Today07:19 BSTIran war latest - what we know so farDonald Trump has told US lawmakers he thinks he is going to be finished with the Iran war "very quickly" and that it will hopefully end "in a very nice manner".It comes after he said on Monday he had called off a major attack on the country. Iran says it has sent over another amended set of terms for a potential peace deal via Pakistan.Speaking to legislators at a White House yesterday, Trump claimed Iran wants to "make a deal so badly".Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting Vladimir Putin for talks set to focus on energy and weapons deals which are being directly impacted by the wars in Iran and Ukraine.UN expert Francesca Albanese has accused the EU of enabling Israel's kidnapping of hundreds of activists after its military intercepted the final boat of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla.Israel has continued launching strikes across Lebanon, while Hezbollah said it carried out attacks against Israeli forces. Lebanese officials say more than 3,000 people have died in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.Today05:47 BSTChina's Xi renews call for end to Middle East hostilitiesChinese President Xi Jinping has renewed China's calls for an immediate end to all hostilities in the Middle East.Xi made the comments during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, several news outlets reported.Today04:13 BSTTwo Chinese supertankers exit Strait of Hormuz loaded with 4 million barrels of crude oilTwo Chinese supertankers have departed the Stait of Hormuz, Reuters news agency reported.The tankers, loaded with four million barrels of crude oil, were stuck in the Gulf for two months.Today02:54 BSTTrump: 'We’re going to get it done in a very nice manner'Trump, according to several reports, said:"We’ve done a hell of a good job. And we’re, I think, we’re going to be finished with that very quickly, and they won’t have a nuclear weapon, and hopefully, we’re going to get it done in a very nice manner."Today01:51 BSTTrump tells legislators Washington will 'end that war very quickly'US President Donald Trump has told legislators that Washington is "going to end that war very quickly".Speaking to legislators at a White House event, Trump said, referring to Iran: "They want to make a deal so badly; they’re tired of this."Trump said that Iran has "nuclear on their mind, and we’re not going to let them have a nuclear weapon".Today00:55 BSTTrump reportedly says he will be finished with Iran 'very quickly'White House Correspondent Kellie Meyer has reported, in a post on social media platform X, that US President Donald Trump said he thinks he is going to be finished with Iran "very quickly" and hopefully in "a very nice manner."19th May23:51 BSTTrump's ballroom plans make some think he is never leaving White HouseUS President Donald Trump has shared his plans for a billion-dollar ballroom which has left some thinking he does not plan on leaving the White House.The US leader on Tuesday, May 19, showed members of the media the progress on the lavish ballroom. He shared that "the ballroom is really a shield and protecting all of the things that are built here."Trump said the construction includes a military hospital and meeting rooms. The structure will be about six storeys below the ground.Read the full story here.19th May22:56 BSTUS military says 89 ships were diverted as Iran blockade continuesThe US military says that it is continuing to blockade Iranian ports amid the impasse in the Middle East.Donald Trump has agreed to continue the ceasefire but shipping remains affected by Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz and the US not allowing vessels to access Iranian ports.A post from CENTCOM on X says that 89 ships were diverted. It read: "CENTCOM forces continue total enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran, stopping the flow of commerce into and out of Iranian ports. 89 commercial vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance."Content cannot be displayed without consent19th May22:35 BSTVance claims Iran conflict is not a 'forever war'JD Vance claims the Middle East conflict with Iran is not a "forever war".The Vice President continued to defend the administration’s strategy in Iran, saying that active conflict lasted about as long as Trump’s initial four-to-six week prediction and that the two countries were currently in a ceasefire.“We’re going to get a good settlement that actually gets the American people what they need, or we’re going to go back to a kinetic operation,” he said.Vance, a sceptic of military intervention abroad, said: “This is not a forever war... We’re going to take care of business and come home."19th May22:17 BSTDonald Trump 'to slash forces available to NATO' during major crisisDonald Trump is to tell NATO allies that the US will reduce its military support in a major crisis, insiders claim.The United States is to shrink its pool of military capabilities that it will make available to European nations in the alliance, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.Under a framework known as the NATO Force Model, the alliance's member countries identify a pool of available forces that could be activated during a conflict or any other major crisis, such as a military attack on a NATO member.While the precise composition of those wartime forces is a closely guarded secret, the Pentagon has decided to significantly scale down its commitment, said the sources who spoke anonymously.The US could reduce its military support to NATO(Image: CENTCOM / SWNS)19th May21:39 BSTVance says Europe needs to 'take more ownership on defence'JD Vance says the United States' aim is to promote “European independence and sovereignty”.He believes Europe should "take more ownership on defence" as he was asked about US troops in Poland.Vance said: “Poland is capable of defending itself with a lot of support from the United States."The Vice President also disputed that the administration was reducing troop levels in Poland.