Reached

US president says ‘great settlement’ reached but Iranian spokesman says there has been no final conclusionFull report: Trump claims US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreementHello and welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.Iran’s foreign ministry has contradicted claims from Donald Trump that a peace deal between Washington and Tehran could be signed as soon as this weekend.Trump said he was cancelling a third day of US airstrikes and bombings that he had earlier said would happen because “discussions” with Iran “have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved”. He also said on social media: “Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.”Israel, however, said it was “not a party to” what prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described as an emerging memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran. But the office said Netanyahu had spoken with Trump and that the final agreement at the conclusion of negotiations would include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and the cessation of Iran’s support for its terrorist proxies in the region – measures that have been red lines for Iran in the past.The strait of Hormuz would open “as soon as we sign” the documents of the “great settlement” reached with Iran, Trump said. “The whole Middle East is happy.”Iranian media said the country’s forces had stopped a “violating tanker” from entering the strait of Hormuz. The report from the Fars news agency – closely linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards – came shortly after the sound of explosions were reportedly heard near the port city of Bandar Abbas.Trump had earlier posted on social media that the US would seize Iran’s Kharg Island “in the not too distant future”, but later said the seizure would be off the table “if we sign this agreement”.The price of oil rose after Trump threatened a “very hard” attack on Iran, but plunged hours later after he said he was cancelling the strikes. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 1.9% to $86.08 a barrel, on top of a 2.6% drop overnight, and Brent dropped 1.5% to $89.08 a barrel, having fallen nearly 3% overnight. Asian stocks joined a global rally, with South Korea’s Kospi surging 7.4% and Japan’s Nikkei up 2.7%.A strike wounded 10 staff members of a hospital in the Lebanese city of Tyre on Thursday, the facility’s director told the AFP news agency, as Israeli raids continued in the country’s south. All three of the historic city’s hospitals have been hit since the start of the latest war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel in early March.India’s government voiced a “strong protest” after three Indian seafarers were killed in US military strikes against oil tankers travelling through the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

• Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pyongyang, where he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reached an "important consensus" regarding regional and global stability. • According to a report from North Korean state media KCNA on Wednesday, June 10, the two leaders agreed to work together to safeguard peace. • This diplomatic engagement underscores the strategic alignment between China and North Korea amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions in East Asia.

• On May 29, 2026, Tehran announced that a ceasefire agreement with the United States has not yet been reached amidst ongoing conflict. • The updates follow a series of military engagements involving the US-Israel war on Iran and continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon. • This stalemate highlights the persistent diplomatic tension and the difficulty of securing a peace deal despite escalating regional violence.

• The Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.8% during early Asian trading on May 25, surpassing the 65,000 mark for the first time with an intraday high of 65,170. • Key contributors to the rally included gains from major companies such as SoftBank Group, Tokyo Electron, and Advantest. • Separately, President Trump indicated a U.S.-Iran deal is basically reached, though reports remain mixed regarding uranium stockpiles and the Strait of Hormuz.

Remarks by US president potentially mark conclusion of bombing campaign led by US and IsraelDonald Trump announced on Saturday that a peace deal with Iran had largely been reached, after calls with Gulf allies and Israel, potentially paving the way for an end to the war launched by the US and Israel in February.Trump wrote on his social media platform that “final aspects and details” of a “Memorandum of Understanding” are still being discussed, and “will be announced shortly” but said the strait of Hormuz will be opened as part of the deal. Continue reading...

• The American Heart Association released a Presidential Advisory on April 30, 2026, declaring U.S. health care affordability at a crisis point due to rising costs driven by chronic diseases. • Costs are forcing Americans to delay or avoid care, worsening health outcomes and increasing medical debt; a Gallup survey shows widespread worry about accessing affordable care. • A McLaughlin & Associates poll found 51% of voters cite health insurance as their top concern, followed by hospital bills (11%) and medicine costs (10%).

The ongoing U.S. travel boycott is showing no signs of letting up. March marked the 14th consecutive month of steep declines, with Canadian return trips to the U.S. plummeting 32 per cent compared to pre-boycott March 2024. Canadians are still travelling, but more are opting for domestic and overseas trips.

• US President Donald Trump warned Iran of 'no more Mr Nice Guy' and threatened new strikes if no deal is agreed by Wednesday, following stalled talks over nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz. • Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz until the US lifts its blockade, with Revolutionary Guard navy confirming the move amid risks to global oil shipments; 13 US service members killed in related conflict. • Negotiations in Islamabad saw US propose 20-year Iranian nuclear suspension, countered by Iran's 3-5 year halt offer; Tehran reports progress but fundamental gaps remain per speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Kristalina Georgieva says even ‘most hopeful scenario’ will lead to growth downgrade and cause permanent hit to living standardsBusiness live – latest updatesThe head of the International Monetary Fund has warned that the Iran war will permanently scar the global economy even if a durable peace deal in the Middle East can be reached.In a speech delivered as the ceasefire in the conflict threatens to unravel, Kristalina Georgieva said the “scarring effects” caused by the war to date would mean slower global growth this year than first anticipated. Continue reading...

Executive complaints unit finding relates to broadcast of N-word during awards ceremonyThe BBC breached its editorial standards by broadcasting a racial slur during the Bafta film awards ceremony in February, the corporation’s executive complaints unit has found.More details soon … Continue reading...

• US President Donald Trump threatened Monday to destroy Iran's Kharg Island crude oil export hub, along with oil wells and power plants, unless Tehran quickly accepts a deal to end the US-Israeli war. • The threat of potential US ground operations to seize Kharg Island is creating significant tremors through financial and energy markets, as well as raising concerns among neighbouring Gulf countries. • Trump expressed hope about talks with a "more reasonable regime" in Tehran on his Truth Social network, an apparent reference to new leadership despite the month-long war failing to dislodge the Islamic Republic.

Oil prices on course for record monthly rise amid risk of further escalation and mixed messaging from USDonald Trump has threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power stations and fresh water plants if Tehran does not agree to peace terms “shortly”, even as he claimed diplomatic progress in ending the war that was instigated by the US and Israel.Tehran has remained defiant during the month-long conflict, describing US peace proposals as “excessive, unrealistic and irrational” and firing waves of missiles at Israel. Continue reading...

President attacks ‘Radical Left Democrats’ after homeland security funding bill again sinks in SenateDonald Trump threatened on Saturday to deploy federal immigration agents to US airports if Democrats do not agree to measures aimed at strengthening security and immigration enforcement.“If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. Continue reading...

• A federal judge in Oregon ruled on March 20, 2026, that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overreached by issuing a December declaration labeling puberty blockers and surgeries for gender dysphoria as unsafe without proper procedures. • The declaration warned doctors of exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid for providing such treatments, prompting a lawsuit led by New York Attorney General Letitia James alleging coercion and lack of public notice or comment period. • The ruling provides legal clarity for patients, families, and providers, affirming that transgender health services remain available despite major medical groups like the AMA opposing restrictions.