US-Iran War Highlights: Marco Rubio rejects Iran control of Hormuz, says US won't tolerate restrictions

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Russian and Iranian defence officials met in Kyrgyzstan for high-level talks, signalling continued coordination between Moscow and Tehran as tensions around Iran remain unresolved. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held discussions with Iran’s Deputy Defence Minister Reza Talaei-Nik during his visit, according to state-run TASS.

Belousov repeated Moscow’s position that the ongoing US-Israeli conflict involving Iran must be addressed through diplomacy rather than escalation. He also expressed confidence that Russia and Iran will continue to back each other amid rising geopolitical pressure. The meeting comes at a time when Russia is expected to play a key role in shaping the next phase of the conflict, both diplomatically and strategically.
 

The White House has confirmed that a proposal from Iran to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is now under active discussion within the US administration. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had met his national security team to review the offer. “I can confirm the president has met with his national security team this morning – the meeting may be ongoing, maybe not… The proposal was being discussed,” she told reporters.

The Iranian plan reportedly links the reopening of the vital shipping route with a broader effort to end hostilities. It also includes a condition that negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme would take place at a later stage.

Washington has not indicated whether it is inclined to accept the terms. However, Trump’s position remains firm. Leavitt said the president’s red lines have been “made very, very clear,” stressing that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.

UK minister Stephen Doughty said maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz must remain free of tolls and security threats, as London pushes for safe passage despite opposing the US blockade of Iranian ports.

Speaking ahead of a UN Security Council meeting, Doughty said Iran was holding “the rest of the world to ransom” and stressed that shipping must move freely. “That includes no tolls, no security risk and, of course, adherence to the international laws on freedom of navigation,” he said, according to The Associated Press.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Iran must make “major concessions” and adopt a “radical shift” in its position for any lasting resolution to the crisis, speaking at a UN Security Council session on maritime security in New York.

“There can be no lasting solution to this crisis unless the Iranian regime agrees to major concessions and a radical shift in its stance,” Barrot said, according to AFP. He added that he had spoken with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi a day earlier, with discussions focusing on ceasefire developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not accept any attempt by Iran to control access to international waterways, rejecting Tehran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz. Responding to Iran’s claim that the strait remains open, Rubio said: “If what they mean by opening the straits is, yes, the straits are opened as long as you coordinate with Iran, get our permission or we’ll blow you up, and you pay us. That’s not opening the straits.”

He added that such a system would be unacceptable. “Those are international waterways. They cannot normalise, nor can we tolerate them trying to normalise, a system in which the Iranians decide who gets to use an international waterway, and how much you have to pay them to use it.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran appears “serious” about reaching a deal with Washington, but stressed that any agreement must firmly block Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

“I think they are serious about getting themselves out of the mess that they’re in,” Rubio said in an interview with Fox News. He pointed to Iran’s worsening economic situation, including inflation, wage pressures and sanctions, adding: “All the problems that Iran had before the start of this conflict are still in place, and most of them are worse.”

Rubio underscored Washington’s red line, saying: “We have to ensure that any deal that is made… definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point.”

The remarks come after US-Iran talks held in Islamabad on April 11 failed to produce an agreement to end the conflict that began on February 28.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the death toll from Israeli attacks has risen to 2,521 since March 2, with 7,804 people wounded, according to the National News Agency.

At least 22 people were killed in strikes over the past two days, as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon shows signs of strain.
 

French President Emmanuel Macron said he would hold talks with Iranian authorities after concluding his visit to Andorra, as he pushes for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions.

“We have established a coalition whose purpose is precisely to ensure security, to secure and stabilise, to demonstrate that the international community supports an opening (of the Strait of Hormuz), and so I hope that we will be able to convince the stakeholders in the coming days,” Macron told reporters.
 

Pakistan has allowed Iran to import goods from third countries through its territory, opening new transit routes linking major ports to border crossings in Balochistan, according to a government notification.

The move designates six routes connecting Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar with key crossings in the southwest, and took immediate effect. The decision came during a visit to Islamabad by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who held talks with Pakistani officials amid ongoing US-Iran tensions.
 