“What we did is that we delayed a troop deployment that was going to go to Poland,” Vance said. “That’s not a reduction. That’s just a standard delay in rotation that sometimes happens in these situations.”19th May21:34 BSTHormuz blockade risks sending world ‘sleepwalking into food crisis’The Foreign Secretary has warned that Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could result in tens of millions going hungry as she told an aid summit of the risk of “sleepwalking into a global food crisis”.Yvette Cooper told an aid conference in London that the global south was paying the biggest price as the global trade of fertiliser and heating oil are largely blocked.Markets are already pricing in weaker harvests and the World Food Programme has estimated that 45 million people could fall into acute food insecurity if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year.The Foreign Secretary said: “We meet against the backdrop of the Hormuz crisis, a strait of water through which 90 ships a day used to pass, but for the last three months it’s been more like five.“Heating oil for Asia – stuck in the Strait, fertilisers for Africa – stuck in the strait, 20,000 seafarers, 800 ships – just stuck in the strait.“The global economy is being held hostage, and the global south is paying the biggest price.”19th May19:55 BSTVance says Iran would be ‘first domino’ in race to get nuclear weaponsVice President JD Vance resurrected the Cold War-era “domino theory” to justify the Iran war, saying that a failure to stop its nuclear ambitions would lead to other countries pursuing the same aims.“If you have every country in the world scrambling to try to get a nuclear weapon, it would make us all much less safe,” Vance told reporters at the White House briefing. “And Iran would really be the first domino.”During the Cold War with the Soviet Union, US policymakers argued that if a country went communist, it could cause neighbouring nations to fall like dominoes into communism as well.This led to efforts to contain the spread of communism and resulted in American interventions in Vietnam and other nations.JD Vance has told of the need to stop Iran's nuclear plans(Image: Samuel Corum/UPI/Shutterstock)19th May19:16 BSTTrump says Xi promised not to send weapons to IranDonald Trump says Xi Jinping told him China would not be sending weapons to Iran.There have been reports that China, which has close ties to Iran, has considered sending weapons for use in the conflict against the United States.But Trump responded saying: “He promised that he’s not sending any weapons.”The leaders held two days of in-person talks last week in Beijing.19th May18:17 BSTTrump says he was 'an hour away' from giving the call for strikes on IranDonald Trump says he was “an hour away” from making the call for missile strikes to begin again on Iran and end the ceasefire.“I was an hour away from making the decision to go today,” Trump told reporters at the White House.He said the strikes “would have been happening right now” if he hadn’t held off. “The ships are all loaded, they’re loaded to the brim,” he added.Trump on Monday announced he was holding off on military strikes planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” were underway to end the war.Trump says he was close to ending the ceasefire(Image: Pool/ABACA/Shutterstock)19th May16:53 BSTUAE says drone attack at nuclear plant 'came from Iraq'The UAE says a drone attack that sparked a serious fire at a nuclear power plant over the weekend came from Iraq.The drone strike sparked a fire on the edge of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, in what authorities called an “unprovoked terrorist attack.”Content cannot be displayed without consent19th May15:42 BSTPetrol prices reach highest level of Iran oil crisisPetrol prices have eclipsed the previous highest level of the Iran oil crisis, new figures show.The RAC said the average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts stands at 158.5p, which is the most expensive it has been since December 2022.Following the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East on February 28, the price peaked at 158.3p on April 15.The average price then fell by more than a penny per litre until the start of May, when it began rising again.RAC head of policy Simon Williams described the recent rise as “bad news for drivers ahead of the bank holiday” and warned prices are set to become even more expensive.19th May14:38 BSTIsrael intercepts another vessel part of Gaza flotillaIsraeli forces have intercepted another vessel part of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The boat was stopped when it was around 82 nautical miles (around 150km) from Gaza, according to the flotilla's website tracker.A livestream shared on the website showed Israeli forces pulling up to the boat in a dinghy. The screen then went dark with a message saying the boat had been intercepted, reports Al Jazeera.19th May13:49 BSTYvette Cooper: World is 'sleepwalking into global food crisis' due to Hormuz closureForeign Secretary Yvette Cooper says the world is "sleepwalking into a global food crisis" due to ongoing disruption to shipping through the strait of Hormuz.In a speech to the Global Partnerships conference, Cooper highlighted that Gulf states are major global providers of fertilisers and cited World Food Programme figures saying "almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity if the [Iran] conflict does not end by the middle of this year".She said: "The world is sleepwalking into a global food crisis. We cannot risk tens of millions of people going hungry because one country has hijacked an international shipping lane."Iran's continued closure of the strait of Hormuz while the agriculture clock is ticking shows why we need urgent global pressure to get the Strait reopened, fertiliser and fuel moving and ease the costs of living pressures. That is why we will continue to lead calls for the immediate and unrestricted opening of the Strait and advance plans for the strait of Hormuz Multinational Mission to support any agreement."This crisis is affecting developed and developing countries, the private and public sectors alike. It shows why we need a new approach to global partnerships, to drive international development to prevent crises in the first place."19th May13:17 BSTPetrol prices at highest since Iran war began, says RACThe RAC has warned of "bad news" for drivers as petrol prices rise once again amid the global oil crisis.Figures have eclipsed the previous highest level during the Iran war, according to reports, as the RAC said the average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts stands at 158.5p.This is the most expensive it has been since December 2022, following the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East on February 28. The price had previously peaked at 158.3p on April 15.19th May10:06 BSTIran's six demands in new peace plan to US Iran has revealed six demands to the US in its latest peace proposal to end the war. The terms were laid out by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and reportedly include:The lifting of sanctions on TehranThe release of frozen fundsAn end to the marine blockade on the countryAn end to the war on all fronts, including in LebanonThe removal of US forces from areas close to IranCompensation for the destruction caused by the war19th May10:00 BSTIrish leader condemns Israel's detention of president's sisterIrish premier Micheal Martin has said it is "wrong" and "unacceptable" that Irish citizens, including the president of Ireland's sister, have been detained by Israeli forces.He said the behaviour of Israel in international waters against the aid flotilla is "unacceptable" and that people have a right to protest and take part in a mission to highlight the "shocking" humanitarian issue in Gaza.Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President of Ireland Catherine Connolly, is among at least six Irish citizens on board the flotilla that was detained by Israel, organisers say.19th May09:21 BSTIsraeli interception of Gaza-bound flotilla sparks international outrageJordan has released a joint statement with Indonesia, Spain, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Colombia, Libya and Maldives strongly condemning the Israeli interception and abduction of activists on board the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters.The statement says the foreign leaders "condemn in the strongest terms the renewed Israeli assaults against the Global Sumud Flotilla".It adds that "the Ministers express serious concern regarding the safety and security of the civilian participants of the flotilla and call for the immediate release of all detained activists, as well as for full respect for their rights and dignity".Content cannot be displayed without consent19th May08:42 BSTIran announces new body to manage Strait of HormuzIran's top security body says a new body has been formed to manage the Strait of Hormuz.Iran's Supreme National Security Council on X claimed it would provide "real-time updates on the #Hormuz_Strait operations and latest developments".The global shipping route has been largely blocked by Iran since the US and Israel attacked Tehran on February 28.Tankers and other ships anchored of the coast of Oman because they cannot travel through the Strait of Hormuz (file image)(Image: Reach PLC)19th May08:24 BSTIran war latest: A recap of the last 12 hoursDonald Trump says he has delayed attacking Iran by two to three days after Gulf state leaders insisted "a deal will be made".But the two countries are reportedly still poles apart in their demands to reach a deal. The US wants Iran to abandon nuclear enrichment and give up control of the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has called US demands "unrealistic".Iran says it has sent its response to the latest US peace deal amendments through Pakistan.Gaza-bound aid ships have continued to be seized by Israeli forces, with hundreds of flotilla participants detained in international waters, reports Al Jazeera.Israeli aircraft attacked a building in the al-Mushaqqa area in southern Lebanon's Tyre district, roughly an hour after the IDF ordered residents to leave the area. Hezbollah said it continued to attack Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.More than 3,000 people have died from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.Trump says he has delayed attacking Iran(Image: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)19th May08:03 BSTUS and Iran remain deeply divided in peace talksIran says it has responded to the latest US amendments to the peace deal through Pakistan, but insists major obstacles still remain between the two sides.Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran views several US demands as "unrealistic" - including calls to abandon nuclear enrichment, something Iran says it won't accept.Iran also claims it has not received firm guarantees that the war would end under any agreement, while demanding the return of all Iranian assets. One source has however claimed the US is only open to returning around 25%, Al Jazeera reports.Tehran is also pushing for Washington to recognsie its control over the Strait of Hormuz - a demand the US rejects.Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian said negotiations do not mean Iran has surrendered, while a top military commander warned the country is ready to respond with its full capabilities and power if attacked again.19th May07:23 BSTUS has created 'obstacles' to diplomacy, says Iran's foreign ministerIran's foreign minister says "contradictory and excessive behaviours" of the US have created obstacles to diplomacy.Abbas Araghchi said during a meeting with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi that past breaches of promises have led to Iran becoming suspicious of the US establishment. He said engaging in talks to end the conflict stems strictly from a "responsible outlook".Naqvi said he hopes Pakistan can help play a role in restoring peace and stability to the region, Iran's ISNA news agency reports.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has blamed the US for creating obstacles in talks to end the war(Image: RAJAT GUPTA/EPA/Shutterstock)19th May06:25 BSTReports say Israeli forces intercepted dozens of boats delivering aid to GazaIt is being reported that Israeli forces intercepted dozens of boats trying to deliver aid to Gaza on Monday.Al Jazeera reported that armed troops used speed boats to intercept, board and abduct hundreds of activists in international waters off Cyprus.This comes after Israeli forces intercepted 22 flotilla vessels off the coast of Greece and detained 181 volunteers two weeks earlier.The Mirror was not able to independently verify the reports.19th May04:37 BSTIndia raises retail fuel prices for second time in a weekIndia has increased its retail fuel prices for the second time in a week, Reuters news agency reported.This comes as the shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz pressures global fuel supplies.India is the world’s third-largest importer and consumer of oil.19th May02:31 BSTSenate Democrats to force eighth vote to withdraw troops from Iran warUS Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a post on X that Senate Democrats will this week force "a vote on our War Powers Resolution to withdraw our troops from hostilities with Iran".This will be the eighth time a vote has been forced.‌