but still much higher than the $74 a barrel price before the war.
The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude price also fell by 6% to about $90, down from about $97 a barrel at market close on Friday.
While US stock markets were closed on Monday to mark the Memorial Day holiday, there is indication that the potential US-Iran agreement has sparked optimistic investors.
US stock futures, financial contracts where buyers and sellers agree to buy or sell at a predetermined price on a set future date, jumped on Monday, suggesting a promising Tuesday opening.
European markets started the week strongly as STOXX 50, an index of 50 of the largest companies across the Eurozone, climbed 1.75%. Across Asia, stocks were largely trading higher too.
Trump demands Middle Eastern countries join Abraham Accords if Iran deal is reached
US President Donald Trump “mandatorily” requested that Middle East and other countries sign the Abraham Accords after a deal to end the Iran war is reached – while simultaneously threatening military action “bigger and stronger than ever before” if the two sides can’t come to an agreement to end the conflict.
“I am mandatorily requesting that all Countries immediately sign the Abraham Accords, and that, if Iran signs its Agreement with me, as President of the United States of America, it would be an Honor to have them also be part of this unparalleled World Coalition,” Trump said in a lengthy Truth Social post Monday.
Trump said he discussed the matter during calls with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain. He said with the “all the work” the US has done to pull a peace deal together, the joining of the Abraham Accords – a series of deals normalizing relations between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors, including Bahrain and the UAE – should be required.
While he said negotiations with Iran were proceeding “nicely,” he again warned military operations would resume if a deal was not reached.
“Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or, no Deal at all — Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before,” he said.
Iran’s foreign minister to skip UN meet in New York over "visa-related issue"
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will not travel to New York City for a United Nations Security Council meeting due to “overall circumstances and US visa-related issue,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.
Araghchi had been invited to participate in a China-initiated meeting in New York, Baghaei said on Wednesday.
The open session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which is scheduled for Tuesday, is aimed at discussing the maintenance of international peace and security, according to the UNSC calendar.
Asked about a potential Araghchi visit to New York last week, the US State Department told CNN that “all visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and other applicable laws.”
It added that visa records are confidential and details of individual visa cases cannot be discussed.
Lauren Chadwick contributed to this report.
Iran's chief negotiator, foreign minister and central bank governor in Qatar, source says
Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Qatari capital Doha on Monday for talks on diplomatic efforts to end the war, a diplomat briefed on the visit told CNN.
“The focus of the delegation’s visit to Doha is on issues relating to the Strait (of Hormuz) and highly enriched uranium,” the source said.
Iran’s Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati is also part of the delegation, the diplomat said. Among the topics expected to be discussed are Iran’s frozen funds, which are addressed in the memorandum of understanding currently being negotiated between Washington and Tehran and would form part of any final agreement, the diplomat added.
Qatar is a key US ally and was among the Gulf Arab states targeted by Iran its retaliation to US-Israeli strikes. It has recently begun playing a more visible role in mediating between Washington and Tehran to end the war.
As US and Iran weigh options, Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade blows
Among Israel’s concerns in any agreement struck between the US and Iran, is a possible curtailing of its freedom to operate against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
On Monday, Israeli warplanes, drones and artillery had all been in operation across southern Lebanon over recent hours, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported. Three people were killed in strikes on vehicles on a road a few miles east of Nabatiyeh, NNA said.
For its part, Israel’s military reported a series of explosive drones launched by Hezbollah during the early hours of Monday towards a spread of locations along the Israeli side of the border. Video posted on social media showed the roof of a house being struck in Metula, in Israel’s far north.
The Israeli military also reported a drone impact in southern Lebanon in an area currently controlled by Israeli soldiers. There are no reports of any injuries from the attacks.
On Sunday, Israel’s army chief, Eyal Zamir, said he had approved plans for the “continuation of the combat in the north” – a reference to Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah.
A nominal ceasefire has been in existence between Israel and Lebanon for several weeks, which has seen Israel continue its operations in the south of Lebanon where it occupies a swathe of territory along the border, but significantly scale back its strikes on Hezbollah targets further north, in the Bekaa valley and in Beirut.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said the latest drone attacks mean it was time for Netanyahu “to bang on Trump’s table” and return to “intense war” in Lebanon.