A senior United Arab Emirates official has criticised Gulf allies for what he described as a weak response to Iranian retaliatory attacks following Israeli-US strikes, highlighting divisions within regional blocs.

Anwar Gargash said that while Gulf states offered logistical support during the crisis, their political and military response fell short. “The GCC’s stance was the weakest historically, considering the nature of the attack and the threat it posed to everyone,” he said as quoted by AFP. Gargash added that he had expected a limited response from the Arab League but not from Gulf partners. “But I don’t expect it from the GCC, and I am surprised by it,” he said at a conference in Dubai.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone call with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss ongoing US-Iran negotiations and efforts to ease regional tensions, according to an official statement.

During the call, Abdelatty “stressed the importance of continuing the negotiation approach to consolidate the ceasefire and work to end the war,” the statement said, adding that Egypt would continue “tireless efforts” with regional and international partners to support political solutions and regional stability.
 

Russian state media reported further details from the meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, highlighting Moscow’s continued backing of Tehran amid the ongoing conflict.

“For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests, the interests of all the peoples of the region, to achieve this peace as quickly as possible. You know our position well,” Putin said, according to TASS. He also expressed hope that Iran would overcome what he described as a “difficult period,” adding that peace would eventually prevail.

According to RIA, Araqchi thanked Russia for its support and reaffirmed Tehran’s stance against Washington. “We sincerely hope that, drawing on this courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people will navigate this difficult period of trials under the leadership of a new leader – and peace will come,” Putin said.

Araqchi, in his remarks, praised ties between the two countries and said Iran would continue to resist the United States. “The entire world has been proven that the Iranian people, through their resistance and courage, were able to resist American attacks and American aggression and will be able to endure and survive this period,” he said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi thanked Russia for what he described as its “firm and unshaken” support after meeting President Vladimir Putin.

“We have proven to the whole world that Iran maintains good allies and friends like the Russian Federation,” Araghchi said during the meeting. “We thank you for your firm and unshaken position in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added.
 

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, told UN Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert that Hezbollah is continuing to breach the US-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon and is exploiting the presence of UN peacekeepers. According to a readout from his office, Sa’ar said the violations “undermine” Beirut’s interests and claimed the Iran-backed group has launched around 10,000 missiles, rockets and drones at Israel since last month.

He further alleged that many of the attacks were carried out near positions of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, stating that “Hezbollah systematically places its operatives and military assets in proximity to UNIFIL positions and exploits UNIFIL’s presence for hostile activity.” 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to chair an emergency Cobra meeting to coordinate the government’s response to the escalating Iran conflict, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise. Speaking earlier at a trade union conference in Lancashire, Keir Starmer reaffirmed Britain’s position, saying, “I will never let this country be dragged into a war that is not in our interests.”
 

Bahrain has stripped 69 people of their citizenship, including some family members, over alleged expressions of support for Iran during the ongoing conflict, the country’s interior ministry said. 

In a statement, authorities said those affected had “expressed sympathy for and glorified Iran’s sinful hostile acts,” framing the move as part of a broader security response amid regional tensions.

The US military’s United States Central Command said its forces remain "focused and ready" across the Middle East, signalling continued military preparedness even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have stalled.

The statement comes after President Donald Trump said Iran could “call us” if it wanted to negotiate, a day after he cancelled a planned visit by US envoys to Pakistan for talks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday, with Moscow expressing hope that stability and peace will prevail in Iran amid ongoing regional tensions. 

According to Russian state media, Putin described the current situation as a “difficult period” for Iran and said Russia would continue to act in the interests of Iran and the wider region. The meeting comes as Tehran steps up diplomatic outreach with key allies while the broader conflict and negotiations with the United States remain unresolved.

Hezbollah military leader, speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, said the group is prepared to revive tactics used in the 1980s, including suicide operations, to counter Israel’s presence in southern Lebanon. The official said “large groups of suicide bombers are deployed in the occupied territory according to pre-prepared plans,” adding that their mission is “to engage with enemy officers and soldiers in the occupied Lebanese villages” and prevent Israel from establishing a foothold.