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• Follow the latest updates on the war with Iran here.
What we know so far
• Truce in Iran: President Donald Trump said the temporary two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is “holding well” following the weekend’s failed marathon negotiations in Pakistan.
• Strait blockade: The US military said it will enforce a blockade on all traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz from 10 a.m. ET Monday, in accordance with Trump’s demand after talks faltered. Tehran has vowed to retaliate against any military vessels in the strait.
• Ripple effects: Oil topped $100 a barrel again on Sunday, as the blockade threatens to further disrupt the global economy and keep gas prices elevated. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was up 8%.
• Negotiations on Lebanon: Meanwhile, talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are due to take place this week. Israeli attacks targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah continued overnight, resulting in deaths and injuries.
US is doomed to fail any naval blockade, says Iranian military adviser
A senior military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said the United States is destined to fail in any naval blockade following President Donald Trump’s threat to block the Strait of Hormuz.
“The United States, just as it suffered a historic defeat against Iran in attempting to open the Strait of Hormuz, is also doomed to fail in any naval blockade,” said Mohsen Rezaee, a former longtime commander-in-chief of the IRGC who came out of retirement to serve Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Rezaee added that Iran’s armed forces “will not allow such a move by the US” and that its military has “significant untapped capabilities” to counter any threats.
“Iran is not a place that can be contained with tweets and imaginary blockade plans,” he added.
Trump criticizes Pope Leo's stance on Iran war, says he's “terrible for foreign policy”
President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV on Sunday evening, denouncing his stance on the Iran war and saying he’s “terrible for foreign policy.”
President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV for his stance on the Iran war. The first American pope has become increasingly vocal about the war in Iran and condemned Trump's recent threats against the people of Iran as "truly unacceptable."
Leo, the first American pope, has become increasingly vocal about the US and Israel’s war with Iran, last week condemning Trump’s rhetoric and threats against the people of Iran as “truly unacceptable.”
The president’s remarks to reporters at Joint Base Andrews came shortly after he posted a lengthy critique of the pope on Truth Social.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote, going on to say he doesn’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon or who thinks it’s “terrible that America attacked Venezuela.”
“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States,” he added.
The president went on to claim Leo “wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”
This post has been updated with additional information.
Australia hasn’t been asked to aid US blockade, leader says
Australia hasn’t been asked by the US to help with its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the country’s leader said Monday.
“We’ve received no requests,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told CNN affiliate 9 News. “They’ve made this announcement overnight and they’ve done that in a unilateral way.”
When US President Donald Trump announced plans for the blockade on Truth Social, he said, “Other Countries will be involved.”
It’s not clear which countries will be involved in the US operation to stop the passage of ships to and from Iran under the blockade that’s set to commence at 10 a.m. ET. Monday.
CNN understands the UK will not participate in a blockade. On Sunday, a UK government spokesperson told CNN that the UK was “urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation.”
“The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling,” the spokesperson said. Iran has reportedly charged ship operators as much as $2 million to traverse the strait.
Trump has previously lashed out at allies for failing to help in the war that the US and Israel initiated against Iran in late February. He had called on European nations to send warships to escort oil tankers through the key shipping lane as oil prices surged.
Trump says two US airmen rescued after being shot down over Iran are in "very good shape"
The two US service members who were rescued earlier this month after being shot down over Iran are doing well, President Donald Trump said Sunday.
“They are in very good shape, and we’re very proud of them,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews after getting off Air Force One.
Some context: The airmen were rescued after their F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down on April 3. While the pilot of the plane was found quickly, the other crew member was rescued after spending more than a day hiding inside Iran.
Trump says temporary US-Iran ceasefire is “holding well”
President Donald Trump said the temporary two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is “holding well” following the weekend’s failed marathon negotiations in Pakistan.
“I would say it’s holding well. Their military is destroyed. Their whole navy is under water,” the president told reporters after returning to Washington from Florida, adding that at 10 a.m. ET Monday, the US will begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said earlier it will begin enforcing a maritime blockade on all traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. ET Monday, in accordance with Trump’s demand.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, meanwhile, warned Sunday that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz “will be dealt with harshly and decisively,” according to Fars News.
In photos: People in Lebanon mark Orthodox Easter amid conflict
Orthodox Christians in Lebanon celebrated Easter on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Israel has carried out more strikes in Lebanon this weekend targeting Hezbollah, while the Iranian-backed paramilitary group has carried out rocket launches at northern Israel.
