Trump says Iran talks continue despite reported suspension over Lebanon strikes
10 verified5 unconfirmed1 contested
Iran announced it was suspending indirect negotiations with the United States after Israel ordered troops to push deeper into Lebanon, according to Iranian state media. President Donald Trump contradicted that report, stating that talks with Iran were continuing at a “rapid pace” and that he had secured agreements from Israel and Hezbollah to stop attacks. The conflicting statements created confusion about the status of a ceasefire that has been in place since early April. Oil prices rose more than $5 a barrel following the Iranian announcement. Meanwhile, the U.S. military reported intercepting two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces in Kuwait, and Kuwait activated its air defenses. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked a U.S. airbase in response to a U.S. strike on southern Iran.
What’s verified
Iran announced it was suspending indirect talks with the U.S. after Israel ordered troops to push deeper into Lebanon, according to Iranian state news agency Tasnim.
President Trump said talks with Iran were continuing “at a rapid pace” and that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah representatives.
Trump stated that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to stop attacking each other, though Netanyahu later said Israeli military operations would continue as planned.
Israel issued an evacuation order for residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, ahead of planned airstrikes.
Oil prices rose by more than $5 a barrel after the Tasnim report of Iran suspending talks.
Iran and the Resistance Front set an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts.
U.S. forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American personnel in Kuwait; no U.S. casualties were reported.
Kuwait activated air defenses and denounced Iranian missile and drone attacks.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked a U.S. airbase in response to an attack on southern Iran, without identifying the base.
Trump criticized “seemingly unpatriotic Republicans” for negative comments about the negotiations.
Where accounts differ
Sources present differing accounts of whether Iran has actually suspended talks. Iranian state media reported a suspension, but Trump said he had not been informed of any suspension and later stated talks were ongoing. One source quotes Trump as saying he “couldn’t care less” if talks were over, while another source reports that Trump said the U.S. would not start bombing Iran if talks were suspended. Additionally, Israel’s prime minister said the military would continue operations in southern Lebanon despite Trump’s claim that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to stop attacks.
Not yet confirmed
Details of the alleged agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, including whether Hezbollah actually committed to a full ceasefire across all of Lebanon, have not been independently confirmed.
The exact timing and nature of the U.S. airstrike that Iran said prompted its retaliation remain unclear.
It is not specified which U.S. airbase the IRGC claims to have attacked.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused Washington of constantly shifting its negotiating stance, but no U.S. response to that specific criticism was reported.
The status of Iran’s demands for lifting sanctions and release of frozen oil revenues was not addressed in the conflicting statements from both sides.
Key figures
U.S. President Donald Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (also spelled Abbas Araqchi in sources)
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah
Mohsen Rezaee, adviser to Iran’s supreme leader (mentioned in one source)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (mentioned in one source)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (mentioned in one source)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (mentioned in one source)
Sources: CBS News, NPR, independent.co.uk, cbc.ca
