US-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran won’t budge on Hormuz & uranium, US blockade remains; Trump says in 'no rush' for deal
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  • US-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran won’t budge on Hormuz & uranium, US blockade remains; Trump says in 'no rush' for deal
THE TIMES OF INDIA | May 25, 2026, 10:25:30 IST
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US-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran won’t budge on Hormuz & uranium, US blockade remains; Trump says in 'no rush' for deal

Iranian state media reported that Tehran sees increasing convergence in its talks with the United States, although significant differences remain unresolved. The report added that Iran's nuclear programme is not part of the initial framework currently under discussion between the two sides.

Trump said any deal with Iran "will be a good and proper one," distancing it from the Obama-era agreement which he claimed gave Tehran "massive amounts of cash and a clear and open path to a nuclear weapon." He urged critics not to listen to "the losers who are critical about something they know nothing about," while acknowledging that the deal "isn't even fully negotiated yet."

On the economic front, fuel prices in India were hiked for the fourth time in less than two weeks, with petrol up ₹2.61 per litre and diesel up ₹2.71 as crude oil prices surged over 50% since US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Cumulative increases have neared ₹7.5 per litre since hikes resumed on May 15.

However, diplomatic setbacks mounted. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference failed to reach consensus for the third consecutive time, with the US expressing regret and criticising states for not taking "Iran's threat to global nonproliferation seriously."

Meanwhile, the US condemned Hizballah's "reckless call" to overthrow Lebanon's democratically elected government, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio declaring that "the era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end."

With military signalling, diplomatic backchanneling, economic strain and nuclear anxieties unfolding simultaneously, the region now appears caught between the possibility of a fragile diplomatic breakthrough and the risk of a much larger confrontation.

10:25 (IST) May 25
LNG carriers bound for Pakistan, China exit Strait of Hormuz amid regional tensions: Reuters
Two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers have moved out of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz and are headed towards Pakistan and China, according to maritime tracking data cited by Reuters. The movements come amid heightened regional tensions and close monitoring of shipping activity in the Gulf.

Reuters reported that the Bahamas-registered LNG carrier Fuwairit is currently transiting the strait and is expected to deliver its cargo in Pakistan by Tuesday. Data from Kpler and LSEG showed that the vessel had loaded the shipment at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal in March.

A second LNG carrier, Al Rayyan, has also cleared the waterway after loading cargo at Ras Laffan. The vessel, last tracked in the Gulf on May 22, is now located outside the strait in waters between Oman and Iran and is scheduled to arrive in China on June 27, the report said.
09:45 (IST) May 25
US ready for 'very serious' nuclear talks with Iran if Hormuz reopened: Rubio
The United States is prepared to enter "into very serious talks" about Iran's nuclear program if Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, signalling Washington may accept a phased interim agreement that does not immediately address Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"You can't do a nuclear thing in 72 hours on the back of a napkin," Rubio told The New York Times during his visit to New Delhi.

"The straits have to be immediately reopened, and then we will enter, under agreed-to parameters, into very serious talks about enrichment, about the highly enriched uranium and about their pledge to never have nuclear weapons," he said.

Rubio suggested the United States could renew its threat to attack Iran if negotiations do not bear fruit within two months.

"Ultimately, the approach has to deliver what we want it to deliver. If it doesn't, then the president has every option available to him in 60 days that he has available to him now," he said.
09:29 (IST) May 25
India's concerns over Pakistan terror groups 'always there' but mediation role in Iran conflict never came up: Rubio

ndia's concerns over armed terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory that target India are "always there," but Pakistan's role as a mediator in the US-Iran conflict never came up during discussions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday.

Asked whether the Indian side expressed any concerns regarding Pakistan playing the mediator role, Rubio said: "They're always concerned about, obviously. India is always pointing to the fact that there are armed terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory that target India. They're always concerned about that."

"But as far as the role they played as a mediator and a facilitator in the Iran situation, it never came up. I don't think that they would complain about that. I mean, their issue with Pakistan is different," Rubio told reporters in Delhi.

09:14 (IST) May 25
US-Iran deal 'still a work in progress,' could materialise 'today' but Trump won't rush: Rubio
A deal to end the war with Iran is "still a work in progress" but could materialise "today," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday, though he reiterated that President Donald Trump is not in a hurry to reach an agreement.

"We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today, I wouldn't read too much into it," Rubio told reporters in New Delhi as he departed the Indian capital after an official visit.

Rubio said there is "a pretty solid" proposal on the table in terms of Iran's "ability to open up" the Strait of Hormuz and "enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matters."

"And hopefully we can pull it off. It has a lot of support in the Gulf. It has a lot of support globally. Every country that we've walked through it understands it's not just very reasonable but it's the right thing for the world to get done," he said.

"The president is not going to make a bad agreement, so let's see what happens. We're going to give diplomacy every chance to succeed before we explore the alternatives."

On Israel's right to defend itself, Rubio said: "Israel always has a right to protect itself... if Hezbollah is going to launch missiles or launches missiles at them, Israel has every right to respond to that."
08:40 (IST) May 25
Iran supreme leader's advisor says Tehran has 'legal right' to manage Hormuz
Mohsen Rezaei, former IRGC chief and a military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said on Sunday that managing the Strait of ‌Hormuz was Tehran's "legal ⁠right" in order ‌to ensure national security.
“Our fighters have their hands on the trigger today, and our negotiators are working to secure the rights of the Iranian people. The war is being managed on both fronts,” he added.
08:30 (IST) May 25
Stranded LNG tankers, oil ship finally exit Hormuz for Pakistan, China

Two liquefied natural gas tankers are exiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday heading to Pakistan and China, while a supertanker with Iraqi crude for China left the Gulf on Saturday after being stranded for nearly three months, shipping data showed.