“The battle in Lebanon continues and the ceasefire does not include Lebanon,” Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee previously said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has echoed that statement.
Iran’s foreign minister says US “maximalism” and “shifting goalposts” derailed talks
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addressed the outcome of the country’s high-level negotiations with the United States in a post on X on Monday.
In his first official remarks since returning from Islamabad, Pakistan, where the talks were held, the foreign minister described the negotiations as the most intensive engagement between the two countries in 47 years. He said Iran had participated in it “in good faith” with the aim of ending ongoing hostilities.
According to his post, discussions had progressed to the brink of a potential memorandum of understanding.
“But when just inches away from “Islamabad MoU”, we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,” Araghchi said referring to US President Donald Trump’s latest threats to block the Strait of Hormuz.
“Zero lessons earned. Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity,” Araghchi added.
Oil prices rise after Trump threatens to blockade Strait of Hormuz
Oil prices topped $100 a barrel again on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US would blockade “any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” threatening to further disrupt oil flows.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, was up 8%, at about $102. US crude was up 8% to $104.
“We’re not going to let Iran make money on selling oil to people that they like and not people that they don’t like, or whatever it is. It’s going to be all or none,” Trump said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Trump’s plan risks costing Americans more: If oil prices climb higher, gas prices will remain elevated. A gallon of gas in the US cost $4.12 on average Sunday, up 38% from the start of the war despite declining slightly over the weekend.
Red Cross paramedic killed in strike on ambulance, Lebanon says
An Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Beit Yahoun killed a Red Cross paramedic and injured another emergency worker on Sunday night, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health and the Lebanese Red Cross say.
The Lebanese Red Cross said that their emergency workers came under “direct targeting” by an Israeli drone, and that paramedic Hassan Bedawi was killed while another paramedic sustained minor injuries.
The Red Cross added that prior to the attack, “the necessary arrangements had been made with” the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon “for protection and safe passage” and the ambulance was clearly marked.
CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for comment on the attack.
The secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Jagan Chapagain, said in a social media post that he is “appalled and saddened” by the attack.
“I strongly condemn this attack. Humanitarian workers are not a target,” Chapagain wrote. “The IFRC reiterates its call that ambulance personnel, medical staff, and Lebanese Red Cross staff and volunteers must be respected and protected at all times.”
Israel is currently presiding over a growing occupation of southern Lebanon, which Defense Minister Israel Katz says is aimed at expelling “every resident south of the Litani (River) who isn’t returning - and won’t return - until security is guaranteed here for the northern residents.”
Earlier Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Israeli-occupied Lebanon, speaking with troops there and filming a short video.
Israel and Lebanon are currently scheduled to engage in direct talks in Washington on Tuesday as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade blows. Last week saw the deadliest Israeli strikes in Lebanon since September 2024, with over 300 people killed, according to Lebanese government figures.
US military says it will begin naval blockade in Strait of Hormuz at 10 a.m. ET Monday
US Central Command said it will begin enforcing a maritime blockade on all traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. ET Monday, in accordance with President Donald Trump’s demand.
Ships not traveling to or from Iranian ports will be able to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM, which said the blockade will “not impede freedom of navigation” for those vessels.
The statement from CENTCOM comes after Trump announced a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz earlier today, a step that could drive up the cost of oil as Washington seeks to intensify its leverage over Tehran.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian Parliament, responded to the threat of a US naval blockade by posting a map of gas prices at stations near the White House, writing on X, “Enjoy the current price of gasoline. With what is being called a ‘blockade,’ you will soon miss $4 to $5 gasoline.”
Pakistan was surprised when US-Iran talks broke down and a deal didn’t emerge
The Pakistani side was surprised that talks broke down and a deal to end the war with Iran didn’t emerge after Iranian and US negotiators met in marathon discussions in Islamabad.
There was a perception in Pakistan that the US and Iran were close to the general formula of a deal when they met face-to-face at the Serena Hotel on Saturday night.
Pakistan believed that talks over several days could bring the two sides together.
So, when, after less than one day of discussions, US Vice President JD Vance announced that the talks had come to an end without an agreement, it came as a bit of a shock to the Pakistani hosts, who’d been pinning their hopes for success in talks over a more extended period.
The short duration also seems to have further eroded trust between the US and Iran. Iranian negotiator and Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Iranians “put forth constructive, forward-looking proposals, yet the opposing side ultimately failed in this round of talks to gain the delegation’s confidence.”
Ghalibaf is putting the onus on the US to make the next step.
