President Trump says US Navy will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. and Iran failed to reach a peace deal after 21 hours of negotiations.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.
Trump set a deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure. Hours before the deadline expired, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi then said that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran, but that Lebanon -- where intense Israeli strikes continued -- was not covered by the agreement, despite Iranian protests.
Key Headlines
- US blockade of Iranian ports to begin Monday, CENTCOM says
- Military vessels approaching Strait of Hormuz 'will be met with severe force,' IRGC says
- DOJ will 'vigorously prosecute' buyers or sellers of sanctioned Iranian oil, Blanche says
- Despite blockade announcement, Trump urges Iran to open Strait of Hormuz
- President Trump says US Navy will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz
Pakistan's prime minister, Iranian president speak Wednesday
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke on Wednesday, with Pezeshkian confirming Iran would be participating in talks in Islamabad, the prime minister's office said in statement.
Sharif called the conversation with Pezeshkian "warm and cordial," saying it lasted more than 45 minutes.
Trump says Lebanon not included in deal: ‘That’s a separate skirmish’
President Donald Trump said that Lebanon is not included in the two-week ceasefire with Iran, in a phone interview with PBS.
"Yeah they were not included in the deal," Trump told PBS.
Asked why, Trump said, “because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal.”
“That’ll get taken care of too. It’s alright," Trump said.
Asked if he is comfortable with Israel continuing to strike Lebanon, the president claimed this is a "separate skirmish.”
“It’s part of the deal - everyone knows that. That’s a separate skirmish,” Trump said, according to PBS.
Israeli attacks hit Beirut's 'densely populated residential' areas, Lebanese PM says
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed news of a ceasefire in Iran, but pushed for a similar agreement in Lebanon, saying in a post on X that Israel's strikes there continue to show "utter disregard for the principles of international law and international humanitarian law, which it has never respected in the first place."
Salam said the Israeli attacks undermine international efforts to stop the war.
"Israel continues to expand its aggressions that have targeted densely populated residential neighborhoods, claiming the lives of unarmed civilians in various parts of Lebanon, particularly in the capital Beirut," he said. "All friends of Lebanon are called upon to help us stop these aggressions by all available means."
Strait of Hormuz is open, Hegseth and Caine say
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that the Strait of Hormuz has reopened.
"The strait is open," Hegseth said.
Hegseth said ships “will be sailing” through Hormuz.
“It's time for the rest of the world to step up and ensure that that stays open, after President Trump and the War Department brought Iran to the place where they are voluntarily opening it right now, as was announced last night," Hegseth said.