The US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28 has severely curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of the world's supply of oil and LNG normally flows. The vessels are among a handful of supertankers exiting the Gulf this month via a transit route that Iran has ordered ships to use.

LNG tanker Fuwairit is crossing the strait on Monday and is expected to discharge its cargo in Pakistan on Tuesday. The LNG tanker Al Rayyan has also exited, carrying a cargo for China expected to arrive on June 27. The VLCC Eagle Verona, which exited on Saturday, is expected to reach China's Ningbo port on June 12 with nearly 2 million barrels of Basrah crude.

07:51 (IST) May 25
US expresses regret as NPT treaty review conference fails to reach consensus
The United States expressed deep regret that states party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) failed to reach a consensus on a final document at the conclusion of the 2026 Review Conference, specifically criticising the "inability of some NPT States Parties to take Iran's threat to global nonproliferation seriously," Al Jazeera reported.

Delegates at the international conference on nuclear disarmament failed to adopt a final document amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.

The US State Department criticised "Iran's continued noncompliance with its NPT-required safeguards agreement with the IAEA" and its "escalating nuclear activities for which there is no credible civilian justification," according to Al Jazeera.

Washington emphasised that for the NPT Review Conference to uphold its founding mandate, "States Parties cannot turn a blind eye to Iran's noncompliance," adding that violators cannot be allowed to "undermine the enforcement and accountability mechanisms at the core of the NPT."

07:49 (IST) May 25
US condemns Hizballah's 'reckless call' to overthrow Lebanese government
The United States has condemned in the strongest terms Hizballah's "reckless call" to overthrow Lebanon's democratically elected government, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press statement on Sunday.

Rubio accused the Iran-backed militant group of ignoring repeated calls from the legitimate Government of Lebanon to cease its attacks and respect a ceasefire.

Instead, Hizballah has continued firing on Israeli positions and moving fighters and weapons into southern Lebanon, Rubio said, describing it as "a deliberate campaign to destabilize the country and maintain its power at the expense of the future of the Lebanese people."

The Secretary of State contrasted Hizballah's actions with those of the legitimate Lebanese government, which he said is working to deliver recovery, reconstruction, international assistance, and a stable future for its citizens with the full support of the United States.

"Hizballah, by contrast, is actively trying to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction," Rubio said.

The United States stands firmly with the legitimate Government of Lebanon as it works to restore its authority and build a better future for all its people, he added.

"Hizballah's threats of violence and overthrow will not be allowed to succeed," Rubio said. "The era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end."
07:41 (IST) May 25
Trump says Iran deal 'will be good and proper,' not like Obama's
President Donald Trump said any deal with Iran "will be a good and proper one," distancing it from the Obama-era agreement which he claimed gave Tehran "massive amounts of cash and a clear and open path to a nuclear weapon."

"Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn't even fully negotiated yet," Trump said.

He added: "So don't listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about. Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don't make bad deals!"
07:33 (IST) May 25
Petrol, diesel hiked again in India, 4th increase in 2 weeks
Fuel prices were raised again on Monday, with petrol becoming costlier by Rs 2.61 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.71 per litre, marking the fourth hike in less than two weeks.

In Delhi, petrol rose to Rs 102.12 per litre from Rs 99.51, while diesel increased to Rs 95.20 from Rs 92.49. Cumulative increases have neared Rs 7.5 per litre since hikes resumed on May 15 after an extended freeze.
07:27 (IST) May 25
Nikkei breaches historic 65,000 mark on hopes for Iran peace deal
Japan's Nikkei share average surpassed the 65,000 threshold for the first time ever on Monday, driven by increased appetite for risk assets amid growing optimism surrounding a potential agreement to end the Iran war.

In early trading, the benchmark Nikkei 225 Index advanced 2.71 percent to 65,055.68, while the broader Topix Index gained 1.5 percent to reach 3,950.91.
West Asia entered a highly volatile phase as diplomatic efforts to end the Iran crisis intensified even as the United States signaled it was weighing fresh military action if negotiations fail.

US President Donald Trump said any deal with Iran "will be a good and proper one," distancing it from the Obama-era agreement while acknowledging that the deal "isn't even fully negotiated yet." He urged critics not to listen to "the losers who are critical about something they know nothing about."

Even as diplomacy continued behind the scenes, military signalling persisted. Fuel prices in India were hiked for the fourth time in less than two weeks, with petrol up ₹2.61 per litre and diesel up ₹2.71 as crude oil prices surged over 50% since US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Amid the tensions, Japan's Nikkei share average breached the historic 65,000 mark for the first time, driven by risk appetite on hopes of a potential peace agreement to end the war.

However, diplomatic setbacks mounted. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference failed to reach consensus for the third consecutive time, with the US expressing regret and criticising states for not taking "Iran's threat to global nonproliferation seriously." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the treaty's framework is eroding amid urgent global security challenges.

Meanwhile, the US condemned Hizballah's "reckless call" to overthrow Lebanon's democratically elected government, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio declaring that "the era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end."

With military preparations, diplomatic backchanneling and nuclear anxieties unfolding simultaneously, the region now appears caught between the possibility of a fragile diplomatic breakthrough and the risk of a much larger confrontation.