Pakistani sources tell CNN that from their conversations with the US and Iranian sides, there’s little desire on either country’s part to return to the status quo from February 27, before the war began.
From a Pakistani perspective, there’s still hope that the US and Iran can come back to the negotiating table under mediation by Islamabad. That’s certainly the message spun by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who described the talks as “intense and constructive” on Sunday, and said his country remains at the ready to facilitate dialogue between the sides.
Iran responds to Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade after talks stall. Here’s the latest
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Sunday that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz “will be dealt with harshly and decisively,” according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News.
This follows President Donald Trump announcing a US Navy blockade of the critical shipping lane.
We’re keeping track of the latest developments. Catch up on more headlines from this afternoon below.
Economic impacts:
- A global energy expert said oil prices will likely climb further in response to the US blockade, exacerbating the ripple effects of the strait’s closure, which have already been felt by consumers around the world.
- The United Kingdom said it is trying to bring together a “wide coalition” with France and others to ensure passage through the strait, after Trump claimed the UK and other countries will send minesweepers to the waterway.
- The International Monetary Fund warned US inflation will prove more stubborn, taking longer to fall back to target because of the Iran war.
Stalled US-Iran peace effort:
- A White House official spelled out the “red lines” that Iran wasn’t able to agree to during marathon talks held in Pakistan this weekend. Many are conditions Iran has previously rejected, as Tehran appears to maintain its hardline stance even after six weeks of war.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the outcome of the talks, saying during a phone call that “the biggest obstacle” to a fair agreement was demands and double standards from the US, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.
- With a tenuous two-week ceasefire now in question, Trump warned that China would face a 50% tariff if it transfers weapons to Iran, but said he doubted Beijing would do so, despite US intelligence indicating it had such plans.
The conflict in Lebanon:
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a rare trip to southern Lebanon Sunday to survey territory seized by Israel. It comes just two days before Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold direct talks in Washington, DC, and as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah further threatens peace efforts.
- France weighed in on the Israel-Hezbollah conflict Sunday, with a spokesperson for the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs saying Lebanon “has to be included” in the ceasefire deal between Iran and the United States.
- The United Nations’ peacekeeping force in Lebanon said Israeli soldiers rammed UN vehicles with a tank twice on Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces told CNN that it is looking into the allegation.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Hanna Ziady, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Tal Shalev, Oren Liebermann, Issy Ronald, Max Saltman, Auzinea Bacon and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon says Israeli military rammed its vehicles with a tank
The United Nations’ peacekeeping force in Lebanon says that Israeli soldiers rammed UN vehicles with a tank two times on Sunday.
In one case, the ramming caused “significant damage,” the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on social media.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN that it is looking into the allegation.
UNIFIL added that the Israeli military had damaged peacekeeper’s equipment and come close to harming peacekeepers in recent days.
“Over the past week, Israeli soldiers have fired ‘warning shots’ in the area, striking and damaging clearly identifiable UNIFIL vehicles,” the statement said. “In one case, a ‘warning shot’ landed a metre away from a peacekeeper who had dismounted his vehicle.”
The UN force alleged that “Israeli soldiers have continually blocked peacekeepers’ movements on this road in recent days, in addition to denials of freedom of movement recorded in other areas,” and had damaged security cameras at UNIFIL stations and “spray-painted the windows” of a UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura.
The IDF told CNN it is looking into the other allegations, as well.
The UN peacekeeping mission has operated in southern Lebanon for over 45 years, with personnel from 50 countries. Confrontations between UNIFIL troops, IDF soldiers and Hezbollah militants have occurred numerous times since Israel renewed its offensive against the Iran-backed group in Lebanon.
During Israel’s last invasion of Lebanon in 2024, Israeli officials often claimed that Hezbollah operated in areas close to UNIFIL positions. IDF troops also occasionally fired at UN personnel.
White House spells out red lines it says Iran refused to agree on
The White House on Sunday spelled out the “red lines” it says Iran wasn’t able to agree to during marathon talks in Pakistan this weekend.
Many are conditions Iran has previously rejected, as Tehran appears to maintain its hardline stance even after six weeks of war.
According to a White House official, the nonnegotiable parameters President Donald Trump set for Iran include:
- Ending all of its uranium enrichment
- Dismantling its major nuclear enrichment facilities, which were badly damaged during a US bombing run last June
- Retrieving the more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried underground
- Accepting a broader “peace, security and de-escalation framework” that includes regional allies
- Ending funding for terrorist proxy groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis
- Fully opening the Strait of Hormuz, and charging no tolls for passage
As JD Vance was departing Islamabad this weekend, the vice president said he placed a “best and final” offer on the table, suggesting there was still time for Iran to accept the US conditions.
And while the talks were tough at moments, the meetings were not entirely acrimonious. The two sides developed a measure of respect for each other after spending hours behind closed doors, according to Trump and other people familiar with the talks.
Still, given previous Iranian resistance to a number of the US demands, it wasn’t clear Tehran would submit to Trump’s terms anytime soon. With the strait still effectively closed, Iran believes it enjoys substantial leverage over the US, a position that was clear to negotiators this weekend.
Trump and Vance hold a different view: that after weeks of war, Iran is badly weakened and would be wise to accept their demands, despite previous reluctance. Trump’s announcement of a US naval blockade in the strait is another pressure tactic meant to drive that point home.
Oil prices likely to climb after US threatens Strait of Hormuz blockade
Oil prices will likely climb in response to a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbating already slowed oil transports.
“If we have a blockade, we still have the problem of a shortage in the market of about 7 million barrels of crude, 4 million barrels of product not getting out. And we just added to that by making the Iranian barrels off the market,” Karen Young, a senior scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, told CNN on Sunday.
Young warned that “it could be a long time from now” before oil prices go down, even after the war ends, noting that prices won’t decline further until the strait is reopened and damaged oil facilities are repaired.
The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, closed at just over $95.20 a barrel on Friday, and has gained over 31% since the war in Iran began at the end of February. US crude closed at $96.57 a barrel on Friday and has gained over 44% since the start of the war.
The big picture: Elevated oil prices will also have rippling effects on fuel and food in the US, since high price levels are global. The war has also disrupted supply chains, including materials used for fertilizer and creating the packaging for food, which will make prices higher.
UK working to establish "coalition" to ensure Strait of Hormuz passage, spokesperson says
After US President Donald Trump claimed that the United Kingdom and other countries will send minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz, the UK said it is trying to bring together a “wide coalition” with France and others to ensure passage through the waterway.
“We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home,” a UK government spokesperson told CNN on Sunday.
“The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling,” the spokesperson said. “We are urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation.”
Last month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that “mine hunting systems of ours are already in the region.”
Trump’s comment about British minesweepers in the strait came shortly after he announced that the US Navy would begin blockading the waterway. CNN understands that the UK will not participate in a blockade.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard issues dire warning to military ships nearing Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Sunday that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz “will be dealt with harshly and decisively,” according to Fars News.
US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social earlier today that the United States would begin destroying mines Iran had placed in the straits, saying “Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!.”
In a statement carried by the semi-official Fars, which is affiliated with the IRGC, the group said the strait is under “smart control and management” and remains open to civilian vessels for “harmless passage,” provided they comply with relevant regulations.
“Any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz under any pretext or excuse will be considered a ceasefire violation and will be dealt with harshly and decisively,” the IRGC added.
Netanyahu enters southern Lebanon to survey territory seized by Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered southern Lebanon on Sunday to conduct a situational assessment in territory seized by Israel, according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the visit.
The rare trip marks the first time Netanyahu has crossed into Lebanon since the beginning of the Iran war, and it comes just two days before Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold direct talks in Washington, DC.
The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the visit and released video of Netanyahu meeting with Israeli troops. “Our enemies — Iran and the axis of evil — came to destroy us, and now they are simply fighting for their survival,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
Katz said the purpose of Israel’s growing occupation of southern Lebanon was “to evacuate every resident south of the Litani (River) who isn’t returning - and won’t return - until security is guaranteed here for the northern residents.”
He said the operation was called “Silver Plow.”
Israel has carried out more strikes in Lebanon this weekend targeting Hezbollah, while the Iranian-backed paramilitary group has carried out rocket launches at northern Israel.
This post has been updated with Israeli statements about the visit.
Iran's Pezeshkian tells Putin US “hegemonic approach” hinders peace deal
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the outcome of talks between Iran and the United States held in Pakistan, saying the discussions ended without an agreement.
In a phone call, Pezeshkian said, “the biggest obstacle to reaching a fair agreement as the double standards and hegemonic approach of the American side,” according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to reach a balanced and just agreement that ensures lasting peace and security in the region,” Pezeshkian said, IRIB reported.
He added that Iran’s “red line” is its national interests and the rights of the Iranian people, and said an agreement would be possible if the United States respects international legal frameworks, according to IRIB